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l'LATTSMOUTII, XKI5KASKA, TJIU1JSDAV, OCTO ISI-ME l, 1SMK5.
VOLUME XXV
MDNIEIi -ill
HE KILLS HIS
BROTHER-IN-LAW
Prank L. Busche Resents the Assaults
Made Upon His Home.
SHOOTS GEORGE STADLER
Extreme Cruelty ta His Family Is Said to
Have Caused the Tragedy.
KO SYMPATHY SPOKEN FOR DEAD MAN
Ijist. Snnrlav morninsr about the
hour of 2:). George Statller drov
through the streets of Plattsmouth
and direct to the home or rank L..
Busche in the south part of the city,
where in less than a half hour after
his arrival on the premises he lay cold
in death.
The dead man bore the reputation
of being extremely cruel to his family,
especially as to his wife. The family
were living at Louisville, this county,
where Stadler worked in the Newell
& Atwood stone quarry, and from re
ports on Friday night he began a
tirade of abuse upon Mrs. Stadler.
He had repeatedly told him she could
not and would not stand his cruelty
much longer. So on Saturday she, in
company with her children, came to
the home of her brother in this city.
Stadler procured a team at Louis
ville and about 11 o'clock started for
Plattsmouth, where he arrived a short
time before the tragedy. He went to
the home of his brother-in-law and
demanded admittance, but hc-.vas re
fused. Mr. Busche knowing the des
perate character of Stadler said he
Knew that entrance to his house meant
death to either him or the dead man's
wife. He fiist went to one of the
windows and demanded admittance
then went to the door and remarked
that he would "break down" the door
and kill the whole family. He broke
In the screen and smashed the lower
pannels of the door, when Mr. Busche
tired through the door, the contents
of the gun taking effect in the left
hide of the neck and breast.
Mr. Busche, who had been quite ill
lor some time and being yet very weak,
hearing no movements from the
wounded man, thought perhaps he
was "aclinir the 'possum" in order to
et him out of the house. He im
mediately apprised Sheriff McBride
and by the time he arrived Stadler
was dead.
Sheriff McBride notified County
Attorney Bawls and Coroner Boeck,
and the latter about five o'clock sum
moned the following jurors: Mat
Wilkins, George Dodge, John Cory,
Charles Weldy, John Benner and Dr.
E.W. Cook. After a short deliberation
the following verdict was rendered:
'That the said George Stadler came
to his death at about 2:30 o'clock Sun
day morning, October 22, by being
shot with a shotgun in the hands of
Frank L. Busche. We further find
that the said Frank L. Busche was
justified in taking the life of the said
George Stadler, and that in so doing
he was acting in defense of his own
life and the lives of the members of
his family."
The verdict of the jury meets the
aprobation of every good citizen, most
of whom know the circumstances
which finally led to George Stadler's
death. He was a carpenter by trade
and was employed in the Burlington
local shops Tor a number of years. He
has been known to ill-treat his wife
on several different occasions, and
when he found out that his wife and
children had taken their departure
for this city, many of those who knew
his disposition so well are of the opin
ion that he left Louisville with the
full determination of making trouble
at the horue of his wife's brother.
George Stadler was '' years of age,
and his children are as follows: Ida,
at:ed IT; Bay, aired 14: Lloyd. aged;?
Idcila, aged and
months.
When the clothing
man was searched no
Dora, aged
upon the dead
weapon of any
kind except a common pocket knife
was found upon his person, nor were
there any indications that he had been
drinking.
The funeral will occur this after
noon and will be attended by Father
Bradley of St. John's church. Inter
ment will take place in the Oak Ilill
cemetery. A brother of the deceased,
Mike Stadler, of St. Joseph, Mo., and
John Ilager and wife of Platte county,
Neb., the latter a sister of the dead
man.
JUDGE GRITES WINS OUT
Judge Albert W. Crites, of Chadron, Neb.,
Wins Alleged Contempt Case.
JUDGE HARRINGTON IS REVERSED
The many friends of Judge Albeit
XV. Crites, of Chadron, Neb., will be
pleased to learn that on yesterday the
supreme court reversed the district
court of Dawes county which had ad
judged Judge Crites to be in contempt
of court and imposed a fine of ten dol
lars and commitment to the jail of
Dawes county, when lie refused to pay
the line. The district court refused
to fix a supersedes and stay of sentence
until Judge Crites could get his case
in the supreme court, whereupon tele
graphic communication was opened
with Chief Justice Holcomb between
Lincoln and Chadron, and Judge
Crites promptly secured from the
chief justice a supersedeas, stay of
sentence and discharge from jail
Judge Harrington of the district court
of Dawes county, imposed the fine for
contempt. The following appeared in
the State Journal Friday:
"Albert W. Crites, an attorney at
Chadron, who was adjudged In con
tempt of court by the judge of the
district court and fined $10, has secured
a reversal of the Judgment. The
supreme court holds that the record
in this case is defective and does not
sustain the judgment complained of.
