Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-13
ARRESTS FOR ABSENCE
Causing Trouble as Well as Amuse-
ment for Some Congressman.
MR. COOMBS SERIOUSLY OBJECTS
To the Journal Chronicling the Fact That
He Was Arrested.
WONDERFUL RECORD OF MR.. 0NEuL

WASHINGTON, March 12-The ludicrous
situation that may sometimes develop from
the rule that requires members to attend
the sessions of the House under pain of
arrest and arraignment for contempt was
fully illustrated in the attempt to amend
the journal this morning The usual Fri
day night session for the consideration of
private pension bills found the House
without quorum last evening, and some
one having raised the point of no quorom, a
call OF the House was ordered and the
Sergeant at Arms sent out after the delin-
quent members Under the rules the
Sergeant at Arms in these emergencies may
be directed by the House to arrest every
absent member whom he can find in any
part of the city and conduct him before the
bar of the House. Here he is cited for con-
tempt of the House in absenting himself
without leave, and required to give reason
or excuse for his dereliction.
The House is usually quite indulgent to
the culprits on these occasions, and excuses
SO fimsy that even truant schoolboy would
not dare invoke them for his protection are
usually accepted with much gravity as salts
factory to the House, and the mantle of
charity cast over the erring member by q
unanimous vote of his colleagues purging
him of contempt.
Several Absentees Arrested.
When the point of no quorum was made
last night by Messrs Kilgore and Bailey, of
Texas, and the Sergeant at Arms ordered to
bring in the absent members, he succeeded
in arresting four or five of the abseutees and
bringing them before the bar of the House.
According to the journal this morning, it
L.
last night during call of the House brought
TO the bar of the House in custody of the
Sergeant at Arms. This Mr. Coombs de-
MED. He said he had been notified by
page that his presence was required in order
to help make quorum, and he had come to
the House voluntarily, and not under
arrest
Mr.. Bynum, of Indiana, inquired whether
the person to whom the gentleman alluded
as page" was not deputy sergeant at
arms? This Mr.. Coombs did not know.
Mr.. Bynum inquired further whether the
page" had not come with him to the
Capitol?
Mr.. Coombs replied that the young man
came on the same car with him, and that he |
(Mr. Coombs) paid the carfare. Laughter |
He moved that there be stricken from the |
journal those words which showed that he |
was brought to the House under arrest
Tho Journals Pages a Record.
Mr.. Bynum thought the journal should |
be an accurate account of the proceedings 4
Of the House. 1t was a fact that Mr.
Coombs had been brought to the House
under arrest and the journal should record
that fact.
On MI. Coombs' motion the vote stood 72
TO 81 Mr.. DUNCAN, of Ohio, raised the
point of no quorum. Mr. Coombs there
upon withdrew his motion in order not to
embarrass the business of the House.
Mr.. O'Neill, of Pennsylvania, also took
exception to the journal 1t showed that
last night he had been excused from attend
ing on account of sickness. He had not |
been sick or infrm; he had stayed away be-
cause he had no pension bills on the calen-
daE During his q years of service in this
House he had, by the blessing of God, been
detained from the House but one day and a
half on account of sickness, and he wanted
the Lord to continue that blessing Laugh
ter
The Senate amendments to the urgent de-
hciencv bill were non-concurred in, and |
Messrs. Savers, Holman and Dingley were
appointed conferees
Two Bills for Relief Passed.
Private business was then taken up, the
hrst bill being for the relief of the First
Methodist Church of jackson, Tenn. On
Its passage the vote stood 81 to 23
Mr.. DUNCAN, of Ohio, said that in the ab-
sence of some of the gentleman from Texas
,Messrs Kilgore and Bailey) he would
make the point of no quorum. Laughter.
On Mr.. Bailey's putting in an appear
lnce, Mr.. DUNCAN withdrew the point, but
t was promptly renewed by the gentleman
rom Texas. The bill was finally passed
reas, AZ; nays, 81 The next bill was one
or the relief of the estate of Andrew j.
Oimien, and it was also passed, but a roll
all was again necessary to obtain a quoram.
Public business was then suspended, and
he house proceeded to the consideration of
in respect to the memory of the
ate John R. Gamble, of South Dakota.
After eulogies by Mr.. Picker, of South Da-
zota; Mr. Perkins, of Iowa; Mr. johnson,
# North Dakota; Mr. Lind, of Minnesota;
fr. Bryan, of Nebraska, and Mr.. Jolly, of
south Dakota. the House, as mark of re-
pect to the memory of the deceased, ad-
ourned