The record-union., 1891-03-21
DISGRACEFUL SCENE.
Assemblyman Lowe Attacks Assem-.
blyman BIedsoe.
M. Burners Question of Privilege
An Exciting Scene-No
Bloodshed.


cisco evening papers appeared on the
floor of the Assembly last evening they
were caught up with avidity by MEM
bers and others in the House. A good
many visitors were present, a number
having come over from the Senate after
the adjournment of that body. 1t was
found that the report of the majority of
the Bruner Investigating Committee,
which had been refused acceptance by
the House in the afternoon, was printed
more or less fully in the journals men
toned, and there was considerable COM
ment of one sort and another.
Soon after this Mr. Bruner rose to a
question of privilege. He said an attempt
had been made during the afternoon to
Introduce majority report, before the
minority report was ready. When that
report was refused acceptance, the Chair
man of the committee had, he claimed,
solemnly promised that no word of it
should be made public until the House
had adopted the report.
Notwithstanding that promise, the
evening papers contained the important
portions Of the report, and his first inti-
nation, he said, OF the judgment of the
committee in his case. had been received
through the metropolitan press.
Mr.. Bruner said:
somebody has liedn'
The Speaker called Mr.. Bruner to or
der, and reminded him that he must not
make such remark about any particular
person.
81 do not say it of any particular per-
son, but L repeat" said he, somebody
has lied
Alr. Bruner protested that this method
4 L u
had all been conducted on the same line
of unfairness. He said that the Chair
man had been against him throughout;
that the press of the whole State had
prejudged his case before he had intro
duced one word of evidence, and he had
been condemned and convicted unheard.
His own witnesses, he claimed, had been
men of repute and standing, while those
against him had been acknowledged
blackmailers. The verdict of the COM
mittee was, he said, not the property
of the House nor of any other person
until it was in the custody of the House.
But the verdict has been published to the
world in advance, and it is within the
province of this House to vindicate it
self
In somewhat broken voice Mr.. Bru-
ner concluded:
ut is Infamous
He took his seat in silence; not a word
in reply nor in support being said by any
member of the House. Shortly after, a
motion to adjourn was carried, but none
of the members left the Assembly Cham
ber.
A number of his friends grouped
around Mr.. Bruner, who had now broken
down and was sitting at his desk in tears.
Members were talking in groupes all
over the house and the Speaker still sat in
the chair, when Mr.. Lowe. of Santa Clara,
who had exhibited a great deal of excite
ment when the report was offered in the
afternoon, left his place on the right of
the rear of the chamber and advanced to
the extreme left-hand corner, where Mr..
Bledsoe was sitting, with his wife, some
other ladies and several Assemblymen
around him.
Mr.. Lowe went to Bledsoe's desk and
charged him with having ruined Bruner.
Bledsoe replied that he regretted it, but
that he had only done his duty.
Lowe became more excited, every vest
ige of color left his face and lips, his eyes
glared and his appearance was ghastly.
He used abusive language, and charged
Bledsoe with being in fault that the pa
pers had published the report.
Bledsoe replied and rose from his chair,
| when Lowe placed his hand on Bledsoe's
chest, pushed him over his chair and into
the corner against the wall, saying:
If you have pistol, come out here ~
A crowd gathered in moment; the
ladies We're much frightened, and
screamed, the Sergeant-at Arms was
called for, and the friends and wives of
both parties finally succeeded in separat-
ing them.
Mr.. Lowe was with difficulty induced
to leave that corner of the room, and
though protesting that he had not laid
hands on Bledsoe, he made several eff
forts to get back to him. He finally did
go part way back, despite all efforts, and
the belligerents exchanged some words,
though nothing more serious followed
them.
In the meantime the Speaker raped
his gavel upon the desk with emphasis
and said that although the House had ad-
journed, the Speaker and the Sergeant
at-Arms had charge of the Assembly
chamber. He therefore ordered the Ser
geant to see that everyone but members
of the House left the room. Matters
quieted down and the great doors were
locked, though it was not until late hour
that the corridors and rotunda We're de-
serted, and members of the Assembly
discussed the affair in all its phases till
the janitors came to turn out the gas.