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PLATTSMOUTH. NEBRASKA. THURSDAY, APRIL 18. 185)5.
$1.00
P33H YJ3A.lt.
IF PA1U IN ADTAMCE.
VOL. 14. SO. 17.
IS QUITE A MYSTERY.
Police at Sea Over the Disappearance
Of a Stranger.
LOOKING FOR A MURDERER.
An Omaha Mulatto Commits a Foul Mur
der Tlil Morning and Can. County
Officers are On III. Trail
Various Otber Notes.
The local police are somewhat mys
tified over the peculiar disappearance
of a man who came to town on Tues
day niht and registered at the Per
kins house as "John W. Graham, Co
lumbus, Ohio." As a mission the
stranger stated that he was thinking
seriously of locating in this neighbor
hood, providing everythingsuited, and
that he proposed buying a farm. lie
fell in with Deputy Sheriff John Den
son the next day aDd in the afternoon
the officer drove him out into the coun
try. They were absent for some
three hours and Graham seemed
to be well impress-ed with his trip,
lie had traveled considerably during
the past four weeks, but to the officer
he related that for farming purposes
this locality was superior to any
country he so far had seen. Graham
displayed a roll of bills containing
some $-500 and gave it as his intention
to negotiate for a farm, pay a few hun
dred dollars down to bind the bargain,
and then return to Ohio and sell some
property, on which he could secure
?6,000, and use the latter sum in the
pnrchaje of the farm.
Graham ate supper at the Parkins
and paid for his lodging in advance.
At about nine o'clock he fell in with
some fellows who were expecting to
attend a dance at the home of Julius
llamgeoutin Billingstown addition,
and Graham went along to participate
in the promised terpsichorean festival.
The dancing continued throughout the
most of the night and Graham was
Been about the place at about 2 o'clock
when some parties left the dance for
their homes. Since then Graham's
whereabouts are a complete mystery,
and although the police searched the
entire town for some clue their efforts
have been utterly fruitless. During
the day Graham bad been drinking to
a limited extent and the police have a
fear that he may have exhibited his
money and was foully dealt with by
some of the numerous people of aques
tionable character who were present
at the dance.
Graham is described as a man about
35 ears old, squarely built, about five
feet nine inches tall, dark com pi ex -ioned,
black moustache. He wore dark
clothes and a black felt hat. He was a
machinist by trade and his hands bore
evidence of the fact that he had until
lately worked at his trade, which sub
stantiated the story he told of him
self. He has a wife and two children at
Columbus and the wife will be tele
graphed of the situation by tomorrow
in case he is still missing at that time.
On inquiry at the depots of the 13. &
M. and M. P. shows that Graham did
not leave town by the railroads,
and with so much money on his per
son it does not seem possible to the
police that he would have walked out
of town. The fact that he paid for his
lodging in advance and that he also
made an engagement with Deputy
Denson to drive down near Murray
today, where Graham bad been in
formed a farm was for sale at a low
figure, is quite convincing to the offi
cers that the man did not plan to so
suddenly leave town. To them the
theory of foul play is the most plaus
ible one and they propose to leave
nothing undone to probe the mystery
to the bottom.
A Farmer's Valuable Pateut.
William Eikenbary of Union re
cently applied for a patent on an in
vention for an improvement on a
twine binder. He sent a working
model to the Deering company and
asked them if the improvement was
good for anything. The company
wrote back that they would pay him
J10,000for it, but Mr. E.. has not yet
accepted the offer. Mr. Eikenbary is
a brother to our sheriff and an uncle
to Mrs. John Donelan of this city.
Weeping Water Republican.
CreEent Bicycles run easy and wear
well. They are light and strong.
t!0to$90. Write or see
Lehkiioff Bros. County Agents,
Plattsmoutb, Neb.
Ten barrels of sweet potato seed
from the Red River Valley, at
McCoyRT's
CULLEUK HILL. 1 ULLINUS.
We are very much pleased over the
result of the Plattsmouthcity olection,
and congratulate the democrats elected
especially our f riend.Charles Grimes.
I am truly &lad to bear of bo many
farmers going largely Into the fruit
raising business. It pays. I hope to
see the day come when we in Cass
county can supply the west with early
and late apples.
