The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-04-25
BASE INGRATITUDE
Charged Against an Indiana Ez-
Congressman.
HE DENIES TIE ALLEGATION.

Mrs. Jessie Benton Fremont Holds
John Coburn Responsible for Her
Failure to Regain Possession OF
che Beautiful San Francisco Honc-
stead.
New YORK, April 25.-Mrs. Jessie
Benton Fremont, widow of General
John G. Fremont, wrote story for the
last issue of Jennie June's magazine,
the Home Maker, that has caused much
discussion. She calls it "A Home
Found and Lost" and directly charges
ex-Congressman John Coburll, of Indi-
ana, with being responsible for her fail
ure to get back her home in San Fran
cisco from the government.
According to her story she went with
the general to San Francisco eight years
after their marriage, and picked out an
ideal spot for home. II was thirteen
acres on the extreme left of San Jose
Black Point, which juts out into the
channel near the entrance to the harbor,
The general bought the property for
$i2, 600 in gold from Mark Brumagen, a
San Francisco banker and had the deeds
made ont in his wifes name. Mrs. Fre-
mont gives picturesque description of
the home they made there.
Then came the civil war, and General
Fremont, who had volunteered, wrote
her to join him with the children in New
York. She heard soon after her arrival
that the government had taken her home
"tor military purposes" but Secretary
of War Stanton assured the general that
the occupation was only temporary, and
would be satisfactorily settled. After
fln war (,ararul and Mira E,.a,pnpt triad
to get their property back, but in vain.
Today the commander of the department
has the homestead for pleasure ground.
The locality is now known as Golden
Gate park, and the droperty is very val
uable.
The story ends as follows: "Twice we
made application to congress for redress.
Twice the bill passed the senate to re
store me my property. When the bill
reached the house the last time it was
stopped by a single objection. The OBJ
jectOr refused to give any reason for his
opposition to what was otherwise sure
of Il large majority, despite the remon-
strances of his friends. He was a Mr..
Coburn, of Indiana. "A Republican, who
had asked and obtained MIR. Fremont s
personal aid for his reelection, which
had been doubtful otherwise. Mr.. Co
burn was proof even against the tears of
young girl whose father was waiting
the verdict that would leave him in
poverty or restore him to fortune.
4 The father was suffering from wounds
contracted in the war, and Mr.. Coburn' s
obstinate, unexplained objection killed
him. l trust that aS there are few men
/ capable of such cold cruelty as Mr.. Co
I burn, may have success i'll the renewed
efforts | am making this winter to regain
| my lost home"
Mr.. Coburn's Denial.
] This article came to ex-Congressnan
Coburn's attention last week, and he
sent letter of general denial to The
Homemaker, for which he demands as
much publicity as was given to Mrs.
Fremont's story. The reply will appear
in the June issue of the magazine, but
the following synopsis of it has been
given out for publication:
He says that Mrs. Fremont has at
tackled him entirely without proyoca.
ton, and that she has given an erroneous
statement of facts. He quotes from The
Congressional Record to show that Mrs.
Frcmonts bill came before him as a
member of the house committee on
military affairs, and that on Jan. IL,
1872, he read the report on it before the
house. tn committee investigated the
matter thoroughly, had open hearings on
ii and gave opportunity for all testimony
to be handed in. 1t came to the con.
clusion that the claimants have no title
TO the lands, and ut most have an equit-
able claim for pay for improvements
upon lands upon which they were mere
squatters. The house cOncurred in this
report without one dissenting vote.
Next year, late i'll the evening of
March 3, a similar bill, passed by the
senate, was handed to the house. Mr..
Holman, of Indiana, objected to its
passage besanse it had not been given 10
house committee, and Mr.. Neglev. of
Pennsylvania. objected as it had pre-
viously been examined and rejected by
the house. Mr.. Coburn, on the other
hand, proposed substitute providing
that Improvements ON the land be paid
for to the extent Of $4,000. But the
house refused 10 pay anything and the
bill was dropped.
Il had nothing to do with the death OF
the invalid father-in fact, never saw
the weeping girl" says Mr.. Coburn
"and | hold myself innocent of any in,
jury to Mrs. Fremont. l am not III
deltpd in any way to Mr. Fremont for
political help-in fact, the aid is on the
other side. And anyhow do not be.
live that political debts should be paid
from the public treasury. Ii not only a
political creditor is to be paid, but i'll ad
dition a gang of his squattUr friends are
to he subsidized out Of the public money
then let me be considered an migrate.
Il have not heen at Washington since
1875, concludes ex-Congrcssman Co.
burn. land if the bill is such popular
one fail to see why it should not have
been passed in the last seventeen years. "
The Cholera Near Paris.