TjeDr. State Historical Society
9
VOL. NO. XLTX
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA. MONDAY, JUNE 5, 1933.
NO. 36
Gasoline Thieves
Loot Tanks Near
0
the M. P. Station
Continental Oil Co., Ofe Oil Co. Tanks
and Warehouse of Sinclair Co.
Suffer From Thieves.
From Thursday's Dally
This morning shortly after
o'clock one of the residents of the
city who was returning from Omaha,
noticed an automobile parked near
the ga3 and oil tanks at the Missouri
Pacific yards in the northwest part
of the city. The matter Avas reported
to the police and when the officers
arrived on the scene it was found
that the car had gone and with it
severel hundred gallons of gas. The
amount of gas taken, however, would
indicate that there was probably
truck used in getting away with the
gas and that the car was one used
by some of the gang.
The locks and pumps of the tanks
were broken to permit the draining
out of the gasoline.
The tanks of the Ofe Oil Co. suf
fered the loss of some 200 gallons of
the Mobilgas, while the Continental
Oil Co. had 15S gallons of ethyl gas
taken from their tanks by the un
welcome visitors.
The warehouse of the Sinclair com
pany was also broken into and here
the robbers made off with two large
empty gas drums and which it is
thought were used to carry off part of
the gas stolen.
Officers are of the opinion that a
greater part of the loss in gas was
occasioned by the fact that it had
leaked from the broken pumps and
tanks.
With the discovery of the burglary
the representatives of the various oil
companies were called to the scene
to make a check of the damage that
they had suffered.
Employes of the all night restau
rants in the main part of the city
report that a car answering the des
ecription of that seen near the tanks,
had been parked several places in the
down town section and that it was
occupied by two men.
4-H CLUB MEETS
Yesterday, June 1, 1933, the first
of a series of meetings of the 4-H
Girls Room club was held at the
home of Mrs. Ernest Giles.
The club was organized at a pre
vious meeting and the officers se
lected were: Lois Giles, president;
Alice Wiles, vice-president; Mildred
Cacy, secretary; Virginia Trively,
news reporter; Anna Marie Rea, song
leader; Marjorie Wohlfarth, yell
leader; Madeline Wiles, game leader,
and Mrs. Ernest Giles our club leader.
We discussed a name for our club,
but reached no definite conclusion.
In thi3 meeting each girl told the
good and poor points of her room,
and what she intended to do to im
prove her room. Lois Giles gave a
very interesting demonstration illus
trating hue, value and intensity in
colors.
Our meetings are going to be held
at the Giles home every Thursday
unless a member wishes a certain
meeting to be held at her home. The
next meeting will be June 8.
After the business meeting games
were enjoyed by all and we began
to learn some fo the 4-H club songs.
At the close of the interesting
afternoon, dainty and delicious re
freshments were served by Mrs. Gile3.
REPORTER.
GOES TO GLENWOOD
From Thursday's Dally
Vernon T. Arn, Jr., one of the
graduates from the Plattsmouth high
school' this year, and better known to
all as "Sam," went over to Glenwood,
Iowa, yesterday, w'here he is accept
ing a position in one of the meat
markets of that city, as meat cutter.
"Sam" has been assisting his fath
er In the meat department of the
Black & White Store for some time,
during his school years and vacation
time. He is a "chip off the old block"
and will make a real meat cutter for
the Glenwood store. He is just an
other one. of Plattsmouth's excellent
young men starting out upon the
world, and we can boast of them
from coast to coast, and most all of
them are making good, too.
WORKING DAY SHIFT
Prom Thursday's Dally
Officer Dave Pickrel, just recover
ing from a severe case of the mumps
and other complications, was back
on duty today and serving on the
day force instead of the night detail
Chief of Police Libershall will, look
after the night work for the presen
until Mr. Pickrel regains his strength
and is able to take up his regular
routine. The many friends are
pleased to see Dave back on the job
and trust that he may be relieved
from all of the complications that
has followed the mumps.
