The Russellville Democrat., 1892-05-05
CONGRESSMEN ARRESTED.
Twelve Representatives Arraigned Before
 Speaker Crisp in the House.
THEIR FAILURE TO BE PRESENT
At Yesterdays Session Results in the Speaker Issuing Warrants for
 Their Arrest.

WASHINGTON, April 29.--In the house this morning the speaker called the attention to the fact that .. 2. I tsi,e ssiiIne of adjournment yester- day the sergeant-at tarms had been given warrant for the arrest of absent members. He would now ask that officer to make a report, and, after some debate as to the power of the house to order arrests after it had adjourned, Col. Hill proceeded to pace in front of the speakers desk and submitted his report.
 Col. Hill stated that nineteen war rants had been put in his hands. Two members he had failed find, having been suddenly called away on account of sickness in family, four were out of town He had notified the other twelve and they had promised to be here this morning.
 The speaker stated that the ser geant-at-arms had called on him last night and asked what he should do with tho members upon whom he served the warrants. The speaker had taken the liberty to in- struct him to notify them to be present to-day.
 The recalcitrant members were then summoned to the bar of the house and called upon to present such excuses for their absence as they might see fit.
 Mr. Bowers, of California, was the first prisoner. He said that his chief offense consisted in being caught. He had been present yesterday, but had gone, home in order to answer letters of persons wanting pensions or post offices. He had no intention of infracting the rules of the house.
 A motion to excuse Mr. Bowers was made, but many members be- lieving the arrest of members for neglect of duty was not mere child's play, but a serious matter, demanded the yeas and nays.
 Before the announcement of the vote, Mr. Burrows, of Michigan, said he un- derstood that several of the gentle men who were under arrest had voted upon the question, and that he made a point of order that the gentlemen under arrest could take no part in the proceed ings of the house.
 Mir. Reed, of Maine, seconded Mr. Burrows point, and in the course of his remarks said that all this fuss and difficulty arose from an attempt to override the consti- tuition. Applause on Republican side and derisive laughter on Demo- cratic side.
 The speaker overruled the point, however, and on vote of the house Mr. Bowers was excused.
 The next name called was that of Mr. Dumprey, of New York, but Mir. Tracy stated that that gentleman had been called home on account of death in his family.
 Mr. Ellis, of Kentucky, was also excused as was Mr Harter, of Ohio, notwithstanding Mr. Caruth's ap- peal that he ought to be fined one silver dollar.
 Mr. Hemphitt's visit to his den tist was considered a valid excuse for his absence, while Mr. McDon- ald's "walk with some of his constituents in whom he was interested" his wife and children were also deemed sufficient reasons.
 Mir. Meredith, of Virginia, ac- Fnowledged being at the race course. He had gone there to see whether there was anything demoralizing in racing in order that he might draw up measure to remedys the evils that might exist. He was excused.
 Messrs. Picker, Randall, Stack house, Tracy and Warwick were also excused. This cleared the docket.