Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-27
AN AFFRAY IN THE HOUSE.
Mcssrs. Beckwith and Wilson (of Wash.
fngton) the Parties to the Affair.

Messrs. Beckwith and Wilson (of Wash.
fngton) the Parties to the Affair.
TIE LArrHR STRIKES At rHK FORMER AND eRAxEs
HIS BREAST AND THE MIN ARE THEN skPAn-
ATEp-AS OFFENSIVE EPrrHEr THE cAusE OF
TIE TROUBLE.
Members came to blows on the floor Of the
House today. Mr.. AcAdoo Of New Jersey
had made very severe criticism of
Mr.. Cannon's resolution Of yesterday,
and Mr.. Cannon retorted by using language
which was not suitable to appear in print or to
be heard by ladies in the galleries. Mr..
Enloe asked TO have the language taken
down. The Speaker refused to order this.
holding that the motion had come too
late. An appeal was taken from this
and there was much feeling among members.
Some OF those whose families were in the gal
,er,es were very angry. While the appeal was
into the Record Most a0' Of 0 .h Ss
was on the republican side and was very AMI
mated in Mr. Cannon's neighborhood. Mr. Ma
son and two or three other republicans voted
to overrule the Speaker.
Mr.. Mason had not yet taken his seat after
the rising vote. and he was talking at Mr.. Can
non with much warmth across from one aisle
to another. What he said could not be heard
distinctly in the gallery, but it was reported
to be that Mr.. Cannon would not have made
use OF the language had his family been in
the gallery. Mr.. Mason's vito was in the
gallery.
FROM WORDS TO BLOWS.
Suddenly two members toward the front on
the republican side, who had been sit
ting quietly in their seats, jumped
to their feet and began to hit
at and struggle with each other. In nm
hauling at each other so that peace makers
could not be distinguished from fighters,
and there was much confusion in the
House. The two members who first came to
b ows were Beckwith Of New Jersey and Wilson
Of Washington.
They sit one on either side of Mr.. Lehl.
bach. Mr.. Beckwith made some remark,
speaking either to Wilson or to Lehl-
bach, approving some severe language Mr..
Mason had used 10 Mr.. Cannon in an
undertone Mr.. Wilson retorted that Cannon
was right Mr.. Beckwith wanted to
know what Wilson had to do with it. Wilson
retorted that his name was in Mr.. Cannon's
list in the Record. Beckwith retorted that 1t
was good thing, for it seldom appeared in
tho Record.
Mr.. Wilson then called Beckwith liar, and
the latter retorted that Wilson was Q Washing
This was followed by blow from
Wilson aud the two men seized
each other. Mr.. Lehlbnck grabbed
at both Of them. and Mr.. Williams Of Ohio
rushed down the aisle and caught Beckwith by
the collar.
Other members thinking he was going to
take part in the fight rushed for him.
The Sergeant-at-Arms with his mace then
appeared and the whole thing was over in
few moments.
Another Account Of the Affair.
The ill-feeling developed in the House by
tho filibustering over the compound lard
bill led to o personal ARRAY this after
noon between Representative Beckwith
IN. j. and Representative Wilson (Wash.
The roll was being called upon q
ruling by Speaker Reed respecting the calling
to order Of Representative Cannon Qll) by
Representative Enioe (Tenn.) for words spoken
in debate. Representative Mason, separated
from Mr.. Cannon by the width of one Of the
sections OF seats, was criticising the latter
for the tone of his remark, TO which
Mr.. Enloe objected. In the row of
seats between sat Representatives Beck
with and Wilson, on either side of
Lehlbach. They all took
part soto voce In the controversy, when,
suddenly, Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Beckwith were
Il,
lightly touching him on the breast. Lehlbach
sprang between them and Mr.. Wilson was I'M
able to reach around him. Representative
Williams (Ohio), anxious to stop the affray,
SEIZED BrcKwIrH FROM BEHIND
and forced him into his seat with considerable
vigor. At this Beckwith turned his attention to
his supposed assailant in the rear and it re-
quired tho efforts Of two or three repub-
licans to prevent 9 collision. Mr.. Williams
succeeded in assuring Beckwith that he had no
hostile intentions, and the latter resumed his
seat
THE DEMOCRATS ENJOY IT.
The incident was over in a few seconds, and
added but little to the excitement then ex-
listing on the floor; but 1t was the oc-
casion for jeerIng laughter among
the democrats who witnessed it. The eagle
and mace Of the sergeant-at-arms were hur-
riedly borne to the scene of the conflict, and
at its appearance all was quiet.
Representative Wilson said afterward in ex-
PLANTATION Of the difficulty that Representative
Beckwith had applied most offensive epithet
to him and on the spur Of the moment he mad
struck him.
ONE OF THE CURIOUS SCENES
attending the excitement in the House
this afternoon was the action of Mr..
Wilson after the affair in going over
to the dead Pennsylvania Congressmans CMr
Watson's) desk. He leaned his head on the
Grape with which the desk is still draped and
remained in this position for some time.
WHAT OCCURRED TWO MONTHS AGO.
In connection with the Beckwith- Wilson
fracas on the floor of the House, it
may be OF interest to recall
the fact that Mr.. Wilson narrowly escaped
q sensational row about two months ago. As
the story goes, and the statements are thor
oughly responsible, Senator Power of
Montana went over to the House one
day and in the republican cloak room
took Wilson to task for his action on the silver
question. This riled the Congressman from far
away Washington and he resented the inference,
saying that he had been Senator-ridden
enough by men from his own state and he GER
tainly was not going to be dictated to by a man
from Monatana whose senatorial title was not
beyond suspicion. Then Power thought it was
his turn to get mad, and as a result there
was an interesting exchange Of unparliamen-
tary epithets, which eliminated in Wilson's
shaking fist at Power and calculating: "You
shut up. You're one man in this Congress.
can lick you, and I'll do it now il you say
another word" And there was silence.