With no drawbacks hereafter, we
will have the largest crop of fruit this
year ever known. Everything in the
fruitline is comingout nicely. Peaches
and plums are in full bloom. The
ground is full of water, after a three
days' rain, and small grain is doing
remarkably well.
There Is surely something wrong
with our postal clerks on the railroads.
Last week I received one daily Platts
moutb News cut of six and n Jour
nals at all. Consequently I knew
nothing about the result of the city
election held at Plattsmoutb. Today
(April 9th) I received a Journal, of
April Sd, giving the election returns
and also announcing the death of Mrs.
O. F. Johnson of Plattsmoutb. I also
received yesterday's (April 8tb) Jour
nal. This is a surprise, as I hardly
ever get Monday's dailies until Wed
nesday or Thursday, and it goes to
show that we can get Monday's papers
on Tuesday if the mail Is properly
handled. This is very discouraging to
us. - We are always anxious to hear
the news from Plattsmoutb. Had I
known of the death of both Mr. and
Mrs. 0. 1 Johnson I should have at
tended their funeral at least, as they
were old friends of ours, and at one
time near neighbors.
We have been told by our republican
friends, time and again, "the demo
crats are dead; they will never see
daylight again." To this we answer
with the following from the Hayes
Center Times, a good, old, staunch
democratic paper:
WHEN DEMOCRACY WILL P1K.
When tbe lion eats grst s like sd ox,
Auil the fish woros swallow the hi!f,
When the terrapins knit woolen socks,
Ami the hare Is out run by tbs snail.
When serpents walk nprlght like men.
Ami dooJIelmgs trerel like frogs.
When the ffrahopper feeds en the hen.
Ami feathers are found on fro?t.
When Thomas cats-swtm In the air.
An3 elephant roost upon trees.
When Insects in summer are rare,
And snnST nevsr xnskes people sneeze.
When fish creep over dry Isnd.
And mules on velocipedes ride,
Wnen foxes lay egg in the sand.
And women In dress take no pride,
Vi hen Dutchmen no longer drink beer.
And girls get to preaching on time.
When the bill) gosts butt from tbe rear, "
And treason's no longer a crime.
When the humming bird brays like sn ats.
And limberger smeils like cologne.
When tbe plowshares are made out of glass.
And hearts of Illlnoisans are stone.
When ideas grow In populist heads.
And wool on the hydraulic rsm.
Then the democratic party will be dead.
And this country not worth a d n.
C.S.
shot From ilebltxl.
The following dispatch from El
wood, Gosper county, gives tbe par
ticulars of a queer shooting:
"Saturday night at 11:30 Dr. J. E.
Brittan was shot in tbe back of tbe
head with a charge of buckshot by
some unknown person. Brittan was
in a saloon with some friends when all
were startled by the discbarge of a
gun and breaking of glass and Mr.
Brittan fell to the floor with five buck
shot in the back of bis head and neck.
One of the shot entered in the base of
the head and came out at the cheek.
Four others are lodged lower down in
the Lcnes of the neck. The gun was
dijcnarged in the darkness without,
the charge passing through the glass
in the front of tbe building and into it
Victim not fifteen feet away. All was
confusion in the saloon and no effort
was made to capture tbe assassin. As
yet no cause for crime is known, and
suspicion attaches to no one, though
it is believed the victim knows who
did tbe snooting. Fears are enter
tained that tbe man's injuries may
prove fatal."
A Holt of Lightning.
Tuesday's Bee contains the following
special from Pacific Junction: A barn
belonging to J. W. De Lashmutt, five
miles south of town was struck by
lightning early Monday morning.
The building then caught fire and was
consumed with all its contents. Six
bead of fine horses were killed, pre
sumably by the electric bolt, as they
were all prostrated when the men
rushed in to release them. A steer
which had got into the barn was also
killed.
A. B. Smith and nephew, A. Baxter,
are home from a short trip to Missouri
to the neighborhood of Tarkio. .
DOINGS OF THE DAY.
Various Bits of News of Interest to
"Journal" Readers. .
ALL ON ACCOUNT OF A CONTEST
Supreme Court IV HI Look Into a Tilt Over
an Unimportant Seat lu the City
Council of Weeping Water
Other Local Affairs.
That Weeping War Contest.
The supreme court will be obliged
to encounter a second Boyd-Thayer
suit, involving the question of citizen
ship. George W. Haywood is a citizen
of Weepiug Water, who declares that
William Marshall has no earthly right
to the office of councilman from the se
cond ward of that town, a place to
which he was elected in April, 1S94.
