The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1911-06-30
MINISTER ARRESTED !!
Rev. Paul Paulsen Of RcviIlO. Charged
with Voting Illegally, Has Hearing
and Fully Establishes his limo.
cence. Serious Mistake Made by
RevillO Friends of the saloon.

Revillo Friends of the Saloon.
The saloon fight at Revillo
which has not been allowed tt
rest since the spring election
when the petition for a vote or
the question was rejected by the
courts, and the town went dry
was brought to the attention o1
people ln a very sensational man
ner last Monday, when the Rev
Paul Paulsen, the Congregation
al minister at Revillo. was ar
rested and brought to Milbank
on complaint sworn to by Ber
thold Weide, charging him with
having voted illegally at the
spring election.
The minister was placed in the
hands of the sheriff and the case
brought before Justice Bleser
of this city, when the defendant
pleaded mot guilty, aud the
hearing was set for Wednesday
afternoon. A. this hearing all
the judges ana clerks of election,
excepting one S. T. B. Potter,
who is now living in Minneapolis,
were sworn, aud their testimony
was conclusive that the defend,
ant had vooed at the election,
and that some words OF banter
had been exchanged between
the minister aud two of the judg-
es of election who had been op-
posed to the minister's fight
upon the saloons. The three
judges of election were Ber-
thoid Weide, the mplaining wit.
ness in the case, S. L. B. Potter,
and A. ID Jones, and the clerks
of election were Otto Scholtz and
John Coffit. The minister S vote
was challenged by Potter, an
ex- saloon Keeper and now a non.
resident Of the state, and Paul
sen had to swear in his vote.
Mr.. Weide in his testimony
stated that he was q little hard
of hearing and did not hear the
defendant state in answer to u
question as to citizenship, that
he had his papers at his home.
Weide had written to Washing.
ton, to Huron, and also to the
clerk of courts of this county to
learn if Paulsen had taken out
his papers. but could get no rec.
ord OF the fact from any of these
sources.
The defendant, when placed
upon the stand, gave a direct
and concise account of the af
fair at the polling place when his
vote was challenged. and said
that in his talk with the judges
he told them thaG his declaration
of intention was at his room.
This paper, properly signed by
the clerk Of courts at Sioux City,
where his first papers were
taken out, was produced aud
offered in evidence at the hear
ing Wednesday, fully establis b.
ing his right to vote at the cleo
tion in question, he having lived
in the state, county and precinct
the required time. On this
showing Justice Bleser prompt.
ly dis missed the charge against
the defendant.
We are relia bly, informed that
a mum Der Of the people of Revillo
are justly indignant of what they
consider an outrage upon one of
their citizens and a minister of
the gospel. The whole case ap
pears to have been inspired by a
spirit OF spite work, as it is
averred the complaining witness
could easily have obtained evi-
dence of the minister's right to
vote had he been so inclined, and
that only malicious desire to
injure Paulsen's reputation
could have inspired him to insti-
tute the proceedings which
proved so utterly groundless
and without foundation.
The outcome of the trial has
shown the complaining witness
In most ridiculous light to say
the least, and the probable out
come Of 1t may be that he will be
called upon to ma Ike much
larger contribution to the sup
port of the ministry than he has
ever done before.
Teachers Examination.
Notice is hereby given that an ex-