Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-26
GUNNER IN
ASSENBL !
LEAD I D
CLASH
Personal Encounter in Tennessee
House Follows Demand for
Arrest of Pair.

NASHVILLE, Sept. '25-After a
stormy two-hour session the lower
House of the Tennessee General AS
semDly adjourned at 1880, deferrins
action on Representative Bejack's mo-
ton to have armed men in the Cap
itol brought before the House will
be acted upon.
In making this motion Mr.. Bejack
charged that Governor Hooper had
appointed these gunner as deputy
fire marshals and game wardens SO
that they would be immune from ar
rest for carrying weapons.
Representative Bejack's motion was
to have John Yeaman and John Gar
rett arrested and tried before the
bar of the House and imprisoned be-
cause of their alleged leadership in
the rioting Wednesday afternoon
when guns were turned on regular
Democratic members.
During his remarks Representative
Bejack narrowly missed a personal
encounter with representative Par
mick Smith, of Knox County. Smith
made a rush on Bejacks, who is small
of stature, and it took the combined
efforts of the sergeant-at-arms and
number of fusion members to re-
strain Smith.
When the House convened shortly
before noon Speaker Stanton ordered
the floor and galleries cleared and APP
pointed a committee to search all
cloakrooms for armed men. The locks
having been broken from all doors,
the Speaker stationed guards at all
entrances. The floor was in an up
roar, while in the corridor the angry
crowd threatened to rush the doors.
Police on Guard.
Every policeman on the NashVllie
force was sent TO Capitol Hill before
II o'clock to guard against violence
in the House. Mayor Howse ap-
peared personally in charge of the
policemen. He said If rioting broke
out that the police could not handle
he would call on the Governor for
A killing was narrowly averted
Yesterday when Speaker Stanton ar
bitrarily adjourned the House be-
cause he feared someone would shoot
from the gallery into the crowd of
LEGISLATORS discussing measures fol-
the enforcement of prohibition laws.
His action nearly cost his own life.
Guns Trained on Speaker.
Several men trained their revolvers
on the speakers stand. He was es-
corted from the chamber and after
the adjournment Representative A. L.
Todd addressed the members of the
House and the men IN the gallery,
urging that peace be maintained.
Speaker Stanton to-day issued
statement in which he explained his
action in adjourning the House with
out waiting for a vote. He said:
Il knew had been told-that
members of the House were on the
floor armed. The House was in the
widest turmoil and disorder. In the
gallery to my right there were peni-
tertiary guards acting in threaten
ing manner, while near them, with
guns drawn, were John Yeaman and
a man named Garrett.
Clash on Floor Feared.
These two men were near pillars,
where they could pick me or anyone
else off Feeling that mems lives
were in danger, I adjourned the
House, as any presiding officer should
have done"
There was much talk to-day of a
fight on the floor of the House to Gust
Speaker Stanton from the chair.
Speaker White. of the Senate, led
delegation of fusionists to the Gov
errors office with a protest against
MAYOR HoWse's action in sendIng po-
licemen to the Statehouse.
They asked that State guardsmen
be called out to prevent trouble and
that city policemen be ordered to
keep off the State property.