The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-06-12
TESTIMONY IN THE SUMNER ASSAULT CASE

TESTIMONY IN THE SUMNER ASSAULT CASE
We have room but for small portion of the
testimony taken by the House Committee on
the case of the Sumner Assault.
The Hon. ROBERT TooMBs sworn:
Saw part of the encounter between these
parties in the Senate Chamber; was standing
in the open space on the right of the Vice Presi-
dents seat, in conversation with Gov. German,
of Minnesota Territory, when my attention was
attracted by the collision; upon looking in the
direction of the noise, saw Mr.. Brooks and Mr.
Sumner; Mr.. B. was striking Mr.. S. with a
cane, and Mr.. S. was either in the act of seizing
Mr.. B., or defending himself from his blows
could not at the instant tell what was his OBJ
ject from his motions almost at the same in
slant saw Mr.. Summers desk falling over, which
separated the parties little further from each
other, and seemed to give Mr.. B. better play
with his stick, and the next lick after that oc-
currence was a more effective one; it broke the
stick, and lessened the resistance of Mr.. S.
Mr.. b. continued the blows rapidly with the
part Of the stick be held in his hand, until Mr..
Sumner sank to the floor In rather sitting
posture he then ceased, and some of the by
ISLANDERS, having by this time reached the par
ties, took Mr.. B. by the arm, and led him few
feet away from Sumner.
Q. You called this rencounter; did Mr.. S.
do anything beyond selfdefence?
A. | have stated precisely what ] saw. /
saw Mr.. S. attempt TO seize the stick, or ward
off the blow; could not tell which; my impress
sion is, that it was to ward off the blow. There
was nothing more in the transaction to give it
the character of a rencounter or collision do
not know, as l can recollect, who were present
when the alta fau ,pinutac ha
fore, / had been in conversation with my col
league from Georgia, at his seat; then with Mr..
Brown, gentleman from Georgia; then Gov
German came up, with whom | had some con-
versation; saw no other person who attracted
my attention at the time; stood nearly facing
the parties, they being a little to the right
think | must have seen them an instant sooner
than Mr.. Pearce did; afterward recollected
seeing him walk up the aisle; Mr.. Iverson and
Gov. German were there; Mr.. Crittenden and
Mr.. Pearce also were there they came up when
Mr.. Sumner was in the main aisle In the
struggle, Mr.. S. had come two or three seats
nearer the Presidents chair than his own seat;
he came around, and sank down on the edge
of the aisle; he was resting there when got
there. Mr.. b. kept up his blows with great
rapidity until Mr.. 5. sank on the floor he was
not striking at the instant Mr.. Crittenden came
around near to the parties; | came about the
same time.
Heard Mr.. Brooks make the remark that he
did not intend to kill him, (Mr. s., but that no
man should talk in that way of his State or Of
his absent relative, or something like that;
heard no conversation between the parties it
was very singular affair; did not hear either
of them speak word before; it struck me that
not one word was said did not hear word
prior to the blow; when l first saw Mr.. Sum
ner, he was standing on his feet, or in the act
of rising; my impression is, his desk had fallen.
or was in the act of falling, when first looked
around think he was standing up; heard FIVE,
six, or eight blows they were struck very
rapidly; after the desk fell, B. had better
chance at him he was at better distance
from Mr.. s., but Mr. SIS resistance was more
Intellectual, and he defended himself with less
vgor than he had done before; it seemed to
me that with the first lick after the desk fell Mr.
Sumner appeared to turn around toward the
main aisle think that lick was on his head
his resistance seemed to be Intellectual there
was nothing more than throwing up his hands
/ don't know that there was any more resistance
than to ward off the blows Mr.. S. was facing
me; Mr.. B. had his back to me when | first
saw them; saw Mr.. Keitt when got up near the
combatants, with Gov. German; went up imme
diately; by the time Keitt got to the aisle, the
think, a stick ir,his hand he made some observa-
ton do not recollect what it was / think they
we're addressed to Mr.. Crittenden; Mr.. Crittenden
had made some remark condemnatory of the
fight; l think the expression of Mr.. Brooks was
in reply heard some expression in the ma
ture of threat; but do not recollect what it
was think they were directed to Mr.. Crit
tenden, though could not tell whether to him
or Sumner, distinctly the reason why thought
they were directed to Mr.. Crittenden was be-
cause he had made some remark that it was q
shame, or something of that sort; 1 think l
recollect telling Mr.. Keitt not to strike; / |
thought he was going to strike; he seemed TO |
be excited he had stick in his hand, but l |
do not know whether it was raised or not had
the impression that he was going to use it, or,
rather, l was afraid he might use it; when l
made the observation, Mr.. B. was standing in
the aisle; Mr.. Crittenden was there he made
some such remark as l have stated Mr.. B.
was standing in the crowd then Mr.. Keitt
made some excited remark-what do not rec
ollect; | am not sure would not say he in
tended to strike him; l made the remark, from
the apprehension that he was going TO strike
Mr.. Crittenden.
MIR. Sumner was ten or twelve feet away; l
first saw Mr.. Keitt when this remark was made
by Mr.. Crittenden; saw no demonstration until
mat remark was made saw no attempt Oh his
to strike Mr.. Sumner, nor heard any threat of
his to Mr.. s. had not that morning seen Mr..
Kett in the Senate Chamber before Mr.. b.
seemed to strike as hard as he could think the |
blows were very decided; they were very rapid,
and as hard as he could hit they were hard |
hicks, and very effective; they madea good deal |
more noise after the stick was broken than be-
fore; sounded as if the end of the stick was
split; Mr.. B. is a man of much size and mus. |
cuar power; he seemed to be a man of a good |
deal of activity and strength my opinion is,
that Mr.. 5. was physically, at least, his equal
SO tar AS can Judge, Mr.. s. is man of fine
physique, of strong muscular frame and physi.
cal power; Mr.. s., / should Judge, is about six
feet in height, and Mr.. B. about six feet one
inch my impression is, that it occurred about
halt to three quarters OF an hour after the ad- |
journment of the Senate; Judge Iverson was
sitting in bis seat Mr.. Foster was there, and