Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 18, 1929)
Hfttnric Statt Hlstvxi- Q mn VOL. NO. XLV PLATTSMOUTH, NEEEASKA, THUESDAY, APEIL 18, 1929. NO. 22 Local Officers Play Big Part in Smashing Ring Arrests Here of Chicken Thieves Leads to the Final Extermin ation of Gang From Monday's Dailv One of the most complete and thorough cleanups of the gauss of chicken thieves in this part of Ne braska has been accomplished and in this the Cass county authorities ami Plattsmouth police have played an important part in ridding the community of the menace of these gangs. This section of Nebraska has suf fered a great deal from the effects of tin raids of the chicken thieves the past winter and Sheriff Bert Reed and Deputy Sheriff Yonnsr have worked hart! on the cases and con ducted a very thorough investiga tion, with the result that the first definate lineup on the members of the cang was secured, which culmin ated in the crushing blow at the organization of the chicken ring, made at the Garrison farm near Un ion, when, on the tip of the Platts- mouth police, the sheriff and Con stable Svoboda were able to check the contemplated robbery and a few hours later Henry Lybyer. was taken from Missouri Pacific freight train here and lodged in jail by police, and where he made a confession that told o the far reaching activities of the gran; over the western part of Iowa and eastern Nebraska. Perhaps the most crushing blows to the ring- was when Deputy Sheriff Young an; Omaha detectives cap tured P. O. Wright of Omaha, after a running fight along "no man's land" in east Omaha and the mar. was brought cn to this city and where his arrest caused Henry Lybyer to break down and confess his part as well a that of Wright and others in th exploits of the chicken stealing gang that had operated for the past year from Red Oak and Omaha. The arrest of Henry Lybyer here was followed by the arrest at Red Oak. Iowa, of Charles Lybyer, a younger brother and who has been sentenced to the penitentiary at Ciarinda while Wright ' here was given a year at Lincoln and Henry Lybyer Fix months in the county jail for their offences. The efforts of the Cass county authorities with the co-operation of local police and the authorities at Council Bluffs. Omaha and Red Oak. has ridden this section of one of the largest gangs of chicken thieves in the west, including in the members the father, three sons and one son-in-law. This is one of the few cases where a gang of this kind has been run to earth and wiped out of existence and for their part the local authorities deserve a lot of credit as this is one of the most difficult types of crim inal work to carry on and where the work of identification and plac ing the crime makes it necessary to at(h the parties red handed. The prcmpt and very efficient work of the local sheriffs office as well as the police force has madf the work of the chicken thieves a hard job in this locality and it is one of the few cases in the state where so sweeping a blow has been delivered to any organized gang of criminals. MADE A FINE SHOWING The Plattsmouth high school stu dents representing the vocal soloists, both the boys' and girls' glee clubs and the high school orchestra, who took part in the musical contest held for the Omaha district Saturday at the Tech high school auditorium, made a splendid record in the fine offerings. The competition at the district meeting was very strong and num bered some of the largest and best organized musical departments of the schools and the showing of the Plattsmouth school was most grati fying. The boys and the girls glee club both placed second in the contest, the Wahoo and Oakland glee clubs securing first, while in the high school orchestra work. Plattsmouth high school organization was also given second place. The boys quartet secured third third place in the contest with a large field of contestants. The qua'r tet is composed of Richard Freiderich, George Sayles. Allan MeClanahan and Ira Mumm. The showing of the Plattsmouth music department organizations un der the direction of Miss Ruth Lind say and B. E. Woodward, entitles the various units to enter the state con test at Lincoln on May 3rd and 4th. The local school is very grateful to those who donated cars to take the students to Omaha and especial ly Clarence Cotner who placed his large bus at the service of the school and carried the high school orches tra. Others who provided cars were William Baird, R. E. Bailey, Mr r reiancn. Kev. H. G. McCluskv. Miss Clara Weyrich, Judge James T. Beg ley, Thomas Svoboda and F. I. Rea anu the donations of the cars made it possible for the youne nennlo to take part in the big musical festi val. IN SEEIOUS CONDITION From Monday's Daily The reports today from the Im manuel hospital at Omaha are to the effect that the condition of Mrs. W. F. Gillespie