The Portland daily press., 1892-08-03
Thinks Highly Of Judge Cobb But
Still Thinks He Was Drunk.
THAT HOWEVER, HE SAYS, is ONLY
A MATTER OF OPINION.
Besides That, the Charges Were Made in
Order to Show How the Democrats
Broke Their Promises-The jag" Com
mittee Get the Alliance Member Into
Rather Befuddled Exp1anation-Judge
Cobb ON Beef Tea and Whiskey.

hdbucT DtluuuACu ia PAdheIAOAA- y uuS50 y
Cobb ON Beef Tea and Whiskey.
WASHINGTON, August To-day the
House committee investigating the allie
cations made by Mr.. Watson in his book
of drunkenness among the members of
Congress heard Mr.. Cobb in his own de-
fense. For several days before the night
referred to in Mr.. Watson's book, Judge
Cobb said he was engaged in laborious
work gathering matter and preparing
his argument. He worked late and early
and, as result, when he began his ar
gument on the floor he was not in his
usual physical condition. His throat, he
said, was particularly weak and in order
to relieve the.soreness in it and the an
noyance of the tickling, he requested an
employe of the House, before beginning
his remarks, to bring him cup of beef
tea. From time to time he had the cup
sent back and replenished in order to ex-
change the cold tea for hot. From that
circumstance, he thought, all the tronble
had grown. 1t was not true, he said, as
reported by Mr.. Watson that he said to
the page
"Bring Me Some More Whiskey."
Mr.. Cobb acknowledged that some
whiskey was brought him during the
course of the evening and placed on his
desk. 1t was brought by friend. He
used it only to relieve his throat, and if
it affected him in voice or manner he
was not conscious of it. 1t was true he
drank little beer during the day.
Mr.. Watson asked Judge Cobb how he
indicated that the beverage was out and
he wished the cup replenished. The an
swer was that so far as he Mr.. Cobbl
remembered, he said to friend that he
wanted little whiskey or some stimu-
lant. When the whiskey was put before
him, he said he slipped it two or three
times, and when he concluded his re-
marks he took another sip, but was not
made drunk by it, nor did his state ap-
proach intoxication. He was fully per-
suaded, if in his remarks there was any
thing unusual, it resulted either from his
anxiety to put before the House every
legal point in the case OF because he oc-
acnpied the f1oQr1 too long and was anx-
ious to complete his remarks.
Mr.. Watson Made Statement
in reference to the paragraph in the
book which has caused SO much discus
sion, saying it could not be understood
thoroughly unless the whole chapter was
taken into consideration. He paid a
tribute to the character of Mr.. Cobb and
stated that he never meant to draw that
gentleman into difficulty. Mr.. Watson
argued at some length in explanation of
the paragraph in the book, the sub
stance of the argument being that it
meant to infer the House had not kept
any of the promises of the Democrats
and had been virtually derelict in its
duty to the country. This dissertation
was cut short by colloquy between
himself and Mr.. Boatner in which each
accused the other of discourtesy in the
course of the investigation. In
answer to the chairman, Mr.. Wat
son reasserted his belief that
Mr.. Cobb had been drinking on the
night of the debate but modified his
statement somewhat by declaring it
might only be matter of opinion and
that it was quite difficult matter for
men to agree whether man was drunk
or no. He was then asked ''Do you still
believe MI. Cobb was intoxicated?" And
answered: II do"
Mr.. Wilson and Judge Patten both tes-
titled that they listened to Mr.. Cobb and
noticed nothing in his manner to indi-
cate intoxication. The hearing was then
ended and the testimony closed.