The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-08-03
The WATSON CHARGES.
lNNESTIGATION CONTINUED BY
THE COMMITTEE.
Has Hr. watson Lied, Is the Ques-
ton now; Looks that
he Has

ny leleSrapn 10 tne State Chronicle.
WASHINGTON, August 2.-The special
committee investigating the charges
made by Representative Watson, of
Georgia, that members had been seen
on the floor of the House to stagger and
reel from drunkenness, resumed its labors
this morning. Representative Cobb made
statement in defense of the charges
brought against him. He said that at
the very outset of his speech on the
Noyes -Cockwell contested election case,
he appealed to the House not to inter
rupt him, as 1t was an exciting time in
the House and Interruptions of previous
speakers had been numerous He maue
tne remark that it was difficult to an
swer a multiplicity of questions. Mr.
Cobb laid before the committee the Off
cial stenographers manuscript of the ad-
dress he made on the occasion mentioned,
and pointed out in it the many
interruptions with which he had to
contend. He also read from the
manuscript colloquy which took
place between himself and Mr.. Watson,
and then passed to the point where, &C
cording to Mr. Watson, he made use of
the words ''Mr. Speaker where am | at? 2"
AS the stenographer transcribed this
phrase it made Mr.. Cobb say: ''Mr.
Speaker will you tell me where am in
my argument?" Mr.. Cobb continued
reading his remarks from the manuscript,
and when he concluded said he would
submit his speech to any fair minded
man to Judge if it was a maudlin one
He did not intend to deny that his Ian
guage could be criticised; he was not
particular to that. He had been con-
tinuously interrupted and probably the
address was at times disc cyrnected. In
regard to the liquor matter he said be
would not claim any indulgence on the
ground of being weakling, as he was
not. He admit d however that he was
not as strong as some men. The Noyes-
Rockwell contest, continued Mr. Cobb,
was an exciting, and to some extent
bitter one The elections commit
} tee had decided to seat the
republican-M Noyes. Representative
! Gillespie and myself were the only two
members of the committee out of fifteen
who had decided views on the rights of
the contestee and we made minority
report. Mr.. Gillespie by reason of my
seniority of service, desired that | should
lead the minority. For three DAYS pre-
ceding the contest, said Mr.. Cobb, Il
was engaged in exhaustive labor on the
case in addition to my other duties = x.
, SO that l had but little rest. and when |
! ! entered the argument | was not in my
5 usual health Mr.. Cobb explained that
: he had also had an attack of the gripp
!. which had affected his throat and in or
der to relieve it he had told
!, an employee to send to his desk
during his remarks cup OF
] beef tea, as he wanted a warm
!. LIQUID. This was done and from time
: to time as he proceed with his argument
he sent page to have the cold liquid
changed to warm, land from that cir.
). cumstancen AIDED Mr. Cobb "has grown
great deal of trouble" Mr. Cobt
took exceptions to the testimony of rep
| resentative Butler given on Saturday
the substance of which was that Mr. But
ler had heard Mr.. Cobb say ''send IN,
st more whiskey." THAT is not true,
said Mr.. Cobb emphatically." there wa
brought to me during the argumen
4 little whiskey, and l used it as | woule
have done under the hand of physi
clan. | slipped it and if it affected
Z my voice and manner | was not aware 0
-, - it as | was as sober as | ever was" A
r this poiut Mr.. Watson inquired of Mr.
q Cobb how he indicated that he wanted
+ change from tea to whiskey, which quer
, elected the prompt response that h
70 (Cobb) remarked to a member that h
would like to have little stimulant, AM
u the member said he would get it for him
which he did. He was not sur
now whether he used the wor
"stimulants or "whiskeyn Posi-
. blv that was what Mr. Butler heard hiI
IL say, but it was mistake to say that b
N sent boy time after time for whiske
" and the page did not bring the whiskey
ly but the beef tea, three or four times
e; Mr.. Cobb qualified this statement b
It saying that he did not know whethe
d. the page brought the whiskey or not, 8
to he was busily engaged in his argumen
ur bat when he turned to his desk he pickle
nd up the cup and slipped from it and foun
it was whiskey. He thought it was d
luted with water and not replenishe(
: When he concluded his speech he too
p3 another swallow but the whole thin
. together did not make him drunk.
Sc want to say,' continued Mr.. Cobb, ''th'
* if there was any thing unusual in N
- manner it resulted from two cause
lie One was my anxiety to put the leg
o points in the case before the Hous
. and the other was that in n
IS hurry to finish (Which was requested
various times) | felt it my duty not
! take my seat before the legal points we
fully presented In concluding, NJ
Cobb said he was not responsible for tt
u investigation and had nothing to do wi
~ it. On the contrary he would have pr
vented it, He hoped shat when the 8
fair was looked at from first to last
or, would be seen that it was nothing mo
.st sae than repetition of the story of the thr
e' black crows Mr.. Watson then said
had no intention to bring Judge Col
into this matter, personally, it was
~ general charge. Mr.. Gout: Now aft
Judge Cobb's statement do you believe
was intoxcated2 Mr.. Watson: | st
.,,o think that Judge Cobb was intoxicate
- Mr.. Boatner Did you intend to lnJu
J. Judge Cobb? Mr.. Watson: Twas wr
G. ing campaign book. and gave simI
av. fact. The committee brought Jud
- into I n