| Show danne DANOE ae OF DEATH MEMBERS OP OF TIM tile ILLINOIS ledis LATURE transformed HYENAS springfield jil ill soth the numerous murders and aim alm similar outrages which have taken place in William county within the past two years 7 aud and which the officials of the county have been powerless to punish or prevent are matters of record and are familiar to the readers of the daily papers these outrages have been sol so flagrant and lawlessness has been so unrestrained aa as to render n necessary e ees ces y some interference on th the op part ar to of f th the e legislature but when who ii this sub ab eject was broached in the tilo house yesterday it was to the disgrace of the members be it said treated with derision and contemptuous laughter the fact that mch such a solemn matter should be bo treated in such a shameful manner reflects discredit not only upon the representatives senta tives there assembled upon their constituents to dolif L F plater representative from froin hardin county belongs the honor of having called the attention of the house hous to these outrage outrages and to him must behe be corded accorded the credit of having made the first important speech of the tho present session D during r the proceedings this afternoon plater gained the floor and boffl offered ered the following resolution ow whereas numerous murders and attempts at murder have been perpetrated pet peti rated aled during the two years past in williamson county in this state a number of the victims of which were respected citizens and whereas no earnest attempt has yet been made to bring the assassins to justice and restore jaw and order in sad eat county dounty or if made has been unsuccessful therefore to the end thai that the people of said conaty may be of the uncertainty apprehension loil insecurity and terrorism that now ron render renden der den them unhappy and discontented on tented and nd desirous tp to some more peaceable aa ah d lo 10 section of counts tr BU be 0 it resolved by the house of representatives that a committee consisting of thre efrom the house hou so aj b P appointed cpr the purpose of investigating vesti gating the outrages outrage and sand assassin naul nati gits pits iii in county thorp aforesaid qaid and to compel pompel the attendance of witnesses to appear before tile ahem pl and testify upon oath the concion con dion of affairs there and to broer practicable the cause batise of tp the lawless condition of said county and what measures are necessary to render life more secure and report i the same atthe at the earil earll earliest pst day p practicable to the house hoube i s i plater x made a most telling felling and 9 raphie graphic speech in support of this resolution already he be has acquired edoide widespread wide spread notoriety by one or two brier brief effora efforts but blit this which is really ilis his maiden malden speech totally ep eclipsed eclips eJ gli gil p former efforts by himself I 1 elf self or others those who take the trouble troubie 6 to read road it will be impressed with the absolute necessity orsome of some remedy omed emed being found for the horrible hig tig condition 1911 igli of affairs existing in in williamson an c county au fity upon which plater showed himself wel weir 1 pasted ang and will doubtless fail to see sec why the bubna subject should have received 6 such urh scurrilous treat treatment men t at t the hands of the house P ahter said sald 4 ir f would bay say thab that in the county ot there has been in in the la last tast st two years eais eals twelve or fourteen murders these murders mr speaker have been committed by unknown parties midnight assassins have come with ther shotguns 3 and have come with their muis yei yes gentlemen they have taken ah en the lives of innocent men who sitting around their ore fire sides enjoying the pleasures of bog boo home laughter the life 0 of f these there men meli has been taken by parties paro r unknown noona no one knows aws any thing about them laughter this hhuse may think this is a laughable matter but its nothing L for the general assembly or people le representing them from different sections of the country to assemble in the state houke houe and laugh over a matter that has been the cause of the death of fourteen citizens of this state of illinois this thib iti h a matter for you to take tako under beriou eon enn and I 1 ask your hearty ci and that of every member of or the house I 1 resolution for a committee of three to investigate these outrages I 1 in n williamson county in atzis state of illinois congress sends her committees to louisiana and the southern states to investigate these outrages which occur in the 1 the southern states therefore when thebe thebo outrages occur in the st state ate ato of illnois Ili lil nois in one of our sister counties the general assembly should be be willing to investigate these outrages for the purpose of investigating this matter and finding out who are these midnight assassins who are ta taking king the lives of our citizens 11 1 1 plater here refreshed himself with a glass of water hopins hopkins of cook here said 1 I move that the water be strengthened uproarious laughter 3 plater piter resumed his speech as