The record-union., 1897-11-25
Showers Of Billingsgate and Insults Ey-
changed on All Sides.
"A Regular Pitched Battle With
f1sticuffs Between Young
Czechs and Poles and the Left
1sts-One Deputy Stabbed in
the Hand, Another Had His Coll
Iar-Bone Broken and a Third
Received a Scalp Wound.

VIENNA, Nov. 24.-The mem bers Of
the Lower House of the Reichsrath to-
day excelled themselves in producing
the most disgraceful scene yet wit
messed in that branch of Parliament
The turbulence resulted from Il motion
that only one of a number of similar
petitions against the ordinance max
ing the Czech language coordinate
with the German in Bohemia should be
read and printed. This order of the
Government has been the basis of many
uproarious scenes which have been de-
scrIbed in these dispatches for a num-
Der of weeks past, although the ques-
ton of rejecting the compact between
Austria and Hungary, Professionally. at
least, has been mixed up in all the bit
ter feeling manifested by the German
and anti-German elements.
The members of the Left party pro-
tested uproariously to-day against the
motion referred to, stigmatizing it as
oppressive and Illegal Finally the
members of the lower house became SO
disorderly that the President of that
body. DR.. Abrahamovich, was once
more compelled to suspend the sitting,
and he soon afterward left the House
The departure of President Abraham
ovlch was the signal for a scene of the
widest disorder. DR.. Wolff, the Ger
man Nationalist leader clambered up
into the Presidents tribune, seized a
heavy bell and swung it to and fro,
materially increasing the disorder pre-
vailing. The bell, however was almost
immediately wrenched from Dr. Wolff's
hands by DR.. Pollock. While this Incl
dent was in progress, challenges to
tight duels and showers of billingsgata
and other insults We're exchanged on all
sides. until the interior Of the House in
every way resembled an inferno.
a number of young Czechs and Poles
made rush for the Presidents tribune
and attempted to tear DR.. Wolff down
from the position which he occupied,
and they in turn were attacked by q
number of Leftists, and a disgracefuI
scrimmage was the result. This was
only the beginning of the fighting Dur
ing the preliminary scuffling some of
the young Czechs struck DR.. Wolff, and
this caused such an uproar that a reg
ular pitched battle with fisticuffs fol-
lowed, lasting for about a quarter of an
hour.
Herr Schoenerer, the leader of a sec
ton of the German opposition, caught
hold Of and brandished over his head
one of the Minister'S arm -chairs. and
was evidently about to hurl it at the
heads of his immediate opponents, when
he was seized and disarmed by Herr
Hagenhofer
BY this time the disorder was of such
a nature that even the public in the
galleries cried shame upon the fighting.
swearing and misunderstanding Depu-
ties.
Herr Wolff received the worst treat
ment. He was struck on the head a
dozen times. Blows rained upon his
face. the bell was thrown at him; his
clothing was torn. AS often as he got
up, he was knocked off his feet.
Suddenly, during the melee, a fierce
shrek was heard and knife was seen
flying toward the Leftists 1t fell upon
Gessoann, whose hand was wounded
1T was wrested from Herr Pfersche by
Herr Lemische. who threw it across
the heads of the Deputies.
Another scream rang through the
House. Herr Pfershe had been seized
by the throat Count vonderlile emp
tied glasses of water over the combat
ants with a view of separating them.
At this moment President Abraham-
vich returned to the House and amid
repeated and vain efforts to quell the
disorder prevailing, he closed the sit
ting of the House. He was greeted
with cries of Polish scoundrel," Swim
dler,' "blackguard," and "Badini
eunuch."
In disgust the President said: 'In
view of the acts Of violence which have
occurred in the House to-day, I consid-
er it my duty to close this sitting. Will
those members who are willing to give
me the names of the violent members
please come to my office?'
Several members of the House accept
ed the invitation of the President and
as a result IT is believed that Herr
Schonerer. Wolff and Pferche will be
arrested upon the charge of fighting in
public.
Count Badini, the Premier with a
sneer on his face. watched the combat
throughout.
Herr Wolff declared that he would
bring his revolver to the next sitting
One deputy was stabbed in the hand,
another had his collarbone broken and
a third received a severe scalp wound.