continues most serious and the patient is in far more dan gerous condition than ai any time since she was taken to the hospital. The patient has grown so serious that it is thought a blood transfu sion will be made in the hope of checking the spread of the infection through her system aud which has spread very much in the last few days. The remaining arm and the lower limbs of Mrs. Gillespie have been affected since Saturday and makes her recovery a matter of the gravest doubt. Of e Oil Station Visited by Burg lars Last Night Unwelcome Visitors Made Way With Two Eevolvers and Pen nies from Begister From Tuesday" Tally Sometime after midnight last night the station of the Ofe Oil Co. at Chicago avenue and Pearl street, was visited by burglars and as the result of the visit two revolvers are missing as well as $1 in pennies that were taken from the cash register. Entrance to the old station was se cured by breaking the glass in the door of the building and the inter ior of the station was given a thor ough going over, the desk being ran sacked and papers scattered around the place and from the desk one of the revolvers was taken while the other was taken from near the cash register where it is kept for protec tion. The cash register was opened and from this the sum of $1 in pen nies was taken, this being the only money that v.as left around the sta tion. The safe in the office was not molested in any way. Residents of the neighborhood re port that persons were heard mov ing around in the vicinity of the oil station shortly after 3 o'clock and it is thought that this disturbance was made by the robbers in getting away. Members of the family were at the station at midnight to put an auto in the garage building near the station and at that time there was no trace of the presence of the robbers and it was not until A. F. Meisinger an em ploye of the company, came to work at 6:30 that the robbery was dis covered. As soon as the robbery was dis covered Sheriff Reed was notified and with Deputy Sheriff Young and Con stable Svoboda as well as Chief of Police Libershal made an investiga tion of the robbery and will en deavor to trace down the parties that pulled off the robbery. The station is located on the K. of T. highway and large numbers of cars are passing at all hours of the day and nibht and if the robbers had a car with them it would attract little notice in the vicinity of the station. COUNCILMANIC FAMILY The J. G. SmiUi family, one of the numerous branches of this large American family, appears to have got ten into the councilman game in real shape. The father. Dr. J. G. Smith, of Wahoo, was elected to a place of the city council there, while his son, Fred Smith, of Albany, Mo., and Claude C. Smith, of Plattsmouth, were elected as councilmen in their respective home towns. The family has the distinction al so of being all democratic and the Smith victory of the spring helps to retrieve the loss that the family suf fered at the last fall elections. Claude C. Smith, of this city, was re-elected to his office this year, while the other members of the family are serving their first terms in the offices. PUBCHASES BAEBEE SHOP Prom Monday's Pally The B. F. Stewart barber shop. one of the attractive tonsorial places of the city, has been disposed of by Mr. Stewart and the new owner, Mr. Ross Baker of Lincoln arrived and took charge of the place today. Mr. Baker is an experienced barber and comes here from the Cornhusker hotel at Lincoln where he has been employed for a number of years. Mr. Baker is a very clever and agreeable gentleman and with his ability in his line of work should make a splendid addition to the barbering fraternity of the city. OVEE INCH EAINFALL The first real rainfall of the spring and summer started Sunday morning at 1:30 and continued off and on for the greater part of Sunday and with the result that an inch and thirty one-hundredths of moisture was registered at the local Burling ton station in the official water guage. This is the heaviest rainfall since last summer and gave the gar dens and lawns recently planted a very fine moisture that will aid in bringing on the vegetation. City Has Party of Distinguished Visitors Saturday State University and F.ti Extension Department Heads Here for Pleasant Dinner Party On Saturday evening the private dining room of the Barclay cafe was the scene of a very pleasant dinner at which was present a large group of the university and farm extension department leaders, who were here while enroute to the community meeting and program staged by the Riverside club at the Lewiston com munity center. The party of visitors included Hon. George Wilson, of Chadron, state representative; George Jackson, sec retary of the Nebraska state fair, Mr. and Mrs. F. P. Gould, the form er in charge of the county agents' work of the state university, W. H. The junior circle, which is an auxilary to the local Woodmen Cir cle, met Saturday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Harry Kruger. The meeting was presided over by the circle's junior supervisor, Marie E. Kaufmann, who had planned for her juniors an "Elephant Party." The members were invited to bring a guest, .