Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-11
The Recuisant Witness Irwin.
HIS PETITION FOR A WRIT OF HABEA,


CORPUS.
THE STAR on Saturday published the fact
of the confinement in Jail % X. II. Irwin sRyit-
ness before thcWays and Means Committee OF
the House of Representatives who refused 10
answer certain questions duriug the Pacific
Mail inquiry, and also mentioned that a writ
OF hdbe0S cOfJyfs had been sued out. The ppti-
non on which the writ was iSsuei sets forth
tilt ne was summoned before the Committee
oi W avs and Means of the House of Repre-
s5ntativeS and questioned concerning certain
matters alleged. bat crronCously. to be rela-
i've To an Investigation % an alleged improper
use OF money to obtain from Congress "a sub
sldy for the Pacific Mail Steamship Conn
lany. which questions he declined 10 answer
pecauSe The committee had no authority or
leSal rlght tO PROFOUND them: that was he
refused 40 answer i'm The House of RepreSen-
tatiVes because the House had no legal right
toprorourd such questions; and on his refusal
ne was ordered INTO custody and confinement.
20 me eNd that proceedings i'm due course of
law might be instituted against him He
represents that his arrest and confinpmpnt
@ "Ie contrary 10 law and i'm violation OF his
constitutional and legal rights rs a citizen of
The United states. and pTayS a writ of y,1gpegS
eo'1Us al Sitbfci0s,I,1a
THE WRIT.
The writ was served on Mr. Orivav on
saturday night. Ii is rcturnable to-moTrow
When Mr.. Ordway will appear To respond but
VIII not TAKE Irwin out of Jail 1t win be re-
membered that in the case of one Bell who
was committed TO Jail under the same cir
cumStanceS and by similar authority. that a
IKE course was pursued bv him or his conn
sci, ana That Judge WVlie refused 10 dis
cnarge the recuSant witness. but said hai he
known that he was committed by an order Of
the house OF Representatives he never would
have isSuedthe writ
THE TEXT OF THE WRIT
is as follows:
District of Columbia 10 wit:-The President
OF the United States To n. G. Ordway, Ser
geant-at-ArmS of the House of Representa-
tives of the Congress of the United States of
america greeting; IOu are hereby com
manded To have the boiy of Richard B. Ir-
win. detained under your custody il is said
together with the day and cause of his being
taken and detained by whatever name ho
may be called in the same, before one of the
Justices OF The supreme Court OF the said Dis
iFlct, al The City Hall, in the city of Wash
ington. in the District Of Columbia on Tues
day, the 18th of January, 1875, at II O'Clock
moonl of said day. to do and receive whatso-
ever SNAIL then and there be considered of i'm
this behalf: and have there then this writ
Witness-Arthur Macarthur. one of The
1879
By order of Justice Macarthur.
X. j. MEIGS. Clerk
Notices were also sent TO the Speaker of
the House of Representatives and the Dis
trict Attorney, notifying them OF the issuing
OF the writ.
IRwIN's LIFE IN JAIL
MI Irwin continues quite cheerful i'm spirits
and lives well in his new quarters. receiving
curing the day quite a number of visitors.
Among the most constant in attendance on
the prisoner is Dom Piatt. This morning
the surgeon generals of the army and navy
Ba1nes and Beale-pafd him visit, it is
thought at the instance of the Speaker or the
committee. His meals are sent from Worm
leys. from which establishment two bows are
detailed to attend him. He rises about sk
O'Clock, and takes, in q short time thereafter
MS first meal-generally very light one
eggs, toast and coffee At IL q. m he takes
his breakfast, quite a substantial one: at 3 D.
M he takes lunch, and at his dinner At Ii
o CLOCK he retireS TO rest