Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-04-20
HON. THOMAS HAYS,
Bufler Pa
An Incident of the Last Day.

(R. w. Herbert in Pittsburg Times.)
Thomas q. Garvin, chief clerk of the
House, was caught red-handed to-day,
"wednesday Of last week), in numbering
bill for which vast majority Of the
members had voted. The bill was en-
titled "An act providing penalty for
making usurious loans" and was being
opposed openly by the pawnbrokers of
Philadelphia and other cities Of the
State, who had paid to have it killed.
The bill has been here for several ses-
sisons as ''pincher, and was probably
introduced early this session for the
same purpose. However, the pawn
brokers refused to be ''pinched" by the
members generally, and are alleged to
have paid select few to have the
measure killed at the proper time. The
responsibility for the murder apparent
ly devolved upon Clerk Garvin, and he
went about his work in the most brutal
way. The Philadelphia members had
not been taken in, and they refused to
stand for the slaughter. The exact
amount Of money employed to defeat
the bill is just now in dispute. but the
charge is openly made that the cash
was divided among two or three persons,
none of whom had vote. The incident
was probably the most sensational of
the session, and provoked by far the
bitterest fight Of the term. The bill
was promptly passed in the Senate early
in the session, but had been held back
in the House to be "juggled' in the rush
and confusion of the closing hours
There was not sufficient rush and con-
fusion, however, to conceal the bold
outlawry of the chief clerk, and he was
forced to beat hurried and dishonor-
able retreat by those for whom he had
often cheated in the past.
Repeatedly during the present session
Mr.. Garvin has been able to trick the
Democratic minority and the guileless
country fellows, but to-day for the first
time he stacked up against the Phila-
delphia contingent which had not been
taken in on the deal aud he was shame
fully exposed. Mr.. Garvin is often
brazen and courageous in his manipula-
ton Of the vote on question at issue.
To-day, however, he appeared some
what Of coward. The fight upon him
was made from an unexpected source
and he shrank helplessly from the fir
ing. His count on the bill showed that
1t had failed. his tally recording only
90 votes for it. Twice the roll was
verified and when the final and honest
count was recorded there was not a
single vote against the bill and 146
votes were recorded for its passage
Capt Thomas Hays. of Butler county,
took hand in the affair and added ma
terially to the general confusion by de-
manding that Mr.. Gervin be deprived
Of the privilege of recording the votes
for the remainder of the session. Speak
er Henry F. Walton assumed an air of
outraged indignation and protested
against the attacks upon Mr.. Garvin,
but was successful only in keeping
Capt. Hays out of the game Just when
the fight was the hottest CAPT. Hays de-
manded attention and shouted out
"Mr. Speaker, want to say right here
and now that ! have a resolution to
knock ont Tom Garvin from recording
any more rolls this session." Speaker
Walton refused to recognize the Butler
county member and the fight was con-
tinued until the bill was passed finally.