The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1905-1908, 1907-12-26
MINORITY LEADER
ENGAGED IN FIGHT
JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS AND
CONGRESSMAN DeARATOND, OF
MISSOURI. HAVE BATTLE ON
FLOOR OF HOUSE.
Missourian Questioned Mr.. Williams
Veracity, and Insult Was Quickly
Resented.-DiSpufe Arose Over
Committee Appointments.

date of Dee. 10Th, says.
The spirit Of rivalry that for five
years has alternately smoldered and
blazed between John Sharp Williams
of Mississippi, leader of the minority,
and David A. DeArmond Of Missouri,
leader Of the minority opposition
eliminated in a fist fight today on
the floor of the house of representa-
tives. The blows of Representative
DeArmond caused blood to flow down
the face of Representative Williams,
and only the forciBle intervention OF
friends GU 1c COZ bat short.
Mr.. DeAGmond bore away a
seuffed nose.
The immediate cause Of the fight
was the passage of the lie by Mr.. De-
Almond to Mr. Williams, resultant
of a complaint by the former that
the minority leader had broken faith
in "burying Representative Booher
of Missouri by recommending his
assignment by Speaker Cannon to
the committee on coinage, weights
and measures According to the
statements of the principals, Mr.
Williams defended his action by de-
cIaring he had been told by Mr.. Boo
hers colleague, Representative Lloyd
of Missouri that the committee as
signment would be satisfactory to
Mr.. Booher. Mr.. DeArmond blunt
ly questioned the truth Of the state
ment, and after the failure of an ef-
fort on his part to transfer the scene
OF controversy, Mr. Williams struck
Mr. DeArmond a blow in the face
with closed fist
The exciting incident VIII not be
down in the official records Of the
sfztieth congress, for the house had
been some minutes adjourned when
the first blow was struck But there
was no lack OF Witnesses. The or
ganization of the house had been
completed by the announcement Of
the speakers assignment of members
to committees, the Republican com
mitteemen having been selected by
the speaker and the Democratic by
Mr. Williams Groups of representa-
tives were scattered over the floor,
discussing the appointments. In the
overlooking galleries 1oitered a score
or so of women and four times that
many men, viewing the aftermath of
an interesting session. Mr.. Viii
liams, relaxed from the long strain
of aIo+fipo rrofarroant apaonu tho
167 fellow Democrats, whose minor
ity strength he officially leads, was
seated at ease at the desk of Repre-
sentative Wallace of Arkansas, on
the center aisle on the Democratic
side. Mr.. DeArmond approached,
greeted him and took the adjoining
seat. At once they engaged each
other in talk, but pitched their voices
so low that afterward only one or
two members who were very close to
them could recall anything they had
said. They had been thus in con-
yersation no longer than a few min
utes, when both sprang to their feet,
showing their chairs back, and the
gentleman from Mississippi struck
the gentleman from Missouri a glanc-
ing blow on the nose. Some repre-
sentative cried out Look, look at
the fight
Everybody looked, but so startled
were they by what they saw that no
one seemed for the moment to think
of rushing forward and stopping it.
Meantime Mr.. Williams and Mr.. De-
Almond, wedged between the rows
of desks, were still exchanging blows.
Blood was flowing down the face of
the leader of the minority, while Mr..
DeArmond was endeayoring to grasp
his opponent by the throat, at the
same time receiving and vigorously
returning blow for blow.
Then everybody awoke to the un-
seemliness of the scene and crowded
around and made an end of it.
When asked for a statement re-
garding the difficulty and the causes
which led up to it Mr.. Williams said
THE disagreement arose over a
committee assignment. Mr.. Dear
mond called me to book for recon-
mending his colleague, Mr.. Booher.
to no more prominent committee
than that in coinage, weights and
measures. / replied that had been
given to understand by him that Mr..