, 1890-08-28
A HOUSE SENSATION.
Congressman Beckwith, Of
New Jersey, Bested.
He REGRETS THE USE OF LIAR"
Afterward He Offers to Make an
Apology-Good Friends
Again.
lspecial Service Of the REVIEWS Washlng-
ton Press Buroau.l


ton Press Buroau.l
WAsutSaroN, Aug. "a. There was a
fight with bare knuckcs on the floor OF
the house this afternoon. Two or three
congressman called each other liars and
applied epithets to each other. Blows
followed. and the friends who rushed in
as peace-inakers were themselves drawn
into tho row, until the big mace, which
is brought out only to preserve tha
peace of the house, had to be taken to
the scrimmage. Tho scene was
the most sensational that has oc-
Cured in the house for years.
Messrs. Wilson, of Washington, and
Beckwith, of New Jersey, were the com
batants, while Messrs. Cannon and
Mason, of Illinois, Williams, of Ohio,
and l.ehlbach, of New Jersey. were "in
it," 1t came during tho height of the
iilibustering on the compound lard
bill. Messrs. Mason and Cannon have
been having Il parliamentary fight for
two days back, and their blood was up
during a heated passage of words. Mr..
Cannon made some remarks To Mr..
Mason which were unit for publica-
ton. They savored of smut. Mr.. Ma
son was indignant, and said that he
took IL as personal insult to
his family, some members of which
were in the gallery.
Mr.. Enloe wanted the remarks taken
down, but the speaker ruled him out on
point of order He appealed. Mr..
Mason said that Mr. Cannon was "a dirty
tramp. Halt dozen members were
talking al once. Mr.. Wilson was sitting
on the right OF MIR, Lehlbacd and Mr..
Beckwith on the left, Mr.. Wilson had
no sympathy with Mr. Mason, for he,
like many other republicans, had grown
very tired of the iiibusterinR. He is a
very nervous man and he said: "Mason
has no business to make such an attack
on Cannon"
Then Beckwith came in. He said:
mason Is right Cannon Is low lived
tramp. He put my name in his resolu-
tion yesterday as being an absentee, and
| was present"
at docs not make much difference"
said MIR. Wilson. You are absent
enough to make up for it,
Up to this time the dialogue had been
half in good nature but Mr.. Beckwith
got angry at once. lie jumped to his
leet. Ills lace was uIlTc. - Ou are u
damned liar" he said TO Wilson.
"Yon are another" replied Mr.. VIII
son, jumping up and turning He has
not been well for some weeks and the
excitement showed itself. He trsmbled.
"Sou' RS q damed d. - ----- -
from Washington" hissed MIR. Beck
with, using an epithet that is supposed
to be confined to tho slums and which
usually means fight.
IL did in this case. Mr.. Wilson led
with his right for Mr.. Beckwith's Jaw.
The New Jersey man had not an instant
to parry the ''bif," and Mr.. Wilson
landed squarely. The democrats
shouted applause and the republicans
crowded around them. Speaker Reed
pounded with his gavel. Some called
"Time." Others ran down the aisle
toward the two men, yelling at the top
of their lungs.
Mr.! Lehlbach, over whose head tho
blows had been struck, arose, and tax
ing each of the combatants by the col
lar, held thom apart. Mr.. Beck with
struck once at Mr.. Wilson, but did not
reach him. MIR. Williams, of Ohio,
tried to draw Mr.. Beckwith away, and
Mr.. Beckwith turned TO scrap with him.
Then the sergeant-at.arms' deputy
brought the maces from their place
above the desk and before the rods and
the eagle, the fight stopped. 1t was sew
eral minutes before order was restored.
Wr. Wilson began to make an apology
to the house, but the speaker advised
him TO withhold his remarks for the
present He did so. Then the iilibuster-
ing went on again. Later in the day
Mr. Beckwith apologized to Mr.. Wilson.
Mr. Wilson accepted the apology. They
then shook hands, and sat side by side
and chatted for fifteen minutes, the OBJ
served Of all the galleries.
Postal Changes.
Il. Il. Gardiner was to-day appointed
postmaster at Hayes, Clarke county,
Wash.
A postoftice was to-day established at
Mallatte, okanogan county, WASH, with
L. c. Mallatte as postmaster.
An order was to-day issued extending
the existing contract for mail service