The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-24
SOLONS AS SLUGGERS
ILLINOIS LEGISLATORS HAD A
WARM SESSION.
FOUGHT AT FEET OF LADIES.
WARRING FACTIONS MADE GOOD
ORDER IMPOSSIBLE.

Mt Once EIected-Then Came the
Fight, but, Section by Section,
One Bill Was Thrown Out for
Another Majority Favored.
Springfield, H., April 23.-Slugging
and rolling over each other across the
speakers platform, in a frenzied gen
eral fist fight at the feet of a score
of female guests, the members of the
Illinois Legislature to-day surpassed
the widest scenes of the Austrian
Reichsrath.
Charges by the Speaker of the House.
Isaac Miller, that attempts had been
made to bride him were formally made
tonight as an explanation of the ex-
traordinary actions on his part, which
precipitated the riot. The interior of
the legislative chamber tonight re-
sembled, in a measure, the track of a
tornado, so general was the wreckage
of chairs and desks.
Chicago street railway franchises
more valuable than gold mines were
directly at stake, federal court re-
ownership proceedings against the I'm
ion Traction Company of Chicago yes
terday, having brought the matter to
sudden issue.
The stormiest time ever experienced
in the Illinois Legislature began all
most without warning, in a whirlwind
of wild disorder which arose to-day
in the House of Representatives over
rival traction measures, or So-called
municipal ownership bills.
Tried to Pull Him Down.
Adherents of the Mueller BILL indig-
nant at Speaker Miller's ruling in fav-
or of the Lindley bill, attempted to
pull the Speaker from his chair. The
Speaker raised his voice above the tur-
moil and declared the House adjourn
ed. Thereupon Representative Muir
ray, a Mueller bill man, called for the
election of a speaker pro tempore.
Charles Allen of Vermillion was select
ed, but had difficulty in forcing his
way to the Speakers chair. The
aisles were thronged with a crowd so
excited that it was almost a mob.
Eventually he made the passage and
Henry Better was made clerk. 1t was
found exceedingly difficult, however, to
accomplish business.
During roll calls on amendments to
the Lindley bill, nearly half the men,
bers of the House stood on their desks,
shouting and gesticulating. Many
members had seized bill books and
were pounding their desks, while Mr..
Cummings, from his seat in the front
row on the Democratic side, was Wig
orously welding a board.
Personal violence against the Speak
er was threatened. A number of ladies
were sitting on the couch behind the
Speakers desk.
Ladies Were In Thick of 1t.
Twill the ladies please move out from
behind?" shouted Mr. Allen.
'"Get them out" shouted Mr. Sher-
man; get the ladies out. Do not act
the coward"
A fight broke out on the Democratic
side, few feet from the Speaker. Wer-
dell, Democrat, and Glade, Republican,
were the central figures, but eight or
ten other members-in fact, almost ev-
erybody in their immediate vicinity
appeared to be taking a hand in the
melee in an evident endeavor to sep
arate the two combatants. 1t after
wards developed that Werdell had
started for the Speaker with a menace
ing air, and that Glade had seized him,
thus precipitating the encounter.
The municipal ownership fight now
in progress here is the most exciting
which the state capital has witnessed
in many years. Chicago sentiment is
said to favor the Mueller bill, and May
or Harrison and others of influence
have been here several days working
for it. The Lindley bill, the municipal
ownership measure, favored by an ac-
tive minority, has, however. been fore
ed ahead. Yesterday the Speaker re-
fused a roll call on q motion to post
pone consideration of the Lindley bill,
although a majority of the House de-
manded the roll call. The postpone
ment motion was declared carried amid
the protests of the majority.
May Come to Terms.
To-day Speaker Miller ordered the
Lindley measure advanced to a third
reading and a tumult of voices rose in
opposition, during which the attempt
was made to pull the Speaker from
his chair. After Speaker Miller de-
clared the House adjourned, the newly
organized House recalled the bill from
third reading and proceeded, section
by section, to substitute the Mueller
bill for it.
The time then arrived for the regu-
lar afternoon session, and Speaker
Miller resumed the chair without OPP
position. Considerable confusion at
tended attempts to transact business,
and a recess was taken until evening.
At the night session Speaker Miller
said his action in refusing a roll call
money by allowing a roll call on the
Mueller bill, but as the House desired
il he washed his hands of the entire
matter and would permit a roll call.
An agreement was reached for a