The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-12
by Turning the Clock Racl< Tries to
Defeat the sfatehouse Custodian
Bill, hut Meets Disaster.
FIERCE ELEVATOR FIGHT
MYRoN KING A TOoI. IN THE HANDS
OF THE GOVERNOR.
Backed by Tim Grifssn, He Attempts
to Force His Way Into Repre-
sentative Chamber.


the men under him, with his sanction re-
sorted last night to the most contemplate
methods known to political history, and as
a result there was the bitterest hand-to-
hand fight ever known in the legislative
halls of Indiana and it is remarkable
indeed that there was no loss of life. Dig
nified men fought like tigers, clawed and
pounded each other and yelled for re-
Myron King win awake this morning sore
in every part of his body, while Mr..
Adams, the brainy Republican from Parke
county is bruised in fashion that will
perhaps keep him in his bed for several
days. Tim Griffin, the custodian Tough.
like a mailman for his situation and was
willing to brain dozen men If he had the
! means to do the Draining for the sake of
the dollars that would have come to him
within the next two years, had Mr.. King
reached the Speakers desk before mid
night, according to the clocks legitimate
method of telling the hour.
But the bill did not reach the Speakers
desk until after the hour of midnight, al
though it was within a few feet at that
hour, according to the time fixed by the
Governors minions down in the basement,
where Mike Cain and his whisky bottle lad
reigned supreme for sixty days. Demo-
cratic ward heelers and thugs, headed by
Nj. ID. Yountz. who once cut a small figure.
in local politics, backed the Governors
private secretary and battled with the per-
sistence and brutality which characterized
the city, when the Democrats were in con-
troll. George Dun. a man who has been
lobbying about the Legislature and has
made himself obnoxious to the members.
Democrats and Republicans alike, was al
most crushed to death by the elevator, in
coming to the aid of Tim Griffin and the
private secretary.
For two days it has been boldly heralded
that Governor Matthews, he whom his
friends had claimed to be man higher in
morals than his party, would seek to de-
prive the Legislature of its constitutional
right of passing bill over his veto, by dis
graceful tactics; no more nor less than pre-
senting the veto within three minutes of
midnight, SO that it would be utterly inn
possible for the Legislature to even call the
roll before the constitutional hour for ad-
journing arrived. But this was not enough
The Governor remembered the actions of
S,,a;th
much despised gentleman dubbed his way
into an enriehing Office by bulldozng and
browbeating Republicans. He evidently con-
cluded to go Greene Smith one better and
forever enroll himself thereby on the i'm
mortal lists of Democratic rowdy states
men.
Mike Cain (and how the seven Republican
Senators must relish the mention of his
name this morning), was in the secret, for
it had been announced that he was the
only one in the building that could control
the electric clock that furnishes time for
the House and Senate. The evident plan of
the Democratic conspirators was to stop the
clock at ten minutes to twelve, and it re-
ten minutes in order to deceive the Legis-
lature as to the time which yet remained
for it to consider the veto. The veto was
to start from the Govern prs office down
stairs within three minutes to twelve and
when it reached the House, so the plan was
formulated the hands on the electric clock
were to give one bound and leap past that
minute point which marked the expiration
of the Fifty-ninth Assembly's life. Demo-
cratic members of the House were to be the
passed before the measure was passed over
the Governors objections. Yet the plans of
Governors and official Statehouse bar
tenders, like those Of mice oft
gang a glee. Every minute of
the Governors private secretary
had been timed in advance, and a delay of
a minute in the secretary's progress would
have failed to secure the legal delivery
of the veto even according to that reliable
old time which has been set at Greenwich
for years and years. From II o'clock until
three minutes of l. Tim Griffin. the Gus
todian, who was to be ousted by the bill,
Governor Matthews and Myron d. King sat
in the secretarys office patiently waiting
until the opportune moment for executing
their coup de grace which was no coup de
grace at all
The Republicans knew that veto was
coming, and the manner in which the Re-
publicans gained their positive information
was one which reflects even greater dis