iPV . ir
1 HE- UMAHA SUNDAY I5EB
A Papr for th Horn
THE OMAHA DEC
Best tiT. West
IIALF-TOIIE SECTION
PACES 1 TO 6
VOL. XXXVII NO. 22.
OMAHA SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 17, 1907.
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS.
PART fit.
WILLIAM ALTSTADT WHOSE LIFE HAS BEEN A BUSY OWE
Der Schudge, Who Has Been Many Things in Many Climes Before He Became a Justice of the Pease in Omaha and Achieved a Reputation and a Name that is Far More than Local
ER Schudge." "Little Biamarck."
By at least one of these names nearly everybody
knows Judge William Altstadt, Justice of the peace
and pioneer of Omaha. Those who do not know
the round, jovial little man are missing a good deal.
Those who have never seen him are really to be pitied. That's der
chudge, the serious-looking little man hurrying along the street
with a cigar In his mouth, his hands In his overcoat pockets and
bis German cap set straight on his head. Its visor drawn well
down over his eyes. He walks with short, quick steps. Der schudge
Is a busy man. Frequently he has to 6top and talk to someone,
for practically everyone knows him.
But the best place to meet him Is in his court rooms, 433-34
Paxton block, where he has dispensed Justice for nine years. You
find him, perhaps, busy giving instructions to his stenographer. The
little cap is still on his head. At first sight of his pursed lips,
with the close-cropped, grey mustache on the upper one and his
serious, even sternly "questioning eyes, you may expect to meet a
grouchy man. But you'll soon learn that der schudge is never
out of sorts. The serious look Is only one act of a general plot
which Is hatching behind those grey eyes that look at you from
above the chubby red cheeks, a plot which wilk have its denoue
ment in a pleasant Joke at which the Judge will chuckle so -deeply
that every inch of hU fat little person will vibrate in unison in a
veritable dance of Joy.
Now his Joke with you is over, you have shaken hands, looked
down into his honest eyes and determined to be his friend forever.
A colored man comes in, for his trial is set to take place this
morning1. Again der schudge has assumed his mask of serious
ness. "Dlt you pring your lunch?" he demands sternly. But tha
colored man is an old offender. He knows the Judge's little ways
and so he only "yah-yahs" with mirth at this Joke of the man who
is soon toVit in judgment upon him.
This, however, is only one side of the judge. Upon the bench
his mind is seriously and studiously bent upon, the merits of the
cnseB before him. He has a reputation for sound common sens
and for impartial Justice which has made the business of his court
reach large proportions. His decisions are seldom questioned. Of
course, there Is the story of his reversing the supreme court, of
which more hereafter.
Boyhood Days in Germany
Even those who think they know Judge Altstadt well may not,
know half the facts about him. Ho Is not a man to boast, but
when questioned he is ready to give the facts of a remarkably
eventful life. He was born July G, 1835, in Kreuznach, Germany,
a city of 50,000 people, famous for Its baths and for the wine
made in the surrounding country. His father, Joseph Altstadt,
had been a "Prussian soldier during the Napoleonic wars and had
married later and settled down in Kreuznach as a wine and grain
merchant. William went to the common schools and finished off
his education in a "gymnasium." At the age of 15 years he left
home, went up to Berlin and became an apprentice In the fine
store of E. .M. Austrich, located on Unter den Linden, Just oppo
site the palace of the Russian ambassador. He arrived in the
capital city April 30, 1851, and the following day his provincial
eybr'wero dazzled by a procession in which the king and queen,
members of the court, great generals and statesmen rode to the
unveiling of the statue of Frederick the Great. "
He spent three years as an apprentice in the store and ithen
became a full fledged clerk. He was in his twentieth year when "
the firm sent him out all over Europe buying goods. He traveled
to Llepzlg, London, Birmingham, Manchester and Into parts xt
Russia with remarkable success in spite of his youth. It was
while thus engaged, he- says, that he got the "wanderlust." tha
fever for roaming. He wanted to see the world. Leaving Berlin',
he went first to Frankfort-on-the-Maln and took a position in a
wholesale bookstore as bookkeeper. But this he did not like and,
after one year, he "packed his grip and went to Paris." He couldn't
speak a word of French, but that did not keep him from hustling
right into a lucrative position with the firm of Schluss Brothers.
PocketbookB as receptacles for money had Just been put on tho
market and it was his work to meet the buyers who came to the
city from all over the world and sell them pocketbooks.
Too Short to Be a Soldier
During bis stay in Paris ho attalued the age which made him
liable for duty in the German army. It must bo udmltted by all
fair-minded people that few men could, single-handed, hold at bay
all the powers of that mighty military organization. Yet William
Altstadt lid it. This is the way he tells about tt:
"While I was in Paris I got notification to come to Germany and
be a solder. I went., but I was not large enough. I returned to
Paris and In a year I received again an order to come. I went
again and jet I didn't grow big. A year later they called for me
again, but still I was no bigger. So they gave mo up and I was
released from duty In the army."
