Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-10

member of the banking and currency
committee of that session, and in
speech in the house Hatch charged that
there was not a member of that COM
mittee who was not the slave of, and
legislated at the dictation of, the ma
tional banks.
This made Hall fairly explode with
rage. He was on his feet in an instant
and shouted at the top of his voice:
so far as am concerned, denounce
that statement as absolutely false
The gentleman would not say that
outside of the house." responded Hatch.
I'VE shall see about that" said Hall.
Hatch had the reputation of being
known that Hall was a big chunk of an
mated dynamite. So 1t was expected
that there would be trouble and lots of
it. But the people who cherished these
expectations were disappointed.
After the house had adjourned Hall
went to the committee room of Hatch's
committee, on agriculture. He raped
at the door and Hatch, who was inside
with his clerk, called, Come in" Hall
opened the door and stood there.
II don't care to come in,' he said. "On
the floor of the house today 1 denounced
your statement that every member of the
banking and currency committee was
controlled by the national banks as false
SO far as it applied to me. You said that
l would not repeat the declaration out
| side of the house. l am here now to re-
| peat it, sir. Your statement, so far as
| 1t applies to me, Is an absolute lie."
| Hatch, who knew he was in the wrong,
| and whose reputation precludes any the
| DRY of cowardice, did not hesitate to
| apologize to Hall, who thens withdrew
| all statements concerning Hatch's verac-
lily. In fact, the two sat down and had
a very amiabe time indeed, and the first
| thing they did the next day was to ask
the speaker to expunge the colloquy from
| the house records.
A Breckenridge Squabble.
| At the time of the Pollard Breckenridge
scandal there were several narrow es-
| capes from duels. 1t was an embarrass-
| ing business for all hands, and it was
| supposed that Colonel Breckenridge and
his friends were on the lookout to make
| horrible example of any one who would
| affront the colonel or his connections.
John T. Heard, then congressman from
| Missouri, was one of the first to run
| against the keep off the grass sign.
| Heard and Mrs. Heard were dining at
| the Riggs house when Colonel and Mrs.
| Breckenridge entered the dining room.
| The laundering landlord seated the new
| couple at the same table with the Heards
| and the Missouri congressman promptly
| signaled to his wife and they left the
| room without completing their dinner.
| The why and wherefore of their depar-
! ture was patent to every one.
| No one expected immediate trouble,
| but they knew that at the first opportu-
| nifty Breckenridge would resent it. A
| short time after, in a house debate,
| Heard objected to Breckinridges possess
| sion of the floor, and the objection was
| sustained. Breckenridge rushed over to
| Heard's desk and tried to pummel him.
| Heard stood quietly while Breckenridge
| struggled in the grasp of number of
| peacemakers The only injury done was
| suffered by LATE Pence, who got thump
! on the nose from the fist of Breckenridge.
| LATE was one of the most jealous of
| peacemakers and suffered accordingly.
| Heard and Breckenridge apologized to
| the house and that was the end of 1t.
The enthusiasts, of course, thought 1t
| would mean a duel, and Heard's well
| known GOODNESS and equanimity made the
| gossipers pick him for the winner. One
Of these said of Heard at the time: HE
is very cool and very game. Indeed, the
| first time l saw John Heard some dis
| satisfied constituent was shooting at him
with a pistol. This was in the Sischer
hotel, in Sedalia, The fusillade came off
| in the hotel office and was quite unex-
| pected. After shooting at Heard two or
| three times his critical constituent SEEM
| ed to run short of ammunition and went
| away.
Heard, who was unarmed, had lodged
| the bullets in busy, interested way and
as soon as he was free organized himself
with pistol of his own. But the dis
| gruntled man never came back. 1 no.
| ticed however that Heard took it all i'll
| a spirit of admirable composure and ten
minutes later sat down at the dinner
| table and took his dinner without a
tremor."
An Historic Mix-Up.
The Fifty-second congress was enliven-
| ed by several rows, but they were all
| bloodless. Waugh of Indiana and Turpin
| of Alabama had historic mix-up be-
cause the latter said in a speech that
| there was a man from Indiana in the in
| terror department who attended the tele-
phone, yet drew a pension because his
| hearing was destroyed by the artillery
during the war. Waugh regarded this as
| fearful charge and promptly called
| Turpin liar. Both men started for one
another at the same time and met in
| front of the clerks desk. Here they went
| at 1t in royal style, while half a dozen
members Joined In to pacify them. Some
| of the peacemakers got hit accidentally,
| and to get even thumped some one else.
| Sherman Hoar of the Bay State got most
| of the blows. He seemed 10 be the unan-
| imous choice of all hands, and after he
| had been generously punched he was
| thrown headlong up the aisle.
All of which goes to show that dueling
| in Washington is over, and that men can
| achieve the reputation of being fire
| eater without danger and at bargain
GRANTLAND GRIEvE
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