Minneapolis spokesman., 1962-08-10
Resort Owner Who
Disseminated MoY
Escape Prosecution
lOontinued from Pnge ID

Woulu De available Tor party o.
six for Saturday. The clerk re.
piled, Yes, we can take care o.
you all right I informed her thai
there would be some Negroes II
our party, and she replied, oh
Then we have no vacancy fol
you"
Hively continued, "I called again
to confirm the name Of the person
with whom I had talked. She told
me her name was Mrs. Cauble
When I asked again about reser.
vatons she replied, Is this the
party that has some Negroes in
the group?' I said It was, and she
responded, well, I told you we
have no vacancy for you"
That evening, June 1st, on
WCCO's 8 pm. and 10 pm.
newscasts, the incident was dis
closed to the public.
Both Monson and Hively con-
tacted John F. Casey, Jr., assistant
attorney general Of Minnesota in
st. Paul, who suggested they each
send him a letter relating their
experiences.
Casey forwarded the letters to
Robert e. Wynne, Lake Of the
Woods county attorney, in whose
jurisdiction the Riverview Resort
lies, asking him to investigate the
matter.
In his letter to Wynne, dated
June 5, 1862, Casey quotes Min
nesota Statures 1861, Section
327.09, which states that no one
shall be excluded from places cat
ering to the public because Of race,
color, national origin, or religion.
For the next two weeks Casey
and Wynne exchanged a number
Of letters. While those written by
Wynne were not available, II
would seem from Casey's replies
that Wynne was a little reluctant
to prosecute the case. For example,
in a letter dated June 1s, 1862,
Casey says,
"a. In answer to your in
quiry I feel that 1t would
be more than proper that the
matter be handled through your
office. You, as County Attorney
for Lake Of the Woods County,
being responsible for the prose-
cution Of all criminal cases in
the area, would appear to be
the one to correspond with the
complaining witnesses. This is
consistent with your legal duties
and the long-standing procedural
relationship between this office
and that Of county attorney"
Wynne's letter to Monson dated,
June 20, 1862, seems to be cal
culated to discourage the prosecu-
ton Of the Riverview Resort own
ers for their apparent violation of
Minnesota's anti discrimination
law.
In the letter, wynne discusses
the heavy work load Of his one
man office, "the extreme political
nature Of this case," the involved
legal procedures in bringing a case
like this to court and devotes over
a page to how well the Negroes
stationed at the Air Force Radar
Base near there obey the law and
generally carry on a normal life
with the white residents"
When contacted this week
Wynne was asked to comment on
the discouraging tone Of his letter;
Wynne indicated that, in as much
as the case would be tried in his
county, he doubted seriously If q
conviction could be gained, es.
pecially one based entirely upon q
telephone conversation.
Wynne also indicated that, If the
Monson case was like the one al
Virginia, Mimi, there would be q
fair chance for a conviction.
(Wynne was referring to the
suit filed by Mr.. and Mrs. Richart
Barrett, 4008 Oakland Av s..
Minneapolis, in which they charge
they were Disseminated against by
Robert Cluts and Lauretta Cluts
owners Of a resort at Lake Kab.
etogama near Ray, Mimi, or
August II, 1861. At the prelim'
mary hearing, May 8, 1862, ir
the st. Louis County Court, Nun
icipal Division, the case wa
bound over to the District Court
for trial during the September
term Of court.)
II wrote both Mr.. Monson anc
Mr.. Hively," Wynne said, "thai
they were welcome to come ur
here and sign a complaint. AS Of
yet, however, neither Of them has
done this and I don't prosecute