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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1905)
LOOKING FOR HiS PATH! il ,Jj A Ys.g Lad Arrwss in the City G;ai,?.:n t 5s a Son of the Late William Vet'j. THOUGHT HIS PARENT LIVING I He Visits the Home of the Deceased's Widow and Tells Her His Story. HE WAS BORN ON WINTERSTEEN HILL Twenty years ago William Wehh Mas a full-blooded, healthy young man working in the Ihirlington shops at riattsmoutii. He was a good work man, made good wanes and tielieved in enjoying life. While lie was yet a young man he met a young woman ho was congenial to him, and the t wo lived together as man and wife, i I n their ow n eyes they were man and wife, but before the law they were not , for no marriage ceremony had leen performed. They lived in a lit tle house on Wintersteen bill. Webb worked in the sliops and supported the woman, and she kept liouse for him. And then a son was horn. Hut a time came, not long alter, when William Webb wearied of .sow- wild oats, lie ceased t live with J tl.e. woman, his past life uv ay into the with her. He tried to live down The woman drifted world, and t he bov went As William Webb grew older he met : r;ir beneath the ground, and mean :i woman who seemed his ideal of a j while money was scarce. At the end wife. He married her and they lived of a year Mr. Koehnke came back to happily until the siKiricn deaui of Mr. Webb by Tallinn from the Iiur lineton bridge here when it was being rebuilt two years ano. William Webb's wife never knew of the wild oats he had sown W-fore he married her. She never knew of the skeleton in his closet. Yesterday she learned of it. The manner of it was this: A boy. almost a young man. came in on a Missouri Pacific freight train from the west yesterday morninn at about in o'clock. He inquired his way of those he met. He came to Man speaker's barn and Mr. Manspeaker directed him to his wife, who is a sis ter of Mr. Webb's widow. The boy went there and she in turn directed him to the home of the widow of Wil liam Webb, now Mrs. Sigman. Arriving there, the boy made his as tonishing statement. "I am Charlie Webb," said he. "William Webb was my father:" Mrs. Sinman assured him that he must be mistaken. Oth ers of his auditors spoke sternly to him and threatened punishment for such an apparent imposture. This was too much for the young man. He began to cry. It seemed hard to come back expecting to Unci a father and be dis appointed, but harder still to be con sidered an impostor. The lad relates the usual story of a waif cast upon a cold and careless world at an early ane. without the care of paren.s and home. f his ear liest days no recollection remains ex cept that he was in some large city i and was not well treated by his moth er. Wandering, wandering, from one side of the continent to the other, that is how he spent the years after he became big enough to travel. In a dozen cities he has wandered the streets homeless and hungy. Over thousands of miles of railroad he lias ridden the precarious ride of the bum. Hut the boy seems to have inherited some of the inherent good of his fath er, or, perhaps, of some half-forgotten ancestor, for as he arrived at the age of reason a longing tilled him to know his parents. He had been in the far west for a long time. lie knew that his birth place was l'lattsmouth, be cause he had heard his mother say so, and besides, had been here w ith her when he was about seven years old. So he covered the many hundred of weary miles. It took weeks, but yes terday he arrived. Put he arrived on ly to learn that his father is no more. The boy said lie believed his mother to be still in Omaha. He hadn't seen her for years, and he feared that she, too, might be dead. The lad w as entirely w ithout money. He was provided with dinner at the home of Mrs. Sigman. Iurinn the afternoon employment was offered him by a farmer near Mynard and be de parted to earn money to help him prosecute the search for his mother. Cut the Grass. The grass on the court house lawn begins to look horrible. It bears the appearance of a man with long hair who hadn't combed it for a year. Next Wednesday thousands of strangers w ill visit the city and the Journal suggests that the lawn be trimmed up before that time. We know why it has been left thus this season. bet we believe it would be better for the appearance of the court house surroundings to have the lawn mowed before the Woodmen picnic next Wednesday. Everybody should put on their "best bib and tucker" that day. Coai Oil Exploded. Mis. Margaret (.'l;nii had n niii'ow cv;i,f fi.'iii an awful deal !i - t i 1 : . M r-.. ( "iii i in k ii! l iny : opposite Id'- '.it li';ir chord u;i" cleaning and liiliii-. 