Omaha daily bee., 1906-03-17
CAPTAIN PALMER ANSWERS
Omaha Man Explains bis Deal with Con-
gresham Martin Of South Dakota,
BOUGHT DAKOTA LAND FOR INVESTMENT
HAD Never Met Martin at Time site for
sRhitsrium was Selected and
was Not Influenced
ny Him.


Il was called out OF bed last night fer
answer to the story published in the Key
stone, Pennington County. Is. d. Recorder
yesterday" said Captain Palmer Friday,
and having no papers or documents
with me, was not fully qualified to answer
exactly the charge made and the reporter
also misunderstood my reply in one or
two instances.
Here is the printed record for 1909, cover
ing the proceedings Of the board for the
National home" On page 1s1 appears the
following:
HOT SPRINGS, S. d., July q, 1soe.--
After the board had visited and carefully
Inspected the various sites offered for the
Gently authorized by act Of congress, II was
| found that what is locally known as the |
central site" was the best for such BUR |
/ pose, and the people of Hot Springs having |
/ offered to donate to the board said site, /
consisting OF not less than 1OO acres OF |
/ land lying south Of Eleventh street and east |
| OF said street and the bluff along the main |
| street Of said town, and the people of Hot |
! perpetual lease to one or more of the hot |
mineral springs located near said site, |
upon motion, 1t was
Resolved, That the board OF managers, |
National Home for Disabled Volunteer |
Soldiers, selects as the site for the national !
| santarium of the National Home for Dis
abled Volunteer Soldiers authorized under |
act of congress approved May %, 1902 |
what is known as the central site" con-
| sisting Of not less than 100 acres OF land,
! lying south and east of Eleventh street
and the bluff along the main street OF said
town, In Hot Springs, s. D., and that said
board accepts one or more Of the hot
mineral springs rendered, the particular
springs to be designated at future time.
Resolved further, That the sanitarium
shall be officially known as the Battle
Mountain sanltarium. National Home for
Disabled Volunteer Soldiers"
Three sites offered.
There were three sites offered by the
citizens of Hot Springs, one beyond the ex-
IRENE northern limit of the town 0he town
covers probably 1,OoO acres Of plated terri
tory). The other site was Beyond the ex-
IRENE southern limit OF the town. The site
selected, called the central site, was in the
center of the city, between the two prin-
cipal sections of the town, on command
ing blum or plateau jutting out from Battle
Mountain. There has been absolutely no
change of site since this selection. The Sc
lection was made by the board. at least
Y seven members being present.
! Il confidently believe that not a member
: OF the board was improperly approached by
y a single citizen of Hot Springs or any
other place The selection gave general
) satisfaction and to the present date there
has never been a murmur of criticism. At
that I had never met Hon. z. w. Martin
and do not remember of meeting him until
some time afterward.
-Four months later, or to be exact. on
/, the 2ith Of November, 1902 1 bargained
d with the then Congressman Martin, who
Q had Just been elected to congress for one
s fifth interest in 800 acres Of very rough
:. land. adjoining the extreme northern limit
IL of a plat of eighty-two lots that had been
). plated by Martin and others in the boom
e days, which plat touches-in part only, at
- least-over 100 acres belonging 10 the sani-
e tarium site on the north side.
o Buys TO Aid sRnitarium.
:. at also bought one-fifth interest in these
k lots, for all of which l paid cash. really
d more than the property was worth. ]
s bought it an investment, hoping that Il
Il would be worth, in FIVE or ten years. double
i the amount invested. I was Influenced also
y by the idea that if I were a taxpayer and
t interested in Hot Springs, / might have
d more influence with the city government I'm
J, the matter OF much needed sewers, i'm
proved streets etc, all tending TO the bet
n terment of the sanitarium After holding
e this ground over three years it was offered
It for sale nearly a month ago for the original
d price and per cent interest. This purchase
a was not made until four months after the
It location Of the site and as before stated.
d six months after the passage Of the act
70 making the appropriation, etc.
|" LAS previously stated, Congressman
y Martin, who sVas at the time of the location
d not q member of congress. and a citizen
I, Of Deadwood. had nothing to do with
II location OF the Soldiers Home, 80 far as
am aware.
y 1.-THE declaration OF trust from Martin
u to Ellis T. Pierce. Norman T. Mason,
France NJ Dobson, Charles l.. Martin
Henry z. Palmer, f. W. Martin was
a placed upon record, December "a 1902 al
$50 a. n1 and recorded In book three. mis-.
,. ceilaneous. page 800 p. J. FranEen. register
of deeds by Maya Franzen, deputy.
at has been a we'll known fact that ]
have owned this interest ever since the
filing Of this document. feel confident
l. that I had perfect right to make the
N investment. especially after all oficial
e, action had been duly taken and the ap.
lr preparation made for the sanitarium. and
s. cannot understand why Martins political
le enemies should stab me TO inluFe him
ID especially when the stroke Is an injury tc
my good name and good character"
e, WHIST Caused Answer.
1t The above is called forth by the follow
IN ing:
4 KEYSTONE, S. D., March l5.-Cspecie
Telegram 1.-THE Recorder, published at this
IL place. has a story today 10 the effect thai
al Congressman Martin used improper iniu
s. ence in locating the old soldiers home a
ot Hot Springs As evidence II publishes q
transcript of a declaration of trust on al,
le in Fall River county. This shows thai
I'd Henry E. Palmer has one-hfth Interest
ir in land adjoining the home and there Is
N nothing else to show how he got that IN
terest unless It was conveyed to him b,
'e Martin in the deed of trust. The choic'
n of a site was originally made by Genera
of Mcmahon. and Captain Palmer changed q
W to be near this land OF Martins
Ia