Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1900-02-02
Events at Frankfort Follow One
Another Almost Too Quickly
to Chronicle.
Proclamation by Taylor Peremp
torily Adjoulning the Legis-
lature to Feb. 6.
Democrats Attempt to Hold
Session But Are Prevented
by Militia.

FRANKFORT, KY, Feb. 1.-This hai
probably been the most exciting day III
the history of this city. Rumors have
flown thick and fast, and events have
followed one another nearly as quickly
The day has seen the peremptory ad.
journment Of the legislature by procla,
nation of Governor Taylor, and the
barring out of the capitol building by
force of arms Of the legislators. It has
also seen the Legislative body, or por'
ton Of it, followed, or raced with, frolf
point to point, in the effort to keep that
portion from meeting and declaring
Senator Goebel elected governor. II
has seen these same legislators threat.
ened with arrest if they attempted tc
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 member
of the legislature knew whether or not
the body would be permitted to meet III
the capitol. All they knew was that
soldiers were 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 soldier was in sight on the
outside of the building, but once the
door was opened it looked like war
Long lines of infantry We're drawn ur
on each side Of the hall, with fixed bay.
onets. Colonel Williams permitted Clerk
Lee, Assistant Clerk Henry Stone and a
few representatives pass up the stairs.
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 explana
tions filled 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 will read"
He then read the proclamation in a
loud tone, and directed an orderly tc
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, state Of insurrection now
prevails in the State Of Kentucky, and
especially in Frankfort, the capital
thereof, by virtue Of the authority vested
in me by the Constitution of Kentucky,
I do hereby, by this proclamation, adj.
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 12 o'clock.
w. s. TAYLOR, Governor,
By CALEB POWERS, Secretary of State.
The Democratic members Of the legis.
1ature declined to accept the adjourn.
ment and decided to meet elsewhere.
The legislature as 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 in 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 place in which to
hold session and declare Goebel gov.
ernor of Kentucky.
Threatened All With Arrest.
There were stories current all after.
noon that 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
if 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 it. It was re.
ported a meeting would be held by the
Democrats within the walls of the pen
itentiary, and General Collier at once
threw 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 is un-
warranted in fact and law. There is
no insurrection, unless the presence OF
the militia and what they are doing con-
stitutes an insurrection. But if all i'll
surrection did exist, the governor l,cs'.',