A new railroad running from tho city of Kirn to Pails had Just
been opened. It ran through Mr. Altstadt's home town, Kreuznach.
He made application for a position as clerk. These positions were
usually given only to men who had done or were doing service in
the German army. But by reason of his high references aud good
handwriting, young Altstadt got a place in the civil engineering de
partment at 130 a month, which was equal to 1100 now. After
being located in his home town one year he was transferred to a
similar position at Kirn, the terminus.
There he met his wife. She was Miss Sophia Land. Tho par
ents of both objected to the marriage because she was a Catholic
and he a Protestant. When the young man resigned his position,
left Kirn and went to Paris the parents probably thought the match
had been broken off. But those directly concerned knew better.
Within a month Miss Land received a railroad ticket to go from
Kirn to Paris. Two days later she arrived in that city and they
were married April 17. 1856.
"We was married the same month as tho emperor, Napoleon
III .was married with Eugenie." he says, with a twinkle iu his
eyes, "but we did not Invite them to the wedding because we
were not on speaking terms."
American Vision of Wealth
They continued to live In the gay French capital for four years
after their marriage. Then they went to Mr. Altstadt's old home
on a visit, accompanied by the two chlldreu which had been born
to them. A 6lster of Mr. Altstadt's who had moved to New Orleans,
V. S. A., was home on a visit and she painted golden pictures of
America. "She told me." says the Judge, "that if I would go to
America I would be In a few years a millionaire."
So be determined to go to the United States. Leaving his wlfa
and two children at the homo of his parents, he set sail for New
Orelans. There he presented strong recommendations from lead
ing business houses of Berlin, Paris. Frankfort and other places
where he had worked and he soon secured a position with Koenig
Brothers, a fancy dry goods nouso, at $50 a month.
"With so much money I thought I could soon buy the United
States already." says the Judge. "Then the editor of a German
newspaper coaxed me to come and be a reporter. I took the place,
at $150 a month. Every Saturday night I bad on my desk an en
velope with 136.50. Then I thought I would buy not aloae th
United States, but also Germany and EngUttd."
Wbffn the yellow fever broke out In New Orleans his eldest
son was stricken down with the malady. They fought for his
life through weeks and with the aid of the bast American doctor
In the city they pulled him through ufa. Judge Altstadt saw
tome of the horrible scenes of those awful daa when the carts
went around from house to houa with tbe cjjt "Brief out joaf
-;:A:;t'-v - --i ' . ';- ; ". '. .-T . .
WILLIAM'- ALTSTADT. ,
dead." When his sou had recovered he determined that New newspaper .reports of tho great conflict and discutsed the various
Orleans was no place for him. He had heard of Omaha and de- battles with everybody who would talk of them,
termined to move thither. With his family he came- up the river Next we Hud our hero again in tho .acid of Journalism. In part
by boat to St. Joseph, thence by rail to Council Bluffs and on a nershl.o with Charles Banks ho founded a German newspaper, "Der
raw April morning iu 18C7 ho came across on tho ferry boat to Beobachter." which the two Issued for two years from their print
Omaha. "Tho first step I took off the boat I went up to my knees ing office on the northwest corner of Thirteenth .and Farnam
in mud," he says. He walked several blocks and then asked a streets, 'lhen tho red ribbon movement became prominent and Mr.
man where Omaha was. The man told him he was In the heart Altstadt immediately threw in his weight uion that sldo of the
of Omaha. He had been looking for a city, but made the best of fight opposed to Dr. George Miller. This was just at tho time of
what he found. He established his family in a little hotel kept the founding of The . Bee by Edward Rosewater. Mr. Altstadt
by a German at tho corner of Tenth and Douglas streets. founded a paper which he called "The Flea."
, "I went to Mr. Rosewater," he says, In reviewing the fortunes
Busy Days in Omaha of his short-lived but active publication, "and asked him if I could
print it on his press, which he gave me tho permission to do. He
He immediately began looking for work and secured a position had just a little wooden press aud a big negro to run it. There
as clerk in tho "Farmers' hotel," located on the southwest corner I printed The Flea. I decided to make a trip out iu tho state to
of Fourteenth and Haruey streets. This was kept by a Mrs. Riley, get subscriptions for my paper and I said to Mr. Rosewater I would
Her husband was the city marshal and it was he who first dubbed solicit for hls'paDor also. I sold the ilrst subscription for The
Mr. Altstadt "Utile Bismarck." The title was bestowed partly Weekly Bee to a man in the state house at Lincoln. It took me
because of a facial resemblance between Mr. Altstadt and the great two days anl a half to drive in a wagon from here to Lincoln.
Iron Chancellor,, but more' largely because during the Franco- But after the people read The Beo they would not longer read The
Prussian war Mr. Altstadt exhibited such a lively interest iu the Fl'a, so the bee killed tho ilea."
