The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-04-02
Despite His 81 Years, Lodge Re-
faIiates With Force.
Mixup in Corridor Of CAPITOL
Sensation of Day.
raeIFIST STRUCK FIRST BLOW
31HAIs Later Taken to jail. Bad
Iy Battered Up.
SznaloIss Friends Jumped Into
Fray With VigOr.


zash{x&to April IA personal
81 between Senator Lodge of
assachusetts and Alexander Bann-
wart of Dorchester, Mass, in which
The senator knocked his opponent
down. occurred today in the corridors
Of the capitol.
Banfnwart with the Rev. Paul
Harris Drake of Christ church. Dor
kesfer. aud several other men and wo-
9nen Of paciftst delesations called
n1ittee room and asked him to vote
against a declaration of war with Ger
many.
Senator Lodge replied that if Pres
ident wilson asked for sucn q decla-
That Is cowarlice,y retorted oiaR Of
Hits Senator First. f.sszz-ss
National degeneracy is worse than
cowardice," replied the Massachusetts
senator.
You are a coward" said Bann-
wart.
'syou are a liar,n retorted Senator
Lodge.
Bannwart advanced and struck the
scnRIor. when then, despite his 60 odd
years. launched blow that sent
OF the corridor.
Bannwart and several of his friends
were taken in charge by the capitol
police.
House to Organize by A or 5 O'Clock
Washington, April 2.-Representa-
tive kitchin, Democrat floor leader
expressed the belief at II o'clock today
that the house could not organize be-
fore or o'clock. The senate, how
ever, probably will be kept in session
at least until o'clock in hope that
the house may be ready for joint ses-
sion by that hour.
Bannwart told the capitol police
that Senator Lodge struck the first
blow. The senator is 81 years old.
After Senator Lodge finished with
the pacifist, David B. Herman, tele-
graph operator, of this city, stepped
in and according to spectators pum-
melled Bannwart, cutting several
gashes in his forehead and spreading
! blood over his face. Bannwart was
taken to a police station with direction
that a charge of assault on Senator
Lodge be preferred against him. The
others in the group with him were
allowed to go.
Senator Lodge. appeared on the
floor when the senate met and ap-
/ parently was no worse for his en-
/ counter Scores of senators went over
to the senator's desk and shook his
| hand.
Pacifists Give "Official Story
| Pacifist headquarters gave out a
| statement about the affair, which in
part was as follows:
"A group of Massachusetts, dele
| gates to the peace gathering were re-
ceived by Senator Lodge. A plea foI
| peace was presented and replied to by
Senator Lodge. On some further talk
! bv Alexander Bannwart of Boston, ar
| American and said to be of Swiss de-
scent the senator suddenly called You
| are a liar the Massachusetts man re-
piled, I must call you one, or words
| to that effect on this. Senator Lodge
| struck Bannwart in the face. The
Boston man struck back, knocking the
| senator down Thereupon a group
! of young men came out of the sena-
| tors office and began severely to pum-
mel and beat Bannwart. striking also
whether or not accidentally, youne
| lady among the delegates VINO was
| trying to explain"
/ It's Denied by Lodge.
! The version of the affair at the cap
| itol was much to the contrary II
| was said there that it was Bannwar1
who was knocked down, not the SEN
| ator, and that Bannwart was the ag-
gressor with the first blow
Senator Lodges formal statement
of the encounter was as follows:
Il was trying to get away from
them They were violent I said
| Well we must agree to differ
| ~Then this man whom I afterwar6
learned was Bannwart. said: You are
coward addressing me personally
l went forward, close up to him anc
said You are a liar He struck me
and l struck him. Then the whole
party rushed at me and pushed me
against the wall.
"A young man from Arizona who
was in the corridor, my secretaries
and Senator Stones messenger inter
vened for nv protection and drove
them off"
Bond for Bannwart.
Senator Lodge declared that the
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