The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-12-30
FIR M THEA7ER TO CONGRESS
THUS HAS JOURNEYED REPRE-
SENTATTVE KAHN
OF California After "a Diversion Into the
Law.

Representative Julius Kahn. of San
Francisco, Cal, is one of the picturesque
and interesting figures of the House
He is only thirty-eight years old but
he has seen ten years of active life on
the stage, and about an equal period OF
active practice as a lawyer and polite
IAN Already he is one of the best
known of the new members of the
House although he has not spoken in
debate or participated in the proceed
ings. He has a quiet manner, but a
very congenial SOUL and has added rap
idly to his Congressional friendships,
contracted during his previous visits as
actor to Washington decade ago.
During the financial discussion Mr.
Kahn was probably as constant as any
other man in keeping his seat, the one,
almost in the centre of the Republican
side Of the chamber, that Mr.. Reed oc-
cupied in the Forty seventh Congress.
The doorkeepers in the galleries have
been asked questions by the score about
the individuality of the theatrical-look
ing man of great corporosty and large,
benign countenance, topped with bushy
hair that curls a little and is combed
frowzily, but neatly, back from the
high, slanting forehead.
THE first time / played in Washing
ton" observed Mr.. Kahn, as he settled
back on the black cushion in a recess
of the House lobby, was early in the
Spring of 1882. | was with Kiralfy
Brothers in the spirited production of
Michael Strogoff' / looked forward
with considerable interest to this initial
visit to the National capital. Later l
came here with Joseph Jefferson's com
pany. I was acquainted with Mr.. John
p. Leedon, the Sergeant-at-arms of the
House. / often used to sit around in
his office, and he introduced me to many
members of Congress. | varied my
visits to his Office by frequent excur-
sions to the gallery, where ] watched
the legislative wheels go round
well, l have appeared In Washing
ton with numerous companies, and in
various characters" added Mr.. Kahn
II played Hendriek Vedder with Jetfer-
son in Rip Van Wrinkle and I played
the heavy part of Antonio Palinleti
with Clara Morris in Rene de Moray.
That was at the National Theatre, the
Olu ANdlloAdl Va l4lG SItC Va LIE pltS'I k
commodious playhouse / also appeared
at the same theatre as Jack Bunsby in
'Dombey and Son. when it was played
by w. j. Florence. whom I regarded
as the greatest character actor in this
country and his company"
Representative Kahn has assumed
numerous other parts on the stage. He
played for several years In stock COM
panies, and gained quite a reputation
as Baron Stein in Diplomacy"
Brassy Gall in "a Texas Steer was
the last part he played before devoting
himself to law. Speaking of his
theatrical experiences, Mr.. Kahn said:
my first part was Shylock in The
Merchant of Venice | played that at
the Baldwin Theatre in San Francisco
in 1879, Charles B. Bishop, Lewis Nor
risson, and James A. Herne were in the
cast. I remained in San Francisco for
two years, and did not go East until
1881. After that J. played in every sec
ton of the country between Cape Bret
on and Aspinwall and Panama and
British Columbia. I was on the stage
about ten years in all.
81 became convinced that there was |
no great future in the profession under |
modern conditions. In these days ii is |
a question of the play rather than the |
player ] was with Florence in The |
Mighty Dollar on which he spent |
$40, 900. The natural life of a play per-
haps you know, is three years. I saw
Florence try ten plays in succession |
all of which were failures In the |
theatrical profession the older you grow
md the more experience you acquire, !
It often happens, you are commensur-
ately less useful In the legal profession
as you grow older and acquire expert
enee, the more valuable your legal ser
vices become.
In short, ] was convinced that the
same amount of energy and the came
would bringrne much more sat
sfactory results in practicing law. The
'esult has justified my conviction" de-
Jared Mr.. Kahn in a modest but mat
eruf-fact manner.
Representative Kahn was born in
oreign land, first seeing the light of day
1t Kuppenheim. Grand Duchy of Baden,
February 2S, 1861. The hardships he
ndured as boy have not soured his
Exceeding good nature nor affected his