Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1895-03-14
RIOTOUS SOLONS.
Wild Scenes Mark the Close Of the
Indiana Legislature.
MANY PERSONS SERIOUSLY HURT.
THE Governors Secretary Attempts to De-
liver a Message but Is Prevented and
. Free Fight FoIlOws-The
Message Stolen.

legislature broke up III a VIII rIOC idSU
night in which almost every member
participated. Revolvers were drawn
and many persons were seriously in
jured. Adams, of Park county, per-
haps fatally. For fully twenty minutes
the state house was filed with a howl
ing, surging mob. Men who had been
friends and sat side by side during the
session became deadly enemies and
made every effort to in lure each other.
Myron King. Gov. Matthews private
secretary, was locked in the elevator
and a big burly man guarded the door
and refused to allow him to leave. The
police finally drove the man away and
the secretary was released. When he
arrived at the door of the house at
11:55 he found it locked. He had an
important message from the governor,
and a great deal depended upon its de-
livery to the speaker of the house
be fore IL o'clock.
He pounded on the door. but was de-
MED admission. He cried that the
door was locked and requested that it
be opened as he had message from
the governor. His voice was heard by
a number of democrats who were in
the corridors and they ran to his as
sistance. An attempt was made
to force open the doors. but
the crowd of republicans. who
were bent on keeping the governors
secretary out with his message,
resisted with all the force they could
command. The heavy oak doors were
unable to stand the pressure brought to
bear upon them, and they were forced
open. King, who was in front, was
forced right into the crowd of repub-
licans, who were bent on keeping him
from reaching the speaker. With one
accord the men began striking at each
other, and the secretary was in great
danger of being killed.
kill him! Kill him!' cried hun
dred voices. The women who were in
the gallery screamed and one or two
of them tainted. In moment every
thing was confusion and friends and
enemies alike were fighting. The sole
aim of the democrats was to get King
through the crowd to the speakers
desk with the governors veto and the
repu blicans were determined to hold
him back until ~ o'clock, at which time
the house would adjourn sine die. Inch
by inch the democrats gained ground.
Many persons were knocked down and
trampled under foot. Revo1vers were
III GI1O dir, OuC DIS 1dSG DIS OA0
was drawn the man holding it was
knocked down. The heavy chairs
were torn from the floor by the mob
and the desks were broken to pieces
Doors leading to other rooms were
shattered by persons in the corridors
trying to effect an entrance to the
chamber. The police were powerless
to check the mob, which seemed bent
on destroying everything in the room.
At 1857 the excitement was intense;
men were fighting in every part of the
room and several of them were bleed
ing from numerous wounds. The dem
ocrats were gradually forcing King to-
ward the speakers desk and the repub-
1icans were growing weaker on account
of many of their number being injured.
A few seconds later King, with his
clothing torn almost from his body
and his face bleeding, was pushed by
main strength through the crowd and
was thrown heavily against the speak
er's desk. He still held Gov. Matthews
veto in his hand, but it never reached
the speaker.
Just as King was about to place it in
his hand Speaker Adams kicked and
beat back the crowd and, in voice
which could be heard above the terri
BILE din, cried: 1.-THE house has ad-
journed; the house has adjourned!'
This raised great cry from the
crowd and everybody made a rush to-
ward the speaker. The veto was torn
from Kings hand by man who dashed
out of the crowd with it and made good
his escape.
This practically ended the riot. Sew
eral small fights occurred, but the po-
lice and others finally succeeded in
driving them from the chamber. No
less than two dozen persons were hurt.
No arrests were made.
The trouble originated over the bill
to supplant Custodian Griffin, demo-
crat, with republican. The governor
has three days in which to consider all
measures. The bill was delivered to
the governor three nights ago. It was
his scheme to hold it until the last
minute, and then the legislature could
not pass it over his veto as its statute
adjournment would take place at IL
o'clock.
Adams, who was injured, is the rep.
resentative of Park county. He was
kicked in the pit of the stomach and
had to be carried from the house.