-which added greatly to the pleasure of the afternoon. Games were played, in which Willie Fitz mayer was the winner of the prizes. Marie Nelson, who was invited by Louise Fitzmayer. won much praise for her piano selection, which d- Miss Kaufmann Chairman Wood man Circle Board Selected as One of Managers at the Convention Held at Omaha the Pastt Week I Last week closed tin. 16th state convention of the Woodmen Circle which was held at Omaha this year. The delegates to the convention from the local grove, were Mrs. Lena Droege and Mrs. Elizabeth Buttery. One of the new features at this convention, the contributions to the home for aged members and orphan children which is being erected at Sherman, Texas, was much in evi- ' dence and showed great enthusiasm on the part of the members. No less ( than 25 beautiful quilts were do- I nated, dozens of towels, dresser scarfs doiles, linens etc.. also a beau tiful parlor lamp. Goldenrod grove donatel a quilt, worked by Mrs. Eli zabeth Buttery, guardian of the local grove. This quilt. King Tut design, was the center of attraction for the ladies present. Marie E. Kaufmann, the local sec retary who served the convention two years as state banker and the last two j-ears as Btate secretary, was elected state chairman of the board of managers. At the banquet at the Rome hotel Wednesday eve ning, April 10, there was a table for each of the six districts, and dele gates from 88 groves were present. Each table having different decora tions, stunts etc. and was presided over by the each district manager. Plattsmouth belonging to district No. 2 of which Mrs. Ida B. Kennedy, of Lincoln, presided, having as their centerpiece "Our New Capitol, with out a flaw." The work put on by the Omaha Junior Circle, was especially fine, John LaRocca. son of the national president, having a leading part in the exemplification of the junior circle work. The Journal does Law Brief print ing. Tell your lawyer you would like your hrief printed at home. i , - i . . -1 ' ' Junior Circle Meets! i t , ' , r - i-iin mnMiuniMu.u Brokow. also -of the :;tate extension department, Miss Mary Ellen Brown, head of the home economics depart ment of the state agricultural col lege. County Agent and Mrs. L. R. Snipes and Miss Thomas, of Weep ing Water. The visitors were greeted by a number of the members of the Cham ber of Commerce in the very pleas ant informal dinner and which was enjoyed to the utmost, the visitors being presented by Searl S. Davis, while C. C. Wescott introduced the Ioc-al people. r.ioe from the occasion Wescott. Vice and Treasurer this my who enjoyed were President C. C. President S. S. Davis F. I. Rea of the Cham- j ber of Commerce, Mr. and Mrs. I). O. Dwyer. L. F. Lanahorst. L. O. j Minor, E. H. Schulhof and the Agr icultural committee of the Chamber of Commerce, composed of T. H. Pol lock. John Bauer, J. P. Falter and Rex Young. At the close of the dinner, the vis itors motored down to Lewiston, i where a most entertaining program I was presented by the live and active community club of that section of Cass county. ,1 i -- lit , lighted her audience. At a suitable I hour delicious refreshments were ; served by the hostess, assisted by j Mrs. John Zatopek and Mrs. Eliza I beth Buttery. ! New names are being added daily j to this lively band of lads and las ; sies comprising the Plattsmouth j Junior Circle and much interest is I evidenced in the work put on by the youthful members. i At the May meeting the mothers ; will be the guests of honor and a I program suitable for the occasion will be the main social feature. Rain Adds to Bad Condition of Highways King of Trails South of This City Between Murray and Union in Bad Condition The heavy rain of Sunday has done a great deal to adding to the troubles that have come in large volume to the road maintainers all over this section of the state and particularly along the King of Trails from Mur ray south to past Nebraska City and with scattered areas of mud holes and soft road all along the line of the highway. The rain served to keep many at home during the day but at that there was a very large number of cars out on the highway and the owners having far from a pleasure ride if they strayed far off the paved streets. South of the Murray corner on the K. T. highway there were several muddy spots and while traffic was getting through it was far from a pleasant experience and in places, particularly in the bad stretch of highway near the Harris farm north