Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-21


with any act of any officer of the United
States or District government. He further
stated that no one was interested in the
affair then but the firm Kilbourn g. Latta
and that the only reason he had for OBJ
jecting to answer a question about 1t was
that it was purely private business.
jeremiah Black, the eminent Pennsyi-
vania lawyer, who was Mr.. kilbourns at
torney stated for Mr.. Kilbourn that the
latter was entirely willing to answer any
interrogatories that the committee might
put to him concerning the nature and MS
tory of the so-called real estate pool, pro-
yided that any member of the committee
would express his conviction grounded on
any fact known to him that there was any
connection whatever with any public man
that Congress had a right to investigate
or found any legislation upon. On March
ID the committee again asked MIR. Kill
bourn If he would answer the questions ht
had declined to answer a week before. Mr..
Kilbourns reply was, Il have nothing FUR
to answer for the reasons heretofore
stated"
Arraigned Before the House.
The next day the committee, with the
exception of Mr.. Pratt of Iowa, reported
Mr. Kilbourn as being in contempt of the
House and the sergeant-at-arms appeared
at the bar of the House with Mr. kilbourn,
whom he had arrested on warrant IS
sued by Speaker Kerr in response to
resolution of the House.
When Mr.. Kilbourn was arraigned he
presented a statement to the House OF
Representatives, which was read by the
clerk. It was remarkable document, and
concluded as follows: II am far from de-
string to stand in the way OF any lnVestl-
cation you may please to make concerning
public affairs On the contrary Will tree
~ give you all the aid 1 can. But l can
to animation of Drl-
yate business unless some reason be as
signed for it. If the House insists must
take the consequences. Solemniy trust
that the whole House will see the gross
injustice of either certifying me to the
district attorney for prosecution or else
convicting me here
Sent to Jail.
Speaker Kerr then asked Mr.. Kilbourn
If he was then prepared to answer upon
the demand of the committee where each
of the five members of the real estate pool
resided. A resolution presented by Mr..
Glover declaring Kilbourn in contempt of
the House was then passed. Mr.. Kilbourn
was thereupon taken on the afternoon Of
the 14th of March to the common jail of
the District of Columbia ard there incar-
cerated.
After much excitement. debate, &C., in
the House, Mr.. Kilbourn was released upon
a writ of habeaS corpus issued by ChleI
Justice Carter of the District Supreme
Court. Mr.. Kilbourn then brought a suit
for false imprisonment against Sergeant
alarms John G. Thompson, Speaker Kerr
and members of the Glover committee for
false Imprisonment for having had him
confined in the District Jail for forIy-hve
days.
Subsequently Mr.. Kilbourn received the
sum of $4,000 as damages for the indig-
nifty put upon him.
Mr. Kflbourn was an incorporation of the
Washington Market Company and of the
Washington and Georgetown Railway
Company. He was interested at one time
in the newspaper known as the National
Republican. After severing his connection
with the Republican he was for some years
president of the company that published
a newspaper called the Critic.
During the last presidential campaign
Mr.. Kilbourn was an enthusiastic sup
porter of William J. Bryan, although he
had been a republican prior to that time.
He is the author of 1.-The New Declaration
of Independence" a pamphlet widely used
during the campaign. Mr.. Kilbourn has
two daughters. One is the wife of a son
of Senator Gordon of Georgia and the other
the wife of an officer in the French army.
Judge Cox, in Equity Court No. 1, today
ordered the issuance of the writ authoriz-
ing the inquiry in the case CT Hallet Kill
bourn.