The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-02-24
WARLIKE.
A Serious Turn IN the Trouble at
Topeka.
Republicans Are Barred Out of the Kali
and Force an Entrance by Breaking
Down the Doors-siiIitia called
Out-Exciting Scenes.


uty sergeants-at-arms of the populist
house and they were there to be as
signed their stations by John w. Breid-
enthal, chairman of the populist state
central committee, who was in COM
mand of the populist forces. At the
foot of the stairways leading to Repre-
sentative hall guards were stationed,
and at each landing on both flights
populist sentinels were placed. At the
foot of the rear stairway the SER
geant-at-arms stood distributing
passes to those whom he considered
eligible to admission to the hall. There
were representatives of the press, men,
bers of the populist house, house en-
ployes and assistants TO the sergeant
alarms. To these he gave tickets
Each person was required to show his
passport to a man at the foot of the
stairs At the first landing he was re-
quired to exhibit it again and at the
top of the flight a young man with
red mustache sat in much the manner
of ticket taker at the entrance to
town hall, who required the ticket to
be surrendered At the door leading to
the hall stood another stalwart guard
He scanned the face of each person
who presented himself carefully, but
required no ticket to induce him to
open the door.
A number of populist house officers
occupied the cloak room, through which
allpersons entering Representative hall
by the front entrance have been in the
habit OF passing. Probably 100 persons
were in the main hall behind the closed
doors at 9 o'clock. A few struggling
republicans had applied for admission
at the doors and been refused. In each
instance of this kind they retired with
out making a noise.
The populist members and officers
were evidently laboring under sup
pressed excitement At 9:15 Chairman
Breidenthal came up the back stairway,
and entering the hall held a whispered
consultation with John f. Willets He
then whispered TO a member and Will
lets did the same to another. The OBJ
ject of this was soon apparent, for the
members at once began to leave the hall
by the back stairway, leaving only the
officers in the room. 1t had occurred
TO Mr.. Breideathal that it was incou-
sistertent for populist members to re-
main in the hall while republican men,
bers were denied admission. He told
the populistS privately that the consti-
tutional house had taken a recess until
1880 o'clock, and that it would look
better for populist members to remain
away until that hour, inasmuch as it
was deemed best not to admit the re-
publicanS He explained that a show
of fairness would be made, and that all
members, regardless of party, should
be treated alike. 1t required but few
minutes for the members 20 make their
exit, and soon the hall was occupied by
the house officers, 4 few newspaper men
and several ladies
About $50 4 shout in the corridors
could be heard in Representative hall
1t cane from many voices and could be
heard but indistinctly through the
heavy barred doors. In a moment the
excitement that prevailed without was
communicated to those within. The
populist officers made a rush toward
the CLOAK room door Three of them
carried Winchester rifles at present
arms in their double quick march to the
scene Of the expected conflict A scuf-
&c was heard in the landing at the head
of the stairs Then there was a scuffie
in the cloak room. The populist
officers with the Winchesters
rushed back through the cloak
room and retreated toward
the speakers desk without
i 81. l~oe@ J,
rear Directly behind them James A.
Troutman, a republican member from
this city, made his appearance in the
doorway. An attempt was made by
the doOrlleeper to prevent his entrance,
but with blanched face he pushed for
ward and made his way through the
line. At his back was Representative
Bennefiel, of Pratt county, in his shirt
sleeves. Both were safely in and the
doorizeepers were Juggling at the door
to close it ]. Ware Butterfeld. secre-
tary of the republican league, was
caught IN the doorway. He was howl
ing like Comanche
stand back" he shouted repeatedly
and then he yelled: Don't shoot"
he Is a small man, but his pluck and
determination seemed to paralyze the
dusky doo-keeper, for he forced his
way through and was inside the big
hall when the door closed with a bang.
Shouting and scuffiing in the cloak
room could now be heard through the
thick oaken panels.
open the door, open the door," was
shouted open or we will batter it
down"
The door was not opened and in an
instant heavy blow was heard. But
the oak was strong and nothing gave
way. The populists were huddled
about on the inside. They were appar-
emily without a commanding officer
They did not know what to do. While
they were hesitating the blows on the
door rained heavy and fast and finally
a sledge hammer in the hands of Speak
er Douglass crashed through one of the
panels Then the populists retreated
n disorder. Soon every panel in the
door was smashed and the castings
formed frames for the excited, ashen
faces OF Speaker Douglass, Speaker Pro
TEN. Koch, Joseph Rosenthal, Col War
ner, of Cherokee county; John Sealer, of
Atchison, and a number of others One
more blow, and the excited crowd
surged in.
When 1t was discovered that the bar
riers had been battered away and that
nothing remained to prevent their en-
trance a mighty shout went up.
Representative hall had been capt
tired, the enemy had been ignominous-
" routed, the republicans were in COM
plete possession. The battle was short
and sharp. 1t was won without a gun
Iro,, ~ l,1oo5 los.~-