of Union, it was necessary for many cars and especially the heavier ones to be pulled through while from points farther south the condition was reported as being even more dis agreeable. Many of the travelers passing through this city reported that it was necessary to pay tractor owners a dollar to get through the morass that had formed in the roadway and that this sum while small per car was making a very fine return for the in dustrious tractor drivers and also creating a spirit of disatisfaction that it was necessary to pay out this sum to get through a state highway. The general bad road conditions over practically all of the eastern section of the state where the auto, truck and bus travel is so very heavy, has caused the highway department to be swamped with the work of getting and keeping the highways open for travel. Bead the Journal Want Ads. .... v . Trade Show to be Big Attrac tion Next eek aomethme; Hew and Uiflerent in Entertainment April 24th to 27th Big Door Prizes Only ten days remain before the opening of the Plattsmouth Merch ants' Trade Exposition and Style Show to be held at the Legion com munity building April 24th to 27th, inclusive. Diagrams have been made, and by a bit of squeezing the booth plan arranged to give twenty-five individual booths of almost identical size. Due to the numerous occasions on which the Legion building will be used this week, it will be impossible to begin work on the construction of the booths before Friday, but once started, it is planned to rush the job to completion by Sunday night, so the various merchants may take possession of their booths Monday morning to begin decorating. Incidental work in connection with the building of the booths includes the stringing of temporary wiring to take care of the greatly increased electrical consumption, the placing of Japanese lantern lights about the central porton of the hall, clearing out the rear furnace and coal rooms to provide dressing room accommo dations for the style show, moving the portable stage to the north end cf the hall, and many other details. Orchestra accompaniment is being arranged for the two nights of the style show, for which there must al so be arranged a promenade walk ex tending out into the hall for use of the models. The splendid co-operation being given the merchants by the whole salers and manufacturers makes cer tain the success of this first show that will probably be made an an nual affair. From the public's standpoint, be-! sides the big nightie- door prizes. there will be displays, distributions and demonstrations. Each adult vis iting the show will be presented at the door with a sturdy shopping bag in wnicn to place me vancru wim ples received from visits to the dif ferent booths the value of the sam ples alone being more than the nom inal admission charge of a dime. Posters are being printed by the Journal advertising the event, w'hich is heralded as the biggest dime's worth of fun, entertainment, educa tion and merchandise ever bought. Distribution of samples promises to make the event very popular. To advertise the exposition, a booster trip over the county is plan ned for the first of next week, with many of the merchants takking part and being accompanied, in all prob ability, by the boys' band. MEETS WITH HARD LUCK From Monday's Daily Jimmy Holy, genial and accom modating city mail carrier, had an pvnprience Saturday night at Omaha that he will long remember and which has left him with a visable mark of the experience.. Mr Ttolv had eone to Omana bat- urday evening to make a social call and as the night was waning into the morning he started to the Burlington station to catch the night "mixer" from that station and while enroute to the station met with the had luck. He was crossing from Thir- tppnth street to Tenth to reacn tne station and was cutting over west Won street where the shadows are quite heavy and as he was hurrying along the walk two men approached nnrl one reouested the loan of a match. Jimmie, who is used to the honest and accommodating people oi pninmiinitv. stonDed to try and dig up a match from the pocket of his vest and while his nands were oriP-nprt one of the strangers pro ceeded to plant a stiff blow to the jaw- and which placed the mail car rier nn the walk and as he has been out of the hospital for only a few- weeks, the effects of the blow made him groggy for a few moments, wtipn Mr. Holv regained his f uncon sciousness he found that he was shy some $5 in change as well as nis tnn coat that he had been carrying on his arm at the time of the as sault. When he fully regained his faculties, Mr. Holy made nis way back to the home of friends where his damaged features were treated and he was compelled to remain there for the rest of the night and to secure a stake from the friends for the return trip. A GOLF