Haywood has been sayingso for a year
or two, ever since tbe election tn fact
and although the term of the exalted
office has expired, he appeals to the
supreme court, having failed in the
lower courts to oust Marshall. He
first commenced suit in the county
court before Judge B. S. Ramsey, al
leging that Marshall ought to be
ousted because on the day of election
he was nothing more nor less than a
bloody Britisher, a foreigner, not a cit
izen of the United States and not elig
ible to hold the office of councilman.
Marshall had received forty-three
votes while his two opponents re
ceived twenty-seven and twenty-four
votes, respectively. Marshall objected
to jurisdiction of the court and moved
to quash the return of the officer, but
was compelled to answer, which he did
by a general denial, claiming that he
had received a certificate of election,
and was going through all the motions
of a councilman.
Judge Ramsey did not feel war
ranted in deciding that the defendant
was not a citizen of the United States,
and feeling that way be paid so, and
decided that the defendant was a citi
zen and eligible to the office. The
judge said in view of Marshall's ten
der years in cominc to this country it
would be wrong to decide, on a mere
technicality, that, although having
nearly spent his entire life in Cass
county, he was not a citizen, when it
may be that bis father may have com
pleted his naturalization.
Then tbe county judge slapped a lot
of costs onto Haywood, who imme
diately took the case into district
court before Judge Chapman and
asked that the election be declared
void. There the judge found no
merit in the case, no person being
present contesting the office held by
defendant; that the term of office is
short and bad almost expired, and
that the matters inquired into were
of little practical importance; that It
was not a contest for tbe office; the
public alone could be interested and
tbe proper remedy is by information
in the nature of quo warranto. Then
the judge taxed up $66.56 costs
against the plaintiff and dismissed the
case.
Not being satisfied with all the costs
taxed up against him, and not admir
ing such an off-hand opinion, Hay
wood decided to see if there was not
some law even for a Weeping Water
citizen, so he now appeals to the su
preme court for justice.
Marshall came, to this county from
Great Britain In the year 1872 with
his father. At that time he was nine
years old. His father, John Mar
shall, declared his intention of be
coming a citizen in 1875, and has
lived in Cass county ever since.
When he came to testify that he had
taken out his final papers fourteen
years ago, when taking a tree claim in
at North Platte, the old gentleman's
memory failed him. He knew be
swore to something on that occasion
and he thought he got his final na
turalization papers. The court's de
cision in the Boyd-Thayer case may
serve as a precedent to be followed in
the suit from Weeping Water. Lin
coln Journal.
The Wrong African.
The mulatto who gave the name of
Young and who was arrested here last
Saturday on suspicion of beingThomas
Jefferson, the negro wanted in Omaha
for wielding a knife at the expense of
a colored woman, was given bis free
dom Sunday morning. Chief Dunn
expected the Omaha authorities to
come down and look at the man, and
on their failure to arrive the chief con
cluded that his find was not the negro
wanted, so he let him go. .
IN A NO AUOUND THE TOWN.
Let me give an illustration of the
crooked work practiced by the crooks
who control legislation in Lincoln.
One day last week the house was con
sidering the general claim bills, which
carried an appropriation of nearly
$100,000. Having satisfied myself that
there was a clear steal of 81,000 in the
State Journal company's claims, I for
tified myself with tbe facts and was
prepared to show tbe house the crooked
features of the bill. The Journal's
tools (and it has many of ' them here)
knew it would be dangerous to have
those claims discussed in committee
of the whole, and so when the bill
came up for consideration one of the
gang sent me a note, asking me to
meet him in the cloak room. No
sooner had I left the hall than a mo
tion was made and carried to recom
mend the entire bill for passage with
out reading. Very strange it seems
that the house would allow these
claims, aggregating such a vast sum,
without even reading them, but that
is exactly what was done. It was a
smooth piece of work, and the Journal
tools are entitled to credit for their
cunning, if not for their honesty.
Representative Edgar Howard in Pa
pillion Times.
James W. Scott, proprietor and chief
editor of the Chicago Times-Herald,
died Sunday in New York, of ap
oplexy. In his death tbe newspaper
world has met with a great loss.
