The Indianapolis journal., 1893-02-16
REVOLUTION IN KANSAS.

Troops Called Out to Sustain the Minority
Branch Of the Legislature.
Topeka. Kan.. Feb. 15-Bieeding Kansas
nearly bled again to-day. Nothing but the
wiser counsel of the calmer leaders of the
opposing parties to the struggle for the con-
troll of the lower house of the Legislature
prevented o serious conflict. and the she'd
ding of blood.
The members of the Republican House.
each one carrying o revolver in q con-
yenient pocket. forced way through the
POpulist guard stationed in the corridor
and the stairway leading TO Representative
Hail. fought their way inch by inch ND the
stairs In hand-to. hand conflict with the
Populists, battered down the doors of the
hall with sledge-hammers, took possession
of the hall, barricaded themselves within.
and ere now withstanding siege by which
the Populist government supported by the
entire military force of the State. hope to
starve them into unconditional surrender.
Not since the time when the ant,-slavery
and pro-slavery forces were arrayel in hos
tile attitude against one another has polit-
ical excitement run so high as it ran to-
day. and not since these perilous times has
o political situation come SO near develop
ing into battle with arms. The trouble
all arose out of the bitterness of last falps
campaign for the political control of the
State. Tho Republicans elected sixty
three members or majority of one of the
lower house Of the Legislature. The Pop
ulist claimed that three of these slxty-three
members had been given certificates by
mistakes and that their Populist
opponents had in fact been elected. This
being the case. they decided not to permit
the Republicans to organize the House
and thus array an opposition branch of the
government against the Populist Senate
and the Populst Governor. and enabling
them to kill proposed Popullst legislation.
The result of this decision on the part of
the PopulsIs was the organization of two
distinct houses. one by the Republicans
and one by the Populists. All agreed that
the question of which was the legal
House should be left to the courts,
but the Populists steadily refused until
late yesterday afternoon to take any
action upon which the Republicans could
base an action In law. and have refused to
take any legal steps to test the Republican
position.
Yesterday the Republicans decided to
bring the issue 70 crisis and ordered the
arrest of Populist Clerk Rich, for illegally
interrupting the proceedings of the House.
The events of yesterday. the failure of the
Republicans to effect Rich's arrest the ap-
pointment of a guard to prevent his cap
ture, the decision of Governor Lewelling
to exclude the Republicans from the hall
and the counter decision of the Republic
ans not to be excluded are fresh In the pub
lie mind.
DOORS FORCED WITH sLEDGE-HAMMERs.
The Republican members, anticipating
opposition TO their entrance. gathered In q
body at the Copeland Hotel early this
morning and marched to the Capitol There
they found the corridor and the stairway
leadi ng TO the hall in the possession of a
Populist guard Of twenty men. In hand
and revolvers made their appearance. but
were not put to use. the Republicans fought
their way to the doors of the hall, which
they found had been locked and