Newport weekly independent., 1902-02-21
FISTICUFFS IN THE SENATE.
Difgraceful Scene in Which Two South Carolina Senators Par
 ticipated.

Washington, Feb. 23. --Washington's birthday was signalized in the United 'otates senate by fist fight. The oay set apart by the nation to afford the American people opportunity to pay htting tribute to the memory of the flrst president was the occasion oI one of the most sensational scenes ever enacted in the senate chamber. |
 me two senators from South Car | oilna were the active participants in ne affray. Mir. Tillman, in the lpSlrse of a speech upon the Philip tio1s tariff bill, made serious reflec- Mir. Mon the honor of his colleague. that hisSurin. In brief, he charged | fication ose in support of the rati- been cast thhe treaty of Paris had proper infueneh the exercise of inn
 His statementM
 colloquy between In developed in a CT (Wis.). Mr. Tillns d MT. Spoon clined to mention nanleAS first de- the Wisconsin senator re1rtlt when that he owed it to himse1fed him senate and to the country, to@, the the man." Mir. Tillman indicatedN,ae he referred to his colleague fro> South Carolina. Little imaginging that his words were likely to be pro- phetic, Mir. Spooner remarked sen tentiously:
 T will leave the senator to fight that out with his colleague"
 McLaurin was not in the chamber at the time, being engaged in com mittee work, but he was sent for, and appeared just as Mir. Tillman concluded his speech.
 Pale as ashes, MT. McLaurin arose to address the senate, speaking to a question of personal privilege. He reviewed Mir. Tillman's charge briefly, and then denounced the statement made by his colleague as 'wilful malicious and deliberate 1ie'' ], Scarcely had the portentuous words fallen from his lips, when Mir. Tillman, sitting a few seats from him, with Mir. Teller (Col) between them, sprung at him. McLaurin, who had half turned toward Tillman, met him half way, and in an instant the two senators, having swept MT. Tel Ter aside, were engaged in q rough and-tumble fight. MT. McLaurin re- ceiyed a heavy blow on the forehead, while MT. Tillman got a bad punch on the nose, which brought blood. Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Layton csr11 I a<1ye. 4 T., T arate the combatants, and himself received several blows. He got Ic- tween them finally, and by main strength wrenched them apart.
 Senators Warren (Wyo.) and Scott (W. Va.), two of the most powerful men in the senate, leaped to his as- sistance, and, pinioning the arms of the belligerent senators, forced them to their seats.
 Intense excitement prevailed in the senate and the galleries which were thronged with people who had been attracted by the spirited debate. Everybody was on his feet Not a word, however, was spoken. Sem ators stood about the chamber for the moment quite helpless and pale to the lips. Finally, order was re- stored partially, and in the midst of intense excitement the senate went into secret legislative session.
 For two hours the senate dis cussed the event behind closed doors. When the doors were opened it was made known that both of the South Carolina senators, by unanimous vote, had been been declared to be in contempt of the senate. They were permitted, by vote of the senate, to make apologies to the senate. Their statements were listened to by both the senators and the people in the galleries with breathless interest. Senator Tillman left the capitalwhen adjournment was taken for recess, and did not return for the night ses- sion. Senator McLaurin was in the chamber about eight o'clock, but left early. Neither senator, when seen at his home, would make a state ment.