Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-25
THE FEDERAL TROOPS
Ordered Out to Restrain the Mon
tana Train Sellers.
ACTION OF THE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES
The Train is to Be Stopped and
the Men Arrested.
OPINIONS AT THE CAPITOL

The President has at last taken official
coSnlZance OF the conduct Of the so-called
armies en- route to Washington, and has
clearly indicated his purpose Of lending
federal aid for the Suppression of law
iessness, the preservation of the peace, and
the protection OF property.
The case in point was the seizure Of
train OF cars at Butte. Mont, by a band of
men, comprising the Butte contingent of
the Coxey army. The train was manned
by members OF the mob. 1t crossed the
main range Of the Rocky mountains early
yesterday morning and was expected to
reach Bismarck at noon today.
United States Marshal Bede Of Mime
sofa reported the case to the Attorney Gen.
eral at Washington and was Instructed by
telegraph as follows:
Execute any Injunction or other process
placed in your hands by a United States
court for the protection Of persons and
property against lawless violence by en-
ploying such number of deputies as may
force which cannot thus be overcome let
the judge issuing the process wire the facts
to the President with request for military
The Circuit Judges Order.
About the same time Marshal Bede re-
ceived the following from Judge Caldwell
Of the United States circuit court:
LITTLE ROCK. Ark. April "A.
ITO the United States Marshal District Of
Minnesota, st. Paul. Mimi:
''If the persons who forcibly and Illegally
seized a train OF cars the Northern
Pacific in Montana belonging to the receiv-
ers Of the said road should bring the same
into your district 1t will be your duty to
seize the same and restore the possession
thereof to the receivers appointed by the
United States circuit court for your district.
1t will be your duty to summon a posse
9lIfficiRnr
general Of the United States has been re-
quested to procure a direction to the general
commanding the department to render you
any assistance necessary to execute this
order"
Troops Ordered Out.
Attorney General Olney had a conference
with the President last evening in regard
to the employment of troops to recover the
train. the result of which was that Gen.
Schofield last evening telegraphed to the
commandant general Of the Department of
Dakota at ST. Paul. to send a sufficient
force of troops to arrest all persons en-
gagged in the unlawful seizure Of the North
ern Pacific train at Butte, Montana. and to
hold the train and the persons until they
can be turned over to the United States
marshal for Montana, subject to the orders
of the United States district court"
PETER Reads an Indication.
Senator PETER. when Informed that troops
Northern Pacific train taken by Coxey's
men in Montana, said that of course the
taking of the train was an act of lawless-
ress. This whole matter" he continued.
will result in bringing prominently before
the country the subject of governmental
ownership and control Of railroads"
The Government Plan.
The plan Of the military authorities Is to
capture the train stolen at Butte by the
Coxey men at Keogh, Mont. 1t will be
sidetracked there and the men in charge of
II will be arrested and turned over to the
civil authorities. Gen. Scofield told a Star
reporter at o'clock this afternoon that
the train had not reached Keogh so far as
he knew, but that as the Presidents order
had reached that place II will be impossible
for the train to get farther east than that
Statesmen Express Opinions.
When word reached the Capitol that gov
eminent troops had been ordered to seize
the Coxey train at Butte II excited much
comment among members. Doubts were ex-
pressed as to the right Of the government
to interfere before the governor of state
had asked for help even ,hough the North
ern Pacific was in the hands of the United
States courts.
Representative Kyle MISSY OF the Pacific
railroad committee expressed this view. He
said that IL the road was in the hands OF
United States court receivers, IL would not
vary this requisite of receivers request for
federal aid. as 1t was his first duty to main
tain the peace inside the state, and II was
presumed he would do 1t.
Representative Reilly, chairman of the
Pacific roads committee, said the federal
courts could not call on state authorities
TO execute the federal DEGREES. The United
States marShals were the executive force
of the federal courts and in Mr.. Reily's
Judgment the marshalS could be REINFORCED
By the federal military forces if 1t became
essential to preserving property under fed
eral control. This could be done, he said
without waiting for the request OF a state
governor.
Representative Boon OF Minnesota ex-
pressed the prevailing view among the pop
ulfsts He said there was grave apprehen-
sion over the situation. The popuiist men,
bers did not indorse the lawlessness, yet
they hoped the government would exercise
a wise discretion in such critical emergen-
cies when an injudicious use of troops
might invite disorder rather than subdue It.