The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-17
POPULISTS SURRENDER.
THE REPUBLICANS ARE NOW IN
COMMAND or THE FIELD.
Sheriff Wilkerson and His Large Posse
Bring About Change in the War.
Populists Rent Another Hall.

| The line of militia surrounding the stat
house is between two fires. The Repub
lican house, which .he military force
were called out 10 subdue, still occupies
Representative Hall and outside OF th,
grounds the sheriff of the county is or
ganizing a large force of deputies to tak'
charge Of the soldiers and preserve peace
The sheriff has read the constitution, an(
from 1t has concluded that he alone Is
the peace officer of this county. and thai
unless he demands it the Governor has
| no right TO call out the militia. Late last
night he Informed the Governor that hc
would preserve the peace of this county
without any Interference from the CHIEF
| executive OF the State. and to do this he
Is organizing force, which, by the time
| II Is deemed ready to move, will take full
| charge of the State house square TO the
exclusion Of military forces. The sheriff
| VIII meet with little resistance from the
| military forces, as majority OF the
officers and enlisted men are in full SYM
pathy with the Republicans Many OF
| the members Of the military companies
have already been sworn In as deputy
sheriffs. The sheriff established three re-
! cruiting stations this morning and swore
|
| A thousand deputies had been mustered
at noon. Twenty students from the State
! University, under the command of j. A.
Rush. who had been sworn i'm as captain,
! arrived in the city this morning, and were
| promptly sworn in as deputies. and went
| or duty. The students from Naldwin and
| Washburn colleges also volunteered In
| large numbers.
Al ii O'Clock Governor Leweling sent
notices to the Republican house that un-
| less they vacated the hall within fifteen
| minutes he would clear It by force The
only attention paid to the order by the
Republicans was to place additional
guards at the doors. The Governor at
noon had failed to carry out his threat.
A wagon load of provisions. enough to
keep the occupants Of the house sup
pied for twenty-fJur hours. drove up to
the west wing OF the entrance at the
State House about noon. The captain in
command Of the company on guard there
relieved his men from guard duty as the
wagon arrived, and everything il con-
tained was carried into the hall without
hindrance. AS soon as this was accom-
plished the soldiers again went on duty.
At 10 o'clock Governor Lewelling dis
missed Colonel Hughes and took personal
charge Of all the military forces He has,
however. given no orders TO the men to
move. and says that he will appoint no
successor to Colonel Hughes. The Col
onel is now deputy sheriff. All Of the
deputies were ordered to report at l
o'clock sharp, armed and ready for inn
mediate duty
The Populists have practically abandon
ed The field. The crisis raised by Sheriff
Wilkerson's calling out posse Of 1000
men TO defend the Republican position is
so critical a one and one so filed with
embarrassing difficulties that they decided
not to meet it.
At noon the Governor held a conference
with the Populst House members and
various leaders of the party. The Gov
ernor said that the militia could not be
depended upon to carry out his orders;
that the resistance of l2J men composing
the force OF deputy sergeants and 100
provisional troops TALL that could be de-
pended upon to stand loyaD would be
useless before the sheriffs posse Of 1000
men, II was decided to hire hall down
town for the Populist House, and there
the meetings Of the Populist House Will
be held until the difficulties are settled
This action is looked upon as "bluif,
but 1t is generally regarded as the logi-
cal outcome of the sherifs action In
summoning his posse TO support the Re
publican position.
The Republicans held Representative
Hall all night. The stairways leadinB
10 it were blockaded with ladders, lumber,
doors and everything that could be found
that would obstruct the passage and pre-
vent n rapid ascent by a force OF men.
The doors were barricaded and during the
long hours Of waiting all manner Of
means were resorted to 10 XIII time.
Speeches were made. songs sung, cards
nlayed and the House roll was called
every hour on the floor below soldiers
paced up and down, every entrance 10
the State House was locked, ana no per-
son was permitted 10 pass either In or
out All the occupants OF Representative
Hall were undergoing n state OF siege.
Food was sent 10 the imprisoned states
men in baskets hauled I'm through a win
dow by means OF a rope. This morning
the mail carriers took food 20 the legisla-
tors. the military forces fearing TO stop
them. or to deny them the right Of ad-
mission. The United States marshal was
ready with a force Of deputies 10 arrest
all of the militamen and the Governors
officers in case the mail carriers were
interfered with. He was given no oc-
casion 10 call on his deputies.
4 company of artillery arrived from
Wichita this morning under command
Of Captain Metcalf. II brought Gatling
gun with ii. Before arriving some one re-
moved a portion Of the machinery con-
nected with It, making this otherwise
powerful instrument Of slaughter power
less. The gun was however. placed in
position I'm the State House square, and
he officers and men Of the company
having IL I'm charge professed TO be |
ignorant of the fact that II could not fire |
a shot.
The city is crowded with people. In |
coming trains, bringing uniformed militia, |
)ring many more ununiformed recruits for |
he sheriff. The militia and The citizens |
IRE on the best of terms
AT 80 the Governor sent nm application |
or peace 10 the Republican house. 1t |
eads.
The Governor offers, in the interest
II peace and halmcny. that he vii. With
lraw the State military and not allow
he Republican house or its employees to
'e interfered with by the Populists, pro-
lied that all further proceedings that
ave been commenced by the Republicans
rising from the arrest of Pen Q. Rich.
e dropped, and that the Populist men,
ers and employees be not disturbed by
he arrest CT officers or otherwise, and
he sheriff Of Shawnee county discharge
is deputies, and does not interfere nor
o try 10 interfere with the acts Of the
'crUlists and state officers, including
lilitia, and this agreement continue in
orce until the close OF the present ses-
ion of the Legislature. The Republicans
'nl not accept this peacc-offering
The Populists met at noon and decided
D make no further attempt TO gain en-
rance 10 representative hall.
The Republicans tonight submitted a
TO Governor Lewell-
lg who has taken until tomorrow to
onsider H. Meantime hostllitIes ON both