Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-07-31

ouinion that speaker was in a state OF
maudlin intoxicatlon. In front of the
speaker was cup and saucer. Its contents
were replonished several times, and IL was
noticeable that the more he drank the
more 30 wandered IN his argument.
Sir. Watson testified that he heard the
speaker SAY to page, Bring me moro OF
that stuff that whiskey." That gentle
man witness regarded IA a lovable and
honorable man, aud who no doubt re-
GREETED the occurrence rs much as any one
else possibly could.
SIR. Watson added that no would not
shrink from mentioning names If forced
20 the issue. His hesitation came entirely
from desire TO shield the persons con-
cerned.
Chairman Boatner said that the CON-
mittee would consider whether or not IL
would ask for names.
coBsoBoRATIyE EVIDENCE.
Representative Otis, of Kansas, said that
no had seen evidences of intoxication on
the part Of members on two occasions.
Asked about the degree of intoNcaton of
a member addressing the House when I'M
der the influence If liquor. witness said:
:" lie was pretty well set up. l thought
the longer he proceeded the worse he
grew" Witness told Representative Simp-
son that most certainly he had noticed
drinking habits on the part of members.
Coming from n prohibitory State. 1t was
perhaps more noticeble than IL would have
been otherwise.
Miss DIVER. congressional reporter OF
the National Economist, corroborated the
previous witnesses as TO a member under
the influence of liquor addressing the
House. and Representative White also tes-
tilted 20 one instance of Intoxication on the
floor of the House.
Mr.. White went on to say that he was
not in tho habit of frequenting the bar
room in the House, when he was interrupt
ell by Representatives Boatner and Bu-
chanau, who said the inquiry should be
strictly confined TO proceedings III the
House.
Mr.. Simpson raised the point that the
House restaurant was part of the House,
but Mr.. Watson himself said that he did
not refer 10 anything out of the hall Of the
House.
Representatives Halvorsen. of Mime
sofa, and Butler, OF Iowa, each testified
that on two occasions he had seen IA single
member drunk in the aisle. On another
occasion a man was drunk while address
ing the House.
THE HOUSE, SOBER BODY.
Mr.. Butler testified that he had seen only
four members drunk during the session.
The House was, on the whole, the soberest
body OF men he had ever met III his life
and IN his own prohibtory town 80 many
men could not be gotten together without
more drinking.
Representative Shell, of South Carolina,
and Representative Glover, Of Kansas, each
testified that he had only seen one instance
of intOXicatiOn III the House.
Representative Davis, of Kansas, cor
rob0rated the testimony OF previous wit.
nesses "a to two or three instances of
drunkenness on the floor Of the House.
Mr.. Watson then wanted to prove the
existence OF n baT-rOOm in the Capitol
building, but Chairman BVAtner would not
let him, and would not agree that the
record should show the refusal.
Mr.. Boatner SAID that IL was matter of
public notorloty that whiskey could be
had in either the senate or the House
wing of the Capitol and at many other
places.
RESTAURANT DRINKING RULED OUT.
Ry a vote Of Messrs. Boatner, Buchanan
Of Virginia, WOlvertOn. and GrOut against
that OF Mr. Simpson, a motion TO admit
evidence OF drinking in the House restau-
rant was overTuleG.
Representatives KEN, of Nebraska, and
Baker had each seen one or two men,
bcrs drunk on the floor.
Representative Lagan had gone home,
and tins closed the evidence.
Mr.. Watson had 10 present, except that
he said that If any point were made of
the words "maudlln rambhngs," the
wished 90 have the original stenographIc
notes.
After a recess. Representative Rockwell,
of New York took the witness-stand. Mr..
Rockwell testified that he was the con-
tcstce il the RockwelLNoyes contested
election case, decided by the House some
time ago. lie was present during tho dis
cussiou of the case IN tho House. Witness
had MOI seen any members reeling
on the floor during the present SEES
SION. He saw no members whom he
thought were appreciaDy drunk. The
gentleman who made the remark,
Where was / at?" had madc n speech IN
his behalf whlle the election case was in
progress. The man had worked hard and
was considerably exhausted. lie was, Mr..
Rockwell said, in no sense intoxicated or
under the influence of liquor. Witness
saw the gentleman immediately after the
speech, aud he was not in the least intoXl-
Gated.
EVIDENCE AGAINST WATSON.
Mr.. McKalg, of Maryland, had seen none
OF the things charged against members IN
Mr.. Wats0n's book.
Representative Turner. of Georgia, testi-
fed that az one night session he had seen
q member whom he thought drunk. Mr..
Turner said the present House of Repre-
sentatiyps was rs sober a body of men as
he had ever associated with.
Representative Bankhead, of Alabama,
testified that he had never seen any per-
sons Keeling in the alslos, and had never
seen on tho floor any speaker whom he
suspected OF being under the influence Of
hquur. Witness knew of no facts to Jus
uty the charges made 10y Mr.. Watson, and
had never seen a moro temperate body
than the House. In reply TO question as
to whether he was able 10 state positively
that no never reeled Mr.. Bankhead said
that be would leave that TO his colleagues.
An INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT.
Mr.. Oates was the next witness. During
his testimony it developed that Repre-
sentative Co0b. OF Alabama, was Che per-
son who had made the speech in the con-
tested-election case. and who was the per-
son charged with into1lcatlon by Repre-
sentative Watson. A long cOllOquy ensued
al this point before the witnesses eXamina-
ton was proceeded with, Messrs. Watson,
Cobb. and others taking part therein.
Mr. Watson said that 1t was at the IL
stance of Representative Bailey that he
Withheld the name OF Mr.. Cobb from the
committee. Ito had not, by any state
ment. indicated that the gentleman from
Alabama was included III the members
against whom charges were made any
more than was Indicated IN his Matson's)
book. Some question having arisen as 10
whether II was proper TO allow the name
to remain on the record, inasmuch as no
other names had been given, Mr.. Cobb re-
marked that whether his name was men
toned OF not, everybody knew who was
meant. lie appealed to the committee to
let tho matter proceed openly. and asked
the committee 10 make thorough,
searching investigation. saying that he
(witness) was not afraid of the result.
Representative Oates was allowed TO
proceed with his testimony. lie started
out to give his knowledge o Mr.. Cobb's
habits for long time back, but was not
allowed to proceed very far in this line be-
fore objection was made to this testimony
on the general ground that II was outside
OF the pale of the resolution, which. 1t was
contended. limited the committee to an
of the facts as they occurred
IN the House. Representatives Simpson
A the pbtaetgrS