Minutes after legislative session ended for the day, he continued to sit and sign envelopes containing the printed speech. Representative Brooks accompanied by Congressmen Laurence Keitt and Henry Edmundson waited outside the chamber for it to empty. In Brooks’ hand was a gutta-percha cane with a gold head. He suffered from a limp, the scars of an earlier duel. Brooks confronted Sumner as he sat writing at his desk in the almost empty Senate chamber. "Mr. Sumner, I have read your speech twice over carefully. It is a libel on South Carolina, and Mr. Butler, who is a relative of mine.” As Sumner was about to stand, Brooks struck him with his cane. Sumner attempted to cover himself with his arms. Brooks began beating him as hard and as fast as he could. Sumner tried to get away, but was blinded from the blood streaming down his face. Brooks followed him and continued beating him with his cane, which broke as he did so. “I gave him about 30 first rate striped. Towards the last he bellowed like a calf. I wore my cane out completely but saved the head which is gold,” Brooks
Minutes after legislative session ended for the day, he continued to sit and sign envelopes containing the printed speech. Representative Brooks accompanied by Congressmen Laurence Keitt and Henry Edmundson waited outside the chamber for it to empty. In Brooks’ hand was a gutta-percha cane with a gold head. He suffered from a limp, the scars of an earlier duel. Brooks confronted Sumner as he sat writing at his desk in the almost empty Senate chamber. "Mr. Sumner, I have read your speech twice over carefully. It is a libel on South Carolina, and Mr. Butler, who is a relative of mine.” As Sumner was about to stand, Brooks struck him with his cane. Sumner attempted to cover himself with his arms. Brooks began beating him as hard and as fast as he could. Sumner tried to get away, but was blinded from the blood streaming down his face. Brooks followed him and continued beating him with his cane, which broke as he did so. “I gave him about 30 first rate striped. Towards the last he bellowed like a calf. I wore my cane out completely but saved the head which is gold,” Brooks