The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-10-26
VETERAN BLACK! Al
AFTER COMMANDMENT
ga;,
Sues Former Head of South
Dakota Soldiers Home for
Personal Damages.
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
SIOUX FALLS, S. D., Oct 25.-There
is every indication that there is trouble
ahead for former comma ndant and
members of a former board of the state
soldiers home at Hot Springs. The
trouble is expected to grow out of the
case of Black versus the commandant
and the board.
To make the story complete, it will
be necessary to go back few years,
to the time when Col. Arthur Linn,
now of Canton, was the commandant
Of the home, and A. L. Van Osdell, of
Yankton, was chairman of the board.
The board at that time was made up Of
Gunderson, of Clay county;V Osdel,
of Yankton; Bronson, of Miner, and
Clough, of Lawrence.
Mr.. Black was an inmate of the
soldiers home at that time, and was
deacon Of the Congregational church
at Hot Springs. To that same church
came woman, and the woman in the
case was also a member in good stand
ing of the church. Through the tongue
Of gossip it became noised about that
the woman, whose name need not be
mentioned at this time, was not con-
Quoting herself as she should, and that
as result she was likely to lose her
position in both church and society if
her ways were not improved.
Black, as stated, was deacon of
the church, and he, ir1ibued with the
true spirit of love and charity, sat
himself down upon hearing the stories
and wrote the woman, advising her of
the condition of affairs and urging her
to desist from further acts which might
work injury to her reputation.
Instead of accepting the letter in the
spirit in which it was written, this
woman in the case took the epistle to
the pastor of her church, and the pastor
forthwith waxed indignant and con-
veyed the letter to Commandant Linn,
then in charge of the home
Immediately Black was brought upon
the carpet, and, not denying the au-
thorship of the letter, was dishonor-
ably discharged from the home. This
did not at all agree with Blacks ideas
Of the eternal fitness Of things, and he
appealed his case to the soldiers home
board.
The board wrestled with the matter
for some days, and finally sustained
Commandant Linn in his action, which
meant that Black was shy his reputa-
ton and a home as well. > The years
rolled on, the state administration
board, as now constituted, came upon
the scene of action Black brought his
cause before that body. ss,a aooac,,o,
After giving the matter careful con-
sideration,H the new board reinstated
the old veteran thus removing the
stain from his character. Then it was
that Black made up his mind that he
was entitled to damages for the al
legged injuries he had sustained at the
hands of the board and the command
ant. ~
He, through his attorney, L., e. Will
son, instituted an action in the state
circuit court for the Hot. Springs cir
cult for damages in the sum of SIS, 900.
When the case was called for trial
Judge MCGEE threw it out of court, and
the defendants thought that4settled- the
matter.
But it seems the old gentleman came
of fighting stock, and he carried the
case to the state supreme court, which
has just held that he has cause of
action, and giving him a chance to try
his case in the court from which it was
once dismissed in SO summary a man
ner.
If the old man wins his case, as it is
conceded by his friends he is likely to
do, the costs will run UP into a pretty
figure, and that, with a snug judgment
for damages, should one be awarded,
will mean that the cost of. busting him
from the home will come rather high.
The case is exciting a great deal of
comment at Hot Springs, and the re-
suit of the trial will beoawaited with
considerable interest by1fhose who are
acquainted with the parties in interest
and the facts in the caSes