The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-04-30
TWO CONGRESSMAN. FIGHT.
REPRESENTATIVE HALL AND
MONEY GO AT IT ROUGH AND
TUMBLE.
OCCURRED IN A COMMITTEE ROOM.
Mr.. Money Hit in the Head With an
Ink-stand by Mr.. Hall-Passing of
the Lie Started the Disgraceful
Affair.

Washington, April 23.-Cdngressman
Money Dem.) of Mississippi, senator
elect from that state, and Congressman
Hall DEM of Missouri had a personal
encounter in the committee room on
| naval affairs today, and it is said Mr..
Money was hit on the head with a chair.
Mr.. Money and Mr.. Hall are both men,
bers of the naval committee. The COM
mittee was not in session at the time of
the fracas.
Tom Coakley, the messenger of the
committee, who was standing at the door,
heard them talking very loud. They
were evidently both much aroused. Sud
denly Mr.. Coakley heard Mr.. Hall say:
''I'll allow no man to call me a liar" and
with the words, he planted his fist into
Mr.. Moneys face. Mr.. Hall is n man of
large statue, standing 6 feet 2, and
weighing $50 pounds. Mr.. Money is also
tall, but rather slender in build, and no
match for his opponent, physically.
The blow staggered the Mississippian.
Before Mr.. Money could recover him
self, Mr.. Hall grabbed large, glass ink
well from the table and hurled it at Mr..
Money. The latter. already dazed, could
not dodge the missile and it struck him
behind the ear, cutting an ugly cash.
Mr. Money fell back against the wall.
At this juncture, Mr.. Coakley, who had
been making his way toward the irate
dad l.1t
and prevented further onslaught.
Mr.. Hall was with difficulty repressed
from continuing the assault.
Mr.. Money stood against the wall,
faint from the loss of blood, which was
streaming down his neck from the
wound in his head. He was hurriedly
taken to Il committee room on the hoor
below, while Mr.. Hall walked calmly
along the corridor to the hall of the
house.
The blood from Moneys wound
dropped on the marble floor as he was
half carried down the steps. A great
crowd Immediately congregated, and
there was great excitement.
The details of the cause of the encoun-
ter were hard to obtain. Mr.. Hail. when
seen Immediately after the light, SAID
he did not desire to make statement.
st was q personal NATTER said he,
"and | do not desire 10 say anything:
| do not suppose Mr.. Money, either, VIII
dare to make Il statement.
Mr.. Money was taken to the commit
tee rooms on claims. wlGre his wounds
were dressed by physician. who had
been summoned. There were two cuts,
one lust back of the ear. about an inch
long, and the other further down the
neck. both made probably by the points
of the ink well. :,
Mr.. Money. like his adversary. said
he did not desire to make statement.
A friend of Mr.. Money. however, who
was an eye witness of the occurrence,
gave his version :,
"NIr. Money was in the ROOM said
this gentleman. Cooking over his mail.
when Mr. Hall entered and began dis
cussng a bill before the committee re-
lating to the rank of naval surgeons.
Mr.. Money took part in the discussion
and though his voice was pitched. as 1t
is usually in controversial tone, he was
in no wise excited. Mr.. Money made
a statement that the surgeons were after
both rank and command. No he
added, smilingly, I take that back; not
command, but rank
"'Any man who says that said Mr..
Hail. angrily, says what is not true,
"'You are a damn liar retorted MIR.
Money partly rising from his chair.
"NIr Money rose to his feet and Mr..
Hall grabbed an ink well and hurled it
at him. The blow behind the ear stag
gered him. :.
fist. Mr.. Money, though staggered, also
clutched an ink well and let it drive at
Mr.. Halls head, but the Missourian
lodged and the missile flew harmlessly
by and struck the wall opposite. Had
it struck Mr.. Hall, | believe it would
have Drained him. The two men then
made for each other. Both of them
made motions as if to draw their weap- |
ons. Mr.. Wilson of New York. a mem
Der of the naval committee, who was
present, with the messenger and clerk, |
then rushed between the men and pre- |
vented further trouble"
There were present in the committee
room, in addition to the two combat |
tants. Commodore Fithian and Repre-
sentatives Myer of Louisiana and Will |
son of New York, members of the COM
mttee.
The alteration was over Mr.. Wilson's |
bill for the reorganization of the per-
sonnet of the navy. An anonymous cir |
cular against the bill figured in the con-
troversy.
Mr.. Wilson says he was reading his |
mail and the conversation was partici- |
pated in by a spasmodic fashion by all |
about the table. He says according to |
his recollection that the row followed |
statement of Mr.. Halls to the effect |
that whoever made such statements as |
were made in the ciruclar made state |
ments which were not true.
Mr. Money thereupOn. according to Mr.. |
Wilson, looked up and said:
"Do you mean to say / am liarT
Mr.. Hall replied in a low tone.
Mr.. Wilson says he does not know ex
h.. I,,A 4l.A.
Mr. Money applied the epithet and the
row began. The ink well thrown by |
Mr.. Money, he said, narrowly escaped |
Mr. Halls head and passed over his
shoulder. When asked whether weap-
ons were drawn, he refused to affirm or
deny the statement made above by
friend of Mr.. Money.
Mr.. Money was conveyed to his hotel
by friends.
Mr.. Hall remained at the capitol. He
expressed regret for what had occurred,
but still declined to make statement.