The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1900-02-02
Events at Frankfort Follow One
Another Almost Too Quickly
to Chronicle.
Proclamation by Taylor Peremp.
torily Adjourning the Legis-
lature to Feb. 6.
Democrats Attempt to Hold a
Session But Are Prevented
by Militia.

"M#N@~ AAysp W. So - ass
probably been the most exciting day il
the history Of this city. Rumors hay,
down thick and fast, and events hav,
followed n another nearly as quickly
The day has seen the peremptory ad
journment Of the Legislature by procla
nation Of Governor Taylor, and thu
barring out Of the capitol building BY
force Of arms Of the legislators. It hal
also seen the Legislative body, or q po,
ton Of it, followed, or raced with, FROM
point to point, in the effort to keep that
portion from meeting and declaring
Senator Goebel elected governor. It
has seen these same Legislators threat.
ened with arrest If they attempted to
hold a meeting, and has also witnessed
the adjournment Of the court Of appeals
indefinitely, pending the removal Of the
militia from the capital. What the
moment will bring forth no one can
guess.
Met by Armed Militia.
When the day dawned not a membe,
Of the Legislature knew whether or not
the body would be permitted to meet in
the capitol. All they knew was that
soldiers We're guarding every gate and
that nobody would be allowed to enter
without a pass. They decided, however,
to meet at the Capitol hotel and march
in a body to the state house. Arrived
there, not a soldier was in sight Oh the
outside Of the building, but once the
door was opened 1t looked like war.
Long lines Of infantry were drawn up
on each side Of the hall, with fixed bay.
onets. Colonel Williams permitted Clerk
Lee, Assistant Clerk Henry Stone and a
few representatives to pass up tho stairs.
Then the main body Of the Legislature
came tramping through the doorway
and they We're stopped by the soldiers
IN an instant. Loud cries and explana.
lions filed the air, and Colonel Will.
Jams, mounting half way up the stairs,
shouted:
"Gentlemen, I hold in my hands a
proclamation from the governor Of Ken.
lucky, which I will read"
He then read the proclamation in a
loud tone, and directed an orderly to
pass copies out into the crowd. The
proclamation was as follows:
The Governors Proclamation.
TO the General Assembly Of the Com.
monwealth Of Kentucky:
Whereas, a state Of instruction nov
prevails in the State Of Kentucky, and
especially III Frankfort, the capital
thereof, by virtue Of the authority vested
in me by the Constitution Of Kentucky,
! do hereby, by this proclamation, ad.
journ at once the general assembly Of
the State Of Kentucky, to meet at Lon.
don, Laurel county, Ky, Tuesday, the
9th Of February, 1900, at ~ o'clock.
w. S. TAYLOR, Governor,
BY CALEB POWERS, Secretary Of State.
The Democratic members Of the legis-
lature declined to accept the adjourn.
ment and decided to meet elsewhere.
The legislature az a body ran through
the streets to the opera house, to find a
company Of soldiers drawn up before it.
Then the Legislature decided to deliber.
ate III the courthouse and tore through
the streets in that direction. A second
company Of soldiers beat the lawmakers
to the goal, and they then took to the
streets looking for a place in which to
hold a session and declare Goebel gov.
elnor of Kentucky.
Threatened All with Arrest,
There were stories current all after.
noon that 4 secret meeting Of the Demo.
Gratis would be held IN the Capitol hotel.
Adjutant General Collier sent word to
the Democratic leaders Of the house that
II any meeting was held by them or by
their attorneys, he would enter the
hotel with soldiers and take from it
every man engaged in 1t! 1t was re-
ported a meeting would be held by the
Democrats within the walls Of the pen.
%itentiary, and General Collier at once
threw u Gordon OF troops around that
place IN order to prevent them from
gaining admission.
At 2 O'Clock, strong detachments of
infantry were guarding the opera house,
courthouse, capitol and penitentiary.
The Democratic Statement.
For the Democrats, the following
statement has been issued:
''The proclamation of Taylor IL UNI
warranted in fact and law. There il
no instruction, unless the presence OF
the militia and what they are doing con
stitutes an instruction. But IL an in.
surrection did exist, the governor has no
power TO adjourn the general assembly
on that account or any other, except
where the two houses fail TO agree on
adjournment"
II il signed by u, u, Barton and other
Democratic Legislators.
selection IL significant.
The selection Of London aS the meet.
Ing place of the Legislature IL significant
IN the fact that II IL right in the heart OF
the country from which hail the noun.
taineers who have from time TO time
down No E%isaIlkfnrt. The nonntu