The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-01-30
MR.. OWENBY MUST TESTIFY
Order Issued by the House for the Arrest
of the Hiding Silver Spectator.
Information Concerning Free Coinage Wanted
by the House Committee-Cause of Sickness
at the White House-Mrs. Mckee ILL.,
owENBY TO BE ARRESTED.

The Hiding Silver Spectator Must Appear
and Answer for Contempt
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Jan. 29.-Sergeant-at-arms
Holmes was busy this afternoon getting up
the instructions to his officer who will ar
rest j. A. Owenby, in accordance with the
instructions of the House to-day. in connec-
ton with the silver pool investigation.
The committee had failed in It's efforts TO
secure Owenby as q witness, and as q result
Mr.. Dingley, chairman of the committee,
presented q special report to the House TO-
day. The report stated that in the usual
form a subpoena to appear before the COM
mittee was served npon j. A. Owenby and
that said Owenby has refused or neglected
to obey the subpoena. The report was &C
companied by the following order:
Ordered that the Speaker issue his warrant oil
rectly TO the Sergeant-at-arms attending this
House, or his deputy, commanding him TO take
into custody forthwith. wherever to be FOUND,
bar of the House to show cause why he should
not be punished for contempt, and in the mean
time keep said ]. A., Owenby In his custody 10
await the further order or the House
Mr.. Frank of Missouri inquired as to the
answer made by Owenby upon the serving
of the subpoena, n MIR. Dingley replied
that the only information of the committee
was contained in the return of the deputy
Se~rgeant-at-a arms, Mr.. Forsythe, TO the
effect that he had served the subpoena upon
Then Mr.. Frank inquired whether Owenby
had been told that he would be entitled to
mileage and fees, and Mr.. Dingley replied
that the committee had considered the mat
ter. but that so far as be knew no information
had been given TO Owenby as to his mileage
and fees. Mr.. Frank declared hat he had
no intention of obstructing any effort TO
secur the attendance of the Witness; but
If the witness had demanded mileage and
fees he Mr.. Frank thought that he would
be entitled to both before responding TO
the subpoena. There was nothing TO indi-
cate what Owenby's reply to the subpoena
had been. Therefore it seemed to him that
it would be well to 60 slow before passing
such o drastic order as this. Before pass
ing it it would be well for the House to
know that it wal able to enforce the order.
After q brief legal discussion as to the
power of the House to compel the attend
ance OF witnesses. the report was agreed 10
as a preamble to the order. and, as amend
ed, the order was made.
Sergeant-at-arms Holmes is going about
the matter very carefully, in order to avoid
a repetition of the Kilburn case. The war
rant Is issued by the Speaker, SO that the
officers duty is merely to execute the writ.
MIR. Holmes would not indicate whether be
rant or address it to one of his officers. who
is in Chicago. ''Owenby has proved hin
self a very clever dodger," said the Ser.
geant- alarms, land if We gave him any
hint of what we intend doing he would be
likely to get out of the a He claims to
nave avoided legal service of the summon
to appear here, but the return of my officer
shows the most accurate details OF service
There were no witnesses present this
morning to testify before the silver poo
investigation committee, Mr.. Owenby fail.
ing to appear. Congressman John H,
Ketcham, of New York, Voluntarily stated,
most decidedly and unqualitedly, that he
bad never bought or sold silver or been en-.
gagged in any silver transaction, either di.
rectly or indirectly. He said he had nc
knowledge with regard to reported silver
s~pecUlatione.