Death of Hans
Rathmann, Old
Time Resident
Deceased has .Been a .Resident o
Plattsmonth Since 1887 Well
Known Figure in City.
From Friday's Daily
Early last evening as the day was
drawing to the close, Hans Rath
mann, 81, a long time resident of
Plattsmouth, passed to the last re
ward, following an illness that cov
ered the last few days when Mr
Rathmann gradually grew more
feeble until death ended his suffer
ing.
Hans Rathmann was born Febru"
ary 11, 1852, at Breckendorf, Schles-
wig-Holstein, Germany, in which
country ho was reared to manhood
and on July 15, 1S78, he was married
to Anna Margaret Kuhr, who pre
ceded him in death April. 20, 1931
In 1881 Mr. and Mrs. Rathmann
came to the United States and first
located at Denison, Iowa, where they
spent a few years, and in 1887 they
moved to Plattsmouth where they
have since resided. For many years
Mr. Rathmann was a familiar figure
in the business section of the City
where he was connected with the
Soennlchsen grocery, until his age
and failing health made necessary
his retirement from active service.
Mr. Rathmann is survived by six
children, Mrs. Anna Thompson, Om
aha; Henry Rathmann, Sioux City;
Mrs. Alvina Bergman, Lincoln; Louie
Rathmann, Rochester, Minnesota;
Mrs. Roy Stewart, Plattsmouth.
VISIT IN THE CITY
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Royal, Mr.
and Mrs. Harry Graves, Mr. and Mrs.
Mike Derieg and Miss Nellie Derieg,
all of Lincoln, who were here for the
memorial day services, have returned
to their home. They enjoyed a visit
here with Judge Graves, the father of
Mrs. Royal, Mrs. Derieg and Harry
Graves, who also visited with them
the cemetery at Union. The other
members of the party also visited at
the Plattsmouth and Ashland ceme
teries. While the party were en
route home they stopped at Omaha
to visit with J. D. Graves at the Im
manuel hospital where he is showing
some improvement.
TO ATTEND EEUNION
Mrs. L. O. Minor departed Wednes
day evening for Chicago, where she
will attend the reunion of her class
at Northwestern university, at Evans
ton, the class meeting at the general
alumni gathering at graduating time
at the university. Mrs. Minor will
also attend the convention of the
Gamma Phi Eeta sorority of which
she is a member and which is in ses
sion at Chicago. While on the re
union, Mrs. Minor expects to enjoy
a visit at the Century of Progress
erposition which has just opened its
gates and which is one of the great
est expositions that has been held In
the last fifty years.
ATTEND CONVOCATION
A number of the Plattsmouth peo
ple attended the convocation at Hast
ings college Wednesday at which the
degree of doctor of divinity was con
ferred on Rev. H. G. McClusky, pastor
of the First Presbyterian church of
thi3 city. Rev. McClusky was pre
sented for the degree by Rev. King,
pastor of the First Presbyterian
church of Hastings. Those from this
city, members of the local congrega
tion, to attend the ceremony were
Mr. and Mrs. R. W. Knorr, R. Foster
Patterson and Carl J. Schneider.
Hold Closing
Exercises of St
John's School
Class of Fifteen Graduated From the
Eighth Grade Fine Program
Presented by Pupils.
The closing exercises or the St
John s parochial school were held
Thursday evening at the American
Legion building and which was fill
ed with the delightful audience that
witnessed the excellent program that
had been arranged for them.
This year the school graduated
some fifteen from their eighth grade
and who are now ready for their high
school career. The graduating class
this year was composed of John
Cloidt, Richard Otterstein, Charles
Bennett, Robert Slavicek, Earl Pitt-
man, Albeit Sedlak, John O'Donnell,
William O'Donnell, Mildred Knofii-
cek, Betty Kalina, Frances McCart,
Theresa Altschaffl, Helen Jane Kopp,
Barbara Zitka, Patricia Hisket. This
fine graduating class as well as the
fine manner that the program was
given proved a tribute to the careful
training they have received at the
hands of the Ureurline sisters, who
have charge of the school
The visitors were welcomed by
Master Edward Gradovilla, who in a
fine manner carried out his part of
the program and bade the audience
the appreciation of the school and its
pupils.
