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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 23, 1923)
Scavenger Tax Sale Demanded to Lower Taxes Delinquencies Are Numerous —Penalties for Neglect to Pay May Be Heavy. Demand for a scavenger tax sale In Omaha, with a view to an appreciable reduction In the coming tax levy, Is growing In Omaha. Decision to hold such a sale, to be the first In Omah'a In 19 years, was reported exclusively In The Evening Dee when Henry Beal, county attor ney, announced numerous business men of the city approached him on the subject. Totals, representing the amount of Douglas county property subject to such a sale, differ In the opinion of George C. Flack, who has been check ing the figures for the Real Estate board, and various tax buyers. Totals Are Large. According to Flack who had the figures compiled and submitted to the Omaha Real Estate board, the delin quent regular taxes on property total $639,637 while the special taxes are estimated at $524,094. According to a number of tax buy ers who watched a girl for the last week employed by Mr. Flack checking the tax books, she made several mis takes, These, same tax buyers say that the total will reach more than $3,000,000 for both regular and special taxes subject to the call of the scav enger sale. 1 At any rate, says one Omaha prop erty buyer, the tax buyer ought to know. He Is shrewd as well as smooth and for that reason ought to know just about how much delinquent property there is in Omaha. He makes plenty of money, enough to pay commissions to certain people who borrow him money to buy the tax certificates. They can charge only 12 per cent by law. But this Is not the only penalty which Ignorance of the law or neg lect In payment may bring about according to information obtained by a reporter for The Omaha Bee. If a property owner allows the two year redemption period, allowed by law, to go by without redeeming and a tax deed is Issued to the tax buyer he places It In the power of the tax buyer to enforce penalties which may be peculiarly the tax buyer's own. According to one tax buyer, the minute he gets a tax deed to the prop erty he may and often does deal with the title to the property at a mini mum cost to himself and a maximum cost to the property owner. f orming a lomiwiiy. To Illustrate what may happen right In Omaha, a "smart’’ tax buyer usually associates himself close to an attorney who knows the tax laws. The tax buyer has a wife, two sons, a daughter, a nephew and a hired man. The family together with hie hired man Is what he terms his "company.” The residences of all of them are all outside of Douglas county so that In, a large number of cases It is neces sary to send the summonses In a suit here outside of the county for ser vice. Whenever a piece of property Is sold for Its taxes It immediately places the tax buyer In an advantag eous position. From that time, the tax buyer can manipulate matters to cloud the titles. It Is particularly so when he ob tains a tax deed. His certificate of sale together with the tax deed acts as a first Hen on the property. There in rests the cloud to the title. Dixie Wreck, Killing One, Injuring Two, lo Be Probed Atlanta, Dec. 22.—Investigation will be held next week to determine the cause of the wreck torfay of the Dixie limited, Chicago-Jacksonvllle train of the N. C. & St. D. railroad. In which Engineer J. W. Brown was killed and two other members of the train crew sustained slight Injuries, It Is an nounced. The accident occurred a few hun dred yards from the station at Kene saw, near here, the engine turning over and pulling the baggage car and two Pullmans from the rails. Sev eral of the passengers were shaken up and some of the women passen cere suffered from the shock. Northwestern Wins Suit Over Death of Engineer Cedar Rapid*. Ta.. Dec. 22 —The Chicago A Northwestern railroad com pany waa victorious In a $40,000 dam age eult, the reeult of a locomotive explosion In which an engineer and fireman were killed, when the Jury today returned a sealed verdict at Bell* Plain* finding no cause for ac tion. Mr*. Schaal. widow of thv en gineer killed, filed the ault. The company la said to have paid the Amman'* widow $8,000 and offered Mra. Schaal >7,600._ Prowler Frightened Away From Home of Minister ■or. Thomaa Caaady, rector of All Sa2nta Episcopal church, waa playing mah Jongg with hit wife and two children In their home, 1118 Turner boulevard, last evening when some one ratUed the front door, A moment later a flashlight was seen at a side window and then th* beck door was rattled. Rev. Mr. Caaady nailed th* police. They found no trace of any prowlers. Big Shoe Factory Loss. New York, Dec. 22.