Presumptions and intendments will
not be indulged in the court holds, in
order to sustain convictions for con
tempt of court."
May Get the Bridge.
It begins to look now as though
there really is a chance of having
something done regarding the repair
of the Platte river free wagon bridge
at this place. Today (Saturday) Sur
veyor Hilton of this county and the
county surveyor of Sarpy county will
meet here and make a survey of the
extent of the damage done to the
bridge and report to the two county
boards at a special meeting to be held
in Papillion next Tuesday.
This begins to look like doing busi
ness. The puonc nas Deen wunout
means of crossing the Platte river for
almost a year and will be glad to hear
even this much being done looking to
ward its repair. Louisville Courier.
Sudden Death.
While driving from Waverly to
Greenwood in his buggy, Thursday,
ndrew Bouse, aged 52 years and a
prominent resident of this section,
died suddenly of heart disease. He
leaves two sons, aged 15 and 17 years,
and a daughter, Mrs. James Kyle. His
wife died several months ago. Mr.
Bouse carried a policy for $2,000 in the
Modern Woodman of America, which
he had only changed last week in fav
or of his sons. Deceased was a respect
ed citizen and a representative farmer
and was related to the Coleman and
Laughlin families of Greenwood. The
funeral services will be under the aus
pices of the Modern Woodman. Ash
land Gazette.
Farmers MaKe Their Own Lights.
Three farmers living near Green
wood have their own electric lighting
plants says the Lincoln Journal. This
is one evidence of the prosperous con
dition of the rural communities of
the state. A local lighting plant has
had one of the contracts.
The manager said that the idea of
making their own lights is taking with
farmers who employ the gas engine
they use for various purposes to run
a small dynamo. With this they are
able easily to maintain ten or twenty
lights about their premises, making
life on the farms far from undesirable.
Apple Blossoms.
Apple blossoms at this time of the
year are seldom seen. In fact they
are so very rare that few people ever
saw them. Tho Courier office is in
receipt of a neat toquet presented us
Wednesday by our friend, John Mc
Nurlin. who lives about nine miles
southeast of town. Mr. McNurlin tells
the Courier that he has two large trees
which are in full bloom and at the
same time have between live and six
bushels of ripe apples on them. The
trees are about twenty years of age
Louisville Courier.
For All Kinds of Piles.
To draw the tire out of a burn, heal
a cut without leaving a scar, or to cure
boils, sores, tetter, eczema and all
skin and scalp diseases, use DeWitt's
Witch Hazel Salve. A specific for
blind, bleeding, itching and protrud
ing piles. Stops the pain instantly
and cures permanently. Get the gen
uine. Sold by F. G. Fricke & Co.,
Gering&Co.
McBride-Farley Case Overruled.
Among other cases before the su
preme court this week was that of the
celebrated libel case of McBride v
Farley. This is the case wherein the
district court gave McBride a judg
ment for 10, Farley appealed to tl
le
supreme court, which sustained th
judgment of the lower court. The
Farley asked for a rehearing, which
was overruled. This, evidently ough
to settle the fact that the suprem
court and the district court knew what
they were doing and what the word
"libel" means.
BAD RAILROAD WRECK
Train on Missouri Pacific Goes Through
Bridge, Killing Engineer and Fireman.
COACH REMAINS ON TRACK
While Several Freight Cars Fall on Top
of Locomotive.
CORONER'S INQUEST AT WEEPING WATER
After the Journal had gone to press
Friday evening, near 5 o'clock, we re
ceived a telephone message from
Union, giving the particulars of the
serious wreck, near Nehawka, on the
Missouri Pacific railroad. As half of
the edition had been printed, we did
not stop the press. The following
special trom Nebraska City gives
particulars of the terrible wreck:
"B. F. Young, engineer, and Wm.
Sheffield, fireman, on engine drawing
a stock train which left here at 9:40
this morning, were instantly killed by
being pinioned under their engine
when it went through a bridge be
tween Weeping Water and Nehawka
at 10:30. The engine and two empty
stock cars were precipitated a distance
of twenty-five feet. The other cars
and a passenger coach at the end of
the train remained on the rails.
"The engine drawing the train is of
the "battleship" type of locomotives
and the report is it was too heavy for
the bridge. The train was in charge
of Conductor J. Atwell.
