The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-02-24
THE WAR IN KANSAS.
Republican and Populist Legis-
lat0rs at Topeka Arrayed
Against Each Other.
The Entire State Militia Force
Called Out to Stop The Dis
graceful Affair.

lOuul NOCiiIuS DuU IliC lSeSU
counsel of the calmer leaders Of the
opposing parties to the struggle for
control of the lower house of the
legislature prevented serious con-
tlict and the shedding of blood. Not
since the anti-slayery and pro-slavery
forces were arrayed in hostile atti-
tude against one another has
political excitement run so high as
today, and not since those perilous
times has the political situation
come so near developing into a battle
with arms.
The members Of the republican
house, each carrying a revolver in a
convenient pocket, forced their way
through the populist guard stationed
in the corridor and stairway leading
to representative hall and fought
their way inch by inch up the stairs
in hand to hand conflict with the
populists and battered down the
doors Of the hall with sledge
hammer. They then took possession
Of the hall and barricaded themselves
within, and are now withstanding a
siege by the populist government
supported by the entire military
force of the state, who hope to starve
them into an unconditional
surrender.
Right here arises the probability of
an armed conflict between the
republicans, the guards and the
state militia. The republican MEM
bers kept the wires hot all day send
ing messages to their constituents
informing them Of the desperate
situation of affairs and calling for
republican volunteers to come to
Topeka at once and lend their aid to
the republican house. Responses
have been received from all over the
state stating volunteers offered their
services by hundreds and will arrive
in Topeka by the first train.
AS samples Of the responses two
are given: ID. NJ. Scott, a republican
member who happened to be at home
in Ottawa, telegraphed he would be
there in the morning with 800 armed
men.
"Eighting Dan" Anthony, editor of
the Leavenw0rth Times. wired 1000
armed men would come from Leaven-
worth.
The republicans predict the
militia, being composed mostly of
republicans, will not resist an attack
by the volunteers, should the latter
proceed to such extreme measures.
At ten o'clock tonight 500 armed
troops were on guard around the
building, while 500 more are on
their way from different parts of
the state. Hundreds of republican
volunteers: armed for battle, are
gathering from all parts of the state.
The populists are organized into
provisional troops. The militia,
being republican in it's sympathies,
will probably not obey an order to
shoot down their political brethren,
while the provisional companies.
composed of populists, are prepared
to 60 to almost any extreme to defeat
the republican plans and maintain
the populist position. No one dares
predict what the morrow will bring
forth. Few hope for a peaceable
Of the difficulty and many
expect bloodshed, and all are holding
their breath in anticipation.
In prehistoric times the art was
understood of hardening copper till it
would take an edge like knife. but
it was lost, and men have been trying
for centuries to rediscover it. Edi-
son said once that if copper wire
could be hardened it would be as easy
10 telegraph across the Atlantic as
from New York to Brooklyn. Hard