The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-20
Statement of Witnesses.

'The disagreement arose over com mittee assignment. MT. DeArmond called me to book for recommending his col league, MT. Booher, to no more promi- nent committee than that on coinage, weights and measures. I replied that I had been given to understand by him that MT. Booher would be well satisfied with that assignment. MT. DeArmond answered to the effect that could have gained such an idea only by the opera tion of my imagination, or by delib- crate wish to misunderstood. l suggest ed to him that the floor of the House was no place for a quarrel or scene, and asked him to desist. His answer was that he had never had any such an understanding with me about MT. Booher as I had declared and he added that my subsequent action was the result or either of error or untruthfulness. l again cug- gested that the House was no place to settle a personal difference of opinion. He retorted that it was not matter or opinion, but of veracity and said that he did not believe that had made mere ly a mistake then struck him and we exchanged blows It Is most regrettaple that the floor should be seluected for such an unpleasant affair
 DeArmond's Statement.
 MT. DeArmond remained in the House TOT some HItle lli1c dltcl ehC SiiSO%'sN and then left the ctrmber. but he sub seuuently returned and made a statement of the circumstances leading up to the affair from his point of view. Accord ing to DeArmond's version the episode arose over the question of the correct ness of a conversation between hmseif and Mir Williams about ten days ago. regarding the committee assignments Of some Missouri men and particularly Of MT. Booher. MT. DeArmond said he had spojSen highly of MT. Booher and the other members being competent to sit on any committee, but that he had not spec fled to MT. Williams any special com mittee on which he would like to have MT. Booher or any other member placed. This. MT. DeArmond said. MT. Williams denied, saying 1t was matter of recol- lection between them. Upon MT. DeAr- mond's insisting that he had not specified any committee committees to which he desired to have his colleagues assign ed, MT. Williams brusquely repeated that it was simply a matter of recollection between the two.
 "He said thisv continued Mir De- Armond. fin such way as to leave no other inference than the one I suggest cd and told him I believed him to be a liar. He thereuron struck me, and think I gave him as good. The next thing some one caught my arm and we were separated.
 Cause of Encounter.
 The statements of the two men imme- diately concerned constitute the sole ac- count of the discussion preliminary to the encounter, as only fragments of 1t were overheard by one or two members nearby at the time. MT. Williams blow was tho first sign of beligerency, and while he frankly confessed that he was the physi- cal aggressor there IS testimony that fore bore Mr DeArmond's words to length and sought first to drop the disagreement and then that he made no hostile move until his veracity had been fiatly ques- toned.
 While MT. Williams has for the last five years held the place of minority leader. a considerable element among democratic members has favored MT. DeArmond for the position. Resuitantly there has been more or less rivalry between them, but the signs of lit have been more marked among theri followings than the men themselves. In their personal relations they have been generally friendly, at least to outward appearances. The fact that Mr. Williams recent election to the Senate to succeed Mr. Money in 1909 will make this the Mississippion's last term in the House has encouraged friends of the Missouri representative to believe that he would succeed to the democratic leadership in that body.