"The train was destined to Weep
ing Water. The engineer and fireman
were the only persons caught in the
wreck.
"The Missouri Pacific train which
was wrecked three miles north of Ne
hawka on Friday consisted besides
the engine of two empty stock cars, a
passenger coach and a smoker, which
was at the end of the train and was
the only car that was not wrecked.
The passenger coach was behind the
stock cars and fell on top of them, the
car standing on end in the ditch.
Fifteen passengers were in the car and
they were thrown to the front end of
the car, but no one was seriously
injured.
"The engineer and fireman .were
instantly killed and were found in the
engine cab. Shortly after the wreck
the wreckage caught lire, but the
blaze was extinguished by the passen
gers. "The dead men were taken from the
wreck and removed to Weeping Water,
where an inquest waa he'd Satur
day. Engineer Young was about
55 years of age and leaves a wife and
seven children. Fireman Sheflield
was about 45 years of age, and leaves a
wife and eleven children. The train
was running about thirty miles an
hour when the engine broke through
the bridge."
The following is from the Nebraska
City News of Friday evening:
"Engineer B. F. Young has ,made
this city his home for many years and
eaves a widow and children to mourn
his death. Fireman Sheffield has also
been a resident of this city and leaves
a widow and several children.
"The family of Mr. Young has been
sorely affiicted, for it was on the 11th
of July that his youngest son was
drowned while in swimming at the
foot of Central avenue and his body
has not yet been recovered.
"The bodies of the two men will be
brought to this city as soon as they
are recovered, for it seems certain from
late news received from the wreck that
the two men are dead."
Case Reversed.
We note in the supreme court pro
ceedings in the Lincoln Journal of
this morning that the case of the City
of Plattsmouth vs. Murphy has been
reversed and remanded. This is tLe
well known street -paving case that
has been in the courts for sometime,
of which most of the readers of the
Journal are well acquainted.
LOOKING BACKWARD
THIRTY-FOUR YEARS
Great Struggle to Defeat Re-Election cf
United States Senator, John
Milton Thayer.
SENATOR WILLETT POTTENGER IN 1871
"Any Fool Can Hold an Office When
Elected, But It Takes a D n Smart
Man to Hold One When He
Isn't Elected."
POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE LONG AGO
Illy Basil P. Ramsey.
The article in last week's Journal
concerning the noted law suit between
Phillips and Pearlman, in which Judge
Pottenger acted both as court and
plaintiff's attorney, recalls the fol
lowing concerning Pottenger:
In 1870 a noted political struggle
took place In Cass county, Nebraska,
and for that matter, throughout the
state- The contest centered on the
re-election of David Butler for gover
nor for a third successive term, and on
the re-election of John M. Thayer as
United States senator. There was
open revolt against both these gentle
men in the repuU'can party. Senator
Thomas W. Tipton was on the stump
in open fight against Butler. In Cass
county, among many leading republi
cans, the fight against these candi
dates was very pronounced even bit
ter on the part of some. The demo
crats were then, and had been for
years, in a hopeless minority in the
county and in the state. But this bolt
in republican ranks gave unexpected
hope to the faithful, loyal Cass county
democrats of that day a number of
whom still reside in Cass county.
An arrangement was entered into
between the leading republicans in re
volt and the leading democrats of the
county by which a mass meeting of
the democrats and anti-Butler-Thayer
republicans was held. This conven
tion was called to meet at the old Mt.
Pleasant school house, near Nehawka.
The school house proved inadequate
to accommodate the large attendance.
The big mass meeting was called to
order on the southeast corner of the
old Mount Pleasant town site, near
the school house. For seats the prai
rie was utilized, with nothing softer
to sit upon than the luxuriant grass,
then tinged with autumnal decay.
wagon with an empty box, or bed,
was improvised as a speaker's stand
and for officers of the mass meeting.
Senator Tipton was the principal
speaker, and entertained the big meet-
ng with red hotshot at Governor But
ler, delivered while standing in the
wagon box.
For years in Cass county, democratic
and republican partisanship alike, had
been very strong and seldom, if ever,
had there been any tickets scratched.
Each voter had, apparently, been
thoroughly grounded in the belief that
alike it was his political and religious
duty to "vote it straight."
But on this occasion partisan feeling
dropped out of sight. The bolting re
publicans, as they honestly beiieved,
considered it better for their party and
for the state that Butler and Thayer
should be defeated. The democrats,
through the political mist that had so
long enveloped them, saw hope for rep
resentation in the state legislature.
