Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 238, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 October 1916 — THOUGHT THEY WERE UNITED. STATES CITIZENS [ARTICLE]

THOUGHT THEY WERE UNITED. STATES CITIZENS

Frank and James Burns, Two Former Kentland Boys, Held Public Of-* fice in Illinois But Had Never .. uwnlifluiß-■ - - Kentland Democrat. Under the caption “Served as Judge —Active iiT Politics Although Al ien” ■ —in bold black eltters at the top of the front page—last Saturday’s Chicago Herald brought some surprising news relative to two well known formerKentland boys. It was all to the effect that Frank J. and James T. Bums, who during ihoir boyhood resided here with their father, Thomas,

brothers Michael and Andrew J., and sisters, Mary and Margaret, but for many years have ranked among the most' prominent attorneys in Kankakee and been very active in politics there, have, in all these years, not bWh fi&tUHiha&i of the U. S. Twenty years ago Frank was already prominent enough as an attornew to be nominated for country judge on an independent ticket, but was defeated in the election, though

he received the compliment of a very large vote. Since then he has always been very active in the politics -of Kankakee city and county. The brother James served with an Illinois regiment in the Spanish-American war and at present is captain of a military company from Kankakee on the Mexican border. Two years ago he was candidate for the democratic nomination for a seat in the Illinois state legislature but was defeated in the primary. Upon the death of a Kankakee county judge last winter he was appointed to fill the unexpired term —until the election held last spring, when another was elected.

The Herald’s article was as follows: “Although for several years county judge of Kankakee county and at present captain of a military company from Kankakee on the Mexican border, James Burns, of Kankakee, became a citizen of the United States only today. His final papers were issued by Judge Francis M. Wright at the naturalization session at the federal building. Burns and his brother, Frank, the latter for some time assistant attorney general under Attorney General Patrick J. Lucy, have identified with politics in Kankakee county for many years. Both believed themselves to be citizens, having been advised that their father had taken out papers during their minority. Recently a legal action came up in court and it developed they could not show naturalization papers. They immediately made application for citizenship. Frank’s case was continued until the March term of court. The father was born in Ireland.