The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-25
REGULAR PITCHED Battle
in WHICH THE CZECHs WE'RE LINED
UP AGAINST THE GERMANS.
Leaders to BE Disciplined by Prob
able Arrest-A "Fast' Duke of SchIes-
wig-HO1stein Seriously Ill.

diSgraceful scene yet witnessed In the Far-
lament. The turbulence resulted from a
motion that only one of similar petitions
against the ordinance making the Czech
language coordinate with the German in
Bohemia should be read and printed. This
order of the government has been the
basis of the many uproarious scenes which
have been described in these dispatches for
a number of weeks past, although the ques-
ton of renewing the compact between
Austria and Hungary, professionally, at
least, has been mixed up in all the bitter
feeling manifested by the German and anti
German elements.
The members of the Left party protested
uproariously to-day against the motion re-
ferred to, stigmatizing it as Oppressive and
illegal" Finally, the members of the lower
house became so disorderly that the presi-
dent of that body, Dr. Abrahamovics, was
once more compelled to suspend the sitting,
and he soon afterwards left the house. The
departure of President Abrahamovics was
the signal for a scene of the widest dis
order. DIR. Wolff, the German Nationalist
leader, clambered up into the presidents
tribune, seized a heavy bell and swung it
to and fro, materially increasing the dis
order prevailing. The bell, however, was al
most Immediately wrenched from DR..
VOLTS hand by Deputy Pollock.
While this incident was in progress, chal-
lenges to fight duels and showers of bill
lingsgate and other insults were exchanged
on all sides, until the interior of the house
in every way resembled an inferno. A num-
Der of young Czechs and Poles made a rush
for the presidents tribune and attempted
to tear DR.. Wolff down from the position
which he occupied, and they in turn were
attacked by a number of Leftists and a
disgraceful scrimmage was the result. This
was only the beginning of the fighting
During the preliminary scuff1ing some of
the young Czechs struck DR.. Wolff, and
this caused such an uproar that a regular
pitched battle with fisticuffs followed, last
ing for about a quarter of an hour. Herr
Schoenerer, the leader of a section of the
German opposition, caught hold of and
brandished over his head one of the min
listers arm chairs and was evidently about
to hurl it at the heads of his immediate
opponents, when he was seized and dis
armed by Herr Hagenhofer.
BY this time the disorder was of such a
nature that even the public in the gall
81
and insult-exchanging deputies. Polish
member, Herr Polacz, rushed upon another
member, Herr Pferreche, and was nearly
strangling him, when Pferreche. on the i'm
pulse of the moment, drew a penknife from
his pocket and opened it, but he was dis
armed by colleague before any further
harm was done. Herr Pferreche was by that
time so exhausted by the choking he had
received at the hands of Herr Polacz and
was so overcome with excitement that he
tainted, still further adding to the sensa-
tion
At this moment President Abrahamovics
returned to the chamber, but after repeated
and vain efforts to quell the disorder pre-
vailing he closed the sitting of the house
In so doing, the president said: I'm view
of the acts Of violence which have occurred
in the house to-day / consider it my duty
to close this sitting. Will those members
who are willing to give me the names of
the violent members please come to my Of
fice?" Several members of the House ac-
cepted the invitation of the president. and
as result it is believed that Herren
Schoenerer, Kolff and Pferreche will be ar
rested on the charge of fighting in public.
Inc mouse Will meet again tomorrow.
President Abrahamovics, when he re-
turned to the house to suspend the Sitting.
WAS WAS greeted with cries of Polish scoun-
"Badini eunuch'' One deputy was stabbed
in the hand; another had his collar bone
broken; third received a severe scalp
wound. Count Badini, the premier, with a
sneer on his face, watched the combat
throughout. Herr Wolff declared that he
would bring his revolver to the next sit
The correspondent of a London paper. de-
scrlbing, the scene. says: Herr Wolff re-
ceived the worst treatment He was struck
IN the head q dozen times. Blows rained
on his face. The bell was thrown at him:
his clothes were torn. AS often as he got
up he was knocked off his feet. Suddenly
during the melee a fierce shrek was heard
and knife was seen flying towards the
LeItlsts. Ii Tell on DR.. Gessoann, whose
hand hand was was wounded. It was wrested from
threw It across the heads of the deputies
Another scream rang through the house
Herr PfeTreche had been seized by the
throat. Count Won Der Lille emptied
glasses of water over the combatants with
view OF separating them The police COM
missioner, with fifteen men, summoned by
dent was closing the sitting"
Late tonight the Cabinet council is dis
cusslng the situation, and it is believed that
d dissolution Is the only practical outcome.
The lower house of the Austrian Reichs
rath began it's present session on Sept. %
last and the tumultuous scenes have been
continued ever since. Bitter feeling exists
between the Germans of Austria and Czechs
and other Slavonian nationalities. A climax
was reached when the Austrian government
decided that the Czech language was In
every way coordinate with the German in
Bohemia and Moravia. The government
was bitterly attacked by the German men,
bers of the Reichsrath, and the latter sought
to have the minister indicted. Sitting after
sitting has been suspended in the attempts
to maintain some degree of decortIm
among the members. On Sept. Is the Aus
trian premier, Count Badeni, fought a pis-
tol duel with DR.. Wolff, the German Ma
tionalist leader, arising from insults adj
dressed by the doctor TO the premier dur
ing the previous days session of the lower
house. Count Badeni was wounded in the
right hand. The excited feeling in Austria
is considerably intensified by the fct that
both Austria and Hungary are now discus-
sing the question of the renewal of the
ausgleich, or compact which binds the two
groups Of provinces together as the Aus
trian empire. The Austrian Constitution
can be suspended by the EmIaror under
certain conditions, and his Majesty might.
as intimated some days ago by the Austrian
minister of finance, decide to govern with
out Parliament. but the Hungarians hold
that IL the Emperor takes this step the
ausgleich ceases TO exist and Hungary may
insist upon her right TO a separate govern
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