follows 1 I desired the water so that the gentleman might hear me better but as I 1 said how does it occur du it seems disreputable for southern illinois we are not in favor of ku we are not in favor of guerilla we are not in favor of citizens having their lives taken at the midnight hour bour we nye am are opposed to any such thing and that is why we offer this resolution and ask the members of the assembly to concur with us and appoint a committee of three we ve are in favor of or states stated rights in all the states of illinois we are in favor of a committee going to williamson county to summon bumm 0 n every man or individual that knows any thing about these outrages and make them tell tho the circumstances of this affair let tt me roe relate gen tiemen demen one little thing you may go to williamson county and you cant find a man that will tell you anything about these affairs why shy why simply because if he does not more than tonight to night when he be gets assembled in his own house ho he will wili get a load of shot from a double shotgun shot gun conlinn continued laughter let me say that this is no laughing matter if you have got the heart of a human being Ingin in your body you will never laugh at this thia matter if you are a man of or principle you will never laugh but take it into deliberate consideration why do we nind find fourteen of f our citizens murdered in williamson county nobody knows anything about it true we have got a criminal law that protects these parties but go there and you cant mr air claflin 1 I would jike like to ask the gentleman willil ti what time these murders have occurred plater within two years fourteen murders have llave occurred not a single officer in williamson county will execute the duties the statutes impose upon him the grand jury wont take any action why because it is afraid that they will be shot down in their houses at midnight nl hl in the name of god what kix KIN kind of or thing tiling is this for fora a civilized country laughter now gentlemen I 1 have offered this resolution iud ind ud a ask k your concurrence because I 1 believe it is right now we are living here in sangamon Ban san gamon county and in every county and should take seme same measures to investigate these there midnight inid night murders who stands with his hia shotgun in his bands boisterous laughter you may laugh but I 1 am a states rights man I 1 believe when citizens of our country are shot dowd down at the midnight hour the general Ab assembly ought to take some action on it go to williamson county today to day aud you will fiod flud at least twelve or fourteen widows there with a house full of children that their husbands have been shot down at the midnight hoar are you in favor of that laughter and confusion confusions I 1 dono dont wish to continue my argument any longer cries of go on from all sides A member asked if they iad had county officers in that county plater I 1 have hage nothing to do with that county I 1 don t live there member Is williamson county organized plater the state of louisiana is organized and has all the officers member but ia Is williamson county organized plater yes I 1 have one remark to say to you gentlemen we propose sending reading a committee to investigate vesti gate these outrages wilcox I 1 would like to know if the gentleman thinks it bare safe for a committee to go down there I 1 dont want to go laughter I 1 plater after drinking deliberately it that gentleman wants to go there therewith with me ill ril guard him down there or pr will ask the privilege of the aliouse house to appoint three or more policemen general laughter and great confusion I 1 am not much ofa of a talker but I 1 know how to express my views I 1 ask y you ou to reflect upon this thing of fourteen citizens being laid in the tomb by midnight t assassins it was movel to refer the resolution to the committee on militia which was amended by suggesting the committee on nish fish and game plater objected knier merritt ri ett itt propose proposed d a reference to a committee con cittee of one plater to be chairman not wishing the other members to be engaged in such a dangerous business the resolution was finally referred to a select committee of of five to be hereafter appointed and friends hastened to congratulate him on his marked suc sue success cess eess cor cof chicago agi ati cago post the state of illinois is in a fair way to become the tile reproach and the laughing stock of the whole nation through the partisanship obstinacy ignorance igno ranco and incapacity of the coalition speaker 18 of the I 1 assembly if mr shaker haines ia Is the only sort of fruit that is likely to proceed from tiie the democratic independent conjunction those two parties for the credit of f the state had better hereafter take separate beds it is due however he wever to the better portion of democrats and independents in the legislature to say that they are decidedly sick of their speaker in tact fact his conduct is regarded by all parties as simply villainous blore moreover over it is revolutionary ond unless the speaker shall seu fit to alter his hand the Legisla legislate tito ie is liable at any day to break breall tip up in a row quincy |