At that meeting were many pioneer
democrats and republicans, among
whom were James M. Patterson, Law
son Sheldon, John Bouse, D. L. Clapp,
Levi G. Todd, Bev. Joseph Cannon,
Joseph S. Upton, Daniel M. Eamey,
Isaac rollard, Willett Pottenger,
Charles II. Winslow, James A. Walker,
James M. Stone, James Banning,
W'heatley Mickelwait, Dr. William
Wintersteen, Bans Morgan, Basil S.
Bamsey, William II. Ilobson, John
Murdock, John Bamsey, Joshua Stroud
and many others, of whom but few re
main. After the organization of the con
vention, a conference committee was
selected from the democrats and re
publican present. The duty of this
committee was to arrange a distribu
tion of candidates, which was done
alike satisfactorily to democrats and
republicans. The republicans were
given senator for Cass county, and
float senator for Cass, Sarpy, Saunders
and Butler counties: also two represen
tatives for Cass, the democrats the
other two representatives. The fol
lowing ticket was nominated:
Republicans Senator for Cass.Law
son Sheldon; float senator, Willett Pot
tenger; representatives, D. L. Clapp
and Bev. Joseph G. Cannon.
Democrats Bepresentatives, James
j M. Patterson and John Bouse.
Ji'mself an independent candidate for
senator for the counties above named,
and democrats seemed to think it
would be great fun if they could assist
Pottenger to defeat the regular repub
lican nominee A. B. Kennedy of
Sarpy county.
This entire ticket was enthusiastic
ally supported by democrats and :
large part of the Cass county republi
cans. Every candidate received a hand
some majority in Cass except Mr. Clapp,
who was defeated by the late Frank
M. Wolcott of Weeping Water.
The legislative act creating the sen
atorial district, composed of Cass,
.Sarpy, .Saunders and Butler counties,
provided that the county first named
in the act should issue the certificate
of election. This duty fell to the coun
ty clerk of Cass county, who at that
time was Isaac Pollard and his deputy,
Joseph M. Beardsley.
Now, Judge Pottenger was especially
bitter against Senator Thayer. For
some reason he blamed the senator for
his loss of the office at Salt Lake City
which he (Pottenger) had held under
President Grant. It was not especially
because Pottenger wanted to help
make laws for Nebraska that he want
ed to be state senator, but because he
wanted to help defeat Thayer's re
election.
When Pottenger learned that he
had carried Cass county by a handsome
majority and believing, as nearly every
body believed, that he had carried the
district by a good majority, although
all the returns had not been received,
he went to County Clerk Pollard and
demanded his certificate of election,
calling attention to the law governing
such cases. Mr. Pollard, believing as
did nearly everybody else that Potten
ger had defeated Kennedy, issued to
him a certificate of election, which
Pottenger very carefully preserved.
But when the returns were received
from all the counties in the senatorial
district it was discovered that Potten
ger wasn't elected, but the gentleman
from Sarpy had captured the prize.
Friends of Senator Thayer demanded
the return of the certificate of elec
tion, but to this Judge Pottenger de
murred and sustained his demurrer.
All efforts to get that certificate of
election out of Pottenger's inside vest
pocket proved abortive.
The legislature convened the follovv
ng January, and Pottenger was one of
the first to select a senatorial seat in
the senate chamber. It was discovered
when the returns from the state were
canvassed for senators and representa
tives, that Pottenger with his certifi
cate of election carefully guarded, held
the key to the senatorial situation.
With his opponent, Mr. Kennedy in
Pottenger's seat, then Thayer was pre
sumed to have clear sailing. But Senator-elect
Pottenger on the face of
the returns from Cass county, wouldn't
yield. There were many members of
both houses in sympathy with Potten
ger's object the defeat of Thayer.
Thayer lobbyists from different parts
of the state poured into Lincoln. Pot
tenger was the most conspicuous mem
ber of the senate on the face of the
returns from Cass county. He pre
sented his certificate of election, is
sued by County Clerk Pollard and took
the statutory oath as senator, and it is
believed, also supplemented this oath
with another not of record, that was,
to defeat Senator Thayer. Pottenger
was roundly, deeply cussed and damned
by the Thayerites, while the antis as
warmly commended his heroic stick-to-it-iveness.
A heavy Thayer delega
tion was in attendance from Omaha.
