Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-08-03

night.
len O'Clock this evening was the
hour set for the closure debate in the
committee on the home rule bill The
early part OF the evening was tame
enough, being occupied by obscure
/ members.
! AT 0:45 Joseph Chamberlain arose to
deliver the final broadside of the oppo-
sition. He was still smarting under
| the lash administered by Gladstone
tuesday evening and spoke with much
bitterness, giving his opinion of the
closure as applied by the government
He was frequently interrupted by jeers
from the Irish and cheers from his OVID
side. After one period of interruption
he proceeded:
The prime minister calls black and
his adherants say it is good. He calls
white and they say it is better. 1t
is always the voice of God. Nevea.
since the time of Herod has there been
SUCH
Before Chamberlain got further with
his half finished reference to Hero6
there came from the nationaliStS such
roar Of indignation as has not been
heard in the commons since the time
of Parnell
Chamberlain was plainly startled
but tried to talk on. His voice was in
audible. L. 2. GConnor springing to
his feet and leaning towards Chamber
lain shouted Judas" SO loudly it was
heard throughout the house. The rest
Of the lrishmen took up the cry and for
half a minute shouted Judas in O.
chorus.
When the clock struck ten Chair
man Mellor tried to put the closure
but his voice could not be heard. Then
he gave the customary directions but
several conservatives shouted he must
first call OComor to order for calling
Chamberlain names.
MellOr protested that he hadn't
heard the epithets in question. Then
everybody started for the front bench,
the uionists shouting gag" Others
struggled in the aisles or between
benches with radical, liberal or Irish
antag onists.
John Logan, liberal, ran down to the.
first opposition bench and began up
brading Edward Carson, tory. Wynd-
ham and Fisher jumped to Carson's,
assistance, seized Logan by the neck,
threw him to the floor head first and.
bundled him under a bench.
Somebody smashed Tim Healy's
high hat over his eyes and as soon as
Tim got it off he jumped into the isle
in Il fighting posture just as Hamburg
was trying to get past. Hamburg was
knocked over Il bench by the force OF
the collision. A free fight then broke
out at the gangway, lead by William
Redmon, Parnellite, who pushed over
Col. Sanderson, champion of the us
terites. SandersOn was rescued and
headed the attack on the Palnellites.
Blows were struck right and left. The
whole space between the front benches
was filed with a struggling, cursing
mass of members, striking, clawiDg
and upsetting each other. The scar
gents at arms were pOwerless. Finally
Gladstone begged Edward MajOribanks,.
a sturdy liberal, to help stop the affair.
Majoribanks dug his way through the
belligerents and by dint of repeated
appeals in the name of the premier,
succeeding in stemming the conflict.
Col. SandersOn emerged first from
the crowd of fighters, holding bunch
of keys to his black eye. Others fol-
lowed in more or less damaged con-
ditions.
Just as peace was restored the door
leading to the lobby opened and an
irresistible member who had heard OF
the fight came rushing in, leaping over
benches in his eagerness to get into
the melee. He was quickly seized by
a seargant-at-arms.
Gladstone sat upright had surveyed
the whole scene with an infamed face
and an expression Of sorrow, 1ndigna-
ton and establishment which will never
be effaced from the minds of those who
viewed him.
Chairman Mellor sent for Speaker
Peel and when that gentleman arrived
several conservatives pointed to Glad,
stone and exclaimed: There sits the
author of it all"
Gladstone said he regretted that
neither his eyes nor ears enabled him
to give a very clear account of the at
fair He expressed the opinion that a
division should be taken before the
Judas incident was considered.
Balfour told his side of the story
as related by his men, be having been,
absent when the row occurred. Speak
er Peel decided that the expression al
legged to have been used was the or
iginal cause of disorder. He felt GER
tain that it was used in the heat of the
moment and if the gentleman were to
say that he regretted it, it would be
his the speakers duty to take no
further notice of the affair.
O'Connor then apoligiZed to the
speaker The speaker said the apology
was ample and hoped the house would
now proceed to business in manner
to do honor to its traditions. This
was received with cheers but as soon
as they subsidized Col Sandelson rose
and recounted excitedly how Eugene
Crien, anti-Parnellite, hit him in the
eye Tim Harrington shouted that he
saw Sanderson hit several members
before Crien struck him.
The uproar began again and another
riot was threatened but the speaker
succeeded in subsiding it.
Then Mellor resumed the chair and
various remaining clauses of the home
rule bill were carried. When the COM
mittee rose and Chairman Mellor re-
ported to Speaker Peel the home rule
bill as amended in the committee
! md 0,1fh