James William Simonton

James William Simonton was a New York Times Washington correspondent confined by the House of Representatives for refusing to identify members of Congress who had approached him about obtaining money for their votes. He told an investigating committee that naming them would violate a confidence. On January 21, 1857, the House had him arrested, brought before its members and placed in close custody under the Sergeant-at-Arms or his deputy. He remained confined while the committee sought further testimony. On February 9, after receiving answers it considered sufficient, the committee recommended his discharge and the House agreed. The confinement lasted 19 days. Simonton later became a proprietor of San Francisco newspapers and general agent of the Associated Press.