The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1893-02-16

LEGISLATURE
Break I'm the Hall With Sledge- II am.
mers-The Militia Called Out to
Eject Them-A BlOOdless
Battle-The Republic
cans In Possess
sion.
TOPEKA, Kan, Feb l5-lO a m.-Goy-
ernor Lewelling has just called out the state
militia to eject the members of the republican
house from the hall of representatives. they
having just effected a forcible entrance
through the doors barred by populists, by
means of sledge hammers \ riot is immi-
nent.
TOPEKA Kan, Feb. IA bloodless but
exciting battle took place between the repub-
licans and populists at the house entrance to
the representative hall this morning The
populists who have had possession of the hall
N the afternoons, adjourned yesterday till
this afternoon and, as has been the custom
since the beginning OF the session, the repub-
licans expected to hold their regular morning
session to-day, but last night the populi>ts
swOre in large number of assistant ser
5eants-at- arms, who We're placed on guard
and the doors and entrances to the hall were
locked this morning No one was admitted
TO the hall, excepting populists and members
of the press and they were required to show
a pass and run the gauntlet of dozen
guards The republicans were fully Informed
of all these preparations to exclude them
from the hall and last night one hundred men
were sworn in officers of the republicans
and at o'clock the members of the republi-
| can house, with their officers, started from
their headquarters for the state house and
lnarcl ed through the long corridors leading
to the representative hall uuimpeded The
little column forced its way through the line
of guards stationed at the foot of the stairs in
the west wing and started upstairs On the
first landing was crowd of populist officers
under the command OF Adjutant-Ieneral
Arty. They We're armed, and the advancing
republican crowd were met with muzZles of
revolvers and Winchesters The adiutant
| general commanded them to halt, but no
stop was made, and the advance guard
pushed into the crowd of populsts. Three
or four of them succeeded in passing the
| doorkeepers after brief struggle and getting
into the hall, but the populists succeeded in
| closing the door and barring it, The republi-
| cans on the outside demanded admittance,
| amp when it was denied them, Speaker Doug
| lass swung a sledge-hammer and began to
| batter the heavy doors leading from the cloak
| room. 1t took many blows to beat passage
way through, but the doors finally gave way
and the republican legislators surged in with
| a loud shout. The populists promptly re
| treated and now the republicans are in full
| possession of the hall. Ever since the open
ing of the session the populists have had
| the committee rooms, sergeant at arms
room and the chief clerks room. These were
| all locked and guarded onthe outside,
| hnt nft ha hoI Ial
to order the republicans battered
down the doors and took possession of
| them without encountering any resistance.
! At 10 O'Clock there were few populsts in
| the representative hall and the republican
house had settled down to regular order of
| business as if nothing unusual had happen ed.
| The assistant seIgeants- alarms, each wearing
| bright red ribbon, prOmenaded the aisles and
lobbies. The republicans and populists are
| both swearing in officers as fast Il possible to
be in readiness for emergency.
Where is Mrs. Lease-The POpulists
Need her Lea adshtp.
cans have always had the postoffice, and
with the capture of the other two rooms
they had for the first time since the leg
islature met full possession of the hall
At IL 40 o'clock the republicans added
thirty or forty recruits to their force o
assistant sergeant at arms by the cadets
Of Washburn College appearing in tn,
hall and taking the oath before the ser
geant at arms. The populist janitor un
dertook to freeze out the republicans b,
shutting off the steam from the hall.
The following order was delivered b,
Adjutant General Artz to Col. J. w. F
Hughes: "you are hereby ordered to as
sumo active command of all the officer
and men of the Kansas National Guard
assembled in Topeka and around tn
state house By order of l.. ID Level
ling, commander in chief"
The republicans this afternoon ap
pointed a committee consisting of Sher
man, Warner and Cubbison to visit Gov
crnor Lewelling and agree upon, if pos
sible, suspension of hostilities. The
proposed that both houses agree to ad
= journ until case could be made in tn
supreme court and finally adjudicated.
, The governor would.not entertain tn
proposition, but suggested that the re
= publican house adjourn until to morrow
OF course the republicans would nc
consent to this. At 2 AS Colonel Hughe
, stationed company of militia in th
q lower hall of the west wing of the stat
, house Immediately below the hall of th
house of representatives. Speake
Douglass then read to the house a pre-
clamation which he had prepared relai
log what had taken place and cailin
upon the people of the state to rally
, the support of the republican house
The proclamation was greeted with will
enthusiasm.
The populist house met in the bast
! ment of the west wing of the state hous
: this afternoon pursuant to adjournment
a but almost Immediately adjourned unit
n 70 morrow.
y Governor LewliDg issued proclam'
tion this afternoon at 2: 30 o'clock, sta
:, ing that as militia now in Topeka WI
+ not sufficient, five provisional compani'
would be organized, composed of volul
: teers. Only three companies. howeve
:, have been organized and they are
. thirty men each. Other companies wi
be organized if necessary.
D. NJ. Scott, republican member fro
, Hodgeman county, who happened to
% at Ottaw to day, telegraphed that
10 would be here with 300 armed men {
,s the first train.
# D. B. Anthony telcgraphed that 1 On
men would come from Leavenworth.
Columbus telegraphed that 400 m
h would come from there at the commsl
h Of Speaker Douglass.
:; In the show in business which the
publicsns made after getting possessi
q of the hall Speaker Douglass used
~ gavel the sledge hammer which he us
to on the doors to gain entrance.
Sc ~'~-
o. | The pope MaiHtains SatOlli,a Pr