Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-12
LEGISLATORS FIGHT I
AS CHAPLAIN PRAYS
FOR PEACE IN SENATE
Minister Begs That Members
''Be Just and Generous
Officials Clash in FiStCuff
Over Bribery Investigation
SENATOR BANKS SAYS
HE DIDN'T DOUBT TUCKER

JACKSON, Miss, April n.-With
prayer by Senator Owen, pleading that
1.-The Most high put into our hearts to
be generous and just in the things we
are investigating" and with the largest
attendance for several weeks. the senate
met this morning to resume its probing
into the bribery scandal Both factions
kept their whips busy Sunday and 80 of
the As salons were in attendance this
morning. Among the absentees at first
roll call was Senator Bilbo, the man
who claims he was paid $645 for his vote
for United States senator.
A number of witnesses were in the city
for both sides, but as they had report
ed to the capital at open time, the senate
began to grind out legislation. Senator
Bilbo arrived at 1880. but it was after
IL before the taking of testimony be-
gan.
FIGHT IN SENATE.
While the senate was thus engaged
there was an uproar from the house
side Of the capital. Those who reached
that side first found Representative
Frank Burkett and Director of Archives
and History Dunbar Rowland engaged
in a rough-and tumble fight Burkett,
once a candidate for vice president of
the Populist ticket, but now a Democrat
and very large man, was being vigor-
ously pummelled. Burkett finally got out
from under his smaller antagonist, and
hit him over the head with a cane, rem
dering Rowland unconscious. The row is
supposed to have started over the brib-
cry investigation. Rowland is not be-
Iieved TO have sustained serious injury.
BANKS DENIES INSULT.
Before the first witness was called,
Senator Banks arose to question of
personal privilege and said:
Senator Tucker, my good friend, is
under the impression that l called him
a liar the other day. l want to say that
before I said anything Senator Tucker
had announced that he asked the ques-
ton at the request of an outside party.
NV remarks that the man who said any
one maid Congressman Byrd's expenses
was a liar. false az hell, applied to that
man and not to Senator Tucker, and
that still stands"
senator Banks bowed to Senator Tuck
er. Senator Tucker bowed to Senator
Banks, and all the senator's applauoeu'
w. r. Scott, former sheriff and tax col
lector of Poplarville, testified that Sena-
tor Bilbo came to him when he ran for
the senate, said he was delinquent in his
personal taxes and asked Scott to change
the records in his office so that it could
not be shown he was delinquent and thus
make him ineligible for the senate.
81 told him." said Scott, that the re-
quest was absurd. that even were 1 dis
posed to do so, the records in the chan
cellor's office would show him delinquent.
Then he said that the records In the
chancellors office had been destroyed"
Scott said he considered Bilbo's repu-
tation for business transactions was
SHADY" On cross-eXamination he said
he would believe Bilbo on oath and did
not believe the senator believed he was
asking Scott to do anything wrong. On
redirect, he said Bilbo was a lawyer
and should know that the classifying of
the records was q felonx-