Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-02-22
SCAND|NAWANS HOLD
BANQUET At Pierre
Biennial Celebration Is Attend
ed by Prominent State Of
ficials and Solons.


OF the legislature and citizens OF Pierre
who are Scandinavian celebrated their
biennial banquet at the st. Charles
hotel. Carl Gunderson, of Nefiniiien,
was POSTMASTER. Representative swan
son, of Aberdeen, who is president OF
the organization; Governor SoaSe@ks
who is Norwegian; Ex-Governor fsyssse,
who has been adopted" by the Nor
wegians; Lieutent Governor MeMasses.
Speaker of the House Roberts ana
Chairman Warwick of the appropriation
committee of the senate. Senator
Urdahl Representative henson, Mrs
Lydia Johnson, Of Fort Pierre. and
Senator Isaac Lincoln responded 10
toasts. A musical program was gsyea.
The menu was OF Scandinavian cook
cry, prepared by housewives in Pierre.
About 200 were present at the banquet
The dining of the hotel was
decorated with large flags. Smaller
flags and flowers were used for table
decorations. 'Old Glory" held the place
of honor on the wall back to the toast
master. while the national emblems Of
Norway, Sweden and Denmark deco
rated the side walls.
The feature of the menu vas 'I.ude-
fisk" and many of the visitors, and
even some of the native born Scandi-
navians, tasted this dclicacy for the
first time. The menu was printed in
Norwegian.
Tastmaster Gunderson in his opening
address called attention to the fact that
few S~candinavians ever return to their
native lands, even for a visit, asserting
that when they calne to the United
States they came to make it their per-
manent home. He declared that while
Scandinavians had but 10 per cent of
the population OF South Dakota, they
mad Ona-fhir6 nP fha M ohay,chtpL re
the legislature; the governor and state
treasurer, and had the chairmanships
on the two appropriation committees,
the two judicial committees and the
Two COMMITTEES on state affairs. the
most important committees OF the
legislature.
Governor Norbeek had no apologies
to make for the hyphen in the Scan
dinavian-Ameriean.
1T Is not a question where a person
came from, but what he does, after he
comes here hat should be considered"
ne said. IF a man makes a good citi-
zen that is what we want and all we
should ask. The Norsemen soon Amer
icanlZe. and enter into the full spirit of
American citizenship"
He then called attention to prominent
americans from each of the three
Scandinavian countries.
Former Governor Byrne spoke of the
HN'sH' to ~ D. EflN III tIipL
Wherever they went they left their
mark on the civilization of the country.
Lieutenant Governor McMaster de-
clared h a the state had not honored
the S~candinavians by electing them to
office. but that the Scandinavians by
producing such high class citizens were
honoring the state.
speaker Roberts spoke briefly in
praise of the good citizenship and in
dustry of the S~candinavians.
ELoPlNG COUPLE CAUGHT
AFTER EXCITING CHASE
Pierpont, S. D., Feb. 10. - Pursuing
his wife and the MAJ with whom she
eloped across several states, as far east
South Dakota, John Gunderson. of
Butte, Mont, located his wife near
Pierpont and caused her arrest and that
of Peter kamestad, the man with whom
she is said to have eloped. The couple
was found at a farm house about six
miles from Pierpont. The city marshal
and the deserted husband arrived at
the farm house at about 9 O'Clock in the
morning and forced the couple to ac-
company them to town. Kanbestad at
first refused to go, but suddenly
changed his mind when Gunderson
drew n flourished a six-shooter. The
wife was in a state of collapse when the
party reached town, but some hours
later had recovered to such an extent
that she was able to sit In a hotel office
chatting gaily with her husband, while
the man who had stolen her sat gloomy
apart between two officers of the law.
All h parties concerned are young
people and the is decidedly
pretty. 1t is believed she and her hug
band will become fully reconciled, but
q statutory charge may be preferred
against the other man in the case.