Evening star., 1924-06-19
Victims, Republican With One
| Exception, Refuse to Re-
turn to Chamber.
DEMOCRATS SEE MOVE
TO END THEIR FILIBUSTER
Lieutenant Governor Orders Arrest
of Striking" Members-Sheriff
Deies Him.
BY the Associated Press.

PROVIDENCE, r. l., June 19-As ;
result of the loosing of poisonou
fumes in the state Senate chamber
the Republican members who consti
tute a majority, today refused tC
attend the Senate session and wer'
arrested on a warrant obtained b!
Lieut. Gov. Felix A. Toupin. the Dem
ocratic president of the Senate.
Senator A. A. Sherman of Ports
mouth, Republican floor leader, wa:
in hospital suffering from the
effects of the gas. and High Sheriff
Jonathan Andrews refused to fore.
the eighteen other Republicans te
enter the Senate chamber
Find Gas-soaked wnd.
A large wad of gauze soaked in a
liquid thought to contain chlorine was
found wrapped in newspapers in the
curtains behind the rostrum after the
fumes had spread through the cham
Der. The persons nearest the parcel
were Mr.. Toupin and other Demo
Gratis, but, with one exception, the
only senators who complained of the
effects of the gas were Republicans.
Mr.. Toupin declared that he was in
f1rst-rate shape" and other Demo-
Gratis asserted that the Republicans
so as to absent themselves from the
chamber and hold up the Senate pro-
ceedings.
Gov William s Flynn declared
that IAN attempt has been made TO
poison the lieutenant governor" His
lieutenants joined with the local po-
lice in an investigation to discover
who had placed the impromptu
"bomb."
Defied by Sheriff.
Sheriff Andrews, in support of his
refusal to compel attendance by the
Republicans, produced a certificate
signed by DR.. Herbert E. Harris stat
ing that the senators he had exam
ined were UNIT for duty. Mr.. Toupfn
then obtained warrantfo their ar
rest. and the Republicans were es-
corted from the building under police
guard. The lieutenant governor de-
clared a recess, and meeting of
Democrats was held in the governors
Office to discuss legal steps to meet
the sheriff's refusal
An ambulance took four senators to
a hospital, but shortly after noon the
authorities there said that Senators
Harry A Sanderson OF Johnston, Will
liam L. Sharpe Of East Greenwich,
Republicans. and John H. Powers of
Cumberland. Democrat, had left in an
automobile. Senator Sherman. it was
said, was resting comfortably"
Senator Powers was the only Demo-
cratic senator to be treated by a
physician.
Session Lasts 4s Hours.
When the gas episode halted pro-
ceedings, the Senate had been in ses-
sion continuously since o'clock last
Tuesday afternoon, when an attempt
by Senator Sherman to take control
of the Senate led to a free-for-all
Fight in the chamber.
The Senate has been in a virtual
deadlock since the beginning Of the
present session last January. The
Democratic minority has been try
ing to put through a measure for a
referendum for a constitutional con-
vention, but the Republicans have re-
fused to pass it. Mr.. Toupin adopted
a policy of refusing to recognize Re-
rublican senators, and the Democrats
I ave been engaged in lengthy fill
busters to prevent the consideration
rf Republican business.
When the fumes of the gas became
apparent senators and spectators be-
came groggy. Soon Senators Sher-
man, Sanderson and Sharpe, Repub-
1icans, and Powers. Democrat. sank
into coma and were carried out.
Presiding Omcer Pale.
Lieut.. Gov. Toupin, pale and nau-
seated, mounted the rostrum after
The recess, and announced that the
Senate would proceed with business
The four stricken senators were not
in their places.
The Republicans agree to vote upon
but refuse to pass the constitutional
convention resolution. The Demo
Gratis have offered to vote for an
emergency appropriation bill, which
the Republicans claim would not re.
1ieye the needs Of the state employees
many of whom have not been paio
for months.
When the Senate reconvened and
the lieutenant governor noticed the
were overcome by the gas he ordered
the deputy sheriffs to bring them into
1he Senate chamber. The deputies re-
ported that they were unabi to 90 so
The lieutenant governor lHeh oepu
tized fifteen civilians to compel the
attendance of the Republicans. He
ordered them to break down the doors
of the committee room where the
stricken senators were. A squad OF
fifteen Providence police was pre-
pared to resist such violence.
Doctor Certines Illness.
DR.. Herbert T. Harris sent to the
lieutenant governor a certificate stat
ing that he had examined nineteen
Republican senators and found them
physically unfit to return to the
Chamber at once because of gas
The lieutenant governor made a
sneech in which he ridiculed the Re-
nubIicans and said that he had stood
in the midst OF the gas throughout
the period and that he had been ex-
amined by a physician, who stated
that he was all right
Contrasting the statement of DR.
Harris with that of another physician
whom he did not name, the lieutenant
governor said the latter had exam
ined Senators Sherman, Sharpe and
Sanderson and pronounced them Mt.
Senator Greene of Newport then
moved that the Senate recess. and
than began to discuss his motion, nay
ing the Republican party.