Peninsula Enterprise

Representative Sydney P. Epes, of the Fourth Virginia District, after a most exciting debate, lasting two entire days, was unseated Wednesday by a Republican vote of 151 to a Democratic vote of 130. A large number of Republicans-some twenty in all-purposely absented themselves and refused to vote, Notable among those were Judge McCaul, of Massachusetts, who was chairman of Elections Committee No. 3 in the Fifty-fourth Congress; Jenkins, of Indiana, and Babcock, of Wisconsin, chairman of the Congressional Campaign Committee. One Republican remarked after the vote was taken: "The unseating of Mr. Epes is a gross outrage and I feel ashamed of myself for not having the courage to say so on the floor." Numbers of others expressed themselves in a similar manner, and many admit that if it had not been for personal efforts and appeals made by the Speaker, who was on the floor, Mr. Epes would have retained his seat.