Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-02

with a member named Stanley. They
struck at each other with the bare fists
and we're soon wrapped up with each other
like the Kilkenny cats. Governor Gilmer
Of Virginia, who was afterward in Tyler's
cabinet, yelled for order. which only put
the house in a further uproar. In q minute
there was a general riot and everybody
seemed anxious to either take a rand OF
get out Of the building.
Him tried to separate the chief COM
batants by jumping on a desk above them
and then jumping down upon their backs
as they struggled in the aisle. General
Dawson Of Louisiana thought to make
merry by pulling a big bowie knife from
the back of his neck, where he had long
carried It in anticipation Of an attack.
General Butler didn't know Just what side
be was fighting on, but decided that he had
to fight somebody, and turned on Arnold,
an inoffensive member from Tennessee. Ar
mold had said nothing and was enjoying the
fun when Butler began choking him in a
death grip.
Big. burly Dixon Lewis OF Alabama was
quietly reading at his desk when he saw
the choking of Arnold, and at once grabbed
them both. Lewis was a man of wonder
full strength and he held both men apart
at arms length in a terrible grip and then
demanded: What In hill is all this
about?'
When order was restored no one knew
Just what the fuss was about and there
was no duel, as the affair had developed SO
many ridiculous features.
During the twenty-eighth congress
Speaker White and Congressman Rathbur
had a few words which led to an exchange
Of blows, and when other members were
trying to break them apart a crazy mar
outside fired a pistol. Then there was in
tense excitement. Members of congress
we're generally armed in those days and the
report spread that one Of the fighting con.
gressmen had drawn a pistol. Several old
fashioned revolvers smelled the atmosphere
for a few moments, until the real shooter
was detected and hustled away to prison.
A General Mixup.
During the discussion of the Kansas trou.
bles in the house near the time Of the as.
sault on Sumner Congressman Keitt
figured in another personal encounter. Il
was after a midnight session that Grow o.
Pennsylvania, a member Of the present
house, visited the democratic side of tn,
house to confer with some friends. Keitt
objected TO Crows presence on the demo-
cratic or South Carolina corner and re
marked, G back to your own side of The
hall" This angered Grow, who, replied
This hall is free to any member and
will stay where l please"
Keitt got up, came up close to Grow
and demanded: What do you mean by sucl
an answer"
Grow repeated his remark and Keitt re
piled:
you are a black republican puppy"
Never mind" said Grow. 81 shall oc
cupy whatever place 1 please in this hal
and no negro driver shall crack his Will
over me-"
The talk could not but bring about al
encounter. Keitt grabbed for Grow.
throat like an Infatuated bloodhound. Grov
was a young man then, and he struck Keit
In the face. The southern members rushed
to Keitt's assistance, and both Washburn,
brothers came to help Grow. There wa
the l~iveliest kind Of a rumpus for severa
minutes, and several blows were strucI
which were not soon forgotten. Barksdal
Of Mississippi, who wanted to be peace
maker. was misunderstood and received
glow from Potter, a friend Of Grow. The
Barksdaie. thinking that Elihu washburn
was the aggressor. turned and gave Elihi
a fearful blow. Cadwallader washburn
came to the rescue OF his brother and CAV
Barksdaie q few blows, one of whic
knocked on his wig. Barksdale hastily pu
it IN again. wrong side foremost. and tn
whole crowd quit fighting TO laugh at hi
odd appearance. This broke up the rum
pus In fairly good humor. Afterward Ga
lusha Grow was invited to fight a duel b
Congressman Branch Of North Carolins
Some warm words had passed In debat
and Branch wanted to fight with pistol
When he failed to maintain himself wit
real argument on the floor of the houa
Grow replied to the challenge, declining
2 light a duel, which was against the la
and a crime. Branch did not press tn
: matter and there was no further attemI
to force Grow into mortal combat.
There have probably>oeen nearly a scol
0 Of physical encounters in the house in I'll
. last thirty years. To recur only to III
more recent ones, there was the ana
when Samuel ]. Randall Of PennsylvanI
. struck a fellow member, and another wht
: Colonel W. r. Morrison pulled an opp
: nent's whiskers. During the Ftftieth col
! gress johnson Of Indiana and Turpin
: Alabama struck at each other several time
and there was a grand melee. In the FIT,
first congress Wilson OF Washington struC
= Burgan Of New jersey. In the Flfty-thiI
congress, as lately as 1895, Breckinridi
Of Kentucky assaulted Heard Of Nilsson
on the floor because Heard called him
liar. Since then the only lively episode
= congress was the battle between Mr.. Nom
of Mississippi and Mr.. Hall of Missouri,
which they threw inkstands at each othe
: : Mr.. Money receiving q wound in the hei
that had to be sewed up. But that to'
!, place in a committee room.
d