The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-03-14
Taylor Prevents Arrest Of
Secretary of State Powers.
Militia Stand off Civil Author.
itles, Preventing Warrants
Being Served.

Being Served.
Frankfort, Ky, March l0.-The
situation mas reached point of ex
citemept today almost approaching
that of the stirring times immediate
ly following the assassination of Goe
bel The reinstatement of the mill
.ary power in complete control of the
State executive building and the
refusal of the military authorities to
allow the local police aud civil
officers to entei the building for the
purpose of arresting Secretary OF
State Caleb Powers and Capt John
Davis. charged With being accesso
ries to the Goebel assassination. and
the probability of conflict between
the civil and military authorities has
made the situation look serious This
morning City Marshal Richardson
applied at the executive building
and demanded to be admitted for the
purpose of arrest,ng Powers and
Davis, but was turned back and the
warrants were then turned over to
Sheriff Suter The latter also pre-
sented himself at the executive build
ing and demanded admittance He
was referred by the officers in charge
to Col Morrow, and the latter being
found, said 81 am sorry. Mr.
Sheriff. but it is against Gov Taylor 8
orders to let any one into the build
ing today y
Sheriff Suter then held a consulta
tion with County Attorney Po's-
grove, Commonwealth Attorney
Franklin and other officials Mean
time the police force had been
doubled and detail guarded each of
the entrances to the State house
grounds to prevent the men wanted
from escaping At the conference
between the officials it was decided
that the sheriff should summon a
large reserve force Of deputies. to be
called into use in the event 1t was
decided to attempt to enter the
building by force to make the arrests
and in pursuance of this, the sheriff
swore in so men, who were stationed
in the neighborbood of the sheriff s
Office during the afternoon Sheriff
Suter made another attempt to get
an audience with Gov Taylor this
afternoon, but was unsuccessful The
streets were fairly blocked with
people in the vicinity of the State
house, but there was no open demon
atration, though it was evident that
the populace was on the side of the
civil authorities At 8 O'Clock
Sheriff Suter. having failed to get
any sort of understanding with the
military authorities as to the arres.
of the parties, submitted the question
to Democratic Gov Beckham to de
eide TO what extent the civil officers
should go to gain admittance TO the
building for the purpose Of making
the arrests
1t is said laie tonight that Demo
cratic Gov Beckham will not give an
answer to Sheriff Suter's request for
instructions til! next week and since
the escane of Powers and Davis he
may decide that the changed condl
! ,ions of affairs does not necessltate
the giving of instructions on MS
part The Triplett resolution author
izipg the expenditure of 100000 in
arming and equipping State guard
under Gov Beckbam and Adjt Gen
Castleman, will come up in the house
Tuesday, and it is said that early this
afternoon Gov Beckham determined
to wait until after the passage OF the
measure, when, if men wanted by
civil officers were still barricaded in
the State house, he would call on
Adit Gen Castleman and authorize
him to muster in enough men to take
the prisoners Since the escape OF
Powers aud Davis, however, the con.
ditions have changed, and what will
be dooe now depends altogether upon
their future movements The events
of today served to show very forcl
bly, that the State guard as at present
organized does not unanimously
recognize Taylor as governor. Lieut.
Sparks refused to muster in the Lon
don company today in response TO a
telegram from Gov Taylor ordering
him to bring the company here. and
the Lexington companies also refus
ed. Maj Robert Kennedy Of one OF
the Lexington companies, came here
tonight and personally rendered te
Gov Beckham the services of the
Third battalion of the Second regl
ment He also stated that 50 men
are tonight guarding the compaDy's
armory and will recognize only
Beckham as governor.