The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-01-21
FIST FIGHT In
committee ROOM
LAWYER RESENTS ACCUSA-
TION OF CONGRESSMAN :
is KNOCKED DOWN.
Real Scrap Then Ensues and TO, a
Time Tragedy Was Feared
Men Separated.

WASHINGTON. Jan. pa brisk
hst fight between Representative
Ben Johnson. of Kentucky and John
r. Snields. a Washington lawyer.
broke up a meeting today in the
House District of Columbia commit
tee room and for a time threatened
TO turn into tragedy. Committee
clerks separated the men after both
had landed telling blows: then Rep
resentative johnson. with blood
streaming down his face. broke away
and dashed into his private office.
shouting. Let me get my pistol, IN
kill him.
Some one closed the door and held
II. and before the enraged Congress
man re-appeared. Shields had been
hustled away. leaving his coat ana
hat behind, and committeeman and
spectators had made a hasty retreat.
some of them taking refuge behind
the great marble columns OF the cor
ridors until they were satisfied there
was to be no shooting Tonight the
incident apparently was closed.
Representative Johnson said he
had been In the game too long TO
keep on when fight Is over" and
Shields issued n statement declaring
that he had acted in self defense and
indicating he did not expect any af-
termath
The trouble started while a sub
committee OF the District Committee.
of which Representative Johnson Is
chairman, was hearing Representative
Kahn of California argue for a bill to
allow Washin ington crossing policemen
TO ride free on trolley cars when in
uniform. Mr. Shields was present 10
support the bill.
Accused Of Lobbying.
Representative Johnson, entering
the room just as Representative Kahn
concluded. declared that he had learn
ed that Shields had collected n fee of
four or five thousand dollars from
crossing policemen for Lobbying
activities" in connection with a bill
increasing the policemens salaries,
passed by the last congress. Chair
man Crosses OF the subcommittee,
saw trouble impending and announced
a recess.
II want TO be heard" insisted
Shields. II want an opportunity here
to reply to these unfounded charges.
They are utterly false"
With bound Representative John
son rounded the table. and striking
Shields full on the cheek. sent him
TO the floor. The lawyer struck his
chin on a chair on the way down. but
he was up In an instant retaliating
with a blow that started the blood
from cut over Johnson's right cheek
bone.
Separated the Men.
The men exchanged blows freely
for a moment. then Shields clinched
and was pounding away on .he con-
gressman's head when Sam Eskew
and Fred Allen. clerks OF the com
mittee. interfered and drew Johnson
away. I'm the meantime Represent
ative Winslow OF Massachusetts
threw his arms around Shields and
pulled him out into the hall.
AS johnson started for the door to
his private office. crying that he
would kill the lawyer. the spectators
stampeded to the corridor. A few
minutes later when the Kentuckian.
with towel in one hand. appeared
At the door he found only an empty
committee room
Later in the day the subcommittee
called dozen crossing policemen.
who testified that during the last con
gress they had contracted To pay
Shields certain sums In event he de-
voted his efforts to securing the pass
age of a bill increasing their pay and
giving them annual leave Under the
contract they said that men who had
their pay increased from SO to 800
a month were to pay Shields SO a
month for the first year after the bill
passed. The hearings will be con
tinued.