—Flame* swept the Roeenwaaeer Brother* *ho# fac tory In Long Island city tonight, causing an estimated damage of $600. 000. Th* plant occupied a block and 2,600 men and women were employed In It. All th* worker* were out when the fir* started and no on* waa hurt. Postmaster Black Borrows Army Trucks for Rush ■ - -.— - Army truck leaving central postoffloe with #ve tort* of Christmas presents. Postmaster Black in the fore ground. The (ruck was loaded so high it couldn’t he driven u nder the trolley wires. Mr. Black has borrowed eight of these big army trucks to aid the 55 regular mall trucks during the Christ mas rush. __ Deaths From Poison to Result in Suit Columbus, O., Dec. 22.—Suit for damages against a manufacturing drug company, charging mislabeling or poison, whirh, administered by two Columbus physicians for another non poisonous drug, caused the death of two women and serious Illness to a physician, was reported tonight to be contemplated by the husband of one of the victims. The two women. Mrs. Minnie Davis of Columbus and Mrs. Nellie Paul of Olrclevlile, died within a week of each other last September, after hav ing been treated with the drug, ac cording to their attending physicians. Dr. Jonathan Forman and Dr. E. J. Gordon, who made public the cause of the women's deaths last night after a protracted Investigation by the two physicians, aided by a majority of the local medical profession. Both women died soon after a solu tion of the poison had been adminis tered to them, the physicians said. The drug, according to the physi cians, had been purchased from a local wholesale drug dealer. Funeral Services Today for Former Gage Sheriff Private funeral services of Frank Acton will be held this afternoon at 3 In Swanson's chapel, Seventeenth and Cuming streets. The body will be taken on Monday to Wymore, Neb., for burial at the side of Mrs. Acton. Mr. Acton came to Omaha three weeks ago. Intending to make his home with a daughter, Mrs. Paul W. Hutchins, 2107 North Eighteenth street. He suffered a general break down of health. He was sheriff of Gage county and served in the state legislature during the session of 1921-22. Mr. Acton lived in Nebraska 40 years and was widely known in southeastern Nebras ka. Mild Winter Is Predicted hy Authority on Weather Princeton, N. J., Dec. 22.—This win ter In ail probability will be mild, according to William B. Scott, pro fessor of geology at Princeton uni versity, and authority on climate and weather. He pointed out today that severe winters usually start earlier in the season, giving this as one reason for his prediction. The cyclonic .center which deter mines how the trade winds blow and therefore determine the character of the weather, is now farther north than usual. Professor Scott declares. • - ■ -- — ——- ........ i .i— — Escort Robbed, but Girl’s Valuables Are Overlooked It. W. Potter, 1819 Cass street, was walking with Mary I,ee Estelle, a stu dent nurse at Ht. Joseph hospital, at 9:80 last night at Thirteenth and Dorcas street, when they were held up by a man who took J21 from Pot ter but overlooked his watch and Miss Estelle’s watch and rings. The young woman Is a daughter of the late Eee Estelle, district Judge. It was the second boldup of the evening In that •elghborhoO’*' Sleeping Sickness Cure Is Reported From Berlin London, Dec. 21—British medical men are keenly Interested in the re port from Germany which aaya that a new remedy, "Bayer 205,” had been found for sleeping sink ness. The Berlin correspondent of the Times sent an exhaustive report upon which the Times based an editorial declaration that the new compound was unquestionably the most Impor tant step yr;t mads toward the con quest of the dread disease. Two Hurt in Wreck. Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 22.—Two trainmen were Injured tonight when a train of empty cars ran wild and crashed Into a freight train on the Mary Eee railroad, private line, near Lewlaburg. Ala T. H. Lawter, en gineer, and a negro fireman were re moved to the Birmingham hospital. Eawter was said to have been serious ly hurt. Want to learn? Read the Classified ads. Dandelions Are in Full Blossom, Crickets Are Sinking in Ohio By Associated Press. Columbus, O., Dec. 22.—The first i*y at winter found Ohio enjoying un seasonably high temperatures. The weather bureau here reported yester day the warmest December 21 since the establishment of the bureau. In 1178. The majtlmum was 68. MidjJeton reports "crickets sing Ingi" B'oungstown, "any number of big M you ■** Jn summer i blooming," ami Tiffin, "dandelion* hi full blossom.” nr Associated Proas. Holloa, Kan., Deo. 22.—Message* re ceived here today tell of a heavy snow storm sweeping western Kansas. May*. Oakley, Plalnvllle and Colby were among the towns reporting mow falling heavily. The storm eeeme to be moving eastward. Probe of Leviathan Mishap Is Ordered New York. Dec. 22.—Two lnveetl {rations will be started at once, tt was indicated tonight, to determine re sponsibility for the mishap to the Leviathan, which ran aground Friday on Robins reef in a fog. The liner was not damaged. Government officers announced that the United States steamship In spection service and the United States lines will conduct Inquiries, and the navy may order a separate probe on the ground that the Levia than is the most Important unit lh the naval reserve. Controversy continued In shipping ejuarters tonight over the reports that Capt. Herbert Hartley had re ceived orders from ashore which caused him to attempt, against his better judgment, to bring his vesse' alongside pier No. B6 in the North river. Assailant Fells Victim With Club, Runs Away Ed Grabbert, <6, 2713 South Four teenth street, was on his way home at 7:30 last night, when, at Thirteenth and Castelar streets, a man struck him on the head with a club Grab bert fell to his knees, dazed, ✓ but started to rise again. His assailant became frightened and fled. Tech High Alumni Will Hold Reunion Dwight K. Porter, principal ot Omaha Technical High school, be lieves that more than 1,000 will at tend the first homecoming and re union of the alumni of the school, cn next Thursday night. This has been an ambition of Mr. Porter for eight years and he has waited until the new school with IS commodious facilities was open. The school was established 11 years ago and It has sent out 80 graduating classes. Invitations to the reunion have been sent to every graduate. More than 1,000 acceptances have been received. The auditorium of ths school will be used on this occasion for the first time. Attendance will be limited to the alumni. Admission will be by card. Postman Is Given Year in Prison for Robbing Mails John F. Manning. 23, letter carrier, discovered abstracting money from the mays, was sentenced to a year and a day In the federal prison at Heaven worth, Kan., by Federal Judge Woodrough Saturday. He was arrested after postoffice In spectors sent out several decoy letters containing money. He la unmarried. Rum Exposure Is Threatening Nation's Capital Bootleg Syndicate to Supply Most Distinguished Drinkers at Washington, Revealed hy Dry Agents. By Associated Preu. Washington, Dec. 22.—A bootleg liquor schfranl that threatens to touch the most exclusive and highly con nected circles In the national capital was promised today by officials of the District of Columbia. Apparently convinced that the time has come to apply desperate remedies to the situation which ha* developed bn the doorstep of the federal govern ment, the district attorney’s office an nounced it would ask a grand Jury to take action against purchaser* *s well as dispensers of Intoxicant*. The basis for the request will be en Imposing list of customers which was seized yesterday when the police rounded up the principals In what they believe to be a bootleg syndicate organized to supply the mo*t dis criminating drinkers in Washington. No names have been mads public, but police officials say ths list includes many of those who might