St. Paul daily globe., 1893-02-16
WILL NOT OBEY ORDERS.
The Commander of the Militia in
Sympathy With the Besieged.


The Commander of the Militia in
Sympathy With the Besieged.
TOPEKA, Kan, Feb. 16. The first
coufict between soldiers and men,
bers of the Republican house took
place late tonight i'll the cor
ridor leading to representative
hall. Representatives Davis and
Breidenthal, who had escaped to get
lunch. were challenged by guards on
the way back. Breidenthal drew his
revolver and told the guards if they aid
not lower their bayonets that he would
blow their - heads off. The guards
considered that discretion was the better
part of valor, and allowed the men to
pass.
At midnight the situation remains un-
changed. The governor at II o'clock
called upon the sheriff to summon a
posse to preserve the peace, and the
Sheriff again refused to obey. Col.
Hughes, who is member of the house.
appeared before the house in uni
form at 1880. and, addressing the mem
bers, Informed them that as commander
Of the troops they had nothing to
fear from him. He would, he said.
sooner resign his command than carry
out an order to eject the Republican
house. He told the house also that
majority Of his command would with
oraw from the militia with him If they
were ordered to use force to drive forth
the legally elected and legally or
from the hall provided for that
use by law He intlmated that the Or
ders to the guard without. so far as they
related to the taking of provisions into
the capitol for thesauSe of representa-
tlVes, had been relaxed and that MEM
bers could procure provisions by letting
down a string to the ground below.
Col. Hughes remarks were greeted
with cheers. and in less than minute
string was dangling from every window.
In shorter time than that baskets filled
with substantial lunches were hoisted
mp and the Republicans broke
their long fast. The information
from the governors office is that
no attempt will be made to eject the Re-
publicanS before tamorroW morning.
The besieged Republicans, however, are
keeping strict watch less they be sur
prSed by an unexpected attack. Their
lunch has cheered them up and has put
new life into them. They are now. in
the words of member. ''in good fight
LIZ liliil. lCduy lOi SCHOSs
Tonight there was another attempt to
bring about peace, and Coy. Lewelling
was induced to go to the state house,
but he would not listen to any PROPOSE
tlons from the Republicans, only re-
peatlng that if they die not surrender
the hall he would have it cleared by the
militia tomorrow. The situation is a
grave one, and nine men out of every ten
believes tomorrow will bring the blood
lest conflict that Kansas ever saw. Pop
uHsts caucused tonight and decided
that their motto should be no compro :
mise. At a late hour tonight Gov.
Lewelling announced that early to-
morrow the militia would be H.
structed to clear representative hall.
The Republicans say they will rot
resist the militia, but If the provisional
companies organized by the Populists
today attempt to drive them out they
will kill some of them. The RepuOli-
cans will leave the hall and march
to the Grand opera house and continue
their session until the supreme court
renders decision. If decision
is favorable to them, they will
storm representative hall with 5000
armed men. This is the programme
which las been agreed upon, and it will
be carried out if the Republicans do not
weaken. All is quiet now, and nothing
more will h6Dnen tonight,