The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-01-24
HOUSE NIGHT SESSION (?)(?).

|
There was a special night session
(?} of the House last night CD, Mr.
Garrison, of Rusk, in the chair and {
| quorum present.
After some proceedings of minol
Importance, such as the Introduction
of resolutions inviting Hon. George
| Todd to seat in the bar of the house
requesting Congress to grant an ap
preparation to bridge the Oklahoma
(?) and to pay for bridging the BraZoS
at Waco (?), which last was on mo-
| ton of Mr.. Foster of Limestone
postponed, as the last session had pro.
vided for a boom across the Brazos.
On further motion of Mr.. Fry.
mieT the pending business was
| postponed in order to take
up the more important all-absorbing
question Of fence cutting, and Col
Booth introduced TO the House Mr.
w. T. Hogan, Of Clay county, who
entertained the House for about one
hour in a novel and interesting man.
ner, eliciting frequent applause by his
stirring address in favor of fair and
proper legislation to settle the fence
cutting troubles, in regard to which
he was, at it were, on picket duty on
the outskirts of Texas.
Mr.. Hogan spoke in accordance with
resolution previously introduced La
viting him to speak and give the leg,
islature the benefit of his valuable in
formation.
Mr.. Hogan read the proceedings OF
the Post Oak convention, in Jack
county, and of convention held in
Clay county, at Henrietta. on the sub
ject of fence cutting, and other docu-
mentary evidence as to the grievanc es
of those he represented, who, if the
reporter properly understood him,
were the non-extremIsts on either side
of the fence (Y, the wire-cutters
who cut two-stranded, so-called
wire fences (that was what
he termed them. so called
fences,') and the Wrists" who
wired in everybody by their
immense wire fences. He instanced
as cases for special grievances the
fences of the corporation known as
the Red River cattle company, and
those of the Todd brothers and others
in his section of the state. He recited
facts in his knowledge as to the
parties killed in cutting such fences,
where the bodies had been inferred
after inqueSts and nobody had been
arrested for killing them.
A message was received from the
Senate announcing the passage of
House bill making fence-cutting a
hanging offense.
Also a message from the governor,
announcing the receipt of a telegram
that fence cutting by the wholesale
was going on in Clay and Montague
counties, and declaring that such mid
night marauding must be suppressed,
if it required the entire military force
of tbs state 60.
"Why," said MIR. Hogan, "now we
are going to destroy these fellows
The point of Mr.. Hogan's elaborate
argument seemed to be that whatever
the legislature did, it should not be
considered law till ratified by the peo-
pie.
Resolution that as the house had
just heard the wire fence around the
capitol of Austin, now being con-
structed, had been destroyed by the
"nipperS" and coffin had been left
hanging on tree, under which Hous-
ton and Roberts stood planning the
future prosperity and glory of the
atty for fence-cutting, be passed i'm
mediately.
Mr.. Todd, of Marion, author of the
resolution, being called on, Tsaid he
thought the poor wire-cutters had an
able lobbyist in their representative
who had Just addressed the whole
House. Such a thing was without pre-
cedent rare power and privilege, such
as had never been heard of before. He
said that according to Mr.. Hogan, he
thought the Texas Cattle company
ought to be hung, but Mr.. Hogan
did not tell us whether the cattle
company owned the land they fenced.
Mr.. Hogan-Why, / read that they
didn't own it.
Mr.. Todd INDUCED in a good deal of
humor about fences. Fences were
necessary, it seemed, for legislators
who didn't know what side to take,
Or were afraid to take either side, to
get On the fence. Laughter.
A resolution was offered by Mr..
Frank that 10000 copies of Mr.. Ho-
gan's address be printed.
Also resolution instructiDg the
sergeant-at arms to see if the preamble
and resolutions, which Mr.. Hogan in
his speech said must be kept carefully,
were not stolen. Also thanking Mr..
Hogan for his able exposition of the
remedies for fence cutting. Also to
pay MIR. Hogan 800 for his able adj
dress.
Also resolution requiring Mr..
Hogan to furnish the names of all the
fence cutters in his district.
The proceedings produced deal of
merriment without any apparent dis
comfture, however, to Mr.. Hogan,
who heartily thanked the House for
their patient and polite attention for
which he expressed the highest appre-
citation. as one of the greatest honors
of his life.
House adjourned.