Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1913 — RAISED A LITTLE SHERMAN COMPARISON [ARTICLE]

RAISED A LITTLE SHERMAN COMPARISON

State Legislature Adjourned at 1:15 A. M. and the 68th General , Assembly is History. Sherman, said that “war is hell” and if he - lived today he would probably say that the Indiana General Assembly in the year 1913 went both a few points better. The general assembly adjourned .at 1:15 this Tuesday morning amid scenes of riotuous conduct, which the Indianapolis Star characterized as “the most disgraceful scene ever staged in the legislative halls of the state.” At 8 o’clock in the evening a gang of thirty men entered the senate chamber, and, aided by members of the house, destroyed about everything in sight. Valuable papers left on the desks were strewn over the floor and on the rostrum of the presiding officer. Not satisfied with their work of destruction on the floor of the senate chamber, the hoodlums mounted the rostrum, and, led by Representative Barney Carter, of Lake county, who boasts that he is the only street car conductor in the legislature, proceeded to tear up papers that were to be used by Lieutenant Governor O’Neifl to conduct the night session. ' As soon as a semblance of order was restored Senator Curtis, president pro tern., mounted the rostrum, and, armed with authority from the Lieutenant Governor, directed the doorkeepers to clear the aisles. All of * the house members were told*to return to their own chamber, . although some of them had departed before the order of Senator Curtis was given. Carter was the instigator of the onslaught on the presiding officer’s desk, and nothing was spared.* As soon as<the men who were conducting the revel on the floor saw the Lake county street car conductor on the lieutenant governor’s rostrum, bedlam prevailed again and the Representative was made the target for waste baskets, heavy books, copies of the senate calendar and in one instance some one threw a bound volume of the 1911 senate journal at him. When all the lieutenant governor’s papers were distributed over the senate chamber Carter returned to the floor.. Once the revelers seized Senator Akin, one of the venerable senators, and buffeted him about the chamber in such a fashion that he had to plead with his captors to let 'him go. Senator-Akin lost several letters in the melee.