The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-03-21
A Sensational Scene Caused by the
Appearance OF a Legislative
Official,
Who Demanded the Body Of Repre-
sentative Walsh How 1t All
Happened.
Judge Egan Decides He Has No Power
to Interfere With the Legis-
lature.

ST.. PAUL, March 21.-In Judge
Egan's conrt there was direct conflict
between the judicial authority and the
authority of the great house OF repre-
sentatives of the State of Minnesota,
represented in its own proper person
and dignity by the assistant sergeant
at-arms, j. w. Wells sss
Walking boldly into cOnrt and stand
ing before the august bench of the dis
trict court of the Second Judicial dis
trict this agent of the house addressed
the court and in q hfm. low voice
demanded the person of Mr.. Walsh.
These were the portentous words:
Judge Egan, under the resolution Of
the house am directed to procure the
body of Mr.. Walsh"
There was 4 pause the room was still
for a second, and then when the crowded
court room had recovered from the
shock Of the unprecedented proceeding,
there was a ripple OF laughter. Zone
moment said Judge Egan, in some
confusion, for he was taken aback by
the boldness Of the thing 'fe
But Mr.. Wells was not to be intimi-
lated, and he stepped toward the wit
ness stand, where Mr.. Walsh was sit
ting, as though to take him dead or
alive, and carry him off to the hall Of
representatives. 81 ss
Discharged the Witness.
The situation was relieved after the
sergeant-at-arms had made his demand
by the almost immediate order of the
court TO Mr.. Walsh to retire from the
witness stand, the counsel who had
been examining him having finished the
examination.
Wells appearance WAS the sensation
Of the day in the court proceedings, and
the crowded court room took it as a
joke and laughed heartily at the inva-
sion, as it was called. as they were go
ing home after the adjournment.
But the court did not laugh 81 want
TO say, said the court gravely, that !
consider the conduct of the sergeant-at-
arms nnseemly, improper, .nnprece-
dented, not warranted by the dignity OF
the house and of the counsel who rep
resent the state.''
Then Mr.. Mum. addressing the court,
explained that they, the counsel, had no
idea that the sergeant-at-arms had pro-
posed to do anything of the kind.
Mr., UBrien, attorney for Rhodes.
was also CT the belief that the counsel
for the state had do idea of the proceed
ings and Mr.. Childs, reiterated the
statement of Mr.. Mum. The court was
thus Modified.
Refused TO Answer.
While ON the stand Mr.. Walsh refused
to ten where the letter book of Mr..
Rhodes was at that time. He said he
had been directed by the legislature not
TO give up the book, and that to tell
where IL was would be doing by indirec-
tion what he would not do directly.
The Judge refused to compel or to
command Mr.. Walsh to answer.
After 4 little legal sparring the court
adjourned to await the arrivalof acopy
Of the, legislative resolutions under
which Mr.. Walsh claimed to be acting.
Ihe Coart Not Ipterfering.
a certified copy of the legislative fss.
clntions having arrived Judge Egan
dslinered hiJ decision ii the care to the
attorneys. The material portion Of the
decision il as follows:
In relation to the question % to whether III
witness. r. A. Walsh. knew where the hcok
was. the court deems it immaforinl. n ~ ho1d1
that book by virtue Of : resolution AZ th6l&e,
islature Of the State of Minnee0tA. 1t Nil1 ia
compel him, nor never haa, Iii the refS06aot 6S.
gree, suggested its production ~ klnn. A1it
II the book Is held under tho ~ fkVs
resolution aforementioned, the court Mn h3(
interfere In the renotest dokfee Iii fll6 jniGft5S
Public policy, public necessity dernaInde f6n1
the Legislature shall not b intArfNrad y1ffh q
any form or manner, either by o0aH16fffee 81
otherwise, during their legislaf live sex 31BnS SIS
1t Itappears that tho book II lii the kaida u
the Legislature through one of ~ m11nkers md
one of Its committees, and, thnt bot&8 mani.
fest, the court will not require any member 81
that committee TO disclose anything further.
The order to show cause was then dis
char.s55
Convicts Escape.
SAVANNAH, Ga, March 81 Five white
conyicts, armed with revolvers, escaped
from The chain gang at WatertOwn.
After q lively fusilade two surrendered,
bat the other three are still at large.
One Of the trio is Charles Bowden, who
was serving q life sentence for murder.
Bpwaen u handsome and well edu-
Gated young man, worth $a0. 900. He
pays the widow Of the murdered man
/ $500 year. II