The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-06

Iemert Lewis of Clay. Lopp. Mcdowell.
Minnick Mitchell. Patton People, Poer,
Reeve. Robertson. Rock, Salisbury, Sal
mond. Sayre, Schermerhorn, Scifers.. Sher-
idan. Smith, Somers. Stookey. Suits, Tai
colt. Taylor. Van Fleet. Wellons. zollman.
Total IS.
During the noon intermission the sole
topic Of conversation among the represent
atives and senators was the dramatic en-
counter between the representatives from
Wabash and Miami. Most or those VINO
witnessed the affair were inclined TO believe
that there was really not as much Tragedy
as possibility for comedy In IT. and accord
tngly they fixed a scheme to turn the incl
dent into huge joke They called Chfef
Clerk Reagan and some of the reporters
into the conspiracy, fixed matters with the
speaker and at opportune time the joke
was sprung a the afternoon session. SLACK,
the minority floor leader, arose in his seat
to a question OF privilege and waved a pair
OF boxing gloves in each hand
TURNED INTO COMEDY.
ssMr Speaker" he said, "this morning we
were treated TO little argument between
two of the members on the majority side.
namely, Mr.. Sayre, OF Wabash, and Mr..
Statesman, of Miami. / feel that these
gentlemen have not as yet settled their
contention. and / desire very much that
when they come together they do so prop
erly equipped I therefore take great pleas
ure in presenting the venerable gentleman
from Wabash and the diplomatic gentleman
from Miami each with pair of boxing
gloves and invite them to the basement to
adjust their difficulties according to the
Queensberry rules"
The members of the House, with the pos
eible exception of the two men most IN
terested, greeted the presentation with
fowls and shouts of laughter. The APP
plause as pages took the gloves TO the bel
ligerents was deafening- Statesman and
Sayre were wholly unprepared for the JOKE,
and they were naturally somewhat dls-
comfited, but the House insisted that IL be
carried still farther. Boyd, of Putnam. was
recognized, and he nominated Slack as REL
for bottleholder. Stookey moved that the
rules be suspended and the fight pulled of
at once on the floor of the House, while
Decker moved that Veneer be called on to
berry rules. Slack got out his watch, di-
rected the fighters to take their corners and
called time
Through it all Sayre and Statesman kept
silent Had either made a move to join IN
the joke and laugh the thing off the other
would doubtless have met him more than
half way, but II. all came so suddenly that IT
seemed to he case of -.one's afeard and
the other dasn't.s Finally the speaker
himself called time on the hilarity. and the
House gradually subsidized to business.
As IL the offending bill could not cause
enough trouble in one day, Ii turned up in
the Senate late In the afternoon as having
passed the House, and the Senate was just
about 70 vote on concurring in the House
amendments when Statesman arrived on
the scene. why. that bill was killed in
the House this morning by forty votes" he
explained to President Gilbert, In dis
gusted tone. President Gilbert and Secre-
tary Hufson speedily found that Statesman
was risht-he had every reason to be re-
liably 'rformed-and an effort was made to
md out how the bill got over to the Senate,