New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-31
DRINKING IN THE HOUSE.
MR. wATSON'S CHARGES
MR. n,~r1rr OF IOWA. SAYS THE HOUSE Is THE

WASHINGTON July 3o.-The names OF the nieinoe,S
OF Congress whom Mr.. Watson. Of georgia, n"~ "
mind when he wrote in his book about uruii"o" WI
gressmen on the floor Of the House. dlo ho' 'oi"'
Tbs morning in the investigation OF the spc''' 'O-'
I1ttec appointed Yesterday 10 lnqiire i"'' ~ ~
made by Mr.. Watson. ~
Mr. Watson was the first witness. lie saio '"a' Nv
knew enough 10 substanate the charges nc i'u '"S
He would regret to mention names ana "oui' ''i'
DO so under compuson. lie had IN uhhu WV men"
bers present during the debate on the silver pii' "
night session early in March, when ne Wro'o
o,op+ MANNERS reel,nc on the floor OF the House
In a state Of intoxication. The phrase oru'N'"
speakers debating grave auestions' relerreu ~ O0
speaker on one occasion only-thc MOVES noVT"''i "
bate In his opinion that speaker was III s'''' Va
maudnn intoxicstion. In front OF the speahe' wa"
cup and saucer It's contents were rePlenisheo sew
.r,l tn.s and II was noticeable that the more ITO
drawn the uore he wandered in his argument M''
Watson fosf.d that he heard the speaker say 10 he
page Bring more OF that s'ui-,n"' '
That gentleman witness regarded as Io'a"io "i' "
honorable man, and one who, no DOUBT rosle'' ~
occurrence as much as any one else possibly co"iu
Nv watson added tina, he would not shrink rom
mentioning names II forced TO the Issue His hesl
,ation came entirely from desire 10 shlea inc per
concerned 49,, ,.
Tho chairman Mr. Boatncr. said that the commit
tee would consider whether or not IL "V''o iS" '
names. , No..
pon,os.,to,,ve Otis of Kansas said that he had
a.en evidences Of inoyication the part Of members
On two occasions Asked abou the degree OF ih'oAic
tion of the member addressing the Houso ~hec u'u'
the influence of liquor witness said " lie Vss pfct's
well set up ! thought the longer ne prOceeueo "o
yvorse he grew witness told Representative simpson
that most certainly lie had noticed DRINKING hans o''
Nh. mart Of members Coming from Il prolhoitory
state II was perhaps noticeable than 1t "o'io
have been otherwise
Miss DIVER Congressional reporter Of "Thc Nauohal
Economist CorPobOred the previous witnesses ds ~
member nudcr The Influence Of liquor addressing the
IIouse and Representative White also testiheu
TO one instance of ntoxication on the moor OF inc
House In response 10 y general question IRON hcP
resentatIve simpson. Mr. White said that ne had nov
seen anything make him thnk that great NUMBER
Of members drinking while on TIE moor VI 'He
House. A..
Mr. White went on to say that he was not Nj uio
habit Of frequenting the barToofn IN tho HOUSE "e
WINS INTERRUPTED bv Representatives Boatner ana
Buchanan, who said the inquiry shohld % eorou!
confined 10 the proceedings IN the House W. o""P
son rssed the point that the H0use restaurant "a
part of the House, but Mr.. Watson himself said ua'
he did not refer 10 anything ont Of tho hall OF inc
House Representatives Halvorsen' OF Minnesota anu
Ruter Of Iowa each testified that on two OCCASIONS
be had seen single member drunk IN the "'ic' va
another occasion man was drunk when aduress'"e "o
House Mr. Butler added another instance 10 'h"se
me 1tioned by naming the silver debate ana pension
fuhf q
tina, he had seen only four members drunk dW'Hs tue
session The House was on the whole tile sooere-t
odv or men he had met in his life, and IN his o"
prohibitory state and town so many men couiu ho o
got together without more drinking
| Representative Shell, OF South Carolina, ana hfp
resentatve Glover OF Kansas each testified tlat ne
had seen only instance OF into1ication III 'he
House.
