Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-07
THE KILBOURN SUIT.
Verdict for 100000.
NOTICE OF MOTION FOR A NEW TRIA

This morning, In the case of IIallet Kbourn agt
John R Thompson. eX-Sergeant-at-armS OF the
House OF Representatives for $3.50 600 damages by
reason OF arrest and imprisonment, which had been
On trial in the Circuit Court for over week past a
verdict was expected and there was large attend
ance OF parties interested and Of persons curious to
know what the result would be- One or
the jurors being late it was some min
uteS before the sealed verdict was opened.
II was read by Judge Cox, who announced that
the jury had found for plaintiff, assessing the dam
ages at 100000 The jury was then pOlled and
each answering that the verdict read was his YER
dict 1t was so recorded. MIR. Wilson. for the de-
fendant, gave notice of a motion for a new trial
There was much conjecture before the verdict
was opened as to what would be the amount The
general opinion seemed to be that the amount
would not go above $4,000, many fixing it as low
as 5000.
The motion to set aside the verdict Is on the
ground OF excessive damages.
IN THE JURY-ROoM
The jury considered the case until half-past five
last evening. The first proposition made in the
jury. as 1t is stated to award the plaintiff
S1250D. Eight jurors voted in favor of this and
the other four opposed it strongly. The matter
was finally compromised by allowing 100000. One
Of the jurors said to a STAR reporter, laughinglv
81 thk hADOlrn has got enough, and if he SQuealS,
ne ought not to get anything"
DISTRICT ATTORNEY CORKHILL SURPRISED AT THE
VERDICT.
District Attorney COrkhill, who appeared as
counsel for the defendant was Informed OF the YER
dict by a STAR reporter as he was coming up the
city hall steps.
Are you surprised at the verdictc" asked the re-
porter.
'Of course am. The Judge will set 1t aside He
VIII have to. We have, however, reduced the for
mer verdict $4,000 and il we keep ON we may re-
duce 1t still further"
WILL THE VERDICT BE SET ASIDE?
one OF the lawyers for the defendant said that,
considering the charge Of the judge, he thought
bat hp
verdict
THE MOTION FOR A NEW TRIAL.
District Attorney Corkhill said later In the day
thitI motion for q new trial, OF which notice had
been given, would be made and presented forth
with The judge, he sad might reduce the verdict
to $4,000, or less, If the plaintiff would accept
The defense, however, would not submit to any
verdict more than 5000.
WHAT MR. KILBOURN SAYS.
MI. k1lbOurn was not at court when the verdict
was announced. II would have liked to have been
present." he said to STAR reporter, land thanked
the jury, but had an important business matter
TO attend to at 10 O'clock and could not neglect it,
There was no one On the jury whom knew but
one man, and l hadn't spoken to him for ten
years"
'Do you think new trial would be more favora,
bic TO Eou?" asked the reporter.
"l believe could get Il bigger verdict said Mr..
kllDollTn. "Dut don't want another trial. | want
InlS ihlng settled. Thompson might die, / might
die, or the witnesses may die Besides am glad
TO nave this thing over. have been fighting this
thlng FOR five years and no one knows the trouble
anu expense and the mental strain 1t has caused
me-"
MR. KIIBOURN'S COUNSEL
were enthusiastic in the cause of liberty this morn
ING. They considered the verdict as Inadequate to
pay the price OF liberty wronglully taken from a
man.
II would not think" said Mr.. TOtten emphatf-
caiiy, "that any jury could AFFORD give verdict
so small as $4,000 in such case LAX Of n num-
Der on croSSroad politicians coming here and taking
cltlZen of Washington from his home without
warrant and thruSting him into Jail"
I'll the court wanted TO scale the verdict, would
you accept?" asked the reporter
1--WE wont scale a cent said Mr. TOtten.
1.-THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE TO PAY IT."
Mr.. John G. Thompson, the defendant, went to
New York last night 1t was joke among the
lawyers that he had left the city to avoid execu-
ton OF the Judgment SIT won't hurt Mr.. Thomp-
son., said one Of the lawyers OF the plaintiff to a
STAR reporter. "If the verdict was for million
we could not collect from him. The law says that
we can't collect from him. The government will
have to pay it'