The morning call., 1894-03-03
BUT THEY STRIKE NO BLOWS.
Meredith Expresses His Opinion
of Pensions.
THEY ARE DEFENDED BY FUNK,
Members of the House Crowd Around
to See the Fun, but They
Are Disappointed.


has been before Congress several sessions
tor opening to settlement certain aban-
uoned military reservations was taken up
In the House to-day after some business of
minor importance and passed.
Galusha a. Grow, the newly elected
Congressman at large from Pennsylvania,
was sworn in. Judge Holman introduced
Grow in a feicitous speech, and burst of
applause greeted the new Representative
as he stepped down the aisle to the bar of
the House.
Boatner asked unanimous consent for
the consideration of the resolution to in
vestigate the action of Judge Jenkins In
granting the injunction against the en-
ployes of the Northern Pacific Railroad.
Kilgore objec ed. aud the House went into
the committee of the whole for the consd-
Grafton of the fortiications appropriation
bill. Livingston. who was In charge of the
bill, explained that the total sum carried
by the bill was 81, 219,654 Upon an esti-
mate of 81. 43S. .413. the Notifications bill in
the Fifty-first Congress carried 81, 232, 935.
Bingham in behalf of the minority said
that he had no objections to the bill itself
but its de laratioa of depleted treasury.
The general debate closed ana the bill was
then read by paragraphs. Two minor
amendments were adopted and the bill
finally passed.
The House wen back into committee of
The whole for the consideration of the pen
sion appropriation bill. O'Neil of Massa-
chusetts. who was in charge of the meas
ure, explained that the bill carried for the
fiscal year ending June. 1885, S14, ,519. $50
less than the bill passed last year. The
original estimate for the coming fiscal
year was S162, 100000 bur later it had been
revised and cut down by Commissioner
Lochren.
O'Neil argued that the point OF ma ximum
pensions appropriations had been passed,
and that hereafter there would be mate
rial reduction in the amount needed for
pensions, and he stoutly defended Com
missioner LuchreD. Groate of Vermont
followed with an assault on Commissioner
Lochren's action in the wholesale suspen-
sion of pensioners. Meredith, Virginia
Democrat, made a sensational speech pro-
testing in the name of State that paid
three times as much for pensions as Yer
mont against making the pension rolls a
roll of dishonOr. Toward the end OF
Meredith's speech a most exciting scene
occurred, which almost eyeDtuated in a
personal collision between him and Funk
of Illinois.
Meredith was still talking about fraudu-
lent pensions. and said "lf l can judge
from the fact that man seems healthy
and strong, and yet gets a pension by
reason of some disability. ] say that be-
lieve that man lied when he swore he had
been crippled in the army"
81, al
honest" interrupted Funk (R) from IL
linois. land stating what he believes to be
true, that if he does not make that case
known TO the proper authorities he is not
good citizen"
II want TO say this" returned Meredith,
hotly, that if the gentleman undertakes
to in sinuate that / am dishonest-if the
gentleman undertakes to insinuate that |
am dishonest-if the gentleman under
takes to" and without completing his
sentence Meredith left his place and hur-
ried over to where Funk was standing.
81 did not say So" protested Funk as
Meredith advanced toward him in threat
ening manner.
you had better not say So" returned
Mereditb, still advancing mp the aisle A
personal encounter seemed imminent. The
mem bers crowded down about the belig-
erents amid the most intense excitement
and confusion. Finally Meredith clenched
his fist and shook 1t under the nose of his
adversary. By this time Funk. who had
previously displayed no feeling, shouted
out something about standing by what he
had said. Meredith again assumed
threatening posture, but the members
around took him by the shoulders as il to
prevent blow being struck.
All this time, Cultivate, who was pre-
siding, was pounding vigorously for order.
but without any rerceptible effect, and
Speaker Crisp, who had been hurriedly
sent for. mounted the rostrum and as
sumed the gavel.
II undertake to say that you are not nv
keeper" shouted Meredith as he was
backed down the aisle by his friends.
81 stand by my proposition" Funk
shouted back, he being held on one side by
Doolittle and on the other by Payne,
''either here or anywhere else"
THE sergeant at arms will cause the
gentlemen to be seated" said the Spe aker,
The assistant sergeant-at-arms rapidly
cleared the aisles ana the mem bers re-
sumed their seats.