The Washington herald., 1921-12-10
WATSON'S THREAT
TO SLAP OFFICER
DISRUPTS HEARING
Chaos Reigns as Senator
Says He Was Insulted
By a Look"


Tom Watson against the presence
of general staff officers at the in
vestigation of his charges of in
human treatment of American SOL
diers in France caused yesterdays
session of the Senate committee to
break up in disorder.
Senator Watson vented his wrath
upon Maj. G. W. Cocheu and Col
Bethel. whom he accused of having
"insulted" him by looking at him.
He threatened to slap their faces
IL they did not turn their eyes
from him and in angry tones de-
mRnded that they be removed from
the hearing room.
After Senator Brandegee, chair
man of tbe committee, had invited
the officers to leave in the hope of
restoring peace, Senator Watson
charged the committee with having
pre-judged the case against him.
This was denied by Senator Shields,
who declared the Georgia Senate.
did not speak the truth. In the
angry exchange of personalities that
followed. Chairman Brandegee ad-
journed the hearing until today.
Threatens to "sIap Face
The hearing had barely opened
when Senator Watson arose from
>his chair and advanced toward the
army officers and shouted:
This bull-jawed brute of a STAFF
officer has insulted me. His looks
are insulting l demand that he
and the rest of these bulldozers be
ordered out. I don't iEtend to be
bulldozed by them"
Maj. Cocheu, to whom most OF these
remarks were directed. colored. but
maintained impassive dignity. while
Chairman Brandegee sought to re-
strain the angry Senator by saying
no insult had been committed. But
Senator Watson would not be
Quelled
I've been insulted." he yelled.
Make that army buIldozer take
his eyes off of me or I'll slap his
face" As he said this. he advanced
closer to Maj. Cocheau in a threat
ening ma-ner.
I'm not afraid of you or anv
other staff officer" he continued
You are not in France now. YOU
are not where you can bulldoze or
tyrannize poor, defenseless pr
Yates"
Ofcers Leave Room,
BY this time the hearing room
was in an uproar. Senator Brande-
gee was on his feet shouting for
order and from adjoining Senator'S
ofhces secretaries and stenoEraphers
came running in. Senator Brande-
gee Went over to the officers and
asked them to withdraw. They did
so MAJ Cocheau remarking to Col.
Bethel' What can a white man do
under such circumstances"
AFTER the officers had retired. Sem
ator BrandeGee demanded that SEN
ator watson proceed in order and
asked if he had anything more to
present to the committee
On, L know what the attitude Of
this committee is toward me-" ex-
claimed the Georgian, shaking his
wavy locks over the committee
table. Il knew before I came here
that you had already pre- judged this
case"
"Untrue,- Says Shields.
nat - an dDSOluIely untrue ana
unwarranted aspersion on the COM
mittee," exclaimed Senator Shields,
of Tennessee. Senator Watson re-
torted:
1T is true. and you know it,"
Senator Brandegee interrupted:
The Senator will please not en-
gage in heroics here We can hear
him without his straining his voice.
You said you had been insulted ny
these bulldozing. lantern-j jawed off,
GERS, as you called them. and I have
ordered them out You NAV now
proceed with anything you have to
say"
TT was a mighty good thing they
went out replied watson, before
they insulted me any more with
their mean looks
Again Senator Brandegee asked
Senator Watson to proceed, but was
unable to make any progress, Sena-
tor Watson declaring he was not
afraid of Brandegee or any other
member. AS the hearing adjourned,
Senator Watson was instructed to
file with the committee the names of
witnesses whom he desired to have
called. His secretaries filed a state
ment e wing the names of a number
of former service men who volun-
teered to testify regarding illegal
executions and inhuman punish
plents in France.