The "Kindergarten Graduation,"
presented by the youngest group of
the school was a very much enjoyed
feature and splendidly carried out
by the members of the group, who
were clad In the regulation cap and
gown of the graduate.
The older boys of the school were
presented in a clever three act play,
'The Country Boy Scout," which was
introduced by a reading by John Ken
neth' Bestorr-This-play-was one filled
with plenty of action and culmin
ating in the Boy Scout tribute to the
American flag. All of the members
of the cast did splendidly in their
work and' were heartily received by
the audience for their excellent work
in the play. Those who took part in
the play were John Cloidt, Joseph
Chovanec, Robert Slavicek, William
O'Donnell, Richard Otterstein, Albert
Sedlak, Ambrose Claus, Leo Welsh,
James Webb, John O'Donnell, War
ren Reed, Earl Pittman, Charles
Bennett, Joseph Kvapil, John Bestor,
Elmore Brink, Robert Neal, James
Sandin, Leo Hisket, Stuart Sedlak,
Theodore Libershal and Donald Ot
terstein.
The Intermediate grades of the
school presented the younger girls in
very pleasantly offered song and
drill, "The Little Cooks," that was
enhanced by the attractive costumes
of the young people.
The older girls of the school gave
a very interesting sketch, "Mrs. Man
hattan's Daughters," in which the six
aaugniers or Airs. Manhattan were
to have one of their number selected
as a bride, five of the daughters af
fecting the prim old fashioned train
ing while the unaffected daughter
was eventually successful in being
the choice. This playlet wa3 given
by Betty Kalina, Theresa Altschaffl,
Barbara Zitka, Mildred Knoflicek,
Margaret Ann Pitz, Patricia Hiskett,
Frances McCart, Helen Jane Kopp
and Pauline Pitz.
The Little Farmers" was one of
the pleasing offerings on the exten
sive program and which was present
ed by the boys of the intermediate
grades who were garbed in fitting at
tire for their song and drill.
The younger girls of the schooJ
also gave as their part of the eve
ning entertainment a sketch, "The
Tea Party," and in which Clara To
man, Florence Sedlak, Mary Ann
Shifter, Mary Altschaffl, Teresa Sed
lak, Mary Pittman, Alice Bennett,
Emily Kratochville and Mary Kvapii
appeared.
The valedictory for the class was
delivered by Miss Mildred Knoflicek,
who In her remarks urged the mem
bers of the class to always retain the
teachings they had received, the in
struction and guidance that had been
given them for their future in other
lines of education or activity. The
address was delivered in a fine, im
pressive manner by the talented
young lady selected for this honor.
The speaker of the evenine was
Father Patrick Harte, pastor of the
St. Patrick's church at Manley, who
in a short and able, address brought
to the class the value of their edu
cation. The speaker touched on the
investment made in education, that
of the community fend the parents
who in their children and the youth
of the land expected return in the
livos and character of the men and
women that Were developed by this
education. He urged the class to re
member the training that they had
received a fine general education and
the religious teachings that had been
a part of their education.
The distribution of the awards
and diplomas was made by Father
George Agius, pastor of the St. John's
church under which the school is op
erated. There were a number of in
dividual honors that the members of
the class and the pupils in general
received for their excellent work in
the past school year."
Truck Driver
Falls Asleep
Truck Wrecked
Lew Busch, St. Joseph, Missouri,
Driving Twenty-four Hours, is
Victim of Accident.
From Thursday's Dally
This morning while Lew Busch, 30,
of St. Joseph, Missouri, , was taking
a truck load of druggists' supplies
from the Missouri city to Omaha and
Council Bluffs, hi3 truck was wrecked
on highway No. 75, near the Iowa-
Nebraska Light & Power comapny
station.
