Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-09-26
EXCITING INCIDENTS OF THE
CAMPAIGN.
al II andes " Roads.

The Political Discussion Ends in a
Lively Fist Fight With Great
Excitement and Little
BIoodshed.
| The candidates for congress in the
the second district, Messrs. Houk and
| Williams, remained at Eevierville
Friday night, after speaking at that
place, and set out for their. next ap-
pointment at Trundle's x Roads yes
terday morning at an early hour. Ipe
speaking commenced at the CROSS
roads shortly after II O'Clock. Mr..
Williams opening the debate, ii being
his day to do SO. 1t was agreed by
both speakers to shorten their remarks
fifteen minutes for each speech in order
that the,4.srty might get home earlier,
There were not many assembled when
the discussion began, but more kept
coming in, and the large church was
soon full. Mr.. Sam. Mckinney and
several othors from Knoxville and vi
cinity were present at the arguing,
and a number of the young deinocra-
cy from town come in during Judge
HOuk's first speech.
The orators were both rather more
earnest On this occasion than former
ly, but there was no intimation of any
bad feeling until after the close of
Judge Houk's reply, when incidents
occurred considerably out of the ordi-
nary line of public discue sions, and
come very near proving very serious,
indeed.
| At about the middle Of Judge
Houk's reply, he had referred to
the Knoxville Tribune as dirty sheet,
that had misrepresented him in its re-
ports during the canvass. 1mmedi-
ately upon the conclusion of Judge
Houk's speech, Alex. SUNNI ers, one of
the editors of the Tribune, who has
accompanied the party from Straw
berry Plains, stepped up on the plat
form and asked Judge Houk if he
intended those remarks to be PERSONAL.
HOuk, who was at this moment gaths
ering up his papers from the table, said,
Eyes, think you have misrepresented
me-" whereupon Summers exclaimed,
"You are liar!" and Houk replied,
you are liar, and have misrepre.
sented me from the beginning" At
this time the two were standing close
together Mr.. Summers being close up
to Judge Houk's right side, and as the
latter made the remark Summers
struck him blow with his fist in the
forehead. Just at this instant John
Houk, the judges son, dealt Summers
a heavy blow over the eye with his
fist, which caused him to fall back ever
the railing. By this time the excite.
ment was intense. Part of the crowd
rushed towards the scene Of battle
and others made haste out Of the win
dows and doors. Men were yelling
and gesticulating wildly, some i'm
ploring for peace and some crying
w
US get him!" Aud affairs seemed ex-
ceedingly promising of serious diff.
Guilty. Mr.. Sam. Mckinney used
every exertion to quell the uproar. sp
pealiDg to the uproarous crowd in the
name Of law and order. Judge Houk
mounted the table and begged his
friends to be quiet. The excitement
finally partly subsided but much
harsh and threatening language was
made use Of as the crowd moved off.
During the general confusion, the i'm
preston prevailed that Sam. McKin.
r ney had made the attack on Judge
! Houk, and this caused him to get q
few blows; but the part he took was
only to keep down the row, and it was
, no doubt, owing to his exertion, in 6
great measure, that affairs did not ter.
inmate much more seriously.
In this connection, credit is due
J Judge Houk and his friends for keep
, ing down what might have been Sc
riOus mob. The audience was esti.
mated by those who live in the neigh
borhOod to be ten to one republican.
At any rate, Houk's friends wer
3 'argely in the ascendency, and on
g word from him, if he had chosen t,
retaliate, would have demolished hi
assaiiant and his party in a moment.