Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-02-24
Republicans Have Won a De-
cisiye Victory-In Jndjs-
puted Possession.
POpulists Will Meet, Pass Bills
and Governor viii Sign
Them, However.

needed TO make war N Kansas Is HSnL-
Ing The conditions of war are present
Opposed bodies Of armed men, some
thing to fight about, and disposition
to fight are al evident; but war does not
open
A proposition Of compromise was of
fered to the republican house. They
finally amended it to suit their own
ideas and returned it to the governor.
who announced that he would reply to-
morrow. In the meantime an armed
truce exists.
This is the situation late tonight. The
whole city Of Topeka appeared during
the day to be under martial law. Troops
were marching and countcrmarching
through the broad avenues Of the city;
men wearing badges bearing the in
scription Dep. Sheriff" were hurrying
to and fro; cannon were being dragged
through the streets; hundreds Of civil
ians arrived during the day from al
over the state; many carried guns in
cases, 4 few carried them under their
overcoats, but more marched boldly
from the stations to the hotels with
rifles or shot guns slung over their
shoulders.
The real sensation OF the day was the
disloyalty of the state troops to the com
mander-in-chief, the governor. He
twice ordered Col. Hughes. commandant
of the forces. to attack the republican
stronghold. The colonel declined and
was relieved. Then the governor took
personal command and ordered that no
provisions be allowed to pass the lines
but the order was disregarded
Then Lieut. Col Barker, Of the third
regiment. was given command of the
troops, but still the governors orders
were diSObcyed.
Finally Brgadicr General Hetti@er
arrived from Wichita and took com
mand He lot ii be understood that the
republicans had nothing to fear from
him.
The republicans hit upon Il plan this
morning to strengthen their position by
bringing TO their aid the sheriff backed
by Il posse The sheriff issued Il proc
lamation nd by noon had fully loo
men sworn in. Not caring to take the
risk Of arming the recruits with firearms.
the sheriff decided to arm them with
clubs All sorts Of clubs were pressed
into use. from sticks TO base ball bats.
The sheriff announced that he would
make no move until fracture Of the
peace really occurred. He explained
that he would regard an attempt to
eject the republicans (the legally consti-
tutcd house. as he regards it, rs a dis
turbance Of the peace and would then
I'M fa ri nr5ar
This action by the sheriff, taken in
connection with the attitude taken by
the militia, deprived the populists Of
all fighting support except that afforded
by three provisional companies Of militia
and some fifty assistant SargeantS-at-
arms In the meantime the populiStS
began to arrive and tonight the popul-
lists are strongly reinforced. The gov
elnor may organize these into provision
al troops who can be depended on to
obey his orders 1t is not believed. how
ever he will take such extraordinary
action.
The prospects for tomorrow are that
the populists will decline to accept the
proposition of compromise as amendc;
by the republicans.
The general feeling tonight is one of
uneaincSs, and predictions are freely
made that tomorrow may see the long
anticipated war inaugurated
TofHKA, Kan, Feb. l6-rhe Popu-
lists have practically abanioaed the
field. The crisis raised " Sheriff Wiz
kerson's callit.- ont a posse Of i.oHO
men 70 defend the Republican position
Is SO critical a one and one 50 filed
with embarrassing difficulties that
they decided not to meet it. At noon
the Governor hel,i a conference with
the Populist House members and
various leaders Of the party. The GOV
ernor sad that the militia could not be
depended upon to carry out,his orders;
that the resistance Of I25 men com
posing the force of deputy sergeants
and q hundred provisional troops TALL
that could be depended upon TO stand
loyalty would be useless before the
Sheriff 5 posse of 1000 men. 1t was
decided to hire hall down town for
the fopuhst House, and there the
meetings of the Populist House will be
held until the difficulties are settled
This action is looked upon by some az
bluff" but it is generally regarded
as the logical outcome OF the Sheriff's
action in >urnmoning his posse to sup
port H. Rt'nn hiicaa position.
At noon the dispatches read as fol
lows: The republican house is
stln pesieged in Representatives hall
and the force of State militia is still
posted about the capitol
Col Hughes has again declined to
obey the Governors order to eject the
Republicans, The only resource the
Governor has besides the regular mill
tia are the three companies OF provi-
slonal troops, composed of Populists,
who. of course, svmpathize with the
Popuiists, objects. They would, doubt
less, make an attempt to carry out an
order to eject the Republicans Col
Warner, who has planned the Repub-
ican campaign, says Of these pro-
visional companies:
sThey are the Governors pet lambs.
We are wolves now and would devour
them if given the opportunity"
Belligerent Outlook
The outlook is belligerent one.
The refusal of Col. Hughes to obey the
Governor order has baked the Popu-
lists program. The Governor will