Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-12-11
Who, in Turn, Meets and Shoots at
Smith at the Maxwell House.
The Effect Serious but not Neces-
sarily Fatal.
spesiaI to she Daily Chronicle.

the settlement proposed in that bill, did not
meet his views, aud being compelled to cast
the deciding vote, he acted eonscientiously
and voted.
The bill was carried and then charges of
bribery were made, and a bill was made out
in which it was charged that Senators
Smith, Barrett and Morgan were brbed
men.
He felt it his duty to answer these
charges, and, concerning himself, he did
answer them at the time, and he could only
say now, that the man who made charges
against him was
LIAR AND A sCoUsDREI.
He pronounced the charges an infamous
and malicious fslsehood, emanating from
the spirit of the arch flend, and the author,
he presumed, was the son of an .illustrious
sire. He denounced every insinuation, no
matter who from, rs false, slanderous, vii
famous and Infamous. In view of the
premises, and in behalf of his family, his
wife and his children, who were to wear his
mime, i'll behalf of his constituents, in behalf
of the members of the Senate, of the Re-
publican and Democratic parties, he de-
msnded full and thorough investigation
of the charges against him.
Senator Smith, of Fentress, arose and
gave history of his candidacy and election
to the position he held He voted in the
Senate against submitting the debt question
to the people, and voted for Daniels bill and
against the 1908. He would rather
TAKE ALL THE GUESSING
the papers and people of Middle Tennessee
could give him than to have the ill-will of
his constituents. In voting to pay the debt
he simply obeyed the injunction of the
Democratic party as lain down in their
national platform.
He came mere TO vote for the best settle
ment he could get, and thus voted for the
1908. He understood that the gentleman
who made those charges against him was in
the house and he WAS going to mention his
name, and not close without doing SO, as
Senator Morgan did Here's the man,
John J. Vertrees, who comes before the
courts and utters lies about me which are as
FALSE AS THE DEVIL HIMSELF.
L don't impose on the humblest creature,
and no one can impose on me. / denounce
him as liar, who acted unprofessionaliy,
and will be sustained by all the sensibl.
lawyers in the country.
He closed by saying he wanted the affair
thoroughly investigated; if there was any
bribery it could be proven, and he awaited
it. His district was in favor of that bill
and he had to vote for it.
Senator Barrett then rose and said he was
proud to have the privilege of speaking fo1
himself in the matter He was denied the
! privilege once before his political position
WAS well known. In three a.
the Banner, he had clearly stated his posi-
ton. His friends said he WIS the highest
State credit man in the country, and when
the news reached his homo that he had
been bribed to vote for the zoos bill, his
friends would have said tlat it was false
that if he had voted against 1t they would
then have accused him of sccepting bribe,
sure enough He wanted an investigation
and demanded one. Hewould support any
and every man who "ould vote for sustain
ing the honor ard integrity of the State.
His constituents and the most honorable
men of Hardeman and Madison Counties,
had indorsed him and toldhim he could &c
back again, for he had dns what he had
promised. He said:
81 now appeal to you SOB headed and
pnAPIDATED ANB DEFEAED POLITICIANS
not to try to invent an s1cae for defeating
what we have done"
These speeches created ,great sensation,
and by the time they had been concluded
the Senate chamber was lacked to over
flowing.
John J. vertrees sat whin ten feet oi
q Senator Smith, and auiJy heard him
{ through. Ithaving been fded thata shoot
ing atfray was brewing, fiv.
POLICEMEN WERE slIMoNnp
3 to the Senate to preserve oier.
3 After the speeches, Sonar Bell offered ,
: preamble and resolutions citing forth the
injustice done the mem hs charged with
| bribery, if such charges ere untrue, and
the wrong done the peopl and other mem
{ bers if they were true; sing that the bill,
, if passed by bribery, sEld be expunged
7 from the proceedings cths Senate, and
. pronounced void ; and tn providing for q
committee of three on tpart Of ths House
to investigate the charg
, The preamble dsni the right Of any
court to inquire into 10 motives of any
member of tho legislat, and any action.
Senator Coleman oded An amendment
to strike out that part the preamble, and
. 8 long discussion s1ed concerning the
: amsndmsnt
Senator Raglsnd he had written q
set Of rsseluaoss - tsabjsst, and wsuld