It is said that among this delegation
were some who tried to coax Potten
ger to let go of that certificate of elec
tion; others held out glowing pictures
of further and much higher political
elevation, if he would yield that cer
tificate of election, resign and go back
to Plattsmouth: others cussed and
anathematized. It is sail that an
Omaha Thayer delegate approached
Pottenger while he was sitting in that
coveted senatorial seat and addressing
the senator-elect on the face of the
returns from Cass county spoke as
follows: "Now, 'Pot,' while you car
ried Cass county by a majority most
flattering, to yourself personally, yet
Kennedy carried the district by a good
majority and was the choice of the
peop:e o: mat aistrict ior state sena
tor. You know you were not elected
and can't hold that seat." Pottenger,
with that characteristic combination
of twinkle and twist of his eyes, and a
squirt of ambier through his teeth, re
plied in his witty, caustic manner
"Any damn fool can hold an office
when he is elected, but it takes a G d
d d smart man to hold one when he
isn't elected." Pottenger was senator
de facto if not dejure. All efforts to oust
him by coaxing, flattery, threats and
cusses availed nothing. His stoicism
hisadhesiveness, thoroughly glued Pot
tenger to that senatorial scat.
The republicans caucused for a can
didate for United States senator.
They failed to m 'initiate. On January
13, I ST I , a vote was taken In each
house, but no choice, Thayer receiving
only three votes In the senate and thir
teen in the house.
On the 18th following a second joint
ballot was taken, giving Phineas War
ren Hitchcock 2' votes, John Milton
Thayer hi, and Alvin Saunders ti. This
ballot defeated Thayer and elected
Hitchcock, who took hisscat as United
States senator on March 1, is;i.
After the senatorial struggle ended.
Senator Pottenger, without having
paiticipated in the making of any
laws, resigned his seat as senator and
came home, while Ids compet itor, Mr.
Kennedy, was duly sworn In as senat or
from Senator Pottenger's recent dis
trict. Pottenger, in securing his certificate
of election under the technical forms
of law, showed political shrewdness as
well as more or less audacity. He be
came a candidate, not for profit, nor
political honors, nor to satisfy an am
bition to be one of the lawmakers of
the state; but to accomplish a purpose,
to attain an end political alone in its
consequences. And whether his griev
ance was real or fancied, the defeat of
Senator Thayer was largely due toSen-ator-i
fiu-to, Willett Pottenger.
MONUMENT DEDI
CATION PROGRAM
Principal Address to be Delivered by
Ex-President Cleveland.
The official program of the unveil
ing exercises of the Arlor t'ay memo
rial monument has been completed.
The exercises will begin at 2 o'clock
Saturday, October 2h. Former Presi
dent Grover Cleveland will deliver the
principal address and his time will
not be limited. The other sneakers
will be given fifteen minutes each.
The speakers' stand will be east of
the monument and seats which will
accommodate 1.VO00 people are teing
built in frontof the stand. Mr. Cleve
land and the former members of his
cabinet will arrive at U:?,0 Saturday
morning and will be driven in car
riages to Arbor lodge, where tliey will
be the guests of Joy Morton.
The program as arranged is as fel
lows:
Presiding officer, John W. Steinhait,
chairman executive committee Aibor
Day Memorial association.
Music, Nelson's band.
Invocation, Bev. A. L. Williams,
I). D.
Address of welcome, Hon. John II.
Mickey, governor of Nebraska.
Address, Hon. Grover Cleveland.
Address, Hon. Hilary A. Herbert.
Address, Hon. J ud.1-on Harmon.
Address, Hon. David B. Francis.
Address, Hon. Adlai E. Stevenson.
Address, Dr. George L. Miller.
Benediction, Dr. James G. K. Mc-
Clure.
Unveiling Arbor day memorial mon
ument to the author and founder of
Arbor day, J. Sterling Morton, by his
eldest grandson, Sterling Morton.
Music, Loeb's Concert band.
Accident at Weeping Water.
Last Saturday afternoon J. C. Leh
man, car inspector or the .Missouri
Pacific at Weeping Water, was assist
ing in clearing up the wreck at Hef
ner's quarries, five miles east of here.
Men wera trying to pull the tank out
of the ravine. The chains broke and
a section of the broken link hit Mr.
Lehman on the left arm just below
the shoulder and took out a piece of
the muscle about the size of a walnut,
then glanced and struck him in the
side breaking two ribs. He was brought
to his home here, and Dr. Hungate,
the railroad surgeon, dressed the
wounds.
Mr. Lehman's condition was serious
for some time as lie spit blood and in
ternal injuries were feared, but he has
greatly improved and will be out in a
few days.
Plattsmouth Wins.
The Nebraska City high school boys
returned Saturday evening from
Plattsmouth where they played witli
the high school team at that place and
were defeated by a score of 6 toO.
The boys say they played too fast for
the referee and being called down
several times lost the game. They are
confident they can defeat the Platts
mouth boys and want another try.
They defeated them once and feel it
in their bones they can doit again.
Nebraska City News.
