Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-08-06


the person of Roger Griswold in the
presence of the House" After some
debate the resolution was referred
to the committee on privileges and
election, with instructions to investi-
gate and report.
The publicity given to the insult
had greater effect on Mr.. Griswold
than the insult, and two weeks later
as he entered the House and seeing
Mr.. Lyon sitting. at his desk, he
rushed upon him, striking him over
the head with a cane. Mr.. Lyon
was not man to take punishment
without resistance. He managed to
eXtricate himself from the combina-
tion of desks and chairs, ran over to
the big fireplace, grabbed up the
brass tongs and went into battle.
With cane and tongs the two men
fought up and down the aisle while
the other members crowded around
to witness the struggle. The battle
reached its climax on the steps to the
Speakers desk and there the men
fell with Lyon underneath and Girls
void on top. The Speaker had
watched the struggle with as much
interest as any Of the members, di-
viding his attention between the
rules of the House and order on the
floor, and insisting that the rules of
fair fighting should be strictly OBJ
served When the men fell several
members rushed in aid grabbed
Griswold by the leg to pull him off,
but the Speaker called them sharply
to order and insisted that it was un-
fair to seize any man by the leg
while he was fighting. They must
take him by the shoulder in their ef-
forts to remove him from the body
of his antagonist.
Hair-Pulling Enrages Speaker,
Speaker Drayton would permit no
striking below the belt. Following
his ruling the peacemakers took
Griswold by the shoulders and pulled
him off. Others helped Lyon to his
slider the second breach of peace.
While so engaged Lyon and Girls,
void met at the water cooler on the
! opposite side of the chamber and re-
newed the fight, this time with fists
and hair-pulling and very little re-
gard for the Queensbury rules. This
so incensed the Speaker that when
| they were separated he had them
brought to the bar of the House and
compelled them to give their per-
sonal pledges that they would in the
future observe the rules of the House
and settle their personal quarrels
elsewhere. The Speaker did not pro-
pose to act as referee between men
who would indulge in hair-pulling
or otter disgraceful and unmanly
| demonstrations in personal en-
| counter
The investigation Of the charges
against Lyon were resumed, the COM
mittee disagreed on the resolution to
eXpel him, and the House refused to
vote for censure. The delay in Girls
wold's resentment seems to have lost
him sympathy for the insult he had
accepted In silence. Lyon was de-
feated at the next election, moved to
kentucky, and was several times
elected to the House from that State.
The dramatic and significant feature
OF this first fight on the floor Of the
House was the firm attitude of
Speaker Dayton in enforcing the
Marquis Of Queensbury rules at the
same time he was enforcing the rules
OF Jefferson's Mammal. He estab-
lished a precedent that may be val
liable for Speaker Clark and enable
him to referee fight at the same
time is presiding over the deliber-
atoms Of the House.
Attack on Presidents Son.
There have been other contests in
the House that were not strictly par
liamentary and some affairs outside
the chamber which called for investi-
cation. In May, 1928, John Adams,
son and private secretary of Presi-
dent John Quincy Adams, delivered
a message to the House, and as he
was leaving Russell Jarvis assaulted
him at the door The President d.
rected the attention of the House to
this outrage on the Executive in a
special message, and there was an
investigation. Jarvis admitted the
assault, and justified it on the
ground that the Presidents son had
insulted him at White House re.
ception,. and the rotunda Of the Can.