1 1 - Mrs. ( ' i a 1 1 s k .in aj-'i lady who lives MM' .s Tli.' can of com ..ii had just imihc linm 1 In- grocer.s .Hi 1 was full to lli- liiii.:. M i s. laiis pii lx- l i; 1 1 1 - ran and at 1 1 M sa mi i list ,t i.l ih'Ti- was a l-iritlc explosion. Tlif glass oil ran was shat tered ami oil was scattered all oer tin-kitrlifii. fortunately there was no lire in the room, or there wot. Id have been a fearful catast rophe. Mis. j Clans' right hand was badly cut by tin; l11"1 - The cause or the cxpio ston remains a mystery. AN OLD DEBT IS LIQUIDATED Chris Koehnke Gets His Pay for Services Performed Seven Years Ago Cut West! A check for 12i received by Chris Koehnke a few days ago came with as areata welcome and unexpectedness as money found on the street. The check was in payment for services rendered over seven years ajro. At that time Frank Hebert was a poor carpenter in l'lattsmouth. He got a few dollars together and went to the P.laek Hills in search of his for tune. The money did not last long and although prospects were good he had absolutely no means of developing his property. He wrote to his old friend in this extremity and the old friend proved a friend, indeed. Chris Koehukc packed liis tools and went to the l.laeK Hills. There he worked with Mr. Hebert for almost a year, c onst i net inn buildings and milium ap paratus. Mr. Hebert was sure the yellow treasure lay there hut it was l'lattsmouth with still a considerable amount due him. He wouldn't take a note. He knew his partner would pay him if ever a time came when he could. A few days ago when Mr. Koehnke came home his wife appeared before him holding something in her hand and asked him if she might have half of what she held. Mr. Koehnke re plied that they had always shared everything half and half and would do s in this case. Mrs. Koehnke there upon showed him the check. Accompanying the check was a let ter telling of the prosperous fortunes of Mr. Hebert. He has several mine properties, yielding gold and mica. Several months ant one of Mr. He berts daughters sent a small nugget of gold to Miss Koehnke. It was just a small "sample" but it was worth . The mines are located at a small place called Oreville. It is the first station this side of Lead and aside from its pecuniary attractions, pos sesses some tine scenery. The many friends of Mr. Hebert and famly will be glad to know of his suc cess. AETNA LIFE INSURANCE CO. OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT Chartered 1820 The Largest Company in World Writing Life, Accident, Health and Liability Insurance Paid Policy Holders Since Organization $145,918, 246.88 Why You Should Insure In the Aetna Life. i. The company has a clean asset. 2. The company does not write semi-tontine insurance. .'5. The company rates are lower than most of the reputable competi tors. 4. TJie company is very conserva tive in its management. .. It sells endowment policies at rates usually charged for ordinary life insurance policies. '. It will lessen the number of pay ments usually required to make a pol icy paid-up. "7. It will mature and pay its en dowment poiicies in less years than the number required by the policy. t. It will pay a larger sum than the face of the policy if desired or as an annuity continuing through life. It sells gold bonds, bearing rive per cent interests, as safe as govern ment bonds, and on easy payments. 10. Its policies and bonds are incon testable after one year. 11. It grants loans and pays cash values on its policies and bonds. ; 12. It grants extensions of insur I ance in case of failure to pay premium, j i:. It allows a change of the bene I Uciary upon application to the com pany. 14. It pays good dividends upon its policies and bonds, making a good in vestment, as well as a protection. 13. It has the best plan for part nership insurance offered. 16. All its policies and plans are modern and up-to-date. IT. What it will do for you it will do for your friend. See that he has the chance. 