Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-30

Testimony Given BY MEMBER In Support o
MT. Watson's Charwes.


Mr. Wstssn's Charge.
The investigation by the special House COM
mittee into the charges made by Mr. Watson
that drunken members reel about the floor Of
the House and that members discuss grave
questions while in . state Of maudlin intoxica-
toni began this morning with the examination Of
witnesses. Mr.. Watson was frst examined. He
said that he had seen two members reeiine on
the hoor during the silver fight, and that during
the Rockwell contested election case he
had seen Q member addressing the House in o
state OF maudiin intoxicatou These we're the
cases be had In mind when he made the state
ment in his book which was reiterated on the
floor by him and objected to.
He refused to give the names Of the men,
bers; he refused to unless he was compelled to
do 90. he said that his objection to giving the
members referred to. The committee took
under consideration the question Of whether or
not he should be compelled to give the names
Mr.. OTIS SAW ONE MAN DRUM.
Mr.. Otis testified that he had seen one man
speaking on the floor during the debate on the
Rockwell-Noyes case who appeared to be drunk.
He judged that he was drunk from his manner
and his speech. He had heard this member say:
"Mr. Speaker, where am st?'
WHAT MISS DwYER HAD SEEN.
Miss Bessie Dryer said abe lad seen one
member on the floor Of the House in a state OF
maudlin intoxication. She had judged that he
was drunk. because he started his speech in a
logical way and talked well for an hour, but
during the last two hours Of his speech he was
lncoherent. This was during the debate on the
Rockwell-Noyes case. He was drinking some
thing from a cup, which she did not know was
whisky, until she saw men in the press gallery
laughing. She then knew it was whisky he was
drinking.
MEMBERS WHO HAD SEEN OTHERS DRUNK.
Representatives White and Halverson gave
testimony similar to that Of the former wit
nesses. They had seen, they said, on two occa-
sions members who seemed TO be drunk
Representative Butler testified as to the same
cases. During pension night he had seen q
member whom he thought was intoxicated. He
remembered having seen four members thor
oughly Intoxicated. During the Rockwell
Moves case he had heard a member who was
speaking ask for whisky, and from his manner
he had thought he was drunk. The member
was one who was regular in his attendance on
the House, and this was the only time when wit
ness had seen him appear drunk.
Representatives Shell. Clover and Davis testi-
fed to seeing men drunk on the floor on two
occasions. Mr.. Davis was not sure that one of
these occasions was during the Rockwell Moves
debate.
TESTIMONY NOT ADMITTED.
Mr.. Watson wanted to prove that liquor was
sold in the restaurant. The chairman ruled
this out OF order a. not within the scope Of the
inquiry. Mr.. Simpson insisted that such testi-
mony should be admitted. Mr.. Simpson
wanted to show that the whisky could be had by
members conveniently an evidence that they
did get it and that getting it they necessarily
got drunk. The committee sustained the chair
Mr.. KEN said he had not been any members
reeling on the floor OF the House. He had
seen members on two occasions who seemed to
be intoxicated. On each occasion the member
was addressing the House.
Representative Baker Of Kansas said he had
seen four members on the floor Of the House
during the session who seemed to be drunk
The committee took q recess until o clock.