The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-12

Inultuous scene. Governor 1latlneWs at y
O'Clock Monday morning approached Repre-
sentative Harry Petit, of Wabash, and
solicited him to treacherously violate his
party pledge by voting to sustain the Veto
This. too, in the face Of the professions
which the Governor made Saturday night
that it would be the grossest impropriety
for him to let any one know of the veto be-
fore it was presented to the House. Mr.
not break faith with his party as the Gov
ernor would have him do to save one paltry
office to Claude Matthews. 1t was fifteen
hours after this announcement to Mr.
Petit that the Governor sent his message
to the House, and it will take consider
able squint of his conscience for the Gov
ernor to reconcile his announcement of the
veto in the morning and the base trick
which he attempted just before midnight
Mike Cain told Senator Newly yesterday
morning that he had been instructed to
hold the hands of the clocks for five min
utes, and as he admitted after the scrinl-
mage, he held the hands six minutes. So
when Private Secretary King started from
the executive office at 11:57 O'Clock there
was no logical grounds for his master to ex-
cuse this eliminating disgrace.
The Republicans of both branches were
not to allow such a piece of scoundrelism
to go unrebuked or to succeed An ex-
prize-fghter and several thugs had been
seen loafing around the corridors all even
ing. Two of them grinned down earlier
in the night from the ladies' gallery. Tim
Griffin had secured the key to this gallery.
Mr.. Allen, of Daviess, and Mr.. Adams,
of Parke two men who displayed their
courage equally as well as their ability,
walked out to the elevator about half past
II o'clock in the evening and as they
moved about these thugs shadowed them.
The gentlemen returned to the House, hav
ing been apprised of the Governors inten-
tons to force the veto to the House at
midnight even with these hired Hessians.
They returned to the elevator shaft with
three or four other Republicans. Peter
Clark one of the clerks of the House. called
the attention of several members at il
o'clock in the evening that the hands of
the clock were being turned back; Cain was
evidently practicing with the movements
of the clock. The members watched again
and saw the hands flop back. This con-
fir1ned all suspicion of the despicable efforts
which the Democrats would attempt Then
it was resolved to thwart their schemes
by violence if necessary.
With that inborn fear which the guilty
suffer, King and Griffin suspected that they
would be blocked when they attempted to
get out of the elevator at the second floor
landing Nellie Crane, a casual visitor at
the session entered the elevator at the
first floor, and she, her escort, Secretary
King, Tim Griffin, Frank Smith, House
journal clerk, two Sentinel reporters and
one Journal reporter were the occupants
of the lift. The elevator boy threw open
the door at the assembly hall landing. 1t
was then minute of twelve, standard
time. Mr.. Adams, of Parke, and Mr..
Allen pushed into the elevator and slammed
the door behind them, Mr.. Adams blocking
the entrance with his massive form all in
gress or egress, the puny and frantic efforts
of King and Griffin having about as much
effect as feeble assault stone wall.
Mr.. Allen seized the elevator lever with his
powerful grip and in minute the light cage
was shooting TO the roof. George Dunn,
who is a weighing two hundred
pounds and stout as a bull, had been waiting
at the entrance to help toss aside the Re-
pubicans, but he was afraid to tackle
Adams, of Parke who was a fair match
for him. Instead he spraddled himself
across the threshold of the elevator floor
in his vain endeavor TO keep up with the
band wagon, almost resulting in the loss of
his life He was caught between the ele-
vator floor and the third floor of the build
ing and would have been crushed to a pulp
had not Mr.. Allen deftIy and with unusual
precision reversed the lever sufficiently to
allow him to flop out the floor from
whence he started. Tim Griffin made a
game struggle to get control of the elevator
lever from the passive elevator boy and
Mr. Allen. Mr.. Allen set his teeth firmly
and started with the gentleman on trip
to the ceiling. Adams, of Parke standing
like Colossus of Rhodes. Myron King
screamed and yelled in turns, his voice slid
ing into penetrating falsetto.
1--WE got a message he shrieked, but
neither Mr.. Allen Mr.. Adams seemed
to appreciate what ne said. 1t was then
after midnight. Then began fight which
thrilled disinterested observers who hap
pened to be penned up in the elevator
Griffin and King fought for liberty like
terriers that were being dropped into an
old we'll in an open bucket. Griffin drew
his fist shot over the shoulder of the gentle
man from Daviess county and fell the
back of Mr. Adams. The scramble grew
exceedingly violent the frame of the e1e-
vator shook and Miss Crane began to faint.
Defend yourself shouted one man with
a significant motion to his hip pocket, and
Tim in turn put his hand back to his hip
pocket, but evidently found nothing there.
Up and down the elevator shot. The ar
serably hall landing passed several
times, Mr. Aliens lack of knowledge and his
struggles placing the elevator beyond any
sort of control. Charles Seifrit and num-
ber of Republican legislators stood at the
iron screen door and fought with the DEM
ocratic ward-heelers to prevent them from
opening it, Meantime the fisticuff fight in
the elevator grew more dangerous the dam
ger becoming so threatening Mr.. adams
finally opened the door at the third floor
and King shot out under his arm with
Tim Griffin hanging on to Adams's coat
collar like a panther. Mr.. Allen threw
Griffin down and Mr.. Adams started i'm pur-
suit of Myron King. who was trying to fly
down the broad corri6or of the third floor.
Mr.. Allen outrun his bigger comrade and
caught the secretary.