Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-02-23
Republicans Have Won a De-
cisiye Vict0ry-In Undis-
puted Possession.
PopuIists Will Meet, Pass Bills
and Governor Will Sign
Them, However.

Opposed bodies of armed men, some
thing to fight about, and a disposition
to fight are all 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 countermarching
through the broad avenues of the city;
men wearing badges bearing the in
scriptiOn Dep. Sheriff." were huITying
to and fro; cannon were being dragged
through the streets; hundreds of civil
ians arrived during the day from all
over the state; many carried guns in
cases, a few carried them under their
ovcrcoats, but more marched boldly
from the stations to the hotels with
rifles or shot guns slung over their
shoulders.
disloyalty Of the state troops to the COM
mander-in-cbief, 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 disobeyed.
Finally Brigadier General Hettiger
arrived from Wichita and took COM
mand. He let it be understood that the
republicans had nothing to fear from
him.
The republicans hit upon a plan this
morning to strengthen their position by
bringing to their aid the sheriff, backed
by a posse. The sheriff issued proc
iamation ard by noon had fully 1000
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 We're pressed
into use. from sticks to base ball bats.
The sheriff announced that he would
make no move until a fracture of the
peace really occurred. He explained
that he would regard an attempt to
eject the republicans the legally consti-
tuted house, as he regards it, as dis
t,lrbance Of the peace and would then
interfere to maintain order.
This action by he 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 popu-
lists are strongly reinforced. The gov
ernor may organize these into provision
al troops who can be depended on to
obey his orders. It 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 amendcS
by the republicans.
llIt SChCldi lCCihlS IoiISht 10 ollC VI
uneasiness, and predictions are freely
made that tomorrow may see the long
anticipated war inaugurated.
TOPEKA, Kan, Feb. 16.-Ihe Popu-
lists have practically abandoned the
field The crisis raised by Sheriff Will
kerson's calliL- out posse of 1000
men to defend the Republican position
is SO critical a one and one SO filled
with embarrassing difficulties that
they decided not to meet it. At noon
the Governor held a conference with
the Populist House members and
various leaders of the party. The Gov
ernor said that the militia could not be
depended upon to carry out his orders;
that the resistance of 125 men COM
posing the force of deputy sergeants
and a hundred provisional troops (all
that could be depended upon to stand
loyalty would be useless before the
Sheriff posse of l, 900 men. 1t was
decided to hire hall down town for
the Populist House, and there the
meetings of the Populist House will be
held until the difficulties are settled.
his aCUlOH IL loonSo u pm ny SollS do
a "bluff," but it is generally regarded
as the logical outcome of the Sheriff S
action in summoning his posse to sup
port the Renn tl;can position.
At noon the dispatches read as fol
lows: The republican house Is
sun oesieged in Representatives hail
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-
sional troops, composed Of Populists,
who, of course, sympathize with the
Populists' objects. They would, doubt
less, make an attempt to carry out an
order to eject the Republicans. Col.
Warner, who has planned the Repub-
lican campaign, says of these pro-
visional companies:
''They are the Governors pet lambs.
We are wolves now and would devour
them if given the opportunity"
Belligerent Outlook
The Out1ool, is a bellioerant ono