Judge Fines "Dead Man" $15

1920

Soldier, Reported Killed in France, Hits Man With Auto.

ST. PAUL, Minnesota. — In the casualty list of August, 1918, appeared the item: "Killed in action, L. D. Caye." The same L. D. Caye, a contractor, appeared in police court, charged with running down with his automobile a street car switchman. His death in France was a clerical error.

Caye produced a citation of the War Department: "Died on the field of honor, L. D. Caye, August 9. 1918." Caye read from the citation and then offered it to the judge.

"Fifteen dollars" was the only emotion it awakened in the judge. Caye's emotions were deleted by the censor.

—The Saturday Blade, Chicago, Aug. 7, 1920, p. 1.

Note: It appears this incident happened in mid-July. I saw another reprinting (July 18) of an earlier article from the St. Paul Dispatch, essentially the same as above. And it gives the location of the accident, at Fifth and Wabasha streets.