Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 January 1891 — RIOT IN A STATE HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

RIOT IN A STATE HOUSE.

NEBRASKA’S CAPITOL THE SCENE OF A PRETTY ROW. Free Fight on the Floor—The Presence of the Militia Necessary to- Preserve Order —Hoyd Takes the Oath pf Office—Legal Papers Served on Lieut. Gov. Meiklqjohn with Trouble—The Executive Office Barricaded. [Lincoln (Neb.) dispatch.] When it became known yesterday morning that Lieut.-Gov. Meiklejohn intended to preside over the joint convention, and that he would refuse to entertain any motion looking to the transaction of any other business than the mere ministerial act of canvassing the returns of the vote, it was apparent that unless Meiklejohn could be deposed Boyd would be inaugurated without delay. The great struggle, therefore, was over the question of who should preside. All the doors of the Representative hall were closely guarded, and none but members of the Legislature, State officers and persons having business inside were admithfil All members were on hand promptly, although they found great difficulty in pushing their way through the crowds that filled the corridors and besieged the Capitol at all points. The Alliance members had taken possession of the House at 5 o’clock in the morning. They placed the Speaker In the chair and placed a cordon of assistant Sergeant-at-arms around him. Lieutenant Governor Meikeljohn got in through the cloak-room and was served with an order of ejectment. Both sides had a force of sergeant-at-arms within call, and any attempt on either side to proceed with the canvass would have precipitated a row. To avoid this a committee from each party was sent with a statement of the ease to the Supreme Court, and the House waited several hours in suspense for a decision as to which officer had the constitutional right to preside. The first and second floors of the State House were crowded with who were becoming demonstrative. MeMclejohn and Elder agreed not to call the session to order till 11 o'clock. In the meantime four Republicans, four Democrats, and four Independents were out as a non-official committee attempting to patch up the trouble. IJlder and his Sergeant-at-Arms held the Speaker's stand, while Meiklejohn held the Secretary’s desk. J. W. Love attempted to go to Meiklejohn’s side, but the Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms halted him. Love thrust the official aside and proudly marched to the Lieutenant-Governor’s desk.

The crowd became so disorderly that an attempt was made to force the doors, but a crowd of Independents held them fast Gardner of Douglas rushed to the door, followed by a crowd of Democrats and Republicans. A fight ensued. Gardner was seized by half a dozen Independents, and an equal number of Democrats amd Republicans went to his assistance. •Blows were exchanged. “Pap” Hastings •and Marshal McCloy locked arms around each other, and a crowd from the hallway, led by “Bud” Lindsey of Lincoln •and “Nat” Brown of Omaha, fought their way through the crowd, breaking down the doors and clubbing their wajf to the Speakers’ stand. Gardner wasAhe victim, receiving several painful scratches As Hastings and McCloy reached the Speaker’s stand Meiklejohn called the joint session to order. He ordered every •member to his seat and the roll was called. Every pane of glass in the two big doors was shattered. The battle at the doorway lasted five minutes only, but it seemed an hour. The disturbance became so great that Company D of the National Guard was ordered out The sight of the militiamen, with breech-loading guns, awed the crowd for a time, but it was not until a squad of forty police arrived that the crowd was convinced that business was meant. The crowd knew full well that the soldiers did not bear loaded guns, and the toes of the militiamen were trampled on with impunity. The militia finally cleared the ground, but a howling mob still surrounded the Capitol. The Democrat and Republican members agreed to return if Elder would publish the returns. Elder accordingly convassed the vote.

At 2:30 o’clock the Independents were in their seats, but transacted no business until the full body was present and the Lieutenant Governor appeared and called the convention to order. A number of conciliatory speeches were made, and the Independents ‘seeing that they could not gain the returns, a resolution was then passed receiving the full Alliance vote, declaring that the canvass had been conducted under protest, and that the Legislature in nowise recognized the election of the officers who had been returned as receiving the highest number of votes. The officers, however, were sworn in promptly by Chief Justice Cobb. The contest will now go on as prescribed by law. There is a prospect that the Legislature will unseat every one of the new officers. Gov. Thayer has barricaded the Executive office and remains inside with policemen and a company of militia on guard. The result of it all is that after two days’ wrangling the Speaker has canvassed the vote in the presence <of the two Houses, the contestees have been declared elected, and this evening ißoyd and the balance of the State ticket ffled their bonds and took the oath of office required by the Constitution, and the contestants are out: They say that they will not give up hope and that the contest proceedings will be pushed for all they are worth. It iis understood that the Supreme Court will be asked to pass on the question of Boyd’s citizenship. This will delay the formal inauguration and may result in declaring him ineligible. An eminent surgeon says that wirth four cuts and a few stitches he can altetr a man’s face so his own mother would not know him. That’s nothing. A*y newspaper in this country can do thad much with only one -cut. —Washington Star. He —“DMlu’it you regard the medium as a very pretty girl?” She—“ Her face was certainly comely enough, but the shades she cabled up didn’t match her complexion." —New York Herald. “I’d have you know I was well brought up!" exclaimed the small man to the large disputant. “That may be,” replied the latter, “hut you were not brought up far. ” — Harper’s Bazar. A touch of love makes the most mat-ter-of-fact man a poet, or, what amounts to the same thing, makes him think ha ts a po el—lndianapolis Journal.