Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-21
Ruling Made by Speaker
Caused Trouble and in
Melee Between Rivals,
Riot Reigned for a Time.
CALLED MEMBER FROM
FLOOR TO PRESIDE
Democrat Objected and In
sisted That Speaker Pro
Tenn Take Place, Which
Precipitated the Fight.

Cheyenne Wyo., Jan. 20.--A riot
took place in the house OF represents.
tives Of the Wyoming legislature with
Speaker Pratt and Speaker Protempor<
Wood both claiming to preside. A.
violent fight Interrupted by members
took place between the two oficers.
Scenes of violence which lasted
fully three-quarters Of an hour and
which included two separate encount.
ers between Speaker Martin Ii Pratt
ard Speaker Protempore w. ]. Wood
threw the lower house Of the Wyoming
legislature into hopeless confusion just
before noon today Absolutely no
parliamentary order obtained and the
scene was only ended by an agreement
between the members on the floor
when cool headed leaders OF either
faction announced an agreement to let
matters stand 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 either way. a
Ruling caused Trouble.
The Immediate occasion OF the trou
BILE was the attempt of Speaker, Pratt
to call to the chair F.. c. Hunter Ire
publican) Of Carbon county. An ap
peal had been taken from the speakers
ruling upon the offer Of subcommit.
tees by the democrats for those he
had submitted and in which he himself
held the balance of power upon the
two important committees Of rules and
elections. ,ss
Mr.. Hunter took the chair and Pratt
went to Hunters seat on the floor.
Judge Metz fdemocrat)-arose and de:
clared that the sneaker could not desig-
nate any other than the speaker pro
tenn to take the chair and called upon
Representative w. J. Wood OF Crook
county. speaker pro TEN and demo
crat. to preside. This Wood proceeded
TO do and Hunter yielded the chair to
him.
Thereupon Pratt started to resume
the chair himself. Wood sat staunch-
ly in his place until Pratt. grasping
him by the shoulders with both hands,
threw him violently of the platform.
Wood struck on both hands and his
ia ce, but promptly arose and rushed
back to the chair again. The men
grasped each other until Chanlain
i, ,vidson and others on the platform
held them momentarily.
Speaker Retains Gavel.
WELDING his gavel which he had
gotten hold offin the melee. Pratt de-
clared the house adjourned. Having
the prestige of the sneakers chair and
using a paper weight for gavel.
Speaker Protein. Wood shouted to the
sergeant t7arms to close the doors
and allow no one TO leave. He then
called for roll call on, the appeal.
motion. Standing over the chief clerk
gavel in hand Pratt forbade the call
ing of the roll Both sides were lined
up and randemonium reigned on the
hnor Of the house as we'll as on the
platform.
Another climax followed in ten min
utes after the first violence between
the speaker and sneaker protein. when
they clashed and Pratt attempted to
get his own chair in place OF the clerks
chair he had appropriated for the time.
DelHR. Attempting 10 'HtST'tTS,t fScPs
resentative Sproul who has heretofore
been closer to Pratt in council than
other democrats was soundly kicked
in the stomach by the speaker.
Further violence wss then averted
but fully score of the house mem
bers were standing close around the
speakers desk.
Again Pratt declared the house ad.
iourned and stated he had a right NM
der the statute to call any one to the
chair he choose. Wood maintained his
seat and the sergeant-at-arms. obeying
his instructions, had refused to let out
any Of the members. Judge Metz,
who had not taken any part in the
violence around the speakers desk but
whose motion had been the occasion OF
it conferred with Representative Sulli-
van OF the republicans. and obtained
from both factions an agreement that
was finally made to adjourn with all
motions pending as they were at that
time until 2 o'clock this afternoon.
o.<n raeae Nat nAefdea