ordinarily depend on their wealth or their posi tions to give them Immunity. • All of these names. It was asserted by Assistant District Attorney Pres mont, will go before the grand Jury. If confessions said to have been made by those already under arrest ara not overthrown. He added that the prosecutions would be brought under the conspiracy clause of the Volstead act, which makes purchasers of liquor guilty along with those from whom they buy. Meantime another ramification of the case caused much consternation In quite another quarter. It was dis covered that a part of the stock from which the liquor was being supplied, Recording to police reports, was under the protection of one of the foreign legations. When a seizure wa* at tempted a member of the • legation staff protested that the goods were immune under the diplomatic priv ileges accorded the representatives of foreign governments The result was a protest by the metropolitan police department to the State de partment, whose officials declined to say anything for publication. Dike the names on the list ot cus tomers, the Identity of the legation suspected of contributing to the sup ply was kept In confidence. The news traveled quickly through the diplo matic corps, however, which twice before has been stirred by police charges of a “leak” of diplomatic liquor Info bootleg channels. A Philadelphia, Pa., hotel Is holding a series of French recitals, at wbloh French celebrities will perform and which will be followed by a half hour of sociability when only French will be spoken. Denver Girl Looking for Trouble at $2 an Hour for Every Look Miu Fox la literally hunting trouble—not because she’s quarrelsome, but because she wants to hire berael f out as the official “Miss Flxit’’ of Denver. Denver, Dec. 23.—Min Jacqueline Fox, pretty young Denver woman, wants to be a "friend in need" to all of Denver—at |2 per hour. Miss Fox has decided to become “Mies Fixlt." and is prepared, according to her "ad" In a local newspaper, to assume "unpleasant Jobs snd disagreeable tasks" for her clients—at a stipulated sum. Followings is the ad: "Doer of unpleasant Jobs will under* take to relieve her clients of any disagreeable or tedious tasks, such as letter writing, breaking bad news, de livering unpleasant messages, explain ing lapses or excusing mistakes, for the sum of !2 per hour. Terms strict ly cash.” And Miss Fox declares th# “ad” meant Just what It saya . Miss Fox said there are hundreds of persons who would like to end pstrangements from their sweet hearts or friends, offer apologies for wrongs, Intended or unintended: or write, convincingly and diplomatical ly, letters dealing with delicate situ ations. "This Is a business with me." she lets It be known, "and buainesa Is not foolishness—or at least It shouldn't be." What Was Found? The door of the Bungalow, West Center street, which waa padlocked Recently by a court <#der, was kick ed In last night. Police believe it was done by hi jackers who suspect ed some of the spirits with which the place formerly was reported to abound, could still be found there It is owned by Froggie Howard. Curran Named Head of West Side Club Th* West Side Booster* held their regular meeting Thursday evening at Morton park pavilion. It was decided to limit th# activities of th# club to the promotion of Improvement# and aiding th# playground project In that district. The following officer# for the comity; year elected are a# fol lows; President, W. J. Curran; vie# president, \V. B. Fitzgerald: treas urer, Emil Bu#cher; secretary, Wil liam O’Connel; chairman house com mittee, B. H. Trapp; chairman legis lative committee, John Blankenship; chairman publicity committee, Thomas Smith. On Wednesday evening at Morton park pavilion the West Side Booster# Athletic association was formed for the purpose of promoting athletic# among the young men of that neigh borhood. The following were elected officers: President, Hay Donovan: vie# president, John Hickey; treasurer, Thomas Smith, and secretary’, George Magrane. Radio Specials! For Monday and Tuesday Large Beautiful Guaranteed CRYSTAL SETS that will get result?. They will make an ideal as well as lasting gift. Special at— $4.9$ Towers 3,000-ohm guaran teed