18. If you desire to know all about these plans and policies, pleas2 con sult J. E. Rorabeck, district manager, riattsmoutb, Neb. LOOKING BACKWARD SOME FORTY YEARS An hlereslir.g hsidsr,! That Traisp red i,i the Ezrly History cf Piaitimcnth. Tin- .Journal re p.'llll ll I i'i I to I .1 k 1 oi" volumes of : hooks." They do i n t i r was recent h a i-mk at. a number te:ii. likable "scrap not contain state- liient s and records ! ' scraps'' in the ordinary sense of that word, but really a condensed h story, n leaned from dif ferent periodicals, of important hap penings in Nebraska for the last forty years. These scrap books are the property of Judge Hasil S. Ramsey. In one we saw the correspondence be tween Ioctor Robert R. Livingston and J . Sterling Morton, in which the former challenged the latter to mortal combat in other words to tight a duel; the reply of Morton, the letter of Captain Stearns F . Cooper ( Living ston's second ) and Morton's reply to Cooper. This correspondence took place during the month of July, lM'ti. and in Morton's reply to Cooper under date of July 24, 1 ;, contains this reasonable and plausible excuse for re fusing to accept the challenge: "His proposition to shoot lead bullets at me is not in accordance with law or my own ideas of social amenities and amusements. To kill or to lie killed would be no particular felicity 'with me, especially in hot weather, when corpses spoil so rapidly." And yet, how st range! After the lapse of a number of years, Livingston became a democratic nom ineeforan importantoMice and Morton his leading and strongest supporter. And when our court house was dedicated, and the beautiful oil paint inn of Lewis Cass was presented to Cass county by J. Sterling Morton. this gentleman, in the most beautiful and touching language paid a glowing. well merited tribute to the noble character of ileneral Livingston. Under date of October 2, 1SS2, in a letter to the State Democrat, we find the following: "On last Thursday night Fitzgerald Hall was crowded to overflowing to hear (lovernor J. Sterling Morton dis cuss the issues presented by the demo cratic platform. "Gen. Livingston presided and in troduced Morton with one of his char acteristic speeches. Morton's speech throughout was replete with wit, sar casm and argument. The questions of free trade, prohibition and republi canism were handled in a masterly manner. "Our silver-tongued (Jen. (Jeorge S. Smith was gently touched up, but for some reason, Smith seems tohave been out of town that night, and did not turn up till the next morning after Morton had started for" Arbor Lodge," Many republicans were present to hear Morton and not a few of them seemed actually delighted to hear Morton ex coriate Smith and the Star route thieves." Another item we found of historic in terest, written by the judge, then cor respondent of the Lincoln State. Dem ocrat: it is of date September :,18S.': "John- R. Polix. "The supreme court recently seems to have settled Polin's fate. He was found guilty of murder in the first de gree, for killing F. J. Metteer and last November, Judge Pound sentenced him to death on the sixteenth of March last. The case w as carried to the supreme court and the judgment of the lower court atlirmed,and the 9th of next November fixed for the day of execution. Should he hang, this will be the first judicial murder committed in Cass county. So far, her records are clear of any such judicial hanging, although a number of homicides have teen committed within our borders. We find no fault with either court, and fully believe that Polin had a fair and impartial trial before Judge Pound. It any leniency were shown at all, it was in favor of the accused. We have no apology for the commission of the crime: there could scarcely be any, even though the homicide was com mitted to avenge a fancied wrong. That the accused deserves punish ment, no one denies, and that his pun ishment should be severe is likewise conceded. Hut the question which confronts us now is, will hanging atone for the crime? Will the expiring death gasps of Polin be an atonement for the blood of Metteer and deter others from committing a like crime? The whole history of capital punish ment, shows, that, as a punisment, hanging is a failure and that, as a pre vention of homicide, the history of more than six thousand years, shows it is equally a failure. We concede, that in the violation of these natural laws, society demands and requirs protection: and the more surely to protect society, requires that violations be met with adequate pun ishment. But let that protection be such, and such only, as society is war ranted in giving and the punishment for the violation of her laws be such only as a nation or state is authorized to inflict under the theory of Civil Government. Let us not take away from auy human being that which nature alone can give and which no power in the state can return. Let the law of our state be changed tbat the punishment for homicide shall be civil death inscead of physical death." Teachers of the Count,. I his is a couin,ete ,'Ut o' all teach ers ( ini(;i il in the districts of 'a ss county for the cmuing school year. Tne ii ii m be i s omitted are those dis tricts that have not notified Siq.t. Wortmau of having contracted: 1. I. L. House and cit y teachers. 