Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-24
spoke plainly of the brutality OF her treat
ment.
Mrs. Morris Bedraggled Skirt.

Mrs. Morris Bedraggled Skirt.
He spoke quietly and every eye in the
Senate was upon him. At that moment he
stopped slowly, and lifting bundle, opened
it and spread to the full view of the Senate
bedraggled skirt with hole worn in the
front The unfortunate woman's knee
dragged along the sidewalk had worn that
hole in the skirt. The evidence of the skirt
could not be questioned. Such condition
of dress could not have been brought about
except by the dragging process that has
been charged.
And II is the man responsible for this
brutality that you propose to honor with
a federal appointment, declared Senator
Tillman. 1T is this man. a stencil In the
nostrils of the people OF this city, who
you propose to force upon them their
postmaster"
his eye from senator to senator as II
endeavoring to detect their true feelings
in carrying out the program that had been
determined upon for party reasons.
He analyzed all the muck rake testimony
that had been gathered at the White House
from witnesses associated with Barnes, or
who thought they were serving the Presi-
dent By attempting to justify Barnes con-
duct. He pointed out conflicting state
ments and declared that If the Senate wish
ed to vote on the nomination with a clear
idea os the real facts in the case they
would have to provide for investigation
roads.
He paid his compliments to DIR. j. Bas-
com Weaver of Asheville. who testified
that he had treated Mrs Minor Morris for
insanity, and his statement being proven
false, withdrew it. That was about the
only time that 1t seemed likely that the
South Carolina senator would lose HIS
temper and stand forth in that angry de-
nunciation by which he has made himself
famous on many an occasion. But he
controlled his voice and manner and con-
tinued In the role of the attorney analyz-
ing a case before judge and jury
Caught the Sympathy of the Senate.
One thing appeared certain, he caught
the sympathy Of the Senate, and II the
men in that body had for once cast aside
all thought of party consideration and
political necessity the nomination of
Barnes would have been showed under by
a practically unanimous vote. But the
senators did not permit themselves to be
swayed by sympathy They listened to
the word picture of the refined woman
and mother confidently seeking a square
DEAL at the hands OF the President In
the supposedly safe portals of the White
House and then. because she did not
promptly obey the orders OF the assist
ant secretary, quickly met his vengeance
in the form of an order by which she was
dragged out in the most brutal fashion
and landed in the house of detention He
told how Barnes. being unable to hold the
weak woman at the house of detention.
ordered that charge of Insanity be
placed upon her and OF her release after
two physicians declared that she was not
insane and could not be detained upon
such flimsy pretext.
After oil these at ttempts to degrade her he
again referred TO the absence Of any word
of apology from the President or any one
else for the brutality that had disgraced
the sacred portals of the nations home.
Instead OF an investigation OF the facts
connected with her brutal treatment, which
she and her husband besought at the hands
OF the President. he told of the working of
the official muck rake and of the later
muck brush with which It was sought to
besmear filth over the good name of the
victim of these atrocities. He read the re-
port by the major of police upon the re-
suits of his rounds of the stores and board
ing houses In this city bent upon finding
something defamatory upon the good name
of the victim OF the White House brutality,
He told OF the queer coincidence OF the ap-
poiutment of the sons OF two OF the men
whose activity appears In the White House
collection OF defamation to cadetships at
Annapolis and declared that, whatever eX-
PLANTATION might be made OF that eoinoi-
dence the Senate could not get away from
the fact that there Joining Of inter
ests there In the use of the muck brush.
Not Pleasant to Consider.
Senators who witnessed this scene ana
listened to the South Carolina senator de-
clared that II was not pleasant thing to
considerer that they were to confirm a man
charged with these atrocities. the facts OF
which they had declined to ascertain by 8
proper investigation. They wanted to have
It all over and to vote. They did not want
to hear anything because they knew they
had gathered there IN order to put the
crowning disgrace upon the disgracefUl
White House incident.
Upon the conclusion OF Senator T1liman
speech, Senator Culberson arose to ofrer
a motion to recommit the nomination to
the committee on post offices and post roads
so that the matter might receive attention
after a proper investigation Into the racts
OF the case. Senator Culberson, who IS
recognized as of the ablest lawyers
and senators. declared that the preseuta-
ton of the case by Mr. 1Yllman demon
strated that the testimony was so conflict
Ing that II could not be relied upon as a
basis for action. He wanted the facts and
asked That his motion be adopted
Single Champion Of Barnes.
Then there arose the single champion of
Barnes. 1t was Carter of Montana Carter.
the clever legislative artist and seductive
debater whose oily words have many q
time successfully swayed convention. He
began by 'crawfshing." He claimed that
while the incident at the White House
was most derlorabie Barnes was not re-
had no control over what the policemen did
outside of the White House. Thus shifting
the responsibility of the disgrace from the
shoulders of Barnes he proceeded to WELD
the muck brush. He read letter In the
White House collection OF defamatory tes-
timony alleging that Mrs, Morris while at
boarding house in this city had screamed
and had created scene He was pro-
ceeding. ard IL seemed for moment as II
he was about to so cover the unfortunate
IC,onfinna5 ~, Cecor<3 p, -. \ --