| Show POLITICAL WOES OF KANSAS TOPEKA kan feb 15 governor lewelling has called out the state militia to eject the members of the republican house from the hall of representatives senta tives they having just effected a forcible entrance through the doors barred by the populists lists by means of sledge pledge hammers A riot in himml imminent benl later A riot is imminent between the republicans and populists lists in the hall hail of the house of representatives and there seems so BO way to avoid a dangerous clush when the republicans went to tae tha hall this they found ther the dobra barred by the populists lists after a short consultation the republicans resolved to force an en entrance tiance sledge hammers were brought into play against one of the side entrances with such good effect that the doors were wen soon demolished and the republicans quickly filed into the hall had the populists lists been in session a conflict would surely have resulted but fortunately the populist house adjourned yesterday till I 1 this afternoon As soon as the populists lists learned what had been done governor lewel ling was notified he promptly called out the militia instructed them to pro aeed to the hall and eject the republicans from the floor the soldiers started on their mission minion and the republicans public publio ans aus learning of the governor action held a hurried consultation as to the course to pursue no definite plan was decided on but individual republicans are trying to induce the santa fe railroad to call out its shop men other industries known to be in sympathy with the republicans are ake also asked to furnish men for the same pur pose in the mean time the populists lists are not idle company J of the local militia responded promptly to the call having been notified by A autant general artz last night to be in readiness they marched to the capitol capital grounds gro unda took up their position await ing orders orders were also telegraphed to holton and harion for companies D and 0 it to is reported that they are on their way on a spi apt cial train in the hall of the house bouse the republic cans are making a show of doing business great enthusiasm and loud cheers were evoked by the presentation to speaker douglass of the sledge ham halu mer with which entra antra oe ce was effected into the hall and which duglass Dju Du Klass glasa subsequently used in place of the gavel to call the house to order A resolution was passed li citing chief clerk rich of Z the P populist house howard 0 friedenthal Brieden thal and scott boott to appear before the house bouse for contempt for resisting thle the process proc estt of the house yesterday when an attempt was made to arrest rich there were twenty four assistant sergeants at arms in the house when the republicans forced their way in but they did nothing to prevent it except to warn the republicans that they were destroying state property and would be held accountable for it the only weapons shown by the populists lists were one winchester and a couple of revolvers in the hands of a young man who made no attempt to use them they were captured by the republicans and are to be ba preserved as trophies this morning the santa betrain fe train from atchison Atchi and other places brought seventy five republicans to act as ser deante at arms and other trains are expected to bring additional reinforce ments meats the republicans anticipating trouble telegraphed for help last night meW messages ageo were late in being delivered vered but the recipients got out of bed at midnight to respond to the call the republican house passed a resolution ro renewing viewing the situation calling on all citizens citizen of kansas for moral md and active support rop port to help to the forces of anarchy and revolution Y governor Lo leweling welling Lewd ling was found in hie private r vate office in consultation with judge webb the attorney for tw the populists lists and chairman breidenthal Breid entha of the ahe populist state committee the governor refused to discuss the situation but webb said the populists lists would come out of the fight on top of the heap when the republicans took possession of the house they ejected the populist sergeants at arms they say propose to hold possession and have sent gent out for dinner the governor has ordered out four companies of infantry and two batteries of artillery and 25 men chiefly farmers have been taken to the arsenal uniformed armed and sent to the capitol grounds oakland company has adso arrived and taken position in the grounds the republicans have nailed barred and propped every door leading to the hall ball the populists lists have decided to freeze the republicans out the janitor has shut off the steam from the hall ball the populists lists have also undertaken to starve out the republicans the men sent for lunch for them cannot got get past the militia lines the house is therefore in a state of siege A militia company has been stationed near the ardal are jaal with guards posted ted two cannons have been run out of the arsenal loaded and everything looks decidedly warlike the militia have full control of the situation and every move on the populist house bouse depends on the governor colonel hughea of the third regiment republican has been relieved from duty because he refused to obey the sol adjutant stadt general To TOPEKA pEvA kau kan feb 15 bleeding kansas nearly bled again today nothing but the couL counsels sels t if f calmer leaders of the opposing parties prevented a serious conflict aud and the shedding of blood not since the antislavery slavery and pro slavery fore forces were arrayed in hostile attitude against one another has political excitement run so high as today and not since those perilous times has the political situation come so near developing into a battle with arms the members of the republican house each carrying a revolver forced their way through the populist guard stationed tation ed in the corridor and the stairway leading to representative sail aal fought their way inch by inch upstairs in a hand to hand contest with populists liste lists battered down the doors of the ball with sledge hammers hi mailers took possession of the hall and barricaded barricades barrica ded themselves wU wit hinand with a standing siege by the populist government supported by the entire military force of the state who hope to starve the republicans into unconditional surrender right here arises the probability of an armed conflict between the republican guards and the state militia the republican members kept the wires hot all day sending messages message to constituents 0 0 informing them of the desperate situation of affairs and call ing for republican volunteers to come colne to topeka at once and lend aid to the republican house responses nees have bein been received from all over the state stating that volunteers have offered their services by hundreds and will arrive in topeka by the first train at 10 tonight troops are on guard around the building while are on their way from different parts of the state hundreds ot of republican volunteers armed for battle are gathering from all parts of the bbate the populists lists have organized into provisional troops the militia being republican in sympathies will probably not obey an aim order to shoot down political brethren while the provisional companies composed of populists lists are prepared to go to almost any extreme to defeat the republican plans and maintain the populist position no one dares predict what the morrow will