The driver of the truck, exhausted
from a twenty-four hour shift of driv
ing and without sleep, succumbed to
the demands of mature as he was
nearing this city and dropped asleep
at the wheel and the truck crashed
into the bank at the side of the road,
damaging the truct.4d. leaving the
driver in a dazed condition, altho ap
parently not otherwise Injured.
The driver stated to Deputy Sher
iff Lancaster, who was called to the
scene that he had dropped asleep and
the first he realized was when the
truck crashed and the jar awoke him
from his slumbers.
The truck was owned by the Eaton
Transfer Co., of St. Joseph, Missouri,
and it was quite badly smashed in
the wreck, the front end and frame
being bent as well as the right front
fenders being smashed.
The driver was brought into this
city to secure a much needed rest
while the company by which he was
employed was called by the deputy
sheriff to come and look after the
care of their truck.
SHOWS IMPROVEMENT
The reports from the hospital at
Omaha are to the effect that George
L. Kraeger. of this city, who has
been there for tho past two weeks.
is now showing signs of Improve
ment. Mr. Kraeger was very gravely
ill for several weeks and his condi
tion caused a great deal of appre
hension to the members of the fam
ily circle and the change for the bet
ter has been more reassuring. Mr.
Kraeger it has been found was suf
fering from a complication caused by
an attack of the flu and which it Is
hoped can now be cleared up.
HERE FROM LINCOLN
Mr. and Mrs. John Nelson, former
residents here, were in the city Wed
nesday afternoon and evening, motor
ing down from Omaha with Mr. and
Mrs. Roy Perkins, the latter a daugh
ter of the Nelson family. Mr. Nel
son was formerly engaged as foreman
of the Burlington tin shop here for
several years, but on the leasing of
the shops to the BREX he removed
to Havelock, where he has since been
located. While here, the party en
joyed a visit with their son and
brother, William Nelson.
RETURNS TO WYM0RE
Frosn Tbrdy Dally
Mrs. E. C. Ackerman and daugh
ter, Miss Violet, of Wymore, Nebras-r
ka, were visitors in the city over the
memorial holiday and departed to
day for their home. Miss Violet who
is well known among the young peo
ple here accompanied the mother here
for a visit at the Lushinskv home
and with tho many, old time friends. J
River Work in
This Section
Shows Increase
Engineers Here to Look Over Pro
jects for Extending Scope of
Activity ou Missouri.
For the past several days repre
sentatives of the government in Mis
souri river improvement projects
hae been in this city looking over
the plans for the enlargement of the
working program for the summer.
The general activity of the engi
neering department along the river
from Atchison to Sioux City makes
bright the prospect for a much larger
field of activity in the next few
months.
There has already been a great
deal of work carried out at Omaha
in the way of riprapping and build
ing of retards that will force the
main channel of the river into a con
fined course and allow the stream it
self to scour out a channel that will
permit the navigation of the Missouri
river by the freight barges and boats.
One of the spots along the river
that has been a source of more or less
trouble to the residents on the east
side of the stream, is that portion
just north of the mouth of the Platte,
where the main current of the Mis
souri has swept against the Iowa
bank and caused the loss of many
hundred acres of land in the past few
years. With the well organized
plans of the army engineers for the
carrying out of the river improve
ment this danger should be elimin
ated as the retards and breakwaters
will tend to throw the current awayj
from the Iowa side and force It more
toward the Nebraska short at thati
point. ' "
The office of the engineers engaged
in the -river improvement work on
the. upper Missouri river is located at
Nebraska.- City j-and.. since . the. .open
ing of the office there, some $3,-
000.000 worth of river work has been
handled out of that office. There are
twenty-three men in the crews work
ing out of the Nebraska City office
and aro divided into four groups to
look after the making of the old
Missouri river a docile stream and
one that the steamboats can ply as in
the days of yore.
GOING TO CALIFORNIA
With the group (leaving Fort
Crook Monday for northern Califor
nia forest areas, will be two of the
Plattsmouth young men entered in
the forestry work, Joseph Zitka and
Joseph Knoflicek. This group under
the command of the regular army of
ficers will be sent ahead and pre
pare the camp where their associates
now at Fort Crook will be sent as
soon as the camps are arranged and
the work prepared to be carried out.
