The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-11
ROW IN The HOUSE
Gaines of Tennessee and MahOn
of Pennsylvania
Nearly Come to Blows on Floor
During Debate.
MANN IN THE CHAIR
Pounds Head Off Gavel Trying
to Restore Order.
Warlike Members Finally Apollo
glZe and Shake Hands.

washington, jan 1l.-B6cduS0
Wesley Gaines of Tennessee, said Ma
hon of Pennsylvania spent only 8 per
cent of the time in the house and Ma
hon intimated that Gaines was a liar,
a personal encounter on the floor be-
tween the two men was prevented only
after the house had been thrown into
an uproar and Mann, of Illinois, who
was in the chair, had hammered the
head off the gavel.
Gaines was making a speech on his
bill to dock members pay for abb
sence from the house, and was being
twitted by both sides to his evident
embarrassment. He charged Mr.. Ma
hon with being absent from the house
IS per cent of the time, previously
reading excerpts from the record in re-
lation to the Withholding of pay in the
Fifty-third congress and the part Ma
hon had played at that time.
Mahon remained silent throughout
Gaines speech. with the exception of
interecting a remark or two at the
beginning, and when Gaines concluded
rose and explained how in the Fifty
third and Fifty-fifth congresses he had
had $1,000 due him and that Speaker
Crisp had given him an order on the
sergeant-at-arms for the amount, which
was 0aid.
Then coming to the crux of Mr..
Gaines charge, Mahon Numbered:
Amy man who charges me with be-
the time. tells an untruth.'
Gaines started down the aisle from
his seat.
mo man can tell me lie," he ex-
claimed.
Mann, of Illinois, who was in the
chair, ordered both men to their seats,
Mahon obeying the command, while
Gaines stood two seats away from the
center of the chamber shaking both
fists and head at the Pennsylvania.
When order had been restored Mahon
again arose. Having been cautioned by
the chair that it was against the rules
to address a member in the second per-
son, he measured his words, saying he
would speak in the fourth person"
He then said:
1.-The charge of the gentleman from
Tennessee that am away from this
house 50 per cent of my time is a de-
hberate falsehood."
With rush Gaines reached the CEN
ter of the chamber, making directly
toward the gentleman from PennsyI-
vania, insisting as he went that no
man could call him a liar without per-
sonal chastisement.
The house was in an uproar by this
time, the chair adding to the noise, if
not to the confusion, by pounding the
desk with his gavel until its head flew
off and bounded into the body of the
house, almost striking one of the
members.
Gaines rush upon his adversary
brought a dozen members before the
speakers desk Ollie James, of Ken
lucky; Taylor, of Alabama Bell, of
Georgia; Williams, of Mississippi, the
minority leader, and Stafford, of Wis
consin, grabbed Gaines, who, resisting
vigorously, was borne back to his seat.
Mahon seemed to wait for the i'm
pact which never came. With Gaines
back in his seat, the Pennsylvania
made his speech of explanation as to
how he became connected with the in
voking 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
lie on it's face and that he was there
95 per cent of the time, as every mem
Der who cared to inquire could ascer-
tain.
Lacey, of Iowa, called for the read
ing of the statute relating to the dock
ing of members pay, and he was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Grosvenor of Ohio, who
explained the reason for the statute.
DeArmond. of Missouri, asked that the
minority views of the Judiciary COM
mittee on the statute be printed.
While this colloquy was in progress
the friends of Gaines and Mahon were
engaged in an effort to bring about a