Salt Lake Tribune | 1911-02-05 | Page 1 | Tries to Whip a Congressman

Newspaper Reporter Resents Use of "Short and Ugly" Epithet. CORRESPONDENTS BARELY ABLE TO PREVENT FIGHT 'Extraordinary Scene Takes Platoon Floor of House Just After Adjournment. By Leased Wire to The Tribune. WASHINGTON. Feb. 4. An extraordinary extraordi-nary scene was witnessed on the floor of the house of reprcsontatlves Immediately Immedi-ately after adjournment today when Walter .7. Fahcy. a reporter for a Washington Wash-ington newnpaper, threatened Represen tative Robert Bruce Macon, Democrat, of Arkansas, with personal violence. The main body of press correspondents hurried down from tho press gallery, thronged into the chamber and exerted every effort to prevent a breach of peace. 7n this they were successful. This Incident was tho sequel to an exciting ex-citing encounter betwocn Mr. Macon and Representative Stanley, Democrat, of Kentucky, during1 consideration of the agricultural appropriation bill, Mr. Macon Ma-con being taken to task by the Ken-lucklan Ken-lucklan for suggestions made by the Arkansas Ar-kansas member, that certain members of the house had certain favorites in the government employ whom it was their desire to favor. Tilt With Kontuckiau. Mr. Macon retorted sharply and tho two members glared at each other. Representative Rep-resentative Burleson of Texas got between be-tween them and an agreement to strike the whole colloquy from the records of the house was effected. Mr. Macon arose a little later and stated that he wished to make a privileged statement. He said: "I hold in my hand a clipping from a newspaper, which states that Macon Is denouncod by friends of clerks In tho house. "I want to apollgize for noticing this utterance. And I want to know who Is denouncing me. If be is on the floor, I would liko to see tho member arise. I want to see the color of his hair and his eyes. In the absence of any member arising. I propose to do a little denouncing denounc-ing myself. "This man who wrote this Is a little atom. He Is a deliberate and wilful liar; a dirty pilferer of words: a contcmpt-Iblo contcmpt-Iblo falsitler of facta. I believe this atom should not have a seat in the press gallery." gal-lery." Then Mr. Macon took his seat. Mr. Fahcy, who had written the article, was not in tho press prallcry at tho time. He arrived shortly afterwards and conferred with Representative Norris of Nebraska, a ncrsonal friend. Writer Resents Taunt. Mr. Norris counseled temperate action. The reporter waited. When tho gavel fell he descended to the floor of the house. He walked up to Mr. Macon and said: "The attack you made upon me on the story I had written was not warranted bv the facts. Tho denunciation did take place, and I must demand that you request re-quest that your attack upon mo bo expunged ex-punged from the record." Mr. Norris pushed Fahcy aside. Ho arcuod with Mr. Macon for a momont whllf a whispered conversation by many of the other representatives of the press in the aisle took place. Mr. Macon reiterated his Intention to have the matter appear in the congressional congres-sional record. "Well, then, 7 am going to whip you. said Fuhev. shedding his overcoat and placing his eye-glasses upon a nearby desk. The correspondents then intervened an- prevented a list light.