Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-02-23
OKLAHOMA 0L0NS
IN BATTLE ROYAL
Republicans and Democrats In
FiStic Mix Up Over Passage
of Bill to OisfranChiSe
Negroes.

Oklahoma City, Okla, Feb. 19.-Tu.
hultuous scenes occurred in the Okla-
hcma house of representatives late
Friday evening. while the members
were voting on 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 d~isfranchised the
negro population of the state.
Partisan feeling over the new meas
ure finally eliminated in an outbreak
precipitatcd by charges OF corruption
and the passing OF the lie between
members, during which ink bottles,
paper weights ard other fixtures of
the members desks were used as
weapons and a set battle seemed in
evitable as democrats massed and adj
vanced towards the republicans and
socialists. Arthur III. Ge;ssler, chair
man of the republican state central
committee, was knocked down and
rendered unconscious by Representa-
tive Loris T.. Bryant. of big Heart.
Usage county.
Made Caucus Measure.
The proposed law is the product of
| n democratic caucus. 1t has passed
the senate and was up for final pass
age i'll the house late today. with re-
| publican and socialist members offer
| ing vigorous opposition. Geissler was
2Ii II ilOOl hISaSi SiA' ~ "SSS -
visitors permit issued hin, as repub-
licar state chairman.
Representative Paul Nesbit, demo-
Graf. Of Pittsburg county, had voted
IN favor of the proposed law, and as he
announced his vote. Representative
being unfair to republicans" Mes
bitt replied that he was raised in a
section where the republicans had
overridden him with corrupt prac-
tices. and that he mad no desire to be
fair to republicans.
"1hey probably took you for the
crook you are" shouted Sans
.!s q make that charge sou are
O :ia.." 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
democrat and republican member of the
| house was on his feet. Ink bottles and
paper weights We're fired back and
forth between the belligerents. The
| democratic members advanced through
the aisles toward the republicans, and
| Speaker of The House A. c.. 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 had been thrown the melee died
out of it's own 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:
What right have o to be talking
to a representative on the floor 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 q few
minutes.
Bryant became lost in the crowd
that rushed around Geissler. No furth~
err disturbances occurred.
President Wilson recently pardone,l
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 "a. 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,
80 to q. Nc 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 ut once could not be obtained.