Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-17
WHAT THE JURORS SAY.
tons Cast Upon the KilbOuFn Juries-
How the Final Verdict Was Obtained.


tons Cast Upon the KilbOurn Juries-
How the Final Verdict Was Obtained.
81 know OF no proposition towards fraud or brfb-
cry, said Mr.. Marcellus Marceron, member of the
last jury which tried the case OF kilbourn against
Thompson. In reply to question by a STAR re
porter respecting the charge which Mr.. w. W. Ker
Is said to have made In letter TO Representative
Randall to the effect that the Juries that tried this
case had been "iXed,r "and,n continued Mr.. Mar
ceron, 81 feel satisfied that IL such proposition
had been made it would have been rebuked by my
fellow jurors with indignant Scorn. / served with
the jury Tor three months: had every opportunity
10 learn the character OF my colleagues, and am
sure that no more honorable gentlemen were ever
assemble onnss On =, Jury So far as ann concerned
thought that he should have answered the cues
tons propounded him in relation TO the real estate
the morning without being able to agree It was
then proposed that each juror should write down
the amount which he thought should be awarded
Inc sum OK these amounts should then be divided
oy Twelve. striking an average, to which all the
Jurors consented TO agree. The result reached was
verdict for S37, 600 Three OF the jurors Including
myself, put down nothing. When the result was
known, said to my fellow jurors that Judge Hag-
ner would surely set aside the verdict. He did set
IL aside or o1ered TO issue Judgment for 500 oO0
That amount, l understand, was accepted, and
Congress is now asked TO make an appropriation to
pay it."
The Jurors who served at the last trial with Mr.
Maceron were w. /. Tune, c. j. Gawler. j. Edwin
krouse, Rodney Vandeyenter, John J. Peabody,
Adam Gaddis, Was. Tilley, j. b. Hollidge W. d.
Barron, Daniel Luther and jerome McManus
Mr.. Jerome McManuS when questioned by a STAR
reporter, said he had read what had been published
about MI kerS letter, and it did the Jury great in
Justice. As far as he could know, no IN an on the
jury had been, IN any way, Improperly Influenced
Certainly no one had ever approached him. "The
verdict" ne said, twas compromise. Half the
jury wanted to award Mr.. KIlbourn $40 900 and the
Other hal1 wanted TO give $4,000 The s37, 600 was
Mr.. Rodney vandeventer had not heard of the
letter: and was very much surprised when told that
. MT. ker had charged that the jury had been
liked" "No such thing.' he said "Ihere wasn't
man fixed that know Of"
MT Hoiiidge said there was no ground whatever
for the charge, and that the jury was as fair and
square jury as was ever impanneled. They had
only to fix the amount OF damages for the case was
commenced with the fact settled that Mr. XII
b0urn was entitled TO damages and the amount of
damage was all they had to determine.
MIR. Luther remarked that the publication OF Mt
ker's charge was the first intmaJion he had heard
that the jury had been fixed. This was the first
jury duty he had ever done, and be was satisfied
that the verdict was O fair, square verdict based
on the actual damage by loss OF time, ex penses
Capt j. Edwin KrouSe says he had never seen or
heard anything about bride. and be did not be-
lleve that any juror had been approached. He was
perfectly willing to meet any committee OF Con-
gresS In vlnd1cation OF the jury
w. rune laughed when the subject was men,
toned and said: 81 don't believe that any one on
the jury was bribed. 1t seemed to me to be an
honest verdict There was difference OF opinion
about the amount, but with that exception the
pressed by the verdict"
Mr. Adam Gaddis Indignantly denied that there
was any fixing" In connection with the jury OF
which he was member. 81 would Ike TO have
MIR. ker make such a statement to me- he said 81
never was approached BY any one, directly or in
otrecty ana there was not the slightest suggestion
OF wrong-doing made to me, and am sure that the
same can be said OF the olher jurymen. 1.-The fact
IS IS, ne continued, III ever fair and impartial
jury sat in the District or Columbia that was the
one. We weighed every detail with care and
sound judgment and endeaVOred to bring In a ver-
alct that would stand. No, sir, there was no fix
Ing business 10 that jury
MT. Peabody made q sweeping and emphatic
denial OF The charge.
