Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-08-06
patronage4o a. StateghasabeeDpgi8Sn
to a Democrat who voted tcrg the
b. g q.

p3SiVhdSSfOI'.d u RoLaISNud
to Democrat who voted fcrg the
treaty.
SpooDer: what State?"
Tillman: South Carolina"
Senator McLaurin, Of South Caro-
lima, was not in his seat at the time.
He was in attendance at a meeting of
the Committee on Indian Affairs.
Senator Spooner sent him note and
he came into the Senate chamber.
The notes of Senator Tillman's re-
marks personal to himself were
placed in his hands, and he took his
seat in the immediate neighborhood
of his colleague, with Senator Teller
sitting between them. McLaurin was
perfectly calm as he sat there almost
in reach Of his colleague, who was
delivering one of the most vitrolic
speeches ever heard in the Senate
When he had concluded, Mr.. McLau-
rim rose with as little show as though
| about to make a speech appropriate
to the national holiday. He was in
appearance a decided contrast to his
| colleague, both in manner and per-
sonality. Handsome, we'll groomed,
| easy in manner and apparently un-
| concerned, he stood in the center
aisle. He did not glance toward his
| colleague, but, looking straight at
| the President of the Senate, he said:
Mr.. President, | rise to a question
of personal privilege. During my
absence a few moments ago from the
Senate chamber, in attendance upon
the Committee on Indian affairs, the
gentleman who has just taken his
seattle Senator who has just taken
his seat-said that improper infu-
ences had been used in changing the
vote Of somebody on the treaty, and
then went on later and said that it
| applied TO the Senator from South
Can alina who had been given the
patronage of that State. l think /
get the sense of the controversy. I
desire to state, Mr. President, that
l would not use as strong language
as | intend to had | not soon after
the Senate met, replied to these in
situations and said that they were
untrue. / now say that that state
ment is a willful, malicious and de-
liberate lie."
AS the last word was uttered
clearly and distinctly, bnt without
apparent passion or excitement
Senator Tillman, crouched like a
tiger, sprang from his seat and
vaulted over the sitting figure of Sen
ator Teller toward his colleague He
landed beside McLaurin, and struck
as he landed. McLaurin had not
turned his face from the front,
though he knew what was coming.
He, did not move muscle, but
awaited the blow, which landed on
his left cheek; then, like an athlete,
he grabbed his colleague, and there
was fight in the center aisle Of the
Senate--the very center of the most
conspicuous ring in all the United
States-with ninety dignified Sena-
tors looking on. No, not ninety, for
Senator Warren, Of Wyoming, had
not forgotten his early life in the
West. He stepped into the ring, sep
arated the two men as though they
were children, took Senator Tillman
under one arm as he might have ta-
ken vicious ram on his sheep panch,
and carried him into the cloak room.
The fight was ended.
Both men apologized to the Sen
ate, but both intimated in their apol-
ogies that they would settle their
personal differences elsewhere. There
was long debate as to whether they
should be suspended, and weeks af-
| terward they were allowed to vote
on the pending question on the
ground that the State Of South Car
olina could not be denied it's repre-
sentation in the Senate of the United
States.
COATED TONGUE