The camps will be located at distant
points from large towns and the
young men will have to depend large
ly on their own entertainment in the
recreation periods.
All leaves for those who are to de
part with the first contingent will be
cancelled from today and the mem
bers of the first party be required to
stay at the fort and arranging for
the journey to the west.
PRISONERS ARE CAPTURED
Sheriff Homer Sylvester has been
advised that Warren Fridell and R.
N. Galbreath, who escaped from the
city jail at Topeka, Kansas, where
they were held over night while en
route here, had been recaptured. The
men were picked up at Tulsa, Okla
homa, in the general dragnet sent
out by sheriffs and police officers of
the southwest to apprehend the Kan
sas convict band. The two men will
be brought on back to this city by
Sheriff Sylvester and to face a charge
of breaking into the Welshimer gas
station in the south part of the city
RECOVERING FROM OPERATION
The many friends of Mrs. John
Straka of this city will be interested
in learniing that she is now doing
very nicely at the St. Catherine's hos
pital at Omaha where she was oper
ated on a few days ago.. The patient
came through the ordeal in fine shape
and it is hoped will soon be on the
to resume her usual activities,
highway, to complete recovery and
HEBE FOR VACATION
Miss Jane Fricke, who is engaged
in nurse training in the University
of Nebraska school of nursing at the
University hospital, is home to enjoy
her outing here with her mother,
Mrs. Maude Fricke, as well as her
grandfather, F. G. Fricke and the
other relatives and friends in this
city.
Miss Marion Fricke, a younger
daughter of Mrs. Maude Fricke, is
spending a"1hort time at Hastings,
Nebraska, where she is the guest of
friends in that city and enjoying a
vacation in that section of the state.
Death of Mrs.
Emily Morrison
at Blair, Nebr.
Resident of Plattsmouth for Greater
Part of Lifetime Funeral
to Be at Blair.
Mrs. Emily Morrison, 64, a resi
dent of Plattsmouth for tho greater
part of her lifetime, died Thursday
night at the Crowell Memorial home
at Blair where she made her home for
the last few years.
Mrs. Morrison was the youngest
child of Mr. and Mrs. T. S. C. Dabb.
who were early settlers in this city
and of her immediate family she was
the last survivor, her mother pre
ceding her in death a few years ago.
Mrs. Morrison had not been in the
best of health for some time and was
suddenly stricken Thursday and fail
ed to recover from the effects of a
stroke that brought death in a short
time.
In the last yeara of life the condi
tion of Mrs. Morrison became such
that she found it necessary to reside
at the home where she could be un
der care on account of her health. .
Mrs. Morrison is survived by one
son,' George" ll Morrison "of Chicago,
as well as a daughter who resides In
the south.
Tho funeral services of Mrs. Mor
rison will be held Sunday at the
Crowell Home and the interment
made at the cemetery at that place.
SHERIFF HAS THE MUMPS
From Saturday's Dally
Sheriff Homer Sylvester when he
awoke thi3 morning discovered that
he was a victim of the prevailing
malady of the mumps which has so
many of the citizens confined to their
homes. The sheriff had planned on
leaving today for Tulsa, Oklahoma,
to secure the two bandits arrested
there and who aro wanted here for
the robbery of the Welshimer oil sta
tion. The illness will, however, de
lay the trip for some little time. The
many friends of the sheriff will re
gret to hear of his indisposition and
trust that he may soon be over the
malady and back at his duties. The
illness of tho sheriff has left both
tho field and office work on Deputy
Sheriff Jarvis Lancaster and who is
being kept on the go to look after
the many duties of the office.
HEAR MURDOCK CASE
From Friday's Dally
This morning the county court
was occupied In hearing a complaint
that had been filed against E. M
Shatto and John Kruger, asking that
they be put under bond to keep the
peace and also one against Mr. Kru
ger, charging him with attempting
to provoke an assault by the use of
vile and profane language.
