People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-03-03
From the Topeka Advocate.)
TUESDAY.


licans who had been lawlessly occupying
representative hall to the annoyance OF
the regular house ever since the begin
ming Of She session, became incensed at
the slow progress they we're making
toward overcoming the representatives
of the people. Apparently fearing that
the senate appropriation bill which had
passed the house the evening before
would not, if tested in court, meet with
the fate they had prayed for, they de-
termined to do something mere desperate
than tIeY had yet undertaken. At noon
they s9reed on plan they had been all
morning formulating, and passed the
following resolution for the arrest OF
Chief Clerk Rich Of the Populist house:
WHEREAS, One Ben c. Rich has for a
number Of days last past and during the
present session OF this, the house Of rep
resentstives, and in the presence Of said
house, continually interrupted the regu-
lar proceedings Of the house by loud
and boisterous language and unlawful
and unusual noises, without legal excuse
or justification, and without claim or
pretenss that the same was part OF or
connected with the proceeding Of the
house Of representatives, and such con-
duct has been and still is being INDUCED
and persisted in by said Ben c. Rich in
open, malicious and willful defiance and
design of the rules and authority of the
house Of representatives; and
WHEREAS, Such conduct has greatly
interrupted and lntertered with the trans
action Of public business by this house,
and has impeded and still impedes nee
essary legislation in the interest Of the
people Of the state of Kansas, thereby
bringing the authority and dignity of
the house Of representatives into dis
respect; therefore be it
ResOEged, That by the said action and
ronduct of the said Ben G. Rich, has
been end is guilty of contempt Of this
house; and the speaker is hereby author
lied and directed to cause, said Ben G.
Rich to be forthwith arrested by the
sergeant-at-srms and brought before the
bar of this house to show cause if any be
have, why he should not be punished for
such contempt, and that said Ben c.
Rich be held in custody by said sergeant
alarms, subject to the further order OF
the house Of representatives.
ATTEMPT TO ARREST RICH.
Their sergeant at,arms not being pres.
emit, three Of his deputies, Young, Clog
ston and Jordan, were given the order
for Rich's arrest. They went to the
Dutton House, where Rich was preparing
for dinner, and made known their bust
ness. Rich answered that he did not
recognize them as officers Of the house
of representatives, as they claimed to be,
and refused to 60 with them. He then
said that his duty would require him to
60 to the house after dinner and if they
would wait they might 60 along. When
he was ready to 60 he was accompanied
by his wife, and after refusing to take
the carriage the alleged officers offered
him, started to walk. A number Of his
Populist friends, among whom were
John W. Breidenthsl, S. NJ. Scott, W.
II. Ryan, Sergeant-at-srms Dick, D. M.
Howard, P. N. Gish, j. F. Willis, and
Williams, Of Ft. Scott, surrounded him
and walked along toward the state house.
The deputies walked as near as they
could to the man they wanted to take
prisoner. In the meantime the republi-
can house had adjourned to their head
quarters at the Copeland hotel, and when
the Rich party arrived at the corner
opposite that hostelry they we're met by
8 courier who directed that Rich should
be taken there. The deputies attempted
to take their man in that direction, but
were met with very sturdy resistance in
which they were roughly handled. After
one Of them was knocked down by q
gentle tap from Ryan's fist, and the
others we're twisted considerably out Of
shape, they reiterated, and Rich went on
to representative hall as il nothing un-
usual had happened. The house was
called to order and proceeded with its
regular order of business. Besides the
passing Of half dozen bills the follow
ing resolution was introduced by Gest.
OF Jefferson:
WHEREAS, An attempt has been made
to arrest the chief clerk Of this house by
an organized mob calling themselves the
republican house Of representatives, but
which we believe to be in reality the
Santa Fe railroad company; therefore
be it
RssoIOed, That we, the legally organ.
lied and constitutional house Of repre-
sentstives, proclaim to the state Of
Kansas that the mob was foiled and that
our flag is still there.
Enraged over the failure Of their at
tempt to delay the lawful proceedings Of
the Populist house, the republicans grew
more and more excited. During the
afternoon they swore in over fifty SER
gesnts-st-srms with f. B. WEIGH as
chief, declaring to themselves that they
would yet stop the proceedings Of the
Dunsmore house.
The regular house met this menacing
movement with a resolution to exclude
from the hall all but members of the
house. The attempt to arrest their chief
clerk was considered sufficient grounds
to Justify the Populists in preparing for