Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05
between being ..gentIemanly tight

ference between being .sgentIemanly tight
and ''reeling drunk -
When it came to the question as ~
whether he had seen drunken members
debating grave Issues, Mr.. oates began
to make a statement.
Judge Cobb Mentioned.
"r heard some talk" he said, 'about
something of that kind. 1 do not hesitate
10 name the gentleman to when it referred.
because I have known him for many years,
and know him to be a member of the
church and above reproach refer TO
Judge Cobb of my state"
The mention of Judge Cobbs name ere
ated a sensation. 1t also threw everDouy
into great embarrassment as Judge CoDo
himself was in the room. He advanced
from the corner where he had been sitting
silent but an Interested listener, ana
stood before the members of the committee
who sat about a large oaken table. He
looked like a man in delicate health, ana
he was unusually pale. He treInbled WIS.,
IDLY, and grasped the back of a chair for
support. Nevertheless he said without
tremor of the voice and without the fiu..er
of an eyelid:
81 am panied to see that this investiga-
ton has taken the course it has, but per-
haps it is best that it has done so that my
name may be cleared of the shadow thrown
upon it. and after what has been said,
now ask that a full and fair investigation
be made. Mr.. Watson has thoughtlesSly
implicated me without just cause, and
want the matter sifted to the bottom
Col. Oates Cross-Examined.
The members of the committee protested
and said that they would not for one mo-
ment consider the charge as referring to
him, but Judge Cobb insisted upon the in
vestigation including his name, and there
was nothing to do but let the matter take
that course Colonel Oates then continued
his testimony, first paying a tribute to
Judge Cobbs character, and then contin-
ued his opinions upon the relative degrees
of drunkenness in which the following cele
brated cross-examination upon the ques
ton of when man is or is not drunk oc-
cured:
Representative Simpson-"You have form
ed a definite opinion as to relative degrees
of drunkenness From your observation
you seemed to think that a man can take
great deal of liquor and yet maintain an
appearance of sobriety?"
Mr. Oates-"That depends upon his carry
ing capacity. daughter.) Some men can
carry great deal more than Others" Gre
newed laughter)
Mr.. Simpson-"Had Judge Cobb taken so
much that he did not know what he was
doing?'
Mr.. Oates-'T do not think so. 1 saw
nothing out of the way. And not being ac-
customed to liquor, little would have af-
fected him."
when he has got down to the last point?"
Mr.. Oates-'That is what | have heard
called dead drunk
Mr.. Simpson-"This charge is termed
drunk and reeling.' Do you think that
Judge Cobb or any other member of the
House ever took on enough liquor to APP
pear on the floor drunk and reeling' ?"
Mr. Oates-"No, sir"
Mr.. Simpsen-"If you saw a man reeling
would you say he was drunk?'
Mr.. OateS-"YeS. sir, | certainly should
think him drunk if he was reeling.'
Judge Oates Exonerated.
After Colonel Oates had finished his testi-
mony the case was continued until Tuesday
of the following week, when, upon the testi-
mony of Representatives Smith of Arizona
Rayner of Maryland, Breckenridge of
Kentucky and Fellows of New York
Judge Cobb was fully exonerated and clear
ed of the charge brought by Mr.. Watson.
Judge Cobb seemed to take the charge
tina. he had been guilty of the expression,
Mr.. Speaker, where am L at?" as much to
heart as the charge of intemperance.
so he asked as personal favor that the
official report of the speech in which he was
alleged to have perpetrated that striking
query to be read. Accordingly the official
stenographer was sent for, who read the
passage referred to and gave Judge Cobb
the credit of saying in somewhat more
grammatical, but no more expressive lam
guage: Mr.. Speaker, where am 1 in my
argument All of which was entirely
proper. and having settled the momentous
question. the committee adjourned, leaving
unrevealed to posterity the identity of the
Individual designated and made famous by
Mr.. Watson to the gentleman who asked
Mr.. Speaker, where am l at?'
Mr. Watson had in the meantime, through
the medium of the newspapers, been blown
to dizzy fame.