Washington Critic Company 1887 - Washington DC Newspaper - Owl Vignette signed by Hallet Kilbourn

Beautifully engraved certificate from the Washington Critic Company issued in 1887. This historic document has an ornate border around it with a vignette of an owl holding a feather pen. This item is hand signed by the Company’s President (Hallet Kilbourn) and Secretary (Richard Sylvester)and is over 116 years old.






Certificate Vignette



The Washington Critic Company owned and operated the Daily Critic News, Evening Critic News and the Washington Critic News. The company was in operation from 031 August 1868 - 14 May 1891.



Hallet Kilbourn was involved in a famous Surpreme court decision as follows:

U.S. Supreme Court KILBOURN v. THOMPSON, 103 U.S. 168 (1880) 103 U.S. 168 103 U.S. 168

October Term, 1880

This is an action for false imprisonment brought by Hallet. Kilbourn against John G. Thompson, Michael C. Kerr, John M. Glover, Jeptha D. New, Burwell P. Lewis, and A. Herr Smith. The declaration charges that the defendants with force and arms took the plaintiff from his house, and without any reasonable or probable cause, and against his will, confined him in the common jail of the District of Columbia for the period of forty- five days.

In 1876 the arrest and imprisonment by the House of Hallet Kilbourn, a contumacious witness, resulted in a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that the House had no general power to punish for contempt, as in a case wherein it was proposing to coerce a witness in an inquiry not within the constitutional authority of the House. The Court also discussed the doctrine of inherent power to punish, saying in conclusion, ‘‘We are of opinion that the right of the Houses of Representatives to punish the citizen for a contempt of its authority or a breach of its privileges can derive no support from the precedents and practices......