The semi-weekly messenger., 1907-12-24

| dEO Wullt Ecu1OfiHS LIe SIAluS Oh Com
lat made the following statement oil
the trouble:
| The disagreement arose over q CON-
mltIee ass sgument Mr.. DeArmond
called me TO book for recommending
his colleague Mr.. Booher. 10 more
prominent committee than on coinage
weights and measures. 1 replied that
| had been given TO understand By
| Congressman Lloyd of Missouri that
Mr.. Booher would be well satisfied
with the assignment Mr.. DeArmond
| answered to the effect that | could
have gained such an idea only Oy the
| operation OF my imagination or by !
| deliberate wish TO misunderstood |
| suggested TO him that the floor Of the
| house was 10 place for a quarrel or
| answer was that he never had any
such understanding with me about Mr..
Booher as | had declared and he add
ed that my subSeQuest action was the
result either of error or OF untruthful-
ness. / again suggested that the house
ference of opinion He reuortsd that
it was not a matter Of opinion but Of
yeracity, and said that he did not be
lieve l had merely made a mistake
| then stduck him and we exchanged
blows. 1t is most regrettable that the
floor should be selected for sounpleas-
ant an affair
Mr. DeArmOnd remained in the
house for some time afted the encoun-
ter and left the chamber but he sub
seQuently returned and then made
statement of the circumstances lead
view according to Mr. DeArmond's
version, the episode arose over the
question of the correctness of a con-
versation between himself and Mr..
Williams about ten days ago regarding
the committee assignment Of some Mis-
souri, members and particularly Mt
BOOher. Mr.. DeArmond said he had
spoken highly of Mr.. Booher and the
other members as being competent to
sit on any committee, but that he had
not specified to Mt Williams any spe-
c1al cOmm.tte5 on which ho would
like to have dr. Bo0heE or an other
member placed. This, Nr. DeArnond
said. Mr.. Williams today denied, say
ing it was q matter of recollection
between them Upon Mr.. DeArmond
Insisting that he had not specified any
Committee or committees to which
he desired to have his colleagues $
signed, MI. Williams, he said, Hrus-
quel" repeated that it was simply a
matte OF recollection between these
two He said this said Mr. Dear
mond. in such a way as to leave no
inference than the one suggested and
told hiII | believed him to be 4
liar. I5e thereupon struck me and I
we were separated"
The statements of the two men i'm
med1ately concerned constitute the
sole account Of the discussion prelim-
mary to the encounter, as only frag-
ments Of it were overheard by one or
two members nearby at the time Mr..
Williams blow was the first sign of
beligerency and while he frankly con-
fessed he was the physical aggressor
there is testimony that he forebo Mr..
DeArmond's words to q length ano
sought first to drop the disagreement
and then to carry the dispute to some
less public place: that he made no
hostile move until his veracity had
been fatty questioned.
While Mr. Williams has for the last
five years held the place of minority
leader a considerable element among
democratic members has favored Mr.
DeArmond for that position. Result
rivalry between them, but the signs
of it have been more marked among
their felloW-members than in the men
themselves. In their personal rela-
tions they have been generally friend
ly, at least to outward appearance
The fact that Mr.. Williams recent
election to the senate to succeed Mr..
Money in 1909 will make this the Mis-
sissippian's last term in the house, has
encouraged friends of the Missouri
representative to believe that he would
succeed to the leadership in that body.
The position generally goes with the
first democratic assignment to the
ways and means committee, and Mr..
DeArmond's friends find some cause
for criticising the course Of Mr.. Will
liams in retiring from that commit
tee on the eve of leaving the house
and putting in the place vacated Mr.
Champ Clark, of Missouri, Mr.. Dear
'mond's colleague.
MILLS WILL CLOSE DOWN