phones.S3.95 Guaranteed 2,200-ohm head «t. .S3.25 Cut prices prevail on ail tubes, radios and batteries. Open Evenings and Sunday Until Xmas R. M. Shfaes Co. 218 N. 16th JA 2147 Xmas Greeting Cards Largest and Best Assortment Ever Crane’s Fine Stationery Leather Goods, Desk Sets. Conklin Fountain Pens and Pencfls. Waterman Fountain Pens and Pencils. Eversharp Pencils. Many other gdft articles. Omaha Stationery Co. 307-309 SOUTH 17TH ST. € Store Open Until 9 o t lock Monday the Last Day With Everything Ready Satisfying Selections t for the Late Shoppers # Closing Out All holiday goods at one-third and one-half less than regular values. On account of the broken conditions of all holiday stocks we can only quote prices to last until stocks are gone. Ivory Finished Combs, Brushes, Mirrors. Mani cure Pieces, Hair Re ceivers. Puff Boses, Buffers, Trays, Toilet Sets, etc.— 25cTO $8,00 Gloves Ladles' Kid Gloves— $1.39 ”$6.00 Ladles' Wool Gloves— $1.00 ”$2.50 Ladles' Silk Gloves— $1.00 “$2.75 ChllJ'fl Kid*. Mitts and Glove*— 50c “ 85c Bovs' and Girls' Oloves and Mitts— 59c “ $1.25 Holiday Candles $1.08 Holiday Candles— 39c Silverware and Jewelry Candle Sticks— 50c" Salt and Pepper Sets. 50ce' Bowls Pitcher*. Bas kets. Trays, etc. Specials on Leather Goods, Neckwear, Toilet Goods, etc. v. I J Great Quantities of > Gift Merchandise I ^ Limited Lots — Broken Assortments — Odd Lots Special Prices Are Store Wide in Scope TOYS REDUCED Table After Table of Wonderful Toys Arranged to Make Shopping More Convenient—All Selling at Reduced Prices Dishes—Imported Child Pels of dishes, a rcRu lar tea set In holly boxes at 20% discount. Remember the assorted tables of toys priced lower than anywhere else. Wn have a toy for Just the amount you wish to spend. Black Boards and Educational Boards at a big saving to you. Shtt Fly Rockers for the kiddles, a 12.26 rocker for.81.75 Only a few left. A fine big sleeping and mamma Doll that sold at 18.76, now .85.75 A big table of Dolts that are worth $1 60; special at each . 81.00 Tables of smaller Dolls, priced up to $1.<K1; special while they last .50* Small Drum*—Monday we will sell all of our small drums nt each. .15* Come Early. Keystone Picture Machines, In gall sties, shows real movie films, at a reduction of 20** Small sites. Dolls—A big splendidly dressed Mamma Poll, formerly priced $5.76; now .94.75 A dandy Poll that sold at $6.50. Swell dressed, beautiful hair and eyes. It sleeps, walks and talks. Special .94.50 I All of our $1.15 Mamma Dolla on one table no at . SB*4 All of our $4 25 big Doll* that talk*: specla' at .$3.75 Tla Dishes—Seta of decorated tin dishes, priced at 29c, your choice .20<* Sets of grey and blue tin dishes, priced st 35c, your choice.2ft*4 Tops—All kinds of spinning tops, big ones that sold at 35c. now . 20<* Small Tops at .104* and 15^ A good assortment of Tree Decoration* and Candles, Olssa Spinets. Tinsel, etc . R^. 10*4 Snow . . 5* and 10*4 r ^ Handkerf’s Our entire stock of single initial handker chiefs, Indies only l.tnen. cotton and Sw iss to close out at H price. Ladies* all plain linen hatidkercbid's, rep : ir |"^e and S^c value, one day only at — j I One his lot °f ladles' and children s ’ian<iker I chetfs, white and col ors. each — 4 c One table of fancy boxed handkerchiefs for ladies, while they last, 3 in box at— 25c Ladies' all handmade linen handkerchiefs, white and colors, each. -J I Men s w hite and colored striped handkerchiefs, large sire, each— Every handkerchief in our entire department will be sold at a great reduction. 'liIn Fl«»t»r Art Needlework A lot of Hcmatttchrd 5timp«4 Scarf# and Buffet Sftm *1 no v*lu* Xft^r Xmas Saif... 59* 1 tabla of OJ,1# and Knd# of Buffet Seta, and To>**«>la. xalua . 25* Stmar^ Lunch Clotha. hemstitched for crochat $12* valua.79* '*r«nd Floor Junior and Floor Lamps I» gold finished poly chrome and mahogany base: silk and georgette shades: to all wanted colors and i h a p e a. Monday. Per Cent i TMseount Third Floor X»- - / Extra Fancy Fresh Dressed Oj’/ir an^ 9Aa Geese, per lb. ,.* fcWW Extra Fancy Fresh Dressed 99a and 01 * Young Ducks, per lb. ■** fclw A Extra Fancy Fresh Dressed 92' 2 f Spring Chicken, per lb.. Extra Fancy Fresh 9Q1/2T Rnt* 98' Dressed Turkeys, per lb. M Is