The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-03
SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 8, 1894.

mat 3 because there are more OF you,
suggested Mr.. Grout
Meredith.
That's because you were on the wrong
side suggested Mr.. Johnson, of Indiana.
Whether a man Is a patriot or rebel
retortec Mr.. Meredith, depends upon the
whom defeat makes a rebel of. This was
the case in 1776." Mr.. Meredith went on to
cite cases which. he said. made him believe
that there were hundreds and thousands
OF fraudulent pensioners on the rolls. Dur
ing the progress of his speech he denounced
the Republicans for refusing to vote when
the seigniorage bin was up.
Reed.
,,5 IF they had put me in the chair" re-
istered TO you your own medicine. / would
have counted you" Republican applause.)
II am glad to find there is one man of
some sense on that side" retorted Mr..
Reed. Qaughter)
Later, in referring to some cases in his
said that only negroes got pensions in his
country.
THAT is because they were the only peo-
pie who We're loyal said Mr.. Baker. of
New Hampshire.
According to your idea Of loyalty" re-
piled MIR. Meredith, there were no loyal
men in my country. and | am proud of it,
MEREDITH SHAKES HIS FIST.
Toward the end of Mr.. Meredith's speach
most exciting scene occurred, which al
most eventuated in personal collision be-
tween him and Mr.. Funk. Mr.. Meredith
was still talking about fraudulent pensions
and was having an animated alteration
with Mr.. Baker, of New Hampshire, over
a case which had come under his Mere
dith's) personal observation, where Union
soldier was obtaining a pension for disabil-
ity which he CIeredith) claimed he did not
have. IF l can judge from the fact that
a man seems healthy and strong" he said,
disability, when / see him day by day and
week by week, and year by year, in my
/ say that 1 believe that he lied when he
went before the officials and swore that
he had been crippled in the army"
II want to say if the gentleman is hon
est, interrupted Mr.. Funk, an Illinois Re
publican rising in his place, land is stat
ing what he believes to be true, that If
proper authorities he is not good citi-
II want to say this" returned Mr.. Mere
dith hotly, that If the gentleman under
takes 10 insinuate that l am dishonest, if
the gentleman undertakes to"
Without completing his sentence Mr.. Mer-
edith left his place to the right of the
Speakers chair and hurried over to where
Mr.. Funk was standing in side aisle to
the left.
81 did not say So" protested Mr. Funk,
as Mr.. Meredith advanced toward him in
threatening manner.
You had better not say So" returned HIr.
Meredith, still advancing up the aisle
A personal encounter was imminent.
Members crowded down about the belliger-
ents amid the most intense excitement and
confusion. They were both talking at the
same time. Finally Mr.. Meredith clinched
his fist and shook it under the nose of his
adversary. BY this time, Mr. Funk, who
had previously displayed feeling, shouted
out something about standing by what he
had said. Mr.. Meredith again assumed a
threatening posture, but the members who
had crowded around gently took him by
the shoulders, as if to prevent blow from
heiDp stT1lck
All this time Mr.. Cultivate. who was pre-
siding on the committee of the whole, was
pounding vigorously for order, but without
effect, and Speaker Crisp, who had been
hurriedly sent for, mounted the rostrum
and assumed the gavel. as he is allowed,
under the rules, TO do when tho House is
in committee of the whole, In times of great
disorder
keeper" shouted Mr. Meredith, as he was
backed down the aisle by his friends.
II stand by that proposition" shouted
back Mr.. Funk, who was held on one side
by Mr.. Doolittle and on the, other by, Mr..
Payne "either here or anywhere else"
A few sharp raps or the Speakers gavel
produced a measure OF quiet. The House
1.-The sergeant-at-arms wiz cause the gen
tlemen to be seated" said the Speaker In
firm tones. Every, gentleman viii be
The assistant sergeant-at-arms rapidly
cleared the aisles and the members resumed
their seats The excitement Gained. Mr.;
After order had been restored Mr.. Mere
dith arose and protested, amid laughter.
that he was not excited, but that gentle
men could hardly do here what they mlSht
do elsewhere. With this parting snot ne
closed his speech and Immediately the
House which was at high tension, on mo.
ton of Mr. Sayres, took a recess untli
O'Clock the evening session 10 pe ueVoteu
to pension legislation.
ACTION ON PRIVATE BILLS.
There were forty-two members present
when the House met at o'clock for con-
sderation of private pension bills. Tn
first bill taken up was to increase the pen
sion of Addison NJ Cofens rom $40 to $40
per month. On objection from Kilgore it
was passed over and bill to pension
Ambrose Gierburt late of Company X,
Thirty-third Missouri militia, was taken up
and favorably reported.
The next bill was to pension Guy w. GlD-
son. the blind son of Daniel Gibson, late
of Company I, One-hundred-a -and-twenty-
fifth Illinois Infantry. The champion Oh
was favorably reported. as was the next,
a bill to increase the pension OF John
Scott late sergeant of Company II, IWeltth
Ohio Infantry. The next was 10 increase
the pension of John Stockwell late of Com
pany K, Sixty-seventh Illinois Infantry,
from $16 to $50. Mr.. Stallngs, of Alabama,
objected to this bill and it was passed over.
The next bill granted pension 10 hiram
r. Rhea. 1t was favorably reported. and
also a Dill 10 grant d peilSloh Io EAINAOeUi
The following bills were also fayorably
repOrted To remove the charge of deSer-
tion against John w. Wacker; to pension
Joel A. Walters, Eliza b. Pierce, John b.
Phipps and other minor children of Alfred
twentieth Maryland Infantry; Hanna II.
Lyons daughter of John Russell, late
private in the famous Glover Marblehead
command in the revolutionary war; TO re-
move the charge of desertion against Simon
Rice Maryland volunteer.
The last bill to come up was one to grant
a pension of 800 a month 10 Martha A.
Hitchcock, the widow of Major General
Hitchcock. 1t was opposed by Mr.. Turner,
of Georgia, on the ground that she was
woman of property entitled to no relief
under the general pension laws, Mr.. Taw-
ney, of Minnesota, championed Mrs. Hitch
cocks cause, claiming that the widow of
General Hitchcock should be on the same
cock He said Mrs. Hitchcock was now in
reduced circumstances and was keeping
boarderS to maintain herself in the city.
The committee then rose, but without Vot-
ing on the bills reported The House then
adjourned.
Why Not Adopt Reeds Rules:
WASHINGTON, March 2.-The call for
Democratic House caucus TO strengthen the
rules discloses a formidable array of sig
natures of leading Democratic members
of the House 1t is a result OF the delays
and disorderly scenes which have marked
recent legislation, and indicates that very
considerable proportion of the majority in
the House faVOrS a strong rule to secure
n quorum and to suppress future delay
and confusion. Chairman Holman viii call
night.