The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-01-17
ROW IN THE HOUSE
Between Gaines of Tennessee
and Mahon of Quaker State.
NO GORE WAS SPILLED
Tennesseean, Branded as Liar, Made
a Rush for His Opponent, But the
Members lnterfered - Ended
in Hand-ShakiEg.

A Washington dispatch says: The
house late Thursday took On the ap-
pearance of the closing days of the
fifty-dfth congress, commonly known
as the "war congress- when alteTca-
tions between members were fire.
quert
Late in the session Mr.. Gaines OF
Tennessee, and Mr.. Mahon OF Penn
sylvaaia, were only prevented from
meeting in a personal encounter by
the intervention OF members.
Mr.. Gaines was making a speech
en- his bill to "dock" members pay
for absence from the house, and was
being twitted by both sides OF the
chamber to his evident embarrass-
ment, when he charged Mr.. Mahon
with being absent from the house 50
per cent of the time.
Previous to this sweeping asser-
ton, Mr.. Gaines had read excerpts
from the record in relation to the
Withholding of pay in the ffty-third
congress, and the part
When M. Gaines had concluded,
Mr.. Mahon rose. lie explained how
from the dfty-third and ffty-fifth con-
crosses he had $1,000 due MIN, and
that the then speaker, Crisp, had CIV
en- him an order On the cergeant-at.
arms for the amount, which was paid.
Then coming to the remarks OF Mr..
Gaines charge, Mr.. Mahon thun'
dered:
"Any man who charges me with be-
ing away from this house IS per cent
of the time tells an untruth.'
Mr.. Gaines started down the aisle
from his seat. "No man can tell me
I lie" exclaimed Mr. Gaines.
Both men were ordered to their
seats. Mr.. Mahon obeyed the com.
mand, while Mr.. Gaines stood two
seats away from the center of the
chamber shaking both fist and head
at tie Pennsylvania.
When order had been restored Mr..
Mahon again arose. Having been cau'
toned by the chair that it was against
the rules to address member IN the
second person, he measured his words
saying he would speak in the fourth
person. He then said:
The charge Of the gentleman from
| Tennessee that 1 am away from this
house s5 per cent Of my time is a
deliberate falsehocd."
With a rush, Mr.. Gaines reached the
center of the chamber, making direct
" toward the gentleman from Penn
sylvania, Insisting that no man could
call him a liar without personal chas-
| tisement.
The house was in an uproar by this
time, the chair adding to the noise. II
not to the occasion, by pounding the
desl; with his gavel. His efforts final
ly caused the head of the gavel to
fly off, and it bounded into the body
of the house, almost striking one OF
the members.
The rush OF Mr.. Gaines upon his ad-
yersary brought dozen or more
members before the speakers desk.
Messrs. James of Kentucky, Taylor
of Alabama, Sell of Georgia, Will
liams of Mississippi and Stafford OF
Wisconsin grabbed Gaines, who, re-
sisting vigorously, vas borne back to
| his seat.
Mr.. Mahon, standing in the first
aisle, on the republican side, seemed
to wait for the impact, 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 mem
bers to forfeit pay for the time ab-
sent from the house.
Later both "belligerents" made
apologet;c statements AID clasped
hands amidst applause.
DINO, EADERS oE RIOT SHOT.