Show fist fight in the house of representatives is narrowly averted the gentleman from tennessee at tempted to chastise member from but Is prevent ed by other members of the house washington late thursday after noon mr balnes of tennessee and mr mahon of pennsylvania were only prevented from meeting in a personal encounter by the intervention of members on the floor ot the house mr catnes was making a speech on his bill to dock members pay for absence from the house and was being twitted by both sides of the cham her to his embarrassment during his speech he charged mr mahon with being absent from the house 95 per cent of the time previous to this sweeping assertion mr balnes had read excerpts from the record in relation to the withholding of pay in the fifty third congress and the part mr mahon had played at that time mr mahon remained silent through out mr gaines speech with the ex of interjecting a remark or two at the beginning when mr balnes had concluded mr mahon rose he explained how in the fifty third and fifty fifth congresses he had 7 due him and that speaker crisp had given him an order on the ser geant at arms for the amount which was paid then coming to the crux of mr balnes charges mr mahon thundered any man who charges with being away from this house 95 per cent pt the time tells an untruth mr balnes started down the aisle from his seat no man can tell me I 1 lie he exclaimed it looked for a moment aa though the dignified congressmen would en gage in a rough and tumble fight but friends interfered and order was ro stored later both gentlemen apologized and clasped hands amid loud from their fellow congressmen |