The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-11
MAHON CALLED
GAINES A LIAR
Gentleman From Tennessee At
tempted to ChaStiSe Member
From Pennsylvania.
list FIGHT PREVENTED
SENSATIONAL SCENE IN THE
HOUSE. u

Washington. Jan. 1O-I-ate this after
noon Mr. Gaines. of Tennessee and Nv
MahOn. of Pennsylvania, were only nre-
vented from meeting in a personal en-
counter by the Intervention OF members
on the floor of the house. Mr. Gaines was
making speech on his bill to dock,
members pay for absence from the
mousse. and was being twitted b,, botb
sides OF the chamber, to mis- evident ON,
parrassment. During his speech he
charged Mr.. Mahon with being absent
pr Pra,, sne mouse 70 per cent of the time.
FTeNohs TO this sweeping assertion Mr.
SIdlheS had read excerpts from the record
IN relation TO the Withholding of nav i'm
M Me ri PIity-tnird congress and the part Mr.
Mahon had played at that time
Mr.. MAJ remained silent througbout
Mt NIalneS speech. with the exception
OF interJecting. remark or two at the
beginning. When Mr. Gaines had con
Guided Mr. Mahon rose. He explained
now In the Fifty-third and Fiftv-fiffh
congresses he had $1,000 due him and that
on the serSeant-at-arms for the amount
which was paid. Then. coming TO thf
cruX of Mr.. Gaines charges. Mr.. Mahon
Numbered:
The Lie Passed.
Any man who charges me with being
away from this house 50 percent of the
time tells an untruth.
his seat. No man can tell me / lie he
exclaimed
Mr.. Mann Ollinois). who was i'm the
chair, ordered both men to their seats
Mr.. Mahon Obeying. while Mr.. Gaines
STOOD two seats away from the center of
the chamber shaking both fists and head
at the Pennsylvania.
When order had been restored Mr. Ma
non again rose. Having been cautioned
by the chair that il was against the rules
TO address member in the second per-
la sa-rrr- Il IL
would speak in the fourth person. He
the nsaid
THE charge of the gentleman from
tennessee that / am away from this
mousse 30 per cent Of my time is deIiber-
ate falSehOod."
Gaines Rushed for Him.
With a rush Mr. Gaines reached the
center of the chamber, making directly
toward the gentleman from Pennsylva-
MIA, insisting as he went that no man
could call him liar without personal
chastisement.
The house was in an uproar by this
lme the chair adding to the noise If
not to the confusion. by pounding the
caused the head Of the gavel to fly off.
and it bounded into the BODY OF the
house, almost striking one Of the mem
bers.
The rush Of Mr. Gaines upon his adver-
sary brought dozen members before the
speakers desk. Messrs. Ollie James of
Kentucky, Taylor of Alabama Bell of
Georgia. Williams of Mississippi. the mi
nority leader. and Stafford of Wisconsin.
grabbed Gaines, who resisting vigorously.
was forced back to his seat.
= Explanation OF Mahon.
Mr.. Mahon seemed to wait for the i'm
pact which never came. With Mr.. Gaines
back in his seat the Pennsylvania made
his speech of explanation as TO how he
became connected with the invoking of
an old statute compelling members To /
forfeit pay for the time absent from the /
house. He said the charge that he was !
away from the house 95 per cent of the /
time was a lie on its face. and that he /
was there % per cent of the time as ev.t
cry member who cared to inquire could I
ascertain.
Mr.. Dacey. OF Iowa called for the read I
ing of the statute relating to the docking (
or members pay. and he was followed \
by Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio. who ex-
planned the reason for the statute. Mr.
DearmOnd, of Missouri. asked that the /
minority views of the judiciary commit 4
tee on the statute be printed.
Reconciliation Effected.
When this colloquy was in progress the
friends Of Messrs Gaines and MahOn
were engaged in an effort 10 bring about
a reconciliation. i'm which they were sue
cessful. and at its conclusion Mr. Mahon
rose TO question of, personal privilege
He stated that he did not desire to inn
ougn the motives which prompted Mr.
rdiltS ~ utitI WlidA was dU unlTuln
about his absence from the house. but \
ne desired to say that his informant was
Incorrect. He had no desire to offend
he gentleman from Tennessee He
,lassed him among his friends but want
ID him to understand the person from
whom he obtained his information mis-
represented the facts.
Mr.. Gaines Immediately arose and
showing deep feeling. said that the gen
leman from Pennsylvania had ALWAYS
been his friend, but that he hau been
sQaded beyond endurance. He regretted
the turn affairs had taken
Mr.. Mahon rushed across the chamber
rhe two men ciasped hands amid loud
applause
he house adjourned.
-s-N-s