The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1923-09-27
STATE MILITIA
GUARD CAPITOL
KLAHOMA ASSEMBLY is CON-
MANDED NOT TO CONVENE
* K X THE ISSUE

26-Oklahoma's ''rebel'' legislator:
were dispersed by the military al
noon Wednesday when they attempt
ed to convene a special session of the
lower house to seek the Impeachment
of Gov. J. C. Walton. There was nc
violence or bloodshed.
The house members gathered be-
fore the entrance to the house cham
bers were given firm and curt order
by Col. w. S. Key, military com
mander of the city, not to assemble
There was momentary pause,
armed officers moving through the
crowd barked out orders to leave
the building and without word the
house members began to depart from
the rotunda. Within five minutes
the scene of the clash between solons
and the military was cleared.
The Critical Moment
With the atmosphere charged to
fever mitch. Charles S. Brice, speaker
nro tenn of the house, attempted to
CALI the house members to order.
Brice had barely raised his hand
and said:
1Centlemen of the house" when
Colonel Key, stepping up broke IN
and in loud voice called on every
one in the crowd to remain notion
less.
He then read the order prohibit
ing the session.
The order was as follows:
Pursuant to special legislative
military order issued by Gov. J. c.
Walton of Oklahoma and commander
in chief of the military forces Of said
state, addressed to the adjutant gen
eral, forbidding the gathering or as
sembly in a special session of any or
all members of the Oklahoma legis-
fature at the state house in Okla
homa City at 12 o'clock noon OF Sept
&c. 1923. or at any time or place
within the state during the present
period of unrest. it becomes my duty
by direction of the adjutant general
to enforce the provisions of the gov
ernor's order. Now, therefore. |, |
William S. Key, as military com
mander of the district of Oklahoma |
county, forbid this attempted meet
and direct that you disperse lmme-
diately."
Wanted to Know
When Col. Key had completed his
reading, D. A. Stevall of Hugo, rep
resentative from Choctaw county,
asked the military commander II ne
chad the full force of the state ma
tional guard behind the ORDER Col.
Key made no reply.
W. F. Disney, representative from s
Muskogee, then asked if the gather
ing was being dipersed ''as a legls-
lature or az individual"
'You are being dispursed as leg ,
islature," Coloael Key responded. s
The doors of the house chamber 7
never were opened and through the +
entire proceedings rome save the mil {
itary approached neaser the chamber '
than the military geard stationed +
about 20 feet in frontNof the main :
entrance.
The house members left the capitol
almost i'm body and wentAto a down
town hotel. The scene that attend
ed the dispersal was unprecedented.
House members and newspaper
men were grouped al closely as pos
sible TO the entrance of the chamber
when Brice, from tie back of the
crowd and across the5pen court that
nierces the rotunda, suddenly made
an effort to call the session to order.
A Sharp Oder
There was shuffll as members
sought to gain places of vantage.
The sharp command { the guard
commander to ''stand were you are'
arrested the movement.
Women and girls wh{had fringed
the crowd about the hdse entrance
were caught in the midslof the floor 1
as the members faced aout and all 4
stood silently while the order was I
read. Then in groups | twos and
threes the crowd scatteri
For a moment the station took 4
on a threatening aspect. There was &
determination written on ne face of S
Colanel Key as he issue his COM b
mand to the legislators disperse h
at once. He spoke in rsh voice M
that left no doubt as to hidetermi- u
nation to carry out the orqs of his M
M
A moment of suspense ollowed. d
The crowd seemed taken back at d
the suddenness Of the aen and "A
the demeanor of t armed d
guardsmen posted around he ro- :
tunda. d
There was, however, no lfcation III
of resistance and within the ,an of f
a few seconds the assembly BIKE up. M
No more than 200 persons wlessed -
the scene.
Members of the kgislaturwent wa
from the capitol to their heauar- =