New-York tribune., 1902-07-01
SENATORS IN AN AFFRAY
BEVERIDGE ASSA ULTED BY
BAILEY.
INFURIATED BY AN ALLEGED INSULT,
THE TEXAN RESORTS TO
PHYSICAL VIOLENCE.
tBY rELraRArH TO THE TR1RuxE.I

tBY TRIRUSE.1
Washington. June 30.-As the result OF
sharp cOlloquy in the Senate This afternoon.
Senator Bailey of Texas, made a violent as
sault on Senator Beveridge. of Indiana. after
the Senate adjourned The affray occurred in
the Senate Chamber. Accounts of bystanders
and the participants differ as to details. Sena-
tor Bailey says he caught Senator Beveridge by
the throat with both hands, and was choking
him when he pulled off by Senators Spooner
and McComas and the assistant doorkeeper
Mr.. Layton. Senator Beveridge. though averse
to discussing the affair at all. which he laugh
ingly characterizes as too trivial an occurrence
to be talked about seriously" says the Texan
did not seize hin 5y the throat. AIR Layton
who standing close 10 Mr.. Bailey when the
assault made. agrees in the main with Mr.
Beveridge's statement to this detail OF the
affray. Senator's Spooner and McComas are un-
able to say whether or not Mr.. Bailey had Mr.
Beveridge by the throat when they pulled the
Texan away
The chamber was almost deserted at the time
Senators Hanna HnnsbrouSh. Spooner McCo-
mas and Bcveridge grouped in the centre
of the Republican side of the chamber Mr.
Beveridge was sitting at Mr.. Lodges desk. Back
of him were Messrs Hanna and Hansbrough
and in front of him Messrs. SpOoner and
MCComas. Mr.. Bacon. of Georgia. was the only
occupant Of the Democratic side OF the chamber
except Mr.. Bailey few minutes after the
Senate adjourned. which was about 630. Mr.
Bailey walked over TO where Mr.. Reveridge
sitting and demanded that he retract what
Mr. Bailey declared an insulting remark
Mr. Beveridge had made about him in the course
OF "A speech In which the Indiana Senator de-
Tended Judge Penheld. Solicitor Of the State
Department, from attack the Texan had
made on him at the opening of a speech charg-
ing the State Department with not having
shown proper diligence In dealing with accusa-
tions against Powell Clayton, Ambassador to
Mexico. MIR. Bailey and Mr.. Beveridge con-
vtrsed in low tones for fully five minutes, when
the other occupants OF the chamber were
startled to hear the Texan exclaim in angry
tones:
You VIII retract it I'll hurt you"
Mr.. BeVeridge then heard to say: Il have
done all I'm going to do about IT"
BAILEY SPRINGS AT BEVERIDGE
Then Mr.. Bailey sprang at the Indianian. who
is neither tall nor SO stout as the Texan. and
grabbed at his throat The impact tipped back
the chair in which Mr.. Beveridge was sitting,
and this circumstance doubtless. accounts for
the Texas Senator not getting firmer grip on
the Indiana Senator's throat Then. too, there
was a desk between them. which prevented Mr..
Bailey from getting closer TO Mr. Beveridge than
arms length. AS the table was tipped over. the
contents of a bottle of ink poured over
Mr. Beveridge's trousers and some of it got on
Mr. Baileys hands and coat sleeves.
Just at the most interesting juncture of the
SCRAP" Messrs Spooner McComas and Layton
seized Senator Bailey and pulled him back
Senator Beveridge from his chair, some
what besmeared with ink, and calmly walked
out of the chamber to his committee room. AS
the Indianian came up smiling the infuriated
Texan screamed something at him which Mr.
Beyeridge's friends say I'll kill you,' but
which Mr. Baileys friends say was TN make
you retract"
Senator Bailey frankly admitted tonight that
he did not know what he said TO Senator Bev-
eridge at this point
The combatants did not try to meet again
after they were separated, each going to his
hotel alone Mr. Bailey issued statement TO-
night of his side of the affair.
THE TEXANS STATEMENT.
Following is Senator Bailey's statement:
While of course, regret the necessity for the
occurrence do not regret the occurrence itself,
baceuse under my view of the matter no other
course was ouen TO When the offensive
sta ateuent was first made, | very politely asked
+bat n should be withdrawn. Instead or WITH
dra wing IT. the reply was that II would WITH
A. N, What 7 had said about others the offensive
tatement about me would be withdrawn. This
ronosition itself admitted the offensive char
Continued second page.