Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-03-11
GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
DISGRACEFUL PROCEEDINGS
YESTERDAY IN THE
HOUSE.

HOUSE.
Senate Substitute for Lease Bill
Creates Row: Bill Changing
Name of Insane AsyIums
Passed: John r Smith
Takes Charge of the Peniten-
tiary.
Raleigh, March 5.-At noon
Sutton of Cumberland, asked to
have called up the resolution ask
ing the Supreme Court to give to-
morrow an opinion in the matter
of the lease of the North Carolina
Railroad. Blackburn raised the
point that the hour for the special
order had arrived, this being the
Senate substitute. Sutton, of Cum
berland, said he wanted delay.
Blackburn moved that the House
concur in the Senate substitute.
The confusion was great. Twenty
men were on the floor at once, all
shouting. Sutton moved that the
special order be postponed until
the resolution was disposed of.
Blackburn said the resolution was
not before the House; that no res-
olution could come before it save
by consent. A vote was demand
cd on motion to adjourn until
3 O'Clock. The Speaker Cook in
the chair) declared the House had
adjourned. Blackburn appealed
from the decision of the chair and
the question was called. A scene
followed never seen in the State
before. Cook stepped down. A
motion was made that Freeman
(Republican) take the chair as
Speaker pro tenn. Cook left the
hall. Lusk rushed to the front
as Freeman took the chair and
said: 81 protest; this is treason;
this is revolution. DR.. Alexan-
der said, "You come down out of
that chair. 30 The excitement was
intense. The two factions roared
at each other. H. A. Gudger said,
'sLet us all adjourn until 3
o'clock Claud Dockery said,
'sWe will settle this Question at
this time, but fairly, and l
protest against the revolution
ary business. - Blackburn STEP
ped on a chair and cried out,
"Give US fair play. We protest
against gag law" DR.. Alexander
shook his fist in Freeman's face
and cried out, Come down from
there, you usurper. The SEN
ators thinking that there was a
riot in the hall left their seats
and poured in. The galleries
were packed with excited peo-
pie. The whole floor was covered
with a bowling mob. It was
1912 when Freeman left the
Speakers desk, saying: well,
boys, let's all leave" H. A.
Gudger leaned beside him and
adjourned the House. Freeman
said, Don't get excited over
this small matter. The journal
shows we have adjourned to 3
o'clock" There were cries that
Freeman ought to be impeached
There were shouts that Cook
ought to be impeached SCme
cursed Cook for ignoring the
demand for division on the vole
on adjournment. Cooks sup>
porters said he had a right to
declare the House adjourned.
Spe ,ker Hileman was very
hoarse, and was, during the
scene, sitting beside the chairs
man. It was declared by those
who were denouncing Cook that
the latter knew the supporters
of the substitute had beaten in
the fight.
The Senate tonight took up
the bill changing the name of the
three insane asylums and provid-
ing for new directorates. This is
the bill which passed the House
and which Senator Person (col-
ored) has held up because the Re-
publicans refused to appoint
negro directors. Person offer>
ed amendment after amend
ment. One was that no member of
the Legislature should be allowed
to be an officer or director in
the asylum. The vote was a tie
and the Lieutenant Governor
voted no. When the bill, as it
passed the House, came up for
passage there were 25 yeas and 25
nays. The Lieutenant Governor
voted aye. The bill passed. Per-
son was disappointed and mad
because Henderson, the other ne
gro Senator, voted against him.
Whedbee and Person were the
only Republicans who voted
against the bill.
John r. Smith takes proses-
sion of the penitettiary in the
morning. Senator McCasky is to
be superintendent of the Weldon
farm and Renihardt of the Anson
farm.
Raleigh, March 6.-House-
Bills passed to establish a dispen-
sary at Rutherfordton; to es>