Governor Holcomb has refused to
honor a requisition for Harry L. Davis,
arrested at Omaha and wanted in New
York for alleged swindling. The gov
ernor concluded that it was an effort
on the part of some of his creditors to
get him back to New York state be
cause of a debt contracted by him
without criminality, and refused to
aid in the effort.
Charley Shumway of Lyons, not
having any faith In fishing, offered his
boy 15 cents a pound for all tbe fish ha
would catch, hoping to discourage
him. The boy caught a pound and a
half pickerel, and taking it to a hard
ware store poured nearly two pounds
of shot down its throat and weighed
it up to his dad at 50 cents.
Hon. II. D. Travis returned from
New Lisbon, Ohio, on Saturday last,
having arrived at his old home just in
time to attend the funeral of his
father, Mr. John Travis, who died on
the 3d inst., at his home near West
Point, aged 69 years. For many years
Mr. Travis had been justice of the
per.ee, and was highly esteemed as a
cilizen and neighbor. To his
friends," wrote one of these, "his
noble life will always be a pleasing
memory; to his widowed wife and be
reaved children, even in the keenest
hour of their bereavement, bis un
blemished name and character will be
at once a consolation and inspiration.
In politics he was a democrat because
he believed in the principles of democ
racy, but he was not begoted and had
respect for the opinions of others.
Tbe town of Elkhorn, Douglas
county, was visited by fire Sunday
and some $39,000 worth of property
went up in the flames.
A petition is being circulated and
quite freely signed in Grand Island
asking the governor to pardon John
West, who confessed to embezzlement
of the funds of that city last fall, was
immediately sentenced and confined
in the penitentiary. The petition sets
forth that his wife and eight of his
thirteen children were in needy cir
cumstances and since, in addition to
this fact all tbe civil cases growingoat
of the shortage are settled, quite a
nnmber are signing who otherwise
perhaps would not. At the time of
hia first confession West tnrned over
all his money to his bondsmen.
Will Richardson and wife, who re
side west of Mynard, are the proud
parents of twins. Both are bright
little girls and, along with their
mother, are doing very nicely.
. Atwood & Co., the Cullom stone
quarry proprietors, have received an
order from the F., E. & M. V. railway
for two hundred cars of stone, and a
force of men will be put to work at
once in loading tbe stone for shipment.
Atwood & Co. have abipped stone
pretty much all over the state, but tais
is their first order from the Elkbrn
railway. Cass county stone is strictly
first quality, and the Elkhorn people
are to be congratulated on their sound!
business judgment.
A Day Tor Trea-Plantlns;.
Governor Holcomb has issued the
following proclamation relative to the
planting of trees on Arbor Day:
"Recognizing the importance of
united action on the part of tbe citi
zens of the state in an effort to en
courage tbe planting and cultivation
of trees, shrubs and.vines, tbe legisla
ture has very wisely by statute desig
nated the 22d day of April of each
year as a public holiday to be known
as Arbor Day.
"I earnestly request that Arbor Day
of this year be appropriately cele
brated by the people of Nebraska.
"By joint resolution the state legis
lature has recently designated Ne
braska in a popular sense "the Tree
Planters' State," an expression of the
growing sentiment of tbe people in
favor of covering the broad expanse
of Nebraska prairie land with beauti
ful groves of trees for tbe comfort of
man and beast and the beautifying of
the country.
"1 would urge that citizens devote
the day generally to the planting of
trees, shrubs and vines at their
homes, along the highways and in
public places, rending the landscape
more attractive and contributing to
happiness and prosperity of the
people.
"I would also recommend that the
day be observed in the public schools
of the state by appropriate ceremonies
and exercises in order that the youth
may appreciate the importance of
making Nebraska in reality 'the
Free Planters State.'
Silas A. LTolcoilb, Governor.'
AROUND TOK COURT BOOMS.
Judge Chapman went down to Ne
braska City Monday to convene the
regular spring term of district court
at that place today.
Captain Jack Crawford bowled up
on Nebraska made wine Sunday
and was cared for by the police. Police
Judge Archer decreed Monday
that the captain should pay some $10.
25 for his fun and as the prisoner bad
no funds he was sent to jail. A week's
imprisonment will square tbe bill.
