Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-02-01
VAN SOLEN CASE.
Jimmy Emmons, Former Resident o
Bismarck Adds a Chapter to
the Van Solen Case.
Does Not Incline to the Opinion Tha,
the Doctor was Guilty of Mur-
der as Claimed.

Some weeks ago the Washburn Leader
published an article relating to the coin
cidence in the manner of death of Sen
ator G. X. Davis and DR.. Van Solen,
whom the senator, when a struggling
young attorney, had defended on the
charge of numbering one DR.. Harcourt.
This article has come to the attention of
James A. Emmons, one of the pioneers
of the Missouri slope, and in the Okla
homa State Capital of recent date there
is another chapter of this story written
by Mr.. Emmons, who says:
The struggling attorney spoken of in
the above sketch was known to what is
now called old timers, in Minnesota and
the Dakotas as Cush Davis famed in
congress as the Hon. Cushman K. Davis,
clothed. with senatorial honors and
powers, as great statesman, renowned
as an orator and trusted natural law
maker.
In the fall of 1870 1 loaded a little
steamer named the Admiral Farragut for
Fort Buford, located at the mouth of the
Yellowstone river, the fort had been a
summer cantonment or camping place
for regiment of United States regulars
General Blunt, acting quartermaster for
the department of Dakota, then under
command of General Winfield S. Han
cock, had been ordered to hire carpenters,
artisans, laborers, clerks and attendants,
who with tools, stores and supplies were
to proceed to Sioux City to take steamer
and go to Camp Buford with full corps
of engineers, lay out and built fort,
barracks and quarters, and stables for a
twelve company military post, at the
above strategic location ana if possible
blockade the crossing place of hostile
Indians, men occupying the Yellowstone
valley and Big and Little Horn mount
nins and basin country.
When the little steamer was loaded
with freight and her cabin and upper
decks crowded with people, the com
mand to cast off was given. She steamed
out of Sioux City to sound and spar her
way out thousand miles, to the upper
Missouri. 1t was tedious voyage, with
all the vexations of low water, picked
up wood, high winds, sparring, hauling
and washing over sandbars and reefs.
Many of the deck crew from cold, ex-
posure and severe hardships were taken
down with ague and delirious fevers.
Here commenced my acquaintance with
Mr.. Van Solen, which ripened into long
years of love and close friendship, that
has never waned, to this day, and trust
never will though he is cold in his lonely
grave.
On my usual rounds on coming on
watch l paced the cabins and deck to
see that all was well and visit my sick
ened deck crews, found this good Sa-
maritan, Mr.. Van Solen, kindly and
tenderly caring for the feverish victims,
administering medicines, bathing their
| foreheads or whatever needed to be
done to bring relief. On inquiry asked
him if he understood using and hand
ling medicines. He answered that he
did. I Immediately ordered the steamer
medicine chest to be brought from the
cabin to the lower deck and placed in
charge of Mr.. Van Solen. He had won
my hearts affection and everlasting
friendship by his own good conduct
kind and gentlemanly demearor.
The fort was finally reached, the pas
sengers ashore, cargo piled upon the
wharf and parted with my new found
companionable friend, Van Solen, with
great reluctance.
In 1872 it was my pleasure to locate at
the Northern Pacific crossing Of the Mis-
souri, river at the then newly laid out
town of Edwinton, now called Bismarck
the capital of North Dakota.
| When Fort Buford was finished the
majority of the carpenters and clerks
and employees drifted down the river tc
'the new town and among them was my
| friend Van Solen. Our acquaintance
and friendship was renewed, and accept:
able to us both naturally. One day af
ter walk and pleasant talk we separ
ated.
In walking few steps from him met
a young lawyer acquaintance by the
name of Thomas Y. Van Etten, formerl,
from st. Paul, and he said to me, "Mr
Emmons did you know that you were
walking arm and arm with cold blood
ed murdered?" / answered no, and said
Who do you mean? Who, where anc
whom did he murder, I inquired. HI
told me and I then inquired was he
tried for it. He answered yes and was
4 acquitted. Then I said he is no mur
derer if twelve men said on their oath ht
was not guilty. MIR. Van Solen is my
friend aud / am his friend and always
Twill be- WAS my answer, and so We re
manned up to the time I left Bismarck
Dakota, in 1885. DR.. Van Solen and hi:
quarter blood Indian wife were the yer,
last persons who visited my house be
fore the departure of myself and wife.
Poor DR., Van Solen so kind, so gentl,
in disposition. How could his sisters
. his wife and all others forsake him
4 Cruel fate, Of a noble, generous man
crushed by such a terrible load Of sor
|, row. OH! God have mercy on those VIII,
crushed and deserted him, Cushman x
4 Davis, the rich senator, the famed orator
q the noted diplo lomat, the idol OF Mime
sofa. Did you forget did God visit ]
q wrath, d punishment. 1T is written
Thy will be- done earth to earth dus
to dust Old timers of Bismarck car
!. for the grave of DR.. Van Solen. Let hi
Il lepitaph be here sieeps brave soldier