St. Paul daily globe., 1893-05-18
Violent and Disorderly Scenes
in the Bohemian
Diet.
One German Speaker Elected
u 81 From the Tribune by
a Czech.
A Pot Of Ink Thrown and
StenographerS NAL
is treated.
President of the Diet Busy
Arranging for Several
Duels.

PRAGUE, May 1.-THE Bohemian
diet was the scene today of display of
violence and disorder unparalleled in
the protracted and bitter struggle for
supremacy between the Czech and Ger
man elements. A bill was before the
diet which conferred upon the local
tribunal at Trautenau, a town of Bo-
hemia twenty-five miles from KONG
gratz. certain powers intended to
strengthen the position of the Germans
as against the Czeehs. The young
CZechs carried on a resolute filibuster-
ing to prevent the passage of the bill.
Prince Lobkowitz. president of the diet,
who is an appointee Of the Austrian
emperor, and therefore attached to the
German interest, rebuked the tilibust-
erS for their obstructive course, and in
sisted that Herr Funke, whom the COM
mittee had selected to report the bill,
should be heard.
Herr Funke entered the tribune and
attempted to speak. He essayed to
make himself heard, and some utterance
by Funke was construed by Czech
deputy named Brzorad as alluding in
sarcastic manner to him Brzorad). The
offended deputy did not appeal to the
chair, but climbed upon the tribune In
stead and seized Herr Funke. Brzorad
and Funke had lively wrestling en-
counter in the presence of their COL
leagues, who showed the most intense
excitement as the champion of the
Czechs
Struggled for the Mastery
with the champion of the Germans.
Brzorad succeeded in ejecting Funke on
the tribune amid the intense delight of
the Czechs. Everybody in the house
was shouting and shaking fists, and
angry challenges to fight could be he,. Il
here and there in the din.
Funke, not subdued by his precipitate
exit from the tribune. made himself
heard on the floor, and was gasping de-
fiance at his enemies, when Czech
Deputy Vasaty interrupted him with a
large pot of ink. Vasaty aimed the ink
pot at Funke. but the weapon missed
Funke and was smashed by collision
with desk, the contents OF the inkpOt
ONcC uHkS anu q
number of others in his vicinity, and in
terfering with the harmony of their
compilations, besides spattering their
clothes. Encouraged by the discomfit-
ure which the inkpot had caused
among their foes, the Czechs next at
tackled the StenOgraphers and maltreated
several of them. Prince Lobkewitz
himself was menaced with personal
violence and declared the sitting closed
The prince has since been occupied in
the preliminary arrangements for duels
with several Of his antagonists.
The scene in the diet caused great ex-
citemeut in the city. The students of
the university broke out in riotous
demonstration and wrecked the win
dows of club houses and of mansions of
people obnoxious to them. The police
are guarding the streets in the vicinity
of the building where the sessions of
the diet are teld. The diet will prob
ably be dissolved. 1t is stated that the
bill opposed by the young CZechs pro-
posed virtually to separate the northern
districts of Bohemia in order to give the
Germans control over their local affairs.
Ordered Closed
VIENNA. May 17.-Emperor Franz
Joseph telegraphed to Prague this
evening an order closing the present
session of the Bohemian diet.