Matt Leuck and Geo. Trissler, who
threatened to air their troubles in
police court, concluded to cease hos
tilities Wadnesd ay and appearedbef ore
Judge Archer and dismissed their
cases one being filed against Trissler
by Leuck and the other against Leuck
by Tressler. They paid up the costs
and got off lightly.
Attorney Chas. Grimes went down to
Nebraska City Wednesday with a
copy of Judge Chapman's instructions
to the jury in tbe Hill murder trial
under his arm. The prosecution
against John Schmidt on tbe charge of
murder was commenced at Nebraska
City today and the instructions are
wanted for use by the prisoner's
counsel.
County Attorney C. S. Polk went
down to Rock Bluffs Monday to appear
before Justice Patterson in the suit of
state vs. John Marsh. The defendant
was charged with assaulting one
Aaron Gearhart with intent to kill.
Marsh and Gearhart had some trouble
the other day over some cattle and
March used a club on Gearhart 's head.
Tbe county attorney quizzed a few of
the state's witness and determined to
dismiss the prosecution, as the evi
dence of intent was lacking.
Money to Loan
On farming lands. Low rates, long
times. No delay in securing loans.
Inquire at First National bank. 7
What More Gould You Ask ?
PEARLMAN,
The House Furnisher,
Offers to buyers the chance to secure the VERY
BEST in his line which the market affords, and
AT PRICES WHICH ABSOLUTELY DEFY
COMPETITION.
TH E fact that my stock is the Biggest and Best in all
Cass county, deserves the attention of people desiring
something in the FURNITURE line. The three floors of
my store building are full to overflowing with new goods,
and everything goes at "depression" prices. Call and see
for yourself.
I. PEARLMAN, The House Furnisher,
Opposite Court House, Plattsmouth.
MORE LIGHT NEEDED.
Police Still In a Tangle Over John
W. Graham.
WHAT BECAME OF HIS MONEY?
Graham Had Plenty of Coin Here, But
Appears In the Role Of m Beggar
at Schuyler Various Other
Interesting Notes.
The following telegram from Schuy
ler in Tuesday's Omaha Bee, adds
new light to the matter of the sudden
disappearance from this city last week
of John W. Graham:
"The mystification of local authori
ties of Plattsmouth over the disappear
ance of John W. Graham is explained.
Mr. Graham was in Schuyler, claiming
that be was a Mason enroute from
San Francisco to St. Louis. He sought
the master of tbe lodge and told him
that he was in destitute circumstances;
that he had arrived in the city the
night before with but 26 cents in his
pocket, from which he had paid for a
night's lodging and had but a penny
left. He Identified himself sufficiently
to be offered assistance while in the
city and have his fare paid to Fremont.
He was given an order for his dinner
at tbe Palace hotel, where it was
found in the evening that he had reg
istered "John W. Graham, Columbus,
O," and that was the last seen of him
by any of the Masons of whom he had
sought aid. In a talk with Attorney
C. J. Thelps he said that he had bor
rowed funds from a certain building
and loan association in Columbus, O.,
giving the name of the association.
Mr. Phelps, being an officer in the
State Building and Loan organization,
has a list of all the associations in the
United States. Investigations of his
list disclosed that there was no such
association in Columbus as the one
named by Graham.'
The theory advanced by the local
police that Graham had been foully
dealt with, is completely exploded by
news from Schuyler, but the question
arises how did the man become so
quickly rid of his money. When here
last week Graham had a roll of bills
containing close to $500, and displayed
it to several persons, and his appear
ance at Schuyler in the role of a beg
gar Is quite strange. He was last
seen in this city on Wednesday night
of last week and to several persons
told that he had an engagement with
a woman. The tale that the disap
pearance of one of the inmates of Mrs.
Webb's institution had some connec
tion with Graham's disappearance and
the loss of his money, is a hoax, as the
woman referred to went to Sidney,
Iowa. The local police are as much
non-plussed as ever over the man's
queer tantrums, and the news from
Schuyler only serves to make the tan
gle deeper.
FARBI LOANS.
Last fall we were told that we could
not borrow money or renew loans if
Holcomb was elected governor. Never
theless, I now have money to loan on
good farm security, at a less rate than
ever before. Write or call and see me
if you desire a loan. J.M. Letda,
12-3m Plattsmouth, Neb.
The store room occupied by Jeweler
Arch Coleman has lately been visited
by the festive paper hanger and tbe
plaee now looks as bright and clean as
a new dollar.