bring forth few hope for a peaceful solution of the difficulty many expect bloodshed and are holding their breath in anticipation at 6 this eveking two republican guards stationed in the corridor chanced to run across assistant state auditor mackey a populist and arrested him on a charge of having assaul assaulted tad a republican buarl during the morning scrimmage he was bustled into the hall ball and after a oriel brief examination was confined as a prisoner in one of the cloak rooms under guard of the assistant sergeant at arms before long sounds ol of a scuffle N were ere heard and mackey plunged plunge ct through the door with blood streaming down his face from a severe scalp wound which his jailer inflicted with a walking stick mackey said he attempted to open the door leading into the hall ball and was assaulted without further provocation the guard says mackey threatened him with a revolver and that he struck him in self defense mackey was then allowed to go he was not severely wounded at 10 tonight governor lewelling appeared at the door of the house and asked admittance he was permitted to enter and as he made his bis appearance the members rose in respect he made an impressive speech the governor said be would consider no compromise comp romiee and no appeal by bi the republicans if the republicans laicans would not surrender then he be would be forced to order the militia to drive them from the hall at the point of the bayonet A voice from the seats asked will you abide by the decision of the courts the governor declined to reply and left the hall ball Ex Governor Osbor Oa borne nep a republican who accompanied the governors governor said that he had bad come with the governor from froin a conference between a commit tee of citizens and the chief executive and was assured from the temper of the governor and associates that bat they would consent to no do compromise continued resistance by republicans he be said would lead to bloodshed and the scenes of border wars would be repeated tomorrow would see eee a gather ing in topeka of hundreds of republicans and populists lists ind and the intense feeling prevailing would lead to a conflict and blood would surely flow he counselled counseller coun selled moderation on the part of the republicans colonel huches who is a member of the house appeared before the house bouse in uniform at 1130 1180 and informed the members that as cc commander mander of the troops they bal baft nothing to fear frow from him he would sooner resign life his command than carry out the order to elect elect republicans in the house he also said a majority of his command would withdraw from the militia with him if they were ordered to use force to drive forth the legally elected and legally organized house of representatives from the hall he further intimated that orders to the guards so far as they related to the taking of pro visions into the hall had bad ben b en relaxed hardly had bad this been said when a string was dropped out of every window and in a shorter time than it can be told baskets filled with substantial lunches were hoisted up and the republicans public ans broke their long fast THE CONF LIOl the first conflict between soldiers and members of the republican house took place late tonight in the corridor leading to the representative hall rep representatives n ives davis and breiden th thai s 7 wh who had bad as escaped to got get a lunch were challenged by the guards on their way back breidenthal Breid eathal drew draw a revolver and told the guard it if he did not lower the bayonet he would blow his head off the guard allowed him to pass pan TOPEKA kans feb 16 the city is black and blue today black with people come to see the fun J 1 and blue with troops every train arriving the past twelve hours brought troops and republican aa a d populist volunteers armed with all sorts sort of weapon anxious to take a hand band in the fight soldiers surround theon pitol guards at every entrance aal prevent any one from entering without a pass from thu the by the adjutant general the members of the legislature are not better off in this respect than common folks folke mrs lease managed to got get in but mr lease spent several hours trying to follow her without success the populists lists kindled I 1 A I 1 lu the streets to warm themselves verby by battery A ot Wic litts with a gatling galling gun and plenty of ammunition guards the main approach to the capitol oapl toJ battery B of topeka guards the arsenal Bus business iners to is depressed men walk in groups a single pedestrian is a rare sight the hotel corridors swarm with men from all parts of the state to be on hand in case of an emergency the troops sympathize mostly with the republicans so in spite of the adjutant gener general alsis order not to allow food to be taken into the capitol the soldiers conveniently fall fail to see the well filled baskets of provisions hauled up to represents Re presenta tive five hall by means of ropes the wichita battery even went so far as to brin bring gits its gatling galling gun on the ground unlit unfit for use one very essential part of its mechanism having been removed the captain of the battery appeared greatly surprised when his attention was called to the tact fact and called up his big men one by one and questioned them about it all denied any knowledge of the circumstance and the piece still rowna impotently at the supposedly invading republicans the populists lists planned to assault the republican stronghold at 3 this morning hoping to take them by surprise colonel hughes learned of the plan and informed the republicans that they had nothing to fear from him A little later he wai wae summoned eid to the gover governors noys office the plan was laid before him and he was ordered to carry it out he positively refused declaring that he be was there as aa a k peace officer that the republican house was the only legal one and he would not interfere with it the governor threatened to relieve him he retorted that the regiment would disband at the same time the action of the sheriff in swearing in a thousand men made the odds so heavy against the populists lists that they decided not to attempt to most meet them they decided to hire a hall for the meetings of the populists lists house governor and commander in chief of the state troops relieved colonel hughes of the direct command of the troops but allowed him to retain the colonelcy of the third regiment the governor himself assumed command of the troops at 11 the governor sent cent a message saying that ike he would give the mem bore bers just fifteen minutes to vacate or he would drive them out at the point of the bayonet the message menage was received with derisive laughter the guards were doubled but the rover nors norla forces failed to appear it was decided to be too dangerous to put ut firearms into the hands of the sher sheriffs FL m posse so baseball bats all in town were secured and given the men man the remainder being armed with sticks governor bellowing Lel lewing lowing has appointed lieutenant colonel barker corn mander of tho th troops at 4 this afternoon the governors private secretary appeared and submitted a proposition in writing from the governor to withdraw the militia and not allow the republicans to be interfered with by the populists lists if the republicans would drop the legal proceeding against the populists lists and if the sheriff would disband his p see ese the agreement to last till the close of the session of the legislature the considering the apropo IMF |
