The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-03
HOUSE FANS NABBED
At THE BALL GAME
Had'Lots of Trouble in Getting
Back
CALL WAS VERY STRONG
story of How Some "Rooters'' In Con-
sress Played "Hookey" Once Too
often-Copper Who Yield
ed to Fate.
CALL WAS VERY STRONG
From the washington Times.

From the Washington Times.
Congressman Longworth and his wife
were AMONG the members Of a house
party-House of Representatives party,
that is-at the baseball game the other
afternoon, when the sergeant-at-arms
was sent out to arrest the delinquents
and bring them back to the House to
vote Twenty-Five House members were
gathered up from the grand stand and
bleachers, Mr.. Longworth being brought
in from the Presidents box
On the way in from the ball park to
the capitol one party of half q score
coming in Congressman Sibley's big auto
was followed by bicycle policeman,
who found that they were unduly speed
ing. He undertook to arrest them, but
the assistant sergeant-at-arms in charge
of the party insisted that, as he already
had the company under arrest, he couldn't
submit to the bicycle cops authority.
The conflict of jurisdiction was settled
by arbitration in favor of the sergeant
alarms.
1t was a delightful spring afternoon
and the House was droning along through
its business, with John Sharp Williams
hbustering and forcing roll calls on
everything possible, including the ques-
ton of a quorum. The weather was fine,
and the call of the ball game was strong
upon the fans of the House. They headed
1t and went, and then there was a call
for a quorum, and the sergeant-at-arms
was sent after delinquents.
f. The officer rounded up stray members
rom all parts of the stand, and in the
xecutive box found the bridegroom from
The First Ohio, with his wife. They
fare both lovers of the game, and the hui
NOR of the situation was slow in dawn
ing on them.
Got Mr.. Gaines.
But It wouldn't do to resist or argue
with constituted authority. They gave
Aarole to proceed at once to the capitol.
They had come in Mrs. Longworth $
pretty runabout, and on the return trip
they took with them Mr.. Gaines of West
Virginia.
Mr. Gaines Is very tall. and in the linn
tied space of a vehicle built for two
Just two-he couldn't very we'll stow HIM
self in comfort with Mr.. and Mrs Long
worth. The latter solved the problem.
II Nick would just sit down in front,
she would drive, and Mr. Gaines could
sit with her. OF course. that was just
the idea. and so Mick located himself
on the little low front seat, and away
they went
Meanwhile. the deputy sergeant-at-arms
was busy with the big bunch. Mr.. Sibley
volunteered to take his party back in
the auto, and this was permitted. They
piled in, and the chauffeur proceeded to
make the route to the capitol look like
the Ormond Beach course with the race
of the season on.
Cop Gave Chase.
The bicycle cop got his eye on the big
machine and gave chase. His cyclometer
indicated a cometic speed that was sim
ply making a laughing stock of the reg
uations. He felt obliged to protest and
earn his wages, so he held up the outfit
and announced that the speed law was
being violated.
Here was a nice how dye do. Not to
get back to the House was to incur the
wrath of the powers there. and to submit
to arrest was both embarrassing and
time-consuming. At last a bright idea
struck a member of the party.
But you see'' he explained, I'VE can't
let you arrest us?"
"Can't eh?' demanded the cop, bris-
Ting visibly.
mo, we're out of your jurisdiction
mot If my cyclometer knows its own
mind" replied the bike man.
But we're already under arrest"
That didn't mollify the cop particu-
larly. He was from Missouri, and re-
quired to be shown. When he was told
briefly the facts he grinned cheerfully
and allowed that he didn't care to meet
up with the authority of the House of
Representatives. over It's members. He
let the party go in peace.
Five minutes later the auto party was
filing in at the door of the House. The
roll call was awaiting them They
marched In, voted turned on their heels
and went straight back to the machine
Before the authorities could get busy
they were again speeding toward the
ball park The statesmen IN carriages
were not so fortunate. They arrived so
late that II wasn't worth while to re-