Representative Davis, OF Kansas, oorroboTH'eo INC
testimony Of previous Witnesses as 10 TWO OF UNIV
instances of drunkenness the floor OF the House
lie thought one occasion when local biu was up.
Mr. Watson then wanted 10 prove the existence VI
n h,rroom in the Capitol building, but Chairman
Boatner would not Jet him and would not agree tNa'
~ The Record should show the refusal Mr Boauier
said that II was mater oi Pun e nate "r uTiSe
wing Of the Capitol and at many other places
fy vote r q sro ags;Sst hat Of M simpson
motion 10 admit evidence Of drinking IN the House
Eare1entative KEN Of Nebraska named two oc-
casoi. he thought WHEN the ver ana margcr
drunk on the noor and Representative Baker recalled
Representative Lagan had gone home ana ms c9sed
the evidence Nj. Watson lad 10 present except tl@t
be said that i any point were MADE 0, .he ogin,
After recess Representative Rockwell OF New TnCs CrT
testified that he was the contes'ee IN me lime
Noycs contested election case decided by he hU re
some m me AGO or during g s' oi present. Sson lie
no members whom lie thought were apptrlhDy urun,
|
ati had worked hard and was considerably exhausted
lie was, Mr. Rockwell said. In no sense intoxicated
Sr The Riue MKa 81 aO Maryland testified that
he had not any member rccling Ia me aiS,es'
and Ssw no drunken members debating grave Issues
| lie had sccp but one member Who he wonld nay Was'
under the influence Of liQusf, and tlat was 10 very
Turper Of Georgia ,Ss9ed r inS h ns
GRS St wa Se dTnE 0 a turner aid lie present
House Of Representatives was as sober BODY "i men
| us he had ever associated with. .,o., Aha,
| REPRESENTATIVE IiaIlkhtdd
be had seen any persons reeing IN tbc arc, anu h
suspected Of being under the inGuencc Of liquor
Representative OATES. Of Alabama was The next
witness During his testimony 1t developed That Rep
resenative cobb. OF Alabama. was tlc person who was
charged with inoNication by Mr.. Watson ,,,,.o ,,o
witae5S. examination wa proceeded with Mc'sr'.
watson Cobb and Others taking part. Mr.. Wat .on
i I [s That he S Withheld the name Of Mr. cobb from
the committee. He had not BY any statement lnll y,
Gated that the gentleman fir IN Alabama was lncinara
! In the members against whom charge were maze
any more than was indicated In his Wat. )n's book.
some question having aiiNen a, to whether II Ws
proper 10 allow TIC name 10 remain on The record. IN
NO Sm s name nn % Ts or no
everyday knew who was meant. lie APPEALED % wv w.
the committee TO mnke thorough, searching IN
ve>,gatOn saying that he was not AFRAID Of the re-
Ate? further colloquy, Mr.. oates was allowed to
proceed with his testimony; He ,'ertcd on 70 gNS
back, but he VII. allowed proceed far in thi-
lire before objection made to this testimony on
the general ground NIdl IL was oulslne Of inc pdr p
the resolution which, II contcnded, limited the
committee to an ascoTttnment Of the facts a. thcy
occur Ell IN The House. Representative simpS n mace
the cbjcctlOn and during the of tc long as
cn,siOn IN the question he charged Mr.. Boat1er' INC
chairman. With being arbitrary. Al one time Mr.
| POatner had said that certain evidence was Sill1
factory to him. and be entirely Indifferent whether
IL was Satisfactory To the gentleman from Kansas OF
not Mr.. Watson ahO inerposcd an objection TO the
| eDmmittee's hearing the testimony. Mr.. simpson
| objection overrued and Mr.. Oates, proceeding
said that while Mr.. Cobb speaking he appeared
ecaily exhausted and sent him sometime
{, drink. Tho stimulant he observed. had -oniC
effect on Mr.. Cobb. enlivening his manner Wtncs'
deriarel however, that Mi. Cobb not drunk
he rad known him for twentvs~ven years and never
kneyr MIN be drnnk. although he took drink some