AEISTOCEAT From Monday's Dallv Emil A. Wurl, one of the true blue devotees of the game of golf in this city, is now setting among the elect of golfdom. in that circle where the "Hole in One" club dwells. Mr. Wurl was out Saturday for a few rounds of golf and when shooting for No. 6 hole had the little white ball lodge in the hole in the first blow and now he is one of the record holders of the city. This is the first hole in one recorded so far this year on the local course. Phone your news to the Journal DOINGS IN DISTEICT COUET From Tuesday's Daiiy The jury in the case of the Con servative Mortgage Co. vs. Mrs. Tetga Meyers, returned a verdict last eve ning finding on the first count for the plaintiff for $93T 35 and on the .second count for JS23.10. The ver dict was for the plaintiff but was in reality a victory for the defense as the amount warded was only a dol lar over the amount that the defen dant had acknowledged liability for. The ca?e of the State of Nebraska vs. Wheeler was on trial today in the court and as the defendant was a resident here all members of the jury panel from this section were excused. State Will Re Gravel K. of T. Highway South Plans to Work Over Eoad for Eelief to Travelers and Gravel From Here to Union The condition of the King of Trails highway is to be remedied as soon as it is possible to get material on the ground and get the work car ried out, is the word received here by the Chamber of Commerce roads com mittee from H. C. Schwaderer of Ne braska City, highway engineer in charge of the road work in Cass and Otoe counties. Mr. Schwaderer informs the local committee that the state is having quantities of crushed rock sent in to help stop the worst of the soft places that have developed in the road as the result of frost "warts" that have since turned into deep and annoying mud holes and made travel difficult. In addition to the work that is to be done to make the road passible for the enormous amount of travel the state is to let the contract on May 3rd at Lincoln for the re graveling of the highway from this city south to Union and place it in the former good condition. The maintaining of the heavily traveled highway in view of the heavy truck and bus travel is a real problem and one that has taxed the highway force for the past two months since the breaking up of the winter conditions and the frost com ing from the roads that left soft road ways that have been badly cut up by the travel over them. The conditions of the roads led the Chember of Commerce to take the matter up with Mr. Schwaderer in an effort to get some relief and with the result that the engineer has given the local people the good news that the present conditions are to be remedied as fast as is possible with the many miles of bad roads that the highway department has on their hands at the present time. The regraveling of the highway from this city south and the promise of the paving of the K. of T. from this city to Omaha should go a long ways toward eli minating a part of the present con ditions and checking future road troubles in this section of the K. of T. FTJNEEAL OF W. S. SHEEA From Monday's Dally The funeral services of the late William Stanley Shera were held yesterday afternoon at the home in Rock Bluffs and largely attended de spite the very bad weather that pre vailed. The condition of the roads made the conduct of the funeral very difficult in getting to the home and also to the Rock Bluffs cemetery where the interment was made in the family lot at that place. The services were conducted by Rev. H. G. McCluskv of the First Presbyterian church of this city and who gave words of comfort to the sorrowing wife and children and the bereaved friends of the ' departed. During the services a male quartet composed of Frank Cloidt, H. G. Mc Clusky, L. D. Hiatt and L. O. Minor gave two of the old and loved hymns, "Jesus Savior, Pilot Me" and "Rock of Ages." CHILD TAKEN TO HOSPITAL Mrs. Janet Simons departed for Omaha Saturday afternoon where she took her little nineteen months old child to be placed in the Uni versity hospital and where the little one will undergo an operation of mastoids from which the child has suffered for some time. The family has had a great deal of trouble in the past few months by illness and which resulted in the death of the husband and now the necessity of the operation of the baby. It is hoped that the little one will soon be able to recover from the effects of the operation and be back home again. HAVING EYES TEEATED From Monday's Dally Mrs. Martin Peterson of this city, who has been suffering for some time from an affliction of the eyes, is taking treatment at the University hospital at Omaha and which it is hoped will result in her permanent improvement and relief from the eye trouble that has caused her so much annoyance. Eead the