The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-03-23
TRAGEDIES OF THE CAPITOL
Deaths and Various Stirring Scenes Beneath
the Great Dome.

Deaths and Various Stirring Scenes Beneath
the Great Dome.
Not few tragedies have been enacted under
the shadow of the dome of the Capitol, remarks
the Washington Post. Deaths from natural
causes have made CONSERVATION during the
sitting of Congress- and several personal COM
bats have occurred between men, become in
furiated in debate, which, growing personal
and lot, caused them to forget that brute force
is not synonymous with reason.
In Statuary Hall is circular piece of brass
inscribed with the name of John Quincy Adams,
and the date Jan. 81, IS48. Il was ON that date
that the venerable ex-President fell down in
his place in the House of Representatives and
was carried to the Speakers room, where all
efforts to restore him failed. In saort time
he died.
More recently, Henry Wilson, then Vice
President was stricken down while bathing in
a Senate bathroom. He was removed to the
Vice Presidents room, where bed was put up,
and for 10 days he was attended by nurses and
physicians, when he died on Nov. %, 1875.
Perhaps the most disgraseful scene ever
enacted in the Capitol as the outcome of polit-
ieal debate was that in which Senator Charles
Sumner was attacked by Preston Smith Brooks,
then q Representative from South Carolina. A
hot debate had been going ON in 1856 on the
question of the admission of Kansas. Sumner
made stirring speech on THE Crime against
Kansas" He used very positive language in
relation to Senator Butler, of South Carolina.
Brooks was relative of Butler, and after be
heard of the Senator's remarks went over to
the Senate Chamber and going up to Senator
Sumner struck him violently with blndgeon
on the head. While Sunaner was struggling TO
get up Brooks continued striking blow after
blow, until the Senator fell to the floor, bleed
ing and seEseless The country was greatly
worked up over this seene. but the House re-
fused to give the two thirds votes necessary to
expel Brooks, who resigned, and was unani-
mously reelected by his constituents. 1t was
four years before Sumner could take his place
in the Senate, and when he did come back be
was still in weak condition.
Representatives Sparks and Weaver came 10
| blows in the lobby of the House number Of
years ago. the result of hot political debate.
One of the Nest painful scenes that ever oc.
| eurred in the Senate Chamber took place on
| March four years ago, when Senator Riddle
berger was bodily carried out of the hall by the
Sergeant at Arms under the order of the Presi-
| dent pro tempore. Riddleberger had insisted
| on interrupting tho proceedings. despite all
| that Senator ingalls,. who was presiding, could
do When the officers of the Senate carried the
| Senator from Virginia out of the room his
struggles to get free and his cries created com.
motion without parallel in that august body.
| In the first session Of the past Congress John
/ L. Wilson, of Washington, and Representative
| Beckwith passed blows that were harmless.
| About eight years ago an insane man went
| to the top of the dome and seizing an oppor.
/ tunity when no one was at bis side, jumped
| over tho railing. Hia body, crushed beyond
hopes of recognition, fell q distance of over 15C
| feet. lodging on the roof below.
| 1t is not strange that the Legislative battle
| ground of nearly a century should have in
stances of tragedies; the only wonder being
| that serious encounters between opposing lesis-
I fators have been so few.