Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-06-06
BROOKS AND SUMNER INVESTIGATION.

|
The Congressional Committee have made repor
of the evidence taken before them on the subject o
the late assault of Mr.. Brooks on Mr.. Sumner. w
uppend portion of the evidence:
Hon. 4. IvERsoN, sworn Was in my seat in tn
Senate chamber; heard scudc aud some disturbance
turned around aud balance Of the difficulty; dir
not move from my sent but looked on tulerably de
lberately suppose SAW the second blow; then MIR
I Brook, and Mr.. Sumner were both standing erect
Mr. Brooks striking. aud MIR. Summer, thought
was striving to grasp MIR. Brooks; the first blow
SAW struck him over tue head; at one motnent Mr.
Sumner Seemed 10 be pressing toward Mr.. Brun n
il 10 grasp him; then Mr.. Brooks would recede ant
strike hun the head at another m"nlsnt Mr.. 5
would to be lodging the blows, or bending down
somewhat sidewise, when Mr.. Brooks woald strik,
him again; Mr.. Summers position was changed seve
raj times until at the conclusion Mr. Sunuergnt fully
into the middle of The aIsle aud Mr.. B also; the lbs
bow struck BY Mr. Brooks was over the head alIC
the stick shivercd somebody Immediately afterwards
seized Mr. Sumner by the lapel ut the coat; thOugh
il was Mr. Brooks not certain; ierkcd him back
and he tell; the motion NED us II II was Intended
To Jerk him down, Puil away from the spn hs
then occupi, d. Immediately went up; SAW Mr. SUN
ner in n reCunbeut posture; also saw Mr.. Brook!
standing near; he hurt over his eye; asked hlm
how il happened: ms said 1t was from the rerUli ol '
stick; Mr.. Summer vas lying down Offering sr"aus
distress; no blow struck after Mr.. Sumner wa,
'-nsirated | nm confident that HIS fall or sinking
down Wa the immediate effect of The force cxercl-
on the lapel Of his coat Mr.. Foster EVIDENT,
eudeavornS to stop the cumbataLtS; also saw Mr.
Crrtenden aud Mr.. Toombs; did not see Mr.. krt
no one was taking auy part the transactions Mr.. b.
think, was acting with great deal vi elaboration
think there were tive six blows in ail.thut |
they did very FAST there might have beef
more; he last blow struck broke the stick; am pos
ltive Of it; did not see Mr.. Sumner strike any blow
his efforts seemed very confused, as if he did nu
know exactly how to defend himself but was trying
| TO ward IF the blows with great excrtoUs.
The Hon. w. WISSLow, swuru-l was standing il
| the Seuate Chamber with friends Mr.. Sumner VA:
in my view from where | Stood my attention was
first directed to seeing Mr.. Brooks address Mr.. Suu
| ner in what supposed to DO courteous language
did not then know that he was relative OF Senator
Butler, but WAS surprised TO seq South CarulIniau
address MIR. Sumner IN courteous language; heard
| Mr.. Brooks say: MIR. Suniaer," and Mr. Sumner re-
ply ".Ir. Brooks the remarks | did not under
| stand; when Mr.. Brooks struck Mr.. Sumner he was
na!f rising from his CHAIR he struck hun some hall.
dozen blows before Mr.. Sumner rose up; Mr. Sum.
sitting Just next the Partition which separates
the LOBBY from The bars; Mr.. Brooks before hun
summers desk between them; Mr.. Sumner finally
rose aud moved about in circle toward the right
hand that at the close OF the contest the position
of the parties directly reversed Mr.. Sumner ap
peared To be bewiIdered; | do not thlmk he
stunned by the blow; but lie SeoIned 10 be wardins il
of With his rlght hand unll he had come around To
the range ot desks before hun; when he had got
around, he fell between the decks do not think lie
Knocked down, should thInk he struck twenty
llcks he continued striking until the stick WAS broken
first two three blows broke the stuck Mr.. Sumner
SAID nothing bat "pn.' lon Lord" or something
Xxx. that; Mr.. Brooks did not stI Ike hln after he
knocked duwn; Mr.. Crl teud-u approached and saId
Don't strike HIM" Don't Kill him. Or something
the time was very short from the tim" Brooks
u,encud addressing Sumn-r IL the time cuinneiIccd
the assault; think there was Time 10 have tlmlse the
remark liz said To have mad; WAS struck with ms
manner; observed Mr.. Brooks some time previously
fb,.rt.
twenty Indies OF, the hunr Mr. Sunner WAS upon hs
teet during at least two thirds OF tn, contest
The Hos. ROBERT TonaBs, sworn-Saw part OF
the encounter between these parties III the Senar"
Chamber was standing in the open space Oh the right
| Of the Vice Presidents seat, ~ conversation with
,iuv. German of VI L., when my attention was al
trscted by the ,sion upon looking III the dl ecti"n
| Of the noise. SAW MIR. Brooks aud Mr. Sumner Mr.
