The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-15
Members of Historic douglas"
House Meet Here.
Veterans of 1898 Legislature
Attend Celebration.
VISIT BOTH HOUSES TODAY
To Hold Banquet at PeIIetier's
. Tonight.
Feature of Program viii Be
Session OF Famous House.

historic Douglas" house of represen-
tatives, which battered its way thru
the doors of the hall of representa-
tives, held by the PopuIists, and stood
siege in the hail for three days. dur
ing the stormy session OF 1898. were
in the state house today in a reunion
which has brought them back from
many states.
James Troutman i'm Charge.
The arrangements for the reunion
yhich is taking place on the anniver-
s1ry of the day when the doors were
smashed in by a sledge hammer in
The hands Of Republican member Of
the legislature. have all been IN the
hands Of James Troutman, of Topeka,
member Of the house OF that year,
and since acknowledgements of the
state.
The veterans of the legislative war
Il 1898 began to gather in Topeka
carly this morning for their reunion
They visited both houses Of the legis-
lature and were welcomed Troutman
introduced the Rev. william Kntpe. of
Riley county, who was a member Of
he Douglas heUse and who is a vet
Gran of the Mexican and Civil wars
The Rev. kHipe. who entered with the
party in 1893. acted as chaplain of the
house. which found itself standing
siege without a chaplain
l.. b. Pearson Here.
Also L, b Pearson. who was the
member from Allen county, and who
carried the sledse hammer with
which the doors were smashed, was
introduced this morning. Represen-.
tative Pearson is 81 years of age and
was spending the winter at Hot
Springs, Ark. when ne received notice
Of the reunion, for which he returned
to Topeka.
This afternoon at 3 O'Clock, the
members OF the old Douglas house
and the employees of the body at that
time. will gather at Pelletier's tea
room for a dinner. at which at least
fifty persons will be present
After the dinner they will go TO the
hall OF representatives. where they
Will re-enaCt q. session of the old days.
with former Governor E. W. Hoch.
who was speaker pro TEN of the
Douglas house, in the chair. The pro-
gram at the hall OF representatives
will begin at 7:45 o'clock tonight.
Present Members To Be Guests.
The members of the legislature will
be the guests of the Douglas house at
the meeting tonight, and Will be ad-
United by the regular doorkeepers of
the house. who will be on duty.
The galleries will be oneu to the
I plI die, at the evening session.
The 1888 episode is considered the
most thrilling incident in the history
or Kansas legislatures since the state
was admitted TO the Union. State
house square was an armed camp. and
what caused the situation to appear
most menacing. citizens gathered here
from hundreds of miles around bring
ing their 'shootin' irons with them.
Ihe state was on the verge of a sure
enough civil war resulting from the
legislative controversy between POPS
and Republicans. The inmediate
signs of battle eliminated with batter
ing down OF the heavy walnut doors of
the house Of Representatives hall with
a sledge hammer. In that manner the
I-epubieans gained entrance and once
INSIDE they held the fort for three
Edays and nights. food being passed up
70 them meanwhile by means of a pull
aley- The Pops had possession of the
state house outside representative
hall and refused to permit any COM
munication with the besieged Repub-
leans
J. A Troutman of Topeka, former
il~ utenant governor, who himself was
member of the famous Douglas
mouse. mas been the prime mover in
organizing today's reunion. He has a
list of names 6f twenty-five men still
living who were members of the Re
publican wing of the 1893 legislature.
In addition to these men. legislative
Officers, deputy sheriffs and others
time are expected to attend today's
gatherings.
Col Hughes Was There
one of the survivors who was the
storm center OF the legislative war
fare was Col J. W. F. Hughes. of To-
epeka- At the time the colonel. who
was commanding officer of the X y.
RI regiment which had been called
out by the governor, was ordered by
j. D. Lewelling. the Populist governor
sto take his troops and Dust from the
house of representatives every member
who was not recognized as a member
by J. NJ Dunsmore. speaker elected
by the Populists. The colonel an
nounced that he would not obey the
order. explaining to the governor that
he-the governor-had no Jurisdiction
over the membership of the house
under the constitution For this act
the colonel later was court martialed.
Governor Lewelling. after Hughes
refusal to put the contested Repubu
cans out of the house. as a last resort
went personally before the house and
said he would give the contested Re
.pubucans fifteen minutes to get out;
that he would have the guards remove
1hem if they didn't At this time the
guards were marshalled in the base