Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-02-27

was partially spent upon McIlaurin's
arms, which he raised in an effort to
parry the blow.
Instantly McLau1in's right arm shot
out blow, landing upon Tillman's
face, apparently upon the nose. Again
Tillman struck frantically, this time
with his left hand. The blow did not
land upon McLaurfn. Then followed
a wild scrimmage, both senators
clutching at each other ma0ly.
Senators Warren and Scott, both Of
whom are powerful men, rushed to-
them. Assistant Sergeant at Arms
ward the combatants to separate
Layton sprang over the desks in his
efforts to reach the belligerent sena-
tors. Just as he seized McLaurin,
Tillman aimed a left-handed blow at
his colleague which struck Layton in
the face Fortunately the blow was
glancing and did no special harm.
Layton tore them apart Both sena-
tors were still strIhng wildly at each
other. some of the blows landing up
on Layton
An instant later the angry sena-
tors were pinioned in the arms of
Senators Scott and Warren. They
were dragged further apart although
they still made Intellectual efforts TO
| get at each other. Finally they were
forced into their seats. Senator Nc
Laurin, although pale seemed to be
the calmer of the two Senator Till
man was as white as a sheet AS he
sat down he drew a handkerchief and
| wiped from his face blood that seem
| lngiy flowed from his nose. During
the light the senator's ali over the
| chamber We're on their feet. Not a
| word, however. was spoken. me
senate never in its history had re-
| ceived such shock. President Pro
Tenn. Frye was the first to regain COM
posture and directed the senate to be
in order Senator Pritchard of North
Carolina decided TO address the SEN
| ate on the pending Philippine bill
and, calling for the attention of the
chair said:
eff the senator from South Carolina
| (McLaurinO has concluded"
He was interrupted by McLaurin,
| who said calmly: Il will now pro-
coed with my remarks which were 50
unceremoniously interrupted
Il call the senator from South Caro-
lima to order" interrupted Senator
Teller.
Which one of the senators?" in
quired McLaurin.
This one said Teller indicating
| McLaurin, land the other one too, for
that matter"
| On motion of Senator Foraker, at
| $50 the doors were closed and the
| senate went into executive session.
The proceedings after the doors were
closed covered almost two hours time
| and resulted in the adoption of a reso-
luton in the form of an order as fol-
lows:
| ordered that the two senators
from the state of South Carolina be
| declared in contempt of the senate on
| account of the personal encounter be-
| tween them this day in open session.
that the matter be referred to the
committee on privileges and elections
with instructions to report what &C
! ton be taken by the senate in regard
! thereto
! After considerable discussion as to
the right OF the South
Carolina senators to address
the senate while under the CON
| tempt order Senator blackburn
moved that they be given the floor
20 make any statement in their own
! way to the senate in recent session
! to purge themselves of contempt"
! The motion carried and Senator
! Tillman rose to address the senate
| He was calm and spoke deliberately.
| He said in part: $50 far as any &C
| ton of mine caused any senator here
or the senate as body or the people
of the United States to feel that /
have been derelict and that | have
not shown a proper observance of the.
| rules of this body, | regret it. I
| apologize for it. | was ready to do
that two minutes after | acted, but
under the provocation which is known
| to all of you l could not have acted
| otherwise than I did. While l apollo
| gize to the senate and am sorry it
occurred, l have nothing more to
say"
Senator McLaurin spoke with
greater feeling than had been mani
tested by his colleague He told the
senate how sorely he had been tried
by the accusations which had been
! made against him from time to time
He said:
Il did not realize that was in con-
tempt of the senate, nor 90 think
now mat my words, as read in the
record, will show that l was in con-
tempt of the senate, but at the same
| time, as the senate so ruled, I beg
| leave to apologize. There have been
| statements in the newspapers ana In
| situations that l had been Influenced
| by improper motives in connection
| with my vote on the Spanish treaty.
Knowing in my own soul, knowing as
| God in heaven also knows that it was
| false, when | was told that it was
centered down to me, I was so out
ragged by what I considered a most
brutal assault upon my honor as a
man and especially in view of the fact
that IN the beginning of the session,
after the action of my party asso-
ciates, I made a most careful and de-
liberate statement explaining all those
matters, I did not feel as a man that
ought ever hold my head up again
if l did not resent it in the place
where it was delivered in the strong
eSt and most fOrcihIp terms T couId