! Is was striking Mr.. ). with n cane. and Mr. ). wa
either in the act OF seizing Mr.. Is. ur drendng him
self from his blows; culd not at The instant tell whnt
Yas his object from his motions; almust at the
instant saw Mr.. Sumner desk FILLING over which Sc
paratcd the parties little further from each other.
and seemed To give Mr.. Is. better play with his stick.
and the next lick after that occurrence was more IF.
tcve one; il broke the stick and essenrd the rcsi-
lance OF Mr.. 5 :; Mr.. b. continued his blows rapidly
with the part of the stick he held III his hand, until
Mr. Sumner sank 10 the tour III rather sitting pos
fure; he then ceased, and SOM nf the bysnmdrr-,
having by This time reached thu parties, took Mr. Il.
by the aud led him few eta"ay from Sumner.
q. You called this rencuunter; did Mr.. 5. do any
| til ug beyond sell defence !
| a. have stated PRECISELY what sa"; saw Mr.
| s. altrinp; 10 seq; tbs stick ward "lf the blow;
could mott tell which, my nIrr-s III Is that II WAS To-
ward oil the 6i,'S; there was nothing NOR" III Inc
transaction To give it the character at rcncnnntcT or
.ulIisinn do not know rs eau recoll,ct who were
| crescent when the affair commenced; u few minutes
before had been in conversation with my colleague
| from Georgia at his seal; then with Mr. Brown, q
| gentleman from Georgia. then Gov. German came
| M with whom | had SOME conversations; saw no
other person vino attracted my attention at the time
stood nearly fnciny the parties, they being little II
| my right; think must have seen them an instant
sooner than Mr. Pearce did alterwar reco!lect-d see
| ing him walk up the allie; Mr. lvvrsnn and Gov
| Gurtnal were ther.; Mr.. CriIt-nden and Mr. Pcarct
also were There they came up when Mr. Suinnrr wa
in the main aisle; in the struggle Mr. b had come tw,
ar three seats nearer the Presidents char than his
own s.at be came around and sank down TN the eig
f ,h,. asle; he vas resting there when GIT there
SIR. Is. kept up his blows with great rapidly unit
Mr.. 5. Sank on the door; he was not striking at iht
instant Me-. Critteien cams around near I" the par
ties; came about same time; heard Mr. Brook MAKE
tn. remark that liz did not intend 10 Kill hun Mr. s.
but lhu no man should talk III that way OF his STATE
ar u! his absent relative, or s"nrthng Ike thai
heard no ronveis ntun between the parties II was
very singular affair; did not hear elthrl OF then
speak II word before, ii struck NE that lot OFT
word WAS I'D; did not lear word prior I" the blow
when ,irs Mr.. SImncr, he WAS Standing on ms
feet or The OF RS NJ; ms rnresSun Is MS ue>B
~,
looked around; think he s;andin- up; heard hive
six or eight blows; thy were struck Very rapidly
nttrr the desk fell, Is. ha better c!Ianc" al hun; n
WA AT better same i:"n Me-. s.. but Mr.. SIS
.,,auce was more inCf.,r ual. aud no defended hun
.lf with less vrsor than lie hud done before II seem
.j +, ina that w,th the .rst lick after the desk fell Mr.
Samaer appeared 10 turn around toward Inc man
lie; think Tint lick Oh his head; ms RESISTANCE
o,n.d TO be in=tfertu II; cre WAS h"tn'l7 more ''h
throwing ND hls hands; | don't know that There wa
ANY NOR, Resistance, than {" ward "if the blows; Mr
: was facing me, Mr. Is. had ms back 10 ME wheil
Il 81 SAW them SAW Mr.. kelt when got up near III
c.inbatauts, with Gov. German; Went up iIi'ieu'ac
ly by tn. time krItt got 10 the asle tae oloWe na
ceased; Mr.. kri was there with, think, STICK II
his hand; ho made some observation; DO not re
collect what it WAS; think they were addressed
to Mr.. Cririenden Mr. CrIttenden has made som
remark cundrnnatory nf the fight; | think the ex
preston Of Mr.. Brooks in reply; heard som
exuressun in thu nature of threat but do not rero
lect what was think they We're rec ed to Mr Crit
,enden, though l could hot tell whether to him
: Summer distinctly the reason why | thought the
were directed to Mr.. Crteuien WAS because he haC
made some remark that it WAS shame, s'melhin
OF tina, Sort th,k rec"ect telling MIR. K-itt NJ
TO strike thought he Was gong I" strike; hu seem
Ell 10 Ue eNritcd; he had stick III his hand but IL
not know whether it was raised not; had the in,
PRESTON that TIC WAS going t. use II, or rather WI
Gtra'l he might Use IL; wien na'e the uOs-rvntio
@ Mr.. b. was standing i'll the aisle; Mr.. Cfitenden va
, there; e made souIe such remark as | have stated
Mr. Is. standing III the crowd: then Mr.. krl
Il made some excited r-mark--what do not recull-c
a am not sure; would not say he INTENDED 10 strk
him: made the remark from the apprehension thu
h. was going to strike Mr.. Crtenden; Mr. ) was te
. or twelve feet away first SAW MIR. Kit, when tn
: remark was made by MIR. Crtend"n: saw no demon
. strs,iou until the remark was made; saw no aitem
y of hi. TO strike alr. Sumner, heard any threat
II bs TO MIR. s.; had not that morning seen Mr. keni
. IN. Senate Chamber before; MIR. b seemed In srii
Ms hard a. he could; think the blows were very
cded they were very rapid, and as hard as ne cnu
L made good deal more noise after the stick was Or
ken than before: sounded if the end OF the s'i'
c. was split; Mr.. Is. is man of much size and musc
te lar power; he seemed To be a man Of good ue
y, OF activity and strength; my opinion is that VI