The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-17

Colonel Hughes is in command, comprises
most of the companies in the vicinity OF
Topeka, and they form decided majority
of the men in the field.
The colonel's retort staggered the gov.
ernor, and the coloneFs action embarrassed
him TO that extent that be about decided
10 place no more reliance on the state
troops The commandsnts of nearly all
the regiments in the state are subordinate
officers, and should they be placed by the
governor in the seme position that Colonel
Hughes found himself, they would doubt
less follow the precedent set by him. Thus
the governor found himself in dilemma
from which there seemed to be no escape
except that offered by the three companies
of provisional troops formed yesterday
under the governors proclamation calling
for volunteers, which might be reinforced
by the organization of similar companies
today. Among the thousands OF people
who arrived here this morning there were
perhaps 500 men who came from their
homes under arms, in response to the
Republican and populist calls Tor VoIun-
teers. OF these 500 men only ABOUT IUO
were populists; so that the relntorcements
of the provisional troops cannot be very
effective
The call for volunteers had not met with
so general response as the dispatches
from various points throughout the state
Indicated - This was due TO two reasons:
First, when the Republicans learned that
Colonel Hughes, who had been placed IN
command Of all the troops, would take no
action hostile to them, they countermand-
ed by wire many Of their requests for men,
believing themselves to be masters OF the
situation. Then, the populists through
ont the state, being mostly of the agricul-
tural class, were bard to reach by wire,
and many of them did not receive their
1pfa In0y M
consequently knew nothing of the serious
nature of the condition of affairs. There
aTe now on the ground all told about 500
state troops and an equal number Of arm
ed civilians, 100 of the latter being popu-
lists and the remaining 400 Republicans.
At 10 O'Clock Governor Lewelling, as
commander in chief of the state troops, re-
iieved Colonel Hughes of his command of
the troops, but permitted him TO retain
his commission as colonel of the Third
reniment. Soon after Colonel Hughes was
relieved from duty Governor Lewelling
appointed Lieutenant Colonel George
Barker of Holton commandant.
Great excitement was caused at noon by
the announcement by the sheriff in the
received word from Lawrence that an
armed party of sixty men had left there
for Topeka to aid the popuIistS. The sher- |
if, addressing the members of his posse |
there, gave them the information he had |
received, and ordered all those that were |
armed to fall in and accompany him to |
the station. There be said, he proposed !
10 demand of the invading party that they |
lay down their arms. In she event of their !
refusing to do so the sheriff said that he |
would be obliged to arrest them and dis |
arm them. The sheriff then, accompanied |
by 200 men, marched to the railway sta
iion. followed by great crowd. When |
the Lawrence tram arrived sixty men were
(; board, but they carried no arms, and the |
sheriff found that he had nothing
to do. The detachment was por-
lion of the reorganiZed Robinson
Rifles of Lawrence. They were all |
populists. Before they were sent TO
the ball, the governor ordered that they be
aisarmed, so that no bloOdshed should fol-
low any basty action. When the Repub-
licans ordered them to withdraw, they
did So