The record-union., 1893-07-28
A FREE FIGHT ENGAGED IN BY THE
MEMBERS.
Sergeants-at-Arms Powerless to Sub
due the Struggling Mass Who Were
Striking, CIawing and Upsetting
House Finally Brought to Order by
Speaker Peel.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.

dCliteu III dTlldnGDIdTy history. Len
o'clock this evening was the hour set for
the closure debate III the committee on
the home rule bill. The early part OF the
evening was tame enough, being occu-
pied by obscure members.
At 9:45 o'clock Joseph Chamberlain
arose to deliver the final broadside of the
opposition. He was still smarting under
the lash administered by Gladstone on
Tuesday evening, and spoke with much
bitterness, giving his opinion of the
closure as applied by the Government.
lie was frequently interrupted by jeers
from the Irish and cheers from his own
side. After one period of interruption
he proceeded The Prime Minister
calls black and his adherents say it is
good. He calls white and they say it is
better. 1t is always the voice of god.
Never since the time of Herod has there
been such-''
Chamberlain got no further, for with
his half-tinished reference to Herod 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 inaudible.
L. p. O'Connor sprang to his feet, and,
leaning toward Chamberlain. shouted
''Judasr' so loud that it was heard
throughout the House The rest of the
Irishmen took up the cry, and for half a
minute shouted Judas" in a chorus.
When the clock struck 10 Chairman
Meilor tried to put the closure, but his
VIZ ,nI,1I ,a nd In
the customary directions, but several
Conservatives shouted that he must first
call O'Connor to order Of calling Cham
berlain names.-Mellor protested that he
had not heard the epithets in question.
Then everybody started for the front
bench, the Unionists shouting "Gag."
Others struggled in the aisles or between
the benches with Radical, Liberal or Irish
antagonists. John Logan. Liberal, ran
down to the first opposition bench and
began upbraiding Edward Carson, Tory.
Wyndham and Fisher jumped to Car
sons assistance, seized Logan by the
neck, threw him to the floor head first,
and bundled him under bench.
Somebody smashed Tim Healy's high
hat over his eyes, and as soon as Tim got
it off he jumped into the aisle in fighting
posture just as Hanbury was trying to
get past. Hanbury was knocked over a
bench by the force Of the collision.
a free fight then broke out at the gang
way, led by William Redmond, Parnell-
ite, who pushed over Colonel Sanderson,
champion of the Ulsterites. Sanderson
was rescued, and headed an attack on the
r,f, Ill
left. The whole space between the front
benches was filled with a struggling,
cursing mass of members striking, claw
ing and upsetting each other. The Ser
geants-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, succeeded in stemming the con-
flict.
Colonel Sanderson emerged first from
the crowd of fighters, holding a bunch of
keys to his black eye. Others followed in
more or less damaged condition.
Just as peace was restored, the door
leading to the lobby opened and the re-
doubtable DR.. Tanner, who had lust
heard of the fight, came rushing in, leap
ing over benches in his eagerness to get
into the melee. He was quickly seized by
the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Gladstone, sitting upright, had sur
veyed the whole scene with an inf1amed
face and expression of sorrow, indigna-
ton and astonishment which will never
be eflaced from the minds of those who
viewed him.
Chairman Mellor sent for Speaker Peel.
and when that gentleman arrived several
Conservatives pointed to Gladstone and
exclaimed: There sits the author of it
ALL" Absolute quiet was restored as
Speaker Peel, stern and dignified, took
the chair. Gibbs made complaint about
Chamberlain being called Judas by
O'Connor. The Speaker asked O'Connor
if he had used the term. Tim Healy in
terposed to ask if no attention was to be
paid to the refusal of mem bers to enter
the lobbies for division. Finally the
Speaker appealed to the party leaders to
tell him what had occurred.
Gladstone said he regretted that neither
his eyes nor his ears enabled him to give
very clear account of the affair. He
then gravely described the events as re-
counted to him by his lieutenants, and
expressed the opinion that a division
should be taken before the Judas" Incl
dent was considered.
Balfour told his side of the story as re-
lated by his men, he having been absent
when the row occurred.
Speaker Peel decided that the express
sion alleged to have been used was the
original cause of the disorder. He felt
certain that it was used in the heat and
irritation of the momsnt. and if the gen
tleman were to say that he regretted it,
it would be his the Speaker's) duty to
take no further notice Of the affair.
O'Connor then apologized to the
Speaker 'for any words | used that con-
tributed to bring about this most regret
able state of affairs"
The Speaker said the apology was
ample, and hoped the house would now
proceed to business in a manner to do
honor to its traditions. This was re-
ceived with cheers, but as soon as they
had subsided Colonel Sanderson rose and
recounted excitedly how Eugene Cream,
an anti-Parnellite. hit him in the eve.
II 49,