2. W. T. Adams, Planche Homing Helen Spriegel. 10. Hose O'l lonnell. 1 1. (I race Porter. 1 4. Nessa Fontch. 13. Alice ( Miver. lii. Selma Marquardt. 17. Mary Foster, Nettie Turner, Ni na Lynde. 1!. Clara Walker. 20. J. A. Dimmick, Clara Fate, Ju lia Nutzman. 21. Lena Rums. 22. Supt. W. T. Poucher, C. R. Rat el i Ife, Miss Peter, Miss Jeffries, Her nice Goodale, Mildred Rutler, Minnie Haier, Mildred Hart, Kate Russell. Ethel Gordon. Georgia Moon. Ada Turner. Louise Trilety. Margaret Weber. Maud Davis. Ella Rryan. X. W. Gaines, Mary McGiew, Lee, Edith Johnson, Rhena 23. 20. 27. 2!. :'). .51. :i2. Merl Towle, Leda Ross, Mae Cameron. :!.'5. Teresa Tighe. :$4. .3. :$i. ery, Samuel White. Evalyn Cone. T. K. Cooper, Ethel Montgom Ina Kimberly, Mayme lloham. ''7. Geraldine Stockdale. :;s. Sarah Coleman. :$'.. Leona Pollard, Ruth Murdock, Edith Moon. 41. Frances de La Vega. 4.;. May Wortman. 44. Rilla Hollenbeck. 43. Frances I liber. 4li. Angie Jones. 47. Emily Livingstone. 4!. Edna Recce. 30. Louise Mickle. 32. Rlanche Sawyer. 5:5. Myrtle Fentiman. 54. Alma Anderson. 55. Edna Propst. . 5ii. A. W. Earhardt, Carrie Allison. 57. Phoebe Davis. 5!. Ethel Comer. t'O. Anna Davis. 04. Rarbara Xickey. '.". Minnie Sutherland. 7. Daisey Fowler. ('!. Mabel Van Every. 71. Laura Domingo. 72. Pearl Johnson. 7:. Grace Wilson. 74. Mina Swanback. 70. Carrie Aura. 77. Stella Opp. 80. Maude Kusterholtz. si. Hell Dyer. 82. Blanch Hell. 8:5. Fern Ralston. 85. Minerva Tool, Olga Xeitzal. 80. Alice Sherman. SS. Addie White. !2. Orpha Mullen. !i4. Mertal Fowler. )5. J. Wr. Gamble, Miss Hilton, Floy Canady, Laura V. Miller, Gertrude Sias, Mary Sias. (to. A. D. Sargent. 1)7. Josie Yelenek. Evalyn Golden. 9). Cora E. Smith, Sadie Rivett, 100. Nellie Ilaggerty. 101. Grace Ilorsh. We are printing in this issue of our paper the names of all teachers hav ing contracts to teach in Cass county, insofar as we have been able to get those names. The Journal maintains the utmost friendship for our schools and our teachers. As we stated last year, we still feel that they are not only better looking, but superior in every way to all other teachers. Hence we want their names to adorn our list. To all who care to subscribe for the Weekly Journal we shall offer the paper at one-half dollar. This is the biggest and best paper in the county. It prints all the news, and gives prom inence to school matters. Fifty cents in gold, silver, currency or stamps. How the Grain Runs. Rilly Ash, with his threshing outfit struck a pretty fair week. He reports having threshed for the following nam ed farmers: Isaac Wiles, 20 acres of wheat that went 40 bushels per acre: 30 acres that went 25 bushels per acre; and 40 acres that averaged 9 bushels, per acre: 30 acres of oats at 20 bushels, per acre. Tom Wiles, 12 acresof wheat averag ing 30 bushels per acre: 40 acres aver aging 2G bushels,: 50 acres of oats at 20 bushels per acre. Mark Wiles, 8 acresof wheat averag ed 30 bushels per acre. Harry Doty, 8 acres of wheat at 24 bushels per acre. Chas Chandler, the past few days has been southwest of town. He has found it too damp for steady work. At Melvin Kears he threshed 157 bushels of barley, 1G7 of speltz and 270 bushels of wheat which averaged 27 bushels per acre. Asa Johnson had 344 bushels of wheat part of which averaged 27 bush els per acre: 378 bushels of oats and 169 of barley. Weeping-Water Herald. Not a cent wanted unless your are cured. If you are sick and ailing, take Hollister's Rocky Mountain Tea. A great blessing to the human family. Makes you well keeps you well. 35 cents. Tea or Tablets. Gering & Co. j TRIBUTE TO A DEAD SISTER j Death of Sarah Ann Ramsey at the Old ! licmestead in Pennsylvania. ! Dii:i u Tuesday, J une 13. I '. ." . at 5 j o'clock a. in., at the old h'amsey homestead, near Frankfort Springs, j J!eaei count v, I'enns I vania, i: n i Ann R .m-i- , ag" ;' years. 