Mr. W. H. Barron, when questioned by STAR re-
porter as to the charge that the jury had been
tempered with, -emphatically denied the charge
Mr.. Barron stated that he was in position to
know, and does know that no one OF the Jury was
ever approached with reference to any verdict that
might be rendered. but on the contrary the Jury
was influenced alone by the evidence given, and a
sincere desire to do justice.
Mir. c. j. Gawler said TO STAR reporter that IL
there was any bribery OF the Jury he knew nothing
OF It, and that. as far as he could judge 1t as
fair and square jury as ever set, and that there
was no disagreement as to giving verdict for
plaintiff, but simply an honest difference as to the
amount which should be awarded.
TIE OTHER JURIEs.
The Jury which tried the first In APRIL 1882,
and awarded verdict OF 100000. was composed of
Thomas Aidrch, Ludwig Eisinger, James l. Tur-
ner. Charles L. Hulse Charles Ludngton, W. c.
Murdoch, Thomas Paxton, Lemuel Lusby, William
Graham, Aug. Schroeder, j. w. Jett and a. j. How
ard.
The Jury at the second trial In November, 1889.
VINO gave verdict for 100000 was composed OF
Goddard, Daniel Pfeil, ". H. Rupp, W. A. Clarke
Daniel p Mealy, Thomas J. Gait, Richard W. Cant,
w. III. Garges and AL. II. Stockman.
Members of these juries when asked as to the
charges made emphatic denialS
Mr.. KILBOURN DECLINES TO TALK.
Mr.. kilbourn declined to be interviewed on the
matter, observing: 81 do not want to dignity the
rot so much"
WHAT Mr.. KER SAYS ABOUT HIS CHARGES.
Mr.. Ker, referring to his letter to Mr.. Randall,
charging that the three Juries which tried the Hal
let k1lbourne suit were fixed, said yesterday In
Philadelphia, according to a report In the Phlla-
delphia Press" In The course OF my investiga-
ton In The star route ase 1t came TO my knowledge
That certain persons were willing to impart fnfOr-
nation showing how the 1ures In those three trials
had been Dribed or fixed. This statement for
warded to Attorney General Brewster. who, after
snort time, returned II, accompanied by letter,
In which he demonstrated the imposSbllty OF hav-
Ing the matter settled or Investigated by the De-
partment OF Justice and also referring the case to
Mr.. Randall as the chairman Of the appropriations
committee. AS Hallet Kilbourne could not legally
sue the United States Congress for Imprisonment
alarms, and gained verdict for damages for q
tremendous sum. This sum must come before the
appropriations committee Tor approval, and conse-
quently any charges OF Jury-fXlng will have to be
presented to them. Following are the Attorney
Generals directions:
Il have forwarded Mr. Randall a statement of
facts as got them, the names and residences OF
witnesses, and, in fact, all the Information had
received upon the subject and as many people or
nigh standing are implicated, it will be doubly in
terestng should the affair prove true and the case
come before the courts'"
SUIT AGAINST KER THREATENED
A gentleman who was member OF the first XII
bourn jury said to STAR reporter this morning:
"As soon as this letter is made public and get the
proper data Will consult my attorneys, and If they
SO ADVISE Will bring suit against ker for SANDER
rms was @ SANDER on the whole jury, and would
Ike to make test case OF it,"
------->~>---
The Jackson Democrats.
TIE SUBJECT OF BANQUET IN JANUARY AGAIN
D1sCUssED-A PROPOSITION TO DISCHARGE THE
INAUGURATION COMMITTEE NOT CARRIED.
At the meeting OF the Jackson democratic asso-
Citation last evening, the president, Mr. j. E. Norris
being absent, Mr. II. c. Ciagett, epresident pre-
sided and Mr. N. Sardo acted as secretary. Frank
lin Bid, W. B. Page, Fillmore Collins, James L.
kaston, Robert {. Fenwick and Franklin Gernon,
jr., were elected members
Mr. Ne umyer, from the committee on serenade to
Senator German and Representative Barbour, re-
ported that 1t was proposed to give 1t On Monday
night
Mr.. Sardo suggested that the committee to con-
Ter with the national democratic committee as TO
subject had been turned over TO citizens commit
Tee which was then in session, and 1t would be best
not TO interfere with the citizens committee
Mr.. X. s. Davis, chairman OF the committee
alluded TO, urged that no action be taken until the
next meeting, saying that in the meantime the
committee would prepare a report
DE- Alien, from the committee on the Sth OF JAN
uaTy celebration, reported that speakers and music