The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-16

caused Intense excitement and the war
spirit was at fever heat all day. The order
is as follows:
TOPEKA, Feb. Is.
Captain willis Mercaif. commanding Section A
Light Artillery, K. \. q. Special order No. 10:
SIR-You will assemble your company
forthwith at your armory. Arm and equip
them with all possible speed. Report to
me at my Office in the state house, Topeka,
Kan. Bring with you the Calling gun in
your command. BY order Governor l.. d.
Lewelling, commander in chief.
L. ID. LEWELLING, Governor,
H. H. ARTz, Adjutant General
When this order arrived in this
city it was Immediately posted on the
EAGLE bulletin board, and IN less than
a minute the entire space in front of the
business Office was occupied by an ex-
cited crowd, which extended far out
into the street. Necks were craned and
Thousand questions were asked con-
corning the cause of the order, etc.
Old men shook their heads and the young
men wanted to fight.
Immense crowds of excited people
flocked toward the headquarters Of battery
A, on North Main street where the mem
bers of the company were hastily arrang-
ing things for departure. Cap
tain Metcalf fonnd it necessary
to fill out the company with
about twenty volunteers, but this was no
trouble and if he wanted 100 or 200 he
could get them inside Of an hour.
The most interested citizens were the
old soldiers WHO got together and dis
cussed the situation. They met in one of
the ante-rooms of Garfield post and made
Judge Campbell their chairman. After
canvassing the situation, committee of
five was appointed to investigate matters,
with power to call on the post members to
defend tue law if, in their judgment,
they considered it necessary.
The feeling was decidedly bitter against
Governor Lewelling and it was
practically unanimous. Later In the af-
ternoon Judge Campbell sent a dispatch
to Speaker Douglass, inquiring whether
he wanted assistance in maintaining the
rights of the constitutional house, and in
about an hour afterwards he received a
reply stating that he was getting along
nicely. but if necessary he would be
pleased to call on the loyal old soldiers Of
Wichita.
The excitement was intensified by the
appearance of Doc Kessler's drum corps
on North Main street in the afternoon
playing Yankee Doodle and other patriotic
airs. They stationed themselves IN front
of the Battery headquarters, and the scene
presented was decidedly suggestive of
war.
THE DEPARTURE.
When the bugle sounded at the battery
headquarters at Z o'clock an immense
crowd gathered in front of the building.
The gattling gun stood in the street sur
rounded by half a dozen soldiers, who
guarded the two large caisson's that con-
tanned the ammunition. There was
hurrying to and fro among the
soldiers, who We're armed and equipped
for their departure. At S o'clock
Captain Metcalf gave the order to fall
in" and thirty-three men Immediately
lined up in the middle of the street,
dressed to the right and at the word of
command they formed into tours and
marched to the Union depot followed By
the Gattllng gun and about 500 people in
Guiding men, women and children. When
the train arrived, the Gattling gun WAS
placed in the baggage car. the soldiers en-
tered two cars that had been set apart for
them, and as the train pulled out they
shouted terrible shout which continued
until it was lost in the distance.
THE OPINION OF LAWYERS.
The general opinion among the lawyers
who were consulted yesterday is that the
| governor had no right to call out the
militia until the sheriff ofShawnee county
! exhausted all the resources at his COM
mand to protect the peace of the citizens
and appealed to the governor for military
assistance from the state. That the sheriff
didn't ask for aid or deem it necessary can
be seen by the following correspondence
with reference to the matter:
TOPEKA, Kan, Feb. "a
! DEAR SIR-Whereas. a body OF armed
! and lawless men have this day attempted
/ to arrest the chief clerk of the house OF
/ representatives, the Hon. Ben G. Rich,
! and whereas, there are rumors which
seem to be well founded that such lawless
body of men now contemplate a second
! attempt to arrest said Rich aud otherwise
to become menace TO the peace and order
! of the state; now, therefore,
I hereby demand of you that
! you proceed At once to pro-
vide such peSce officers as may be neces-
| sary for the preservation OF the peace and
safety of the state, and that such officers
be at once stationed upon the capitol
grounds and in the corridors of the capitol
| building rs may be necessary TO prevent
| the entering Of armed or disorderly men,
/ and that you use every lawful means in
/ your power to preserve the peace prevent
/ riot and all disorderly conduct TO the END
| that the house of representatives my pro-
| coed undisuurbed in the legitimate per
/ Torrance OF its duty.
Please advise me At once IL these de-
mands will be complied with
l. D. LEwELLING,
Governor OF Kansas.
TOPEKA, Kan, Feb. II, 1895.
| J. NJ wHkerson sheriff Of Shawnee county,
DEAR SRI hereby call on you as
! sheriff of Shawnee county for sufficient
sorce 10 preserve the peace and authority
of tie house of representatives / am
very truly yours. J. NJ DUNsMoRE,
Speaker of The House OF Representatives.
TOPEKA, Kan, Feb. Il, 1925
Hon J NJ. Dunsmore.
DEAR SIR-Your communication calling
on the as :, erlf for sufficient force 10 pre-
serve the p ace aud authority O. ;he
house over wuich you preside received, ana
IN repiy Will say II there y a house OF
representa-, ives legally organized It i
clothed with the power TO appoint a ser
geaut-at-Arns VINO has all power neceS-
sary o call 10 his assistance any number
OF C Zen> necessary TO enforce the author
j Y wlth whicu he is invested by the house.
Not wish 10 decide walc1 GoaSe = kAs
legally organized body. | stall take 40
part sS long ~ the prac- and quiet Of the
ci{izsns remains uudislurbett Yours
truly, J NJ. " ILEER>oN,
TIE VETS TAKE A HAND.
The news from Topeka yesterday after
..t.-Ll ~ h La nd