2 moiii hs and Js ia s. Sallie. as -he was fainilrn Iv called, was t he daughter of William and Marv Ramsey, the father, born .lanoary 11, lsos; dici ctober 22. l"7u. Tin mother, whose maiden name was Swearingen, born October 13, died December 23, I". Deceased was .the thirJ child 113 of family or eight children, as toilows: Alletha Stand ish, mother of Miles Standish. residing at Murray, Cass county, Nebraska. She was born May 1, isr; died February 13, lss;: John, one of the early settlers of Cass county, Nebraska, born March 4, 137; died near Loveland, Larimer county, Colorado, May 5, 1903: William, lxirn June 7, 147; died May 9, 15, and Sarah Ann, our subject. The surviv ing members of the family are Catha rine, residing near Frankfort Springs, Reaver county, Pennsylvania; Rasil S., residing at l'lattsmouth, Cass county, Nebraska: Rella R. Waterman, resid ing at Hay Springs, Sheridan county, Nebraska, and Rebecca, the baby of the family, residing on the old Ramsey homestead, where she was born and which she yet cares for and preserves with almost religious attachment and devotion. Deceased had from childhood, and until within six months of her demise, enjoyed remarkably good health. Rut with advancing age the vital forces yielded to the ravages of time, and in the early dawn of a beautiful June morning, just as the early sunbeams were kissing dew-drops on the old oak trees that had shaded childhood's morning, the soul of a loved, noble, Christian woman passed into a new morning in the other, t he unknown, unseen world. She had not quite reached the psalmist's allotted life span "three score years and ten" yet her life work was one most beauti fully illustrative of love, patience and charity. With her sister, Rebecca, she had most faithfully aided in taking care of childhood's home, where she first, saw the light of day, and in which she had been reared to worthy, noble woman hood. Then, in the twilight of life. yet while the morning sunbeams were playing in gentle dalliance with leafy bowers around the old home, she calmlv and peacefully laid down the burdens of life she had so religiously and faithfully borne, and her spirit took its Uight to seek throughout all ages it's home with it's Father and it's God. Funeral services were held at the old home on Wednesday, June 14, 1905, where many attended to give expres sion of esteem and love for her who had been their neighbor and friend for so many years. Rev. Robert Findlay McCracken, pastor of the old King's Creek Presbyterian church, where de ceased had so often worshipped, con ducted the services, delivering a most able and impressive sermon, and, in beautifully chosen words, portrayed the spotless, christian, faithful and hopeful life of deceased. Interment took place in the old King's creek cemetery, near Frankfort Springs, Reaver county, Pennsylvania, beside father, mother, brother, sister, and where so many of the Ramsey family, lor the last 200 years, have been given a last resting place. On the father's side deceased was a descendant of the ancient Ramsay family of Scotland, and on the moth er's side a descendant of the Van Sweringens, of Reemsterdam, Holland. These two families were among the first pioneer settlers of Reaver, Wash ington, Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, Pennsylvania: of Hancock, Rrooke and Ohio counties, Virginia (now West Virginia), and of Colum biana and Jefferson counties, Ohio, and the original immigrants from their respective fatherlands, made their first settlements in early colon ial days long prior to the revolution ary war. Deceased was a woman universally loved. Unassuming in demeanor, gen erous in disposition, with heart and hand ever ready to help the needy. She was a friend to all and everybody was her friend. With a love for and devotion to her childhood's home, truly noble and touching, nothing could sever or break this strong and beautiful attachment. And as in the morning of child-life she first saw the foliage, the leaves, vines and flowers around the home of childhood, and their oft repeated resurrection during a long life, so as they had again ap pearedto her for the last time in the morning of her last day of earth life, she eently went to sleep calmly, peacefully breathed into the morning of another existence. Brother. New Telephone Directory. The Plattsmouth Telephone com pany is getting out a new