Evening star., 1900-01-31
SCENES At THE CAPITOL.
Legislators Surprised to Find the
Military in Charge.

FRANKFORT, KY, January 81.-This
morning not a member Of the legislature
knew whether or not the body would be
permitted to meet in the capitol building
All they knew was that soldiers were
guarding every gate and that nobody would
be allowed TO enter without pass. They
decided, however. to meet at the Capital
Hotel and march in a body to the state
house. Clerk Edward Lee of the house.
with Representative Kilady and Lewis.
formed the advance guard. and at $40 m
they presented themselves at the south
gate Of the capitol grounds. A young lieu
tenant was on guard in command of q
small squad. As soon as the members Of
the legislature were identified they We're
admitted and allowed to pass into the capi-
tol building.
Not a soldier was in sight on the outside
of the building, but once the door was
opened it looked like war. Long lines of
infantry were drawn up on each side of the
hall, with fixed bayonets. At the foot of
the stairs leading to the legislative halls
stood Colonel Williams and behind him
detachment of soldiers completely block
ing up the stairs. Colonel Williams car
ried in his hand a large bundle of papers,
which he handed to each member of the
house as they passed him. 1t was q copy
OF Governor Taylor's proclamation. Colo
mel Williams permitted Clerk Lee, Assistant
Clerk Stone and few Representatives to
pass upstairs. Then the main body Of the
| legislature came tramping through the
doorway, and they were stopped by the
| soldiers In an instant. Loud cries and ex-
1 CARNATIONS filed the air. and Colonel Will
4 liams. mounting half way up the stairs.
| shouted:
The Proclamation Read.
Gentlemen. 1 hold in my hands a procla-
| nation issued by the governor of Kentucky.
which 1 will read
| He then read the proclamation in a loud
voice and directed an orderly to pass copies
of the proclamation out into the crowd
The legislators were coming in too rap
| idly, however, and the pushing and shout
1 ing made 1t impossible for any explanation
4 to be given the late comers. Adjt. Gen
| Collier then mounted the stairway and read
| the proclamation a second time. When he
/ nnlshed, a representative shouted:
| Mr.. Chairman, where Is London?"
| is it in Kentucky?' yelled another voice
| The good humor soon died away. how
| ever and shouts of indignation were heard
from the democratic members.
Then, loud above the tumult, came a
/ voice clear 6nd sharp:
! We are dealing with a pack of heathen
| snd hounds. Let's go to the opera house -
| SHOUTS OF approval greeted this proposal
| and out of the door down the broad steps
/ streamed the crowd. fastening along St
| Clair street toward the opera house. Close
| behind came Gen. Collier on the rum He
shouted orders to Lieut. Col. Gray. who was
Il
| were given by that officer, and away to-
| ward the opera house went the soldiers or
| the dead run.
| 1t Was No Parade.
1t was not parade. They ran up the
| middle of the street and easily distanced
the legislators, who took the sidewalk and
handicapped themselves by the numerou:
posts, boxes and pedestrians that filed the
way When the lawmakers arrived all
they obtained for their run of a quarter OF
a mile was the privilege of standing on the
opposite side of the street and gazing al
the opera house, the front of which was
occupied by d painting line of soldiers II
| double rank, with fixed bayonets. Genera
Lyons. the oldest and most corpulent II
the house, had, despite his physical draw
| backs, managed to beat the soldiers ant
get into the hall. He was politely request
| ed to come out, which he did, with the re
| mark, 1T does not look as though a quo
| rum will get in"
| Thomas Heffner. owner of the opers
house, demanded that the members of tn,
legislature should be admitted It was pri
vate property. he claimed, and the miiitis
had no right to keep anybody from It. II,
was completely ignored by Lieutenant Col
| onel Gray.
Speaker Trimble stepped up to Lieutenan
Colonel Gray and demanded entrance to tn
hall. 1t was refused.
Adjourn to the Court House.
Turning around. Mr.. Trimble addresses
the crowd:
Gentlemen. We ara denied admission t
/, the opera house We will now adjourn t.
the court house."
Away went the crowd. with good-na ture.
yells of derision at the soldiers. who ha
{ orders to remain at the opera house, an
could not leave
The triumph Of the lawmakers was short
lived. Before they had gone 100 feet fror
the opera house, around the corner swun
a second company of soldiers directly 1
their path. The second heat of the rae
was now on. and away went ths dignife
senator's and representatives down tn
street. in a cloud Of dust. yelling like
pack of Indians.
| Alongside ran the soldiers.
1t was the same story over again, an
the legislators were permitted to look q
the outside of the court house, while tn
soldiers held the path.
, Gen. Collier had arrived by this time, an
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