The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-01-23
RIOT IN WYOMING
LEGISLATIVE HALL
Regular Presiding officer y
Fist Fight With Would Be
Usurper.

Cheyenne, Wyo, Jan. 21.-A rio,
started in the house of representative
shortly after that body convened Mon
day, with Speaker Pratt M Speaker
Pro Tenn Wood both claiming the right
to preside. A violent fight. that was
interrupted by members, took place
between the two officers. 8
Scenes of violence lasted fully three
quarters of an hour, during whichToc-
CURED two separate encounters be-
tween Speaker Martin /. Pratt n
Speaker Protempore w. J.. Wood. ABB
solutely 10 parliamentary order OBJ
tanned and the scene was only ended
by an agreement among the members
Of the floor when cool-headed leaders
of either faction announced a decision
to let matters stand just as they were
until 2 o'clock this afternoon. Both
Pratt and Wood claimed authority over
the house, and with Wood sitting in
the speakers chair, and Pratt welding
the gavel, the show of authority seemed
about equal.
Cause of Trouble.
The immediate occasion Of the trou-
Bile was the attempt of Speaker Pratt
to call to the chair Z. c. Hunter, re-
publican, of Carbon county. An APP
peal had been taken from the speakers
ruling Upon the offer of substitute COM
mittees by the democrats for those he
a submitted and in which he him
self held the balance of power upon the
two important committees, rules and
elections. Mr. Hunter tooN the chair
and Pratt went to Hunters seat IN the
floor. Judge Metz, democrat, arose and
declared that the speaker could not
designate n other "a the speaker
protempore to tax the chair and called
upon Representative Wood, Of Crook
county, speaker protempore, and a
democrat, to preside. This Wood pro-
ceeded to do, and Hunter yielded the
to resume the chair himself. Wood sal
staunchly in his place until Pratt,
grasping him by the shoulders with
both hands, threw him violently off the
platform. Wood struck on both hands
and his face, but promptly rose and
rushed back to the chair again. The
men grasped each other until Chaplain
Davidson and others on the platform
held them ~monentarily.
Declares Adjournment.
WELDING the gavel, which he had
gotten mold in the melee, Pratt de-
clared the House adjourned. Having
the prestige of the speakers chair AND
using a paper weight for a gavel
Speaker Pro TEN Wood shouted to the
sergeant at arms to close the doors and
allow no one to leave. He then called
for a roll call on the appeal motion
Standing over the chief clerk, gavel ir
hand, Pratt orbade the calling of the
roll. Both sides were lined UP anC
pandemonium reigned on the floor OF
the House as we'll as on the platform
Another climax followed in 10 minutes
after the first violence between the
speaker and speaker protein when, will
several hackers or either side. they
clasped n Pratt attempted to get his
own chair in place OF the clerks chair
he a appropriated for the time be-
ing.
Bystander Kicked.
Attempting to interfere, Represen,
tat1ve Sproul, who had heretofore beer
closer to Pratt in council, than any
other democrat. was soundly kicked
in the stomach by the speaker. Furtll.
er violence was then averted. but full,
a score of the house members Wer,
standing close around the speaker:
desk.
Again Pratt declared the hous
adjourned and stated he had
right, under the statute to call any
one to the chair he chose. Wood main.
tanned his seat and the sergeant a
arms, obeying his instructions, had re
fused to let out any of the members
Judge Metz. who had not taken an,
part in the violence around tn
speakers chair, but whose motion hat
Representative Sullivan, of the repub
licans, and on behalf of both faction
an agreement was finally mad to ad
journ with all motions pending as the,
We're at that time until Q O'Clock thi
afternoon.