Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-02-24
OKLAHOMA SOLONS
IN BATTLE ROYAL
Republicans and Democrats In
Fistic Mix Up Over Passage
of Bill to DiSfranChiSe
Negroes.

Oklahoma City, Okla, Feb. 19.-Tu-
multuous scenes occurred in the Okla
homa house of representatives late
Friday evening. while the members
were voting OF a section of an cleo
ton law designed to take the place of
the famous grandfather law' which
was recently declared unconstitutional
by the United States supreme court,
because in effect it disfranchised the
negro population of the state.
Partisan feeling over the new meas
ure finally eliminated in an outbreak
precipitated by charges of corruption
and the passing OF the lie between
members, during which ink bottles,
paper weights and other fixtures of
the members desks were used as
weapons and a set battle seemed in
evitable as democrats massed and ad-
vanced towards tie republicans and
socialists. Arthur H. Geissler, chair
man of the republican state central
committee, was knocked down and
rendered unconscious by Representa-
tive Loris e. Bryant, of Big Heart,
Usage county.
Made Caucus Measure.
The proposed law is the product of
q democratic caucuS 1t has passed
the senate and was up for fina pass
age in the house late today, with re-
publican and socialist members offer
ing vigorous opposition. GelSsler was
on the floor through the courtesy of a
visitors permit issued him as repub-
lican state chairman.
Representative Paul Nesbit, demo-
crat. of PittSburg county, had voted
in favor of the proposed law, and as he
announced his vote, Representative
Sans, republican. tainted Nesbitt with
being "ur.fair TO republicans" Mes
Bit replied that he was raised in a
section where the republicans had
l@, 1i-, -it Ynl,r>,I Mt 1Nysn
tees, and that he had no desire to be
fair to republicans.
'They probably took you for the
crook you are" shouted SANS.
"If you make that charge o are
a liar" replied Nesbitt.
Challenge to Battle.
Sans arose in his seat and shouted
toward the democratic side of the
house Come on" In an instant every
moor and republican member of the
house was on his feet. Ink bottles and
Daper weights were fired back and
forth between the belligerents. The
democratic members advanced through
the aisles toward the republicans, and
Speaker of the House A. G. McCrorey
left his chair and rushed out of the leg
islative halls. The democrats greatly
outnumbered the republican combat
ants, and after the harmless volley of
books a been thrown the melee died
out of it's w accord.
Representative Tom Hensley Deem
went to the 'sideline" and was engaged
in conversation with Geissler. When
Hensley walked away Bryant stepped
up to GeiSsler and said:
"NNhat right have you to be talking
to a representative on the loo of the
houSe?"
Chairman Laid Out.
Geissler replied: Beg pardon, what
is your name" Whereupon Bryant hit
Geissler in the face, according to wit
| nesses, knocking him to the floor and
rendering him unconscious for a few
minutes.
Bryant became lost in the crowd
that rushed around Geissler. Nc furth-
err disturbances occurred.
President Wilson recently pardoned
two Oklahoma election officials who
were convicted in federal court of en-
forcing the grandfather" test, and
there are two others now on trial in
| federal court at Guthrie.
The election bill passed the house,
SO to ga. 1t is expected to be approved
by Gov. r. l.. Williams.
The registration section of the bill
was being voted on when the disorder
occurred. This also passed the house,
so to "a. No ballot was taken on the
emergency clause. Speaker McCrorey
announcing that the strict party vote
on the bill showed that the necessary
majority to put the measure into eff
feet at once could not be obtained.