directory. Persons who contemplate ordering a telephone for their residence, or place of business, will do well to order at once, so that their names may appear in the list. Business telephones, -82 per month; residence,'?!, in advance. Bh"" J'" "" , ," The biennial elect I' u law Is declared liiicoiist it nt ion, 1 1. This will necessi tate the Usual cimpaik'ii in each ci. un it v . The count V s.ljie I in I el ii leiie V si oil III ! iiot be counted a pol it ical nMce. The 'Clse should be e:ic!lv like that of a citv supei inteinl'iit . If a man is sat isfactory I ie si ii U Id be i el I a I hi I d or foiiith or l.ttb ti mi. Nebraska Teacher. . This has U ni the Journal's argu ment, all along. Count v Superinten dent Wort man of ( 'ass count)' should be re-elected fl'MII the simple lilt t that he has filled t he otlice to t he en I i ie sat isfaet ion of all w ho faxor good si-4iools. Prof. Wortman has proved an untir ing worker, and the high grade of schools in the county today is prima facia evidence of the fact that he has performed his duties to the very letter and in such a manneras to have great ly advanced the school interests. MORE ABOUT "WEBB" BOY The Boy Interviewed and Tells What He Knows About the Matter. "I was born, as near as I can remem ber, at the foot of South Sixth street," said Charlie Webb to a Journal report er last night. "When I was six : yeais old my father and mother separated and my mother took me to Omaha." The young man is staying at the home ol Levi Pat ton. He was recog nized by Mr. Patton's son yesterday, and invited to. share the h ispitality of his home. "I couldn't swear that my name is really Webb," he said, "but I do know that 1 never knew any other name. I can't tell my exact age, but think I must be nearly twenty years old." The hoy stated that after staying in Omaha some time he was sent to the western part of the state on a farm. He didn't like his treatment there, so he "hit the grit." He wandered all through the west, working most of tlie time on farms. He claims to have had some fifteen letters of recommen dation at one time, but all were stolen from him except one. He says he has received news since arriving in l'lattsmouth that would indicate that his mother might be in Minneapolis, a lady here having re ceived a let ter from her bearing that post mark about two years ago. A gentleman was in the Journal of fice this morning who slated that he moved the goods from the house occu pied by Webb and the woman he had been living with, when t hey separated, and that there was a little boy in the home who went away with the wo man. This looks as though t here was some truth in the boy's claims. Badly Mistaken. A farmer living near this city went out to his barn earl yesterday morn ing to look for a certain set of harness he had use for, and which he had net used tor several weeks. They were not to be found. They were good harness, and the first thing that entered Jiis mind was that they had been stolen. He came to town and reported to Sheriff McRride. He liad suspicioned a certain fellow of the theft, and wanted Mac to go and search the man's premises. After parleying for sometime he finally concluded to let his father go with the sheriff. The proper papers were. seemed from Judge Archer, and on the wayjout the old man told the officer that he believed he had loaned the harness to some one several weeks ago, but could not re member who it was. After arriving at the place where the harness were, and telling their errand, the mother of the young fellow whom they suspected of taking the harness, came to the door and remarked: "Are you crazy, or what's the matterwith you? You ioaned me these harness several weeks ago, in com planting time." TJie old fellow hung his head and turned his horse's head toward town. Their sus picions were groundless, the old man and son acknowledged their mistake, and will now have to pay several dol lars costs for their trouble, instead or getting some other fellow into trouble. 50c BABIES? No! We would not put suoh :i clie:ijj iind o-prerl:itin;r price on t I... I it U. 1.. .1 i th-y ;ire nlout the best friend-, we liave. 'TU the Slippers rAd Shoes to which we refer Children Slippers, bl.iek. 2 to 5... Shoes Slippers, tan " " . . Patent Slippers " " .. Ked Patent 4-strap. 5 to ... Tan 4-.strap. " "... to 11.. . Patent Wine Top. 2to 5 Advertising JJruslies .50 .50 .eo .tV .till 5 !.: 1.40 AO We Dye Old Tans, Black. Sherwood & Son.