The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-16

Gov Samuel r. Van SAINT is charged
with wrongfully occupying an office to
which he was not elected by the suf-
frage of the people of Minnesota The
Winona Iumberman, it is alleged, is a
usurper, holding Office by force and
fraud; at best, he is only governor de
faeto, in tortious possession of the ex-
ecutive chambers at the capitol, while
the duly elected chief magistrate of
the state, the governor de jure of this
great commonwealth, is unjustly, wick
eddy and feloniously excluded from the
discharge of the duties committed to
his care by the voters of the last cleo
ton.
These serious and admittedly libel
Gus accusations are made by Charles
J. Hultgren, a ST. Paul tailor. MI. Hult-
gren was at the court house yesterday
and made no secret of his claim that
he is the lawful governor of the state.
He declared that the acting governor
was merely pretender to the Office
which he is filling, and that all the
executive acts performed by him since
his Inauguration are null and void.
Would Wreck Ship of State.
The charges made by Mr.. Hultgren
are of grave import for the citizens Of
Minnesota. They raise the question OF
legislature and placed in the statute
books by the signature of Sampel r.
Van SAINT as governor. If sustained by
the courts, Mr.. Hultgren's proposition
would upset all the acting governors
appointments during his occupation of
the gubernatorial chair. AS a single
example of the havoc that would be
wrought in official and political circles,
should the courts GUST the present in
cumbent, it may be said that the re-
suits of the primary election to be held
today would be worth less than moth
ing, for this election is held under the
primary election law, which went into
effect by virtue of the putative gov
ernor's signature.
Gov. Van SAINT, when seen On the
subject last night, confessed that he
was surprised at Mr.. Hultgren's claim.
While not wishing to weaken his posi-
ton from a legal standpoint by any
damaging admissions, he said he knew
that many of the voters of the state,
especially the wicked Democrats,
would believe all that the claimant as
serted. 49,
Van SAINT Stands Pat.
"You can say for me-" the governor
in possession continued, chat should
not like to get out of these comfortable
Offices just yet. In fact, propose to
hold the fort. My address will prob
ably be the same as usual for the rest
of the year, at least, even if the people
of Minnesota don't send be back here
for another term.
Mr.. Hultgren the claimant to the
office which Mr.. Van SAINT declares his
intention of holding in possession, is a
gentleman of Seventy-th three years, a
WidoWer with one child. The belief
that he is the legal governor of Mime
sofa is not the only conviction upon
which he runs counterEto the popular
views of the day. He claims to be heir
to the largest estate in Minnesota, and
alleges that his family is violently
keeping him from the enjoyment Of
the vast wealth which is his by right.
Mr.. Hultgren's- pretensions to the
governorship were submitted to the
adjudication of the court yesterday.
Drs. Olof Sohfberg and Gustav \. REM
were the principal witnesses beside the
claimant, and upon their testimony
the plaintiff lost the first round. But
he declared his intention to continue
the fight for his rights, and assured the
reporter that the case of Charles ].
Hultgren against the state of Mime
sofa would become a cause celal1re in
the annals of American Jurisprudence.
The Judgment from which Mr.. HUT
gren declared his intention to appeal
was a decision of Probate Judge Ba-
lille committing him to the state In
sane hospital at Rochester. Deputy
Sheriff Johnson took him down to the
asylum yesterday afternoon.