The complaining witness In the
cases was I. G. Hornbeck, well known
resident of that community.
The court heard the plea of not
guilty to the charge made by the dc
fendants and the case was set for
trial on June 8th at 3:30 p. m. when
the testimony in the case will be
taken up. The bond was fixed at
$100 and which was supplied and
the defendants released for their ap
pearance at the hearing.
OMAHA PEOPLE WEDDED
Miss Margaret E. Smith . and
Charles L. Hickman, both of Omaha,
were joined in wedlock on Friday
afternoon at the office of Judge A. H.
Duxbury, . who read the marriage
lines for the happy young couple.
The marriage was witnessed by Mr.
and Mrs. A. L. Jensen of Omaha,
friends of the contracting parties.
Packing Plant
Busy Now with
Spinach Pack
Large Number Being Employed as
the Pack of Early Vegetables
Is Being Started.
The local plant of the Norfolk
Packing Co., is one of the busiest
places In this section of the state at
this time as the packing of the crop
of spinach is now under way and
hundreds of cans of this vegtable are
being prepared every hour of the day
at the plant.
This is the first season that the
plant has arranged to care for a
large variety of vegetables, the last
season only sweet corn and pork and
beans being handled at the plant.
This year the company has contract
ed for large acreages of a great many
vegetables, spinach, peas, beets, sweet
corn and cabbage being among the
many lines that will be packed ex
tensively here.
The company has had a large
amount of n.w machinery installed
and have taken over additional build
ings from the Burlington that have
been re-arranged for the use of the
plant.
The opening of the summer pack
has furnished employment to a large
number of persons in the last few
weeks and addition help is being
added as the crops are coming in.
The plant carried a large payroll last
year and with the added lines that
are being packed here Superintend
ent A. E. Stewart and his assistants
will find use of a great deal of the
surplus labor in the community in
the summer.
The Norfolk Packing company has
proven a most vamaDie asset to tne
city and the Plattsmouth people
should give them; all possible sup
port In the use of their lines ot
products which rank among the best
in the country.
Q. Z. HOLDS PICNIC PARTY
From Friday's Daily
Yesterday afternoon tho Q. Z. so
ciety of the Presbyterian church, held
its annual picnic party and outing
and for tho occasion the husbands
and families of the members were in
vited to Join in the pleasant gather
ing. The picnic was staged at the
Country club where the pleasant sur
roundings made an ideal setting for
the happy event. The ladies in the
earlier part of the afternoon held
their business session and then ad
journed to join in the social features
of the day. The ladies and gentle
men of the party spent several hours
in golf, baseball and croquet, these
being enjoyed by a large number of
th emembers of the group. As tho
day was drawing to the close the
picnic suppers were served in the cool
and shady surroundings of the club
grounds.
DEATH OF MYRON DO OLE Y
Prom TriAtkT'm Dally
The death of Myron Dooley, 61,
occurred "early this morning at the
home on high school hill, following
an illness that covered the past sev
eral months and from which he had
been gradually growing worse. The
deceased resided hero for the past
several years and was highly respect
ed and esteemed by a large circle of
friends. Mr. Dooley is survived by
tho widow and nine children, Cecil,
of Geneva; Clarence, who resides in
Kansas; Clayton, who i3 located at
Fort Crook; Edwin, Glen, Forrest,
Mildred, Dale and Robert, all resid
ing at home.
The body will be taken to Palmer,
Nebraska, old home of the family.
for the interment.
STUDENTS RETURN HOME
The close of the state university
at Lincoln has brought the Platts
mouth students or the larger part of
them, home for the summer vacation.
Miss Maxine Cloidt, Robert R. Liv
ingston, John Becker, Miss Madge
Garnett, Miss Mildred Hall and Misa
Theresa Libershal, are home now for
the season. James Begley, Jr., one of
the Plattsmouth students at the uni
versity, is expecting to remain at Lin
coln where he will be employed this
summer and also attend the summer
school of the university when it
opens for the regular term.