Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-03-04
A SENSATIONAL AFFAIR.

Raleigh. n. c., Feb. 26.-J.
E. Alexan der. Private Secretary
to the Governor, and Senator
Hyatt, of Yancey, had a pers
sonal collision on the floor of the
Senate this morning in one of
the lobby rooms. Several wit
nesses state the Hyatt struck
Alexander several blows and
denounced him for trying to
offer him a hribe. Senator Hyatt
makes the following statement
of the affair: '"Alexander came to
me this morning and began talk
ing to me about the lease ques-
tion. We had quite little
friendly talk, lasting a quarter
of an hour, and Alexander at
tempted to persuade me to vote
to annul the lease. I explained to
him my position by stating that
1 bad received several petitions
from my people asking me to
use my influence in favor Of the
lease, and that as their repre-
sentative l would do as they
desired. Alexander then said the
Governor was going to take care
of his friends. and asked me if [
would accept a position if Offers
ed me | told him that. all things
considered. I would do so with
pleasure, if it was offered in the
proper manner Alexander then
left me, and appeared in good
humor In about half an hour he
returne d to the Senate chamber,
and beckoned to me. | left my
seat and went to him, and we
walked into one of the rooms in
the Senate chamber. On arriv-
ing there Alexander turned to
me and sal, that if would stand
by the Governor in the lease
question that Governor Russell
would appoint me secretary to
the Board of Agriculture at a
salary of 81. 500. AS he said this
I grabbed him by the lapel of the
coat with my left hand and struck
him on the neck with my right
hand. and followed up the blow
with several on the chest and
shoulders, and told him he was a
dirty, contemplate coward to
make me such proposition and, /,
that I looked upon it as an ins
famous insult. [ was so mad that
I would have hurt him badly but
for the fact that the Assistant
Sergeantsat-Arms and Repre-
sentative Aiken grabbed me and
came between US. They asked
me what was the matter and
told them that the ID coward
had tried to bribe me by offering
me position in the Agricultural
| Department for my vote on the
railroad lease question. [ con-
sidered this offer as a bribe Of the
lowest order and I resented the
insult by striking the cur who
made it. I consider my honor as
man dearer to me than any
position the Governor or his
allies can offer me. | denounce
the act as a piece of cowardly
business and in resenting the inr
J suit I have done what any true
North Carolina citizen woule
: have done. I will rise to-day
before the Senate and refer to tht
J matter as a personal privilege
and will see if the Governor car
J offer bribes to members of th'
;. Assembly with impunity. I d.
not come from district wher'
/ such acts would be tolerated.
i Secretary Alexander made ths
I following statement of the at
) fair: 4 was speaking to Hyatt
> about the lease hill and urgin'
. him to vote for the original bill
2 I said it is claimed that Feders
: patronage is being used to defea
: the lease bill. 1t is claimed tina
: no man who votes for the bil
e will be recognized in the distrib
e ution Of Federal patronage. Thi
) was the statement l intended t
: refute when I spoke to Hyat
g and said that the Governor was a
el able to take care of his friends
d as the Southern Railway was
: take care of theirs, whereupo
ol Hyatt said in a loud tone Of volt