The Indianapolis journal., 1893-02-16

trance they barricaded the doors
from within and prepared for an as
seult They had not prepared for sieRe.
however, and they are now suffering the
pangs of hunger and the nips of frost.
Soon after they entered the hall the Popu-
list jsnitor of the Capitol turned off the
steam. The military guards without the
hall will permit no one to enter and the
Republicans have no means of supplying
themselves with food or with artificial
heat.
The Republican, having become masters
of Representative Hall. only two means OF
dislodging them presented themselves to
the Populist leaders. One was to put them
out, and the other was to starve them out
The more bot-headed leaders advised the
militia be called out. and be ordered to
eject the Republicans. More conservative
counsel prevailed, and Governor Lewelling
decided to lay siege to the Republican cita-
del. and starve the occupants into submis-
sion. 1t was decIded that troops were
necessary to effect the object, and the Gov
ernor ordered several companies OF the
National 9nn SaasS to repair local at on1e
panles were soon placed in the
field. and, during the day several more
companies from nearby towns arrived. At
nightfall four hundred men had been put
in active service and five hundred more were
en- route to the city. They were put under
command of Colonel Hughes of the Third
Regiment. who disposed the men about the
Capitol In such way as to prevent all
orders to allow no one to take edibles In
any form into the building and the starv-
Ing-out process was begun. Before the
guards were established the Republicans
AA1t tsxrz HhAvt Ixynn yuIt
sandwich lunch at noon. Since then. how
ever, they have been unable to get any
thing to eat and the prospects are that they
will be starved into surrender. unless they
are relieved by relnforcements.
AID ASKED BY REPUBLICANS
Right here arises the probability of an
armed conflict between Republican guards
and the State militia The Republican
members have kept the wires hot all day
sending messages to their constituents in
forming them of the desperate situation of
affairs and calling for Repu blIcsn volun-
teers to come to Topeka at once and lend
their aid to the Republican House. Re-
sponses have been received from all over
the State stating that volunteers have
offered their services by the hundred, and
will arrive in Topeka by the first train. As
samples of the responses two are given. ID.
M. Scott, q Republican member. who hap.
that he would be here in the morning with
three hudered armed men. Fighting Dan"
Anthony. editor OF the Leavenworth Times.
wired that one thousand armed men would
come from Leavenworth.
The Republican volunteers will be asked
to support the Repu blicans in the Occu-
pancy of Representative hall until the
courts decide which is the legally consti-
tuted House. In complying with this re-
quest it will be necessary for them TO dis
lodge the State troops around the Capitol.
Such a proceeding would seem to necessi-
tate a battle. but the Republicans predict
that the militia, being composed mostly OF
Republicans, will not resist the attack of
the volunteers should the latter proceed to
such extreme measures.
On the other hand, Governor Lewelling
has made a call for provisional troops He
issued q proclamation late this afternoon,
stating that as the State militia now In
Topeka was not sufficient to control the
Situation, i've provisional companies would
be organized. Only enough men responded
to form three companies of thirty men each.
II. Z. Lindsay of Topeka, was made cap
tain of Company a; j. A. Mcdonald. of
Parsons, captain of Company B. and James
a conflict ensues it will doubtless be be-
tween Republican volunteers and these
provisional troops, which will be composed,
OF course. of Populists. The latter are en-
thusiastlc enough In their support OF the
| POpulist House to he almost fanatics. and
they. unlike the regular militia. would
gladly obey an order to resist an attack
| from the Republicans, even so far as the
use of cannon and rifle. ShOnld these forces
meet in conflict the fight would not be
bloodless one.
The Ststehouse yard and streets leading
| to the building presented an interesting
with q dense mass of people spreading out
over jackson street and east in Ninth
| street to Kansas avenue. The crowd was
composed of men and women. Populists.
Republicans and Democrats, visitors and
| citizens, and much concern was mani
| tested. The people believed the long
| looked-for crisis had arrived and that the
result OF the strained situation would be
open violence between the cOntendlng
forces, and Dossibly blOOdshed. When the
| conflict failed to materislize many left. bnt
many others remained interested specta-
| tors OF the unusual scene of armed troops
| stationed about the Capitol where laws are
made to prevent the laws fracture.
The situation at 10 o'clock tonight Is
| just this: The Republicans are masters of
the situation within Representative hall,
| and the Populists are masters without
| Five hundred troops are on guard around
the building. while five hundred more are
| on their way from different parts of the
State. Hundreds of volunteers. armed for
battle. are gathering from all parts
OF the State. Poppiists have re-. organ
tia being Republican in sympathies
| will probably not obey an order
| TO shoot down their political brethren,
while the prov isional companies. composed
| of POpulists. arc prepared to GO to almost
| any extreme to defeat the Republican
plans and maintain the POpulist position.
| In the meantime the Republican House Is
besleged. the Representatives are cut Oft
| from their base of supplies, and with no
| supplies in store. No one dares predict
! what the morrow will bring forth. Few
| hope for peSceable solution of the diff
| Guilty. many expect blOodshed. and all are
| holding their breath in anticipation.
WILL NOT FIGHT REPUBLICANS.
At midnight the situation remains un-
changed. The Governor, at IL o'clock,
| called again upon the sheriff to summon
posse to preserve the peace and
the sheriff again refused to obey.
Colonel Hughes, who is men,
ber of the House, appeared before the
House in uniform at 1l:S0 and addressing
the members informed them that as COM
mander of the troops they had nothing to
fear from him. He would sooner resign his
command than carry out an order to eject
the Republican House. He rold the House
also that a majority OF his
command would withdraw from the
| militia with him. If they were ordered
| TO use force to drive forth the legally
| elected and legally organized House of
| REPRESENTATIVES, from the hall provided
| by law for their use. He intimated that
the orders to the guards so far as they re-
lated to the taking of provisions into the