The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-09-13
BULLETS AND BALLOTS.
SENATOR sPooNER RUNS UP THE
BLOODY SHIRT.

Senator Butler Effectively Crushes the
Gentleman from Wisconsin-The
Latter Tries to Smooth the Matter
Over with a Few Honeyed Words
A Texas Incident the Topic.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 12-In the Senate
to-day Mr. Spooner offered a resolution
reciting the fact that Joseph Hoffman of
Brennan, Washington county, Texas,
prominent republican and witness before
the Senate committee on privileges and
elections, had been recently shot
down in cold blood in that city;
that his assassination was believed
to be directly attributable to his political
views and activity, and to the fact that he
had given strong testimony before the COM
mittee investigating the alleged election
outrages, and that it is of the utmost i'm
portance that witnesses before congressional
investigating committees may, without
danger to their lives, freely and fully
testify, and instructing the committee on
privileges and elections to investigate the
circumstances of the killing of Hoffman,
with special reference to ascertaining
whether it was due in any sense to his testi-
flying before the committee.
HEATED POLITICAL DEBATE.
The resolution gave rise to an extended
and heated political discussion, the speakers
being Messrs. Spooner, Pugh, Coke,
Teller, Evarts and Reagan. The
only notable incident in the de-
bate occurred when Mr.. Spooner be-
gan to read Geographic dispatch in a
newspaper, headed, "Riddled With Buck
shot" Looking over 10 Mr.. Butler, Mr..
Spooner said: "The senator from South
Carolina sneerS at it"
Mr. Butler-The senator from Wisconsin
lS pxa his i'm
rnensely if he supposes that was paying
any attention whatever to what he says.
Mr. Spooner-l did not know that the
senator was not paying any attention to
me.
Mr. Butler-Not the slightest.
Mr. Spooner-If l did assume for a mo-
ment that matter of this character was
entitled to the least consideration in that di-
rection, confess my error.
EVERYTHING IN SEASON.
Mr.. Butler-I do consider it entitled to
consideration at the proper time. There are
proper occasions when such things may be
presented The senator, l repeat, is magni-
flying his Importance immensely if he sup
poses | was concerned about it.
MIR. Spooner--I beg to say to him that [
did not assume that it possesses Importance
in his eyes. 1t is q matter of Indifference
to me whether it does or not
SdS uuc ClOco VI NIL kopOOleI epetCu lie
required to the circumstance again and
said: Il owe the senator from South Caro-
lima an apology in view of the fact that he
did not interrupt me orally for alluding to
him in the discussion, and that apology l
certainly tender him.
Mr. Butler-That is quite satisfactory l
had not interfered with the senator.
Mr.. Spooner-Tnat is true. / interpreted,
as lawyers do in court but as l mad no
right TO do in the Senate, what I thought |
saw in the senator's face.
IMPROVING A PRIVILEGE.
Mr.. Butler-I was enjoying the privilege
of smiling, which l think preferable to
sneering and | was not aware of having
committed any offense, and was surprised
when was taken mp. OF course the expla-
nation is satisfactory to me. l had no feel
ing at all about it.
Mr.. Spooner-Few smiles are happier or
pleasanter than those of the senator from
South Carolina.
The discussion turned largely on the
question of whether the killing of Hoffman
was a political crime, republican senators
arguing that it was and the democratic
senator's taking a contrary position, and
pressing the fact that prominent demo-
crat, Mr.. Holt, was killed by the same
discharge as that by which Mr.. Hoffman
was shot down.