Journal W ant-Ads. Durane Takes the Decision' in Red Hot Fight George Schmader Kakes Fine Show ing in Opening Bounds But Loses in Final Three Frum Tuesday's Taily Last evening the opening boxir.g card of the Eagles Athletic club was presented at the American Legion community building and was plenty good the card was one that mo-e than repaid the customers and left the desire in the hearts of the fans and fanettes. as there were many ladies present for arother bout in the not too distant fuiure. The presiding genius of the battle was Harry Reed of Lincoln and who made a sweet job of handling the several features on the card and kept the fighters working all of the way and none of the events proved a petting party by any means. It was shortly after 8 o'clock when the show opened and Mr. Reed start ed the evening show that was to fur nish a two hours of real interest for the boys that had flocked in to wit ness the mixing. In the opening bout which was scheduled to be between Del Britton and Sergeant Jock Liddy. the ser geant had business elsewhere and a substitution was made of one of the scrappy boys from the Bluffr, G rea son and who was plenty good for Britton. the fight eoing but two rounds when the substitute pasted a nasty ope to the jaw and it was the curtains for Britton. The four round go between "Hap py" Connors and Johnny Watts, two fine young fighters from Omiha, prov ed a nice little battle, "Happy" show ing his boxing ability but missing many good punches while clever little Johnny was putting them over in good shape and well earned the decision that Referee Reed gave him at the close of the go. "Happy," former Plattsmouth schoolboy te ceived a nice hand irom the crowd and made a good showing against his fast and aggressive opponent and who was a very neat little fighter. One of the big events of the card was the mill between Stiva Mickna and "Smoky Joe" Smogrye. both South Omaha lads, who battled plen ty for a draw in the i;ix round strug gle that they staged. The experience and ring generalship of Stiva stood him well in hand and at the close he was unmarked to ary extent while Joe suffered from a poke in the nose received in the opening of the fight. Joe made a great battle and while in the opener was largely on the re ceiving end of most of the punches he came back nicely and gave his foe plenty as the last rounds came on and to win a draw from the referee. The boys made a good fight and are a real attraction on any fight card. The semi-windup of the card, scheduled for eight rounds was short and sweet as Mr. Nelson of Wichita, Kansas, was substituted for Johnny Dugan of Omaha in meeting Joe Roper, who was plenty tough and looked the best of almost anyone on the card as an exponent of the glov ed art. Mr. Nelson got all set to go, made a few passes at Joe. received a few raps on the jaw and then the nightengales commenced to sing for Nelson as Joe clipped a nice one to the jaw and the fight terminated be fore the end of the first round. The fans who had awaited with eogerness for the main event had" their fill of the hard fighting that featured the go between George Schmader of this city and Mickey Durane of Omaha. This was a real battle and w-hile Durane was the winner of the bout in the decision at the close of the tenth round it was a real battle and one in which both fighters gave and received plen ty of stuff. The first seven rounds of the battle were featured by the ag gressive work of Schmader and who handed the clever Omaha fighter plenty of nasty raps and had Mickey bleeding profusely but who took all, apparently suffering little and com ing back in a smashing attack that won him the bout. In the sixth Schmader pasted one to the face that took Durane off his feet but George failed to follow up and Durane re covered and completed the round and then came back strong in the follow ing rounds. At the opening of the eighth round, Durane commenced to play a shower of blows on the face of Schmader after a. long succession of punches to the kidneys and mid riff of George during the opening rounds, these body blows telling in wearing down the fast Plattsmouth fighter's aggressivness. After the bell at the close of the eighth round, the fight was decidely Durane, with George making one of the best at tempts at a comebz.ck in the tenth that has been seen in any ring battle in this section. With one eye closed and suffering from many face hbwg George battled his opponent vigor ously until the final bell when Ref eree Reed raised the hand of Mickey as the winner. It was a great fight and both boys were well worth the money. The attendance at. this, the first of the fight cards of the Eagles Ath- lectic club, drew a large crowd from all through this section of the state, there being many here from Omaha, Murray, Cedar Creek, Louisville and the adjoining towns.