Abandoning tho field of journalism after the demise of The
Flea, he donned the grey uniform of Uncle Sam, not as a soldier
but as a letter carrier. He holds tho distinction of being the first
letter carrier In Omaha. Later he entered the registry department
and altogether ho was an employe of tho postofflce for eighteen
jeRrs.
Reverses Supreme Court
In 1SS5 he lelt Omaha and went to North Platte, where h
leaped for tho first time Into the political arena and was elected
Justice of tho peace. All of his tlmo was not taken up with the
duties of the position and he was part owner of the Bismarck
saloon. It was in North Platte that ho attained to national repu
tation by his celebrated reversal of the supreme court. The
keeper of a saloon and beer garden was arrested for keeping open
on Sunday. The case was brought before Judge Altstadt. Tho man
pleaded guilty. Things looked bad for the thirst emporiums of
North Platte at that moment. Scarcely had the oltei.Cer made his
plea when. Judgo Altstadt said:
"You are discharged."
The county attorney was on his feet In an instant, wildly waving
his arms.
"Your honor simly cannot have heard the prisoner's plea," he
exclaimed. "The prisoner pleaded 'guilty' and besides, the supreme
court has decided conclusively that saloons cannot keep open ex
cept on week days."
"The prisoner," said the court, "la a man of poor repute in the
community. , It is true what you say about tho supremo court and
about his pleading guilty, but how can I believe aman with such
a reputation when he pleads guilty. Ho is discharged."
His fame went over all the country and his local popularity
was so great that ho was re-elected almost unanimously to the
office. In North Platte ho became acquainted with Colonel Cody,
"Buffalo Bill," and traveled all over the United States with "The
Prairie Wave" company, of which Buffalo Bill was the head. Mr.
Altstadt was treasurer of the company and played tho part of tha
German comedian with eminent success.
On his return to Omaha he entered the employ of the postofflce
asaln and later held positions in tho offices of the register of deeds,
the county clerk and the city treasurer. Then he leaped once
more into the political arena as candidate for county clerk. He
secured the nomination, but when the votes were counted after
tho election it was found that he had Just three votes less than J.
R. Manchester, his opponent.
"Then my ombitlen was to bo high man and I ran asain for
Justice of the peace," he says. "I now serve my ninth year in the
office. I flatter myself I am the highest Justice in the state of
Nebraska I am on the fourth floor and the others are only on
the second." s
His Joke and His Family
This is one of the Judge's favorlto Jokes. Sometimes he fol
lows it up with another. "I believe." he says, "that if 1 would
mako application for Justice Fuller's place on the supreme bench
when he retires President Roosevelt would apiJolnt me. But th
trouble is 1 would not have enough money to go to Washington."
Judge and Mrs. Altstadt have two sons and two daughters.
The oldest son Jacob, Hvcb in New York City, where he Is in the
wholesale meat business. He is also a fine musician and was for
years a member of the Omaha Musical club under the direction of
Julius Meyer. The Bc-cond sou, Charles, lives in Montreal, Canada,
where he holds a responsible position with the American White
Lead company.
The eldest daughter Is Mrs. A. Adams of Missoula, Mont. Sha
had three children, one of whom is tho wife of Guy R. Spencer, of
the World-Herald. Mr. and Mrs. Spencor have two children who
are, of course, great grandchildren of Judge and Mrs. Altstadt, Of
these the Judgo is prouder, if possible, than of his children. The
younger daughter Is Mrs. M. T. Hascall of Lincoln.
Judge Altstadt Is decidedly a man of domestic tastes. When he
Is not busy with affairs of justlco at his court he can generally be
found at his home, 11)13 South Sixteenth street. Ha is 73 years
old, but he doesn't look to bo CO To regular habits of living
and plenty of fresh air ho ascribes his wonderfully good health.
"I havo every day my meals exactly at tho Eamo hours," he
ays. "I go to bed at 10 o'clock precisely and 1 get up at 6:3. I
get plenty of fresh air. I sit on tho Vorch anl smoke every day,
summer and winter. Of course, in the winter I don't sit so long
as In tho summer wheu it is warm. I never drink liquor at my
meals. What I drink I drink like all Germans not much at a time.
My wife will bo 71 years this month and my next birthday Is 73
years. We are both healthy old young people and hope to deal out
justice twenty-five years longer."
Certainly -everyone who knows the genial, kindly judge hopes
he may occupy the Justlco bench that loug if ho desires. His chanca
of doing so Is good, for ho comes of a family noted for longevity.
His father lived to the ago of 87 years; his mother died at the age of
91 and bis grandmother attained the age of 102 years.
Physical Side of Handling Millions in Gold Coin
N
EW YORK. Nov. 16. Tho man in tho
street who Isn't hard hit by the finan
cial troubles has read many figures in
these last few weeks. He has won
dered if tho typesetting machines
hadn't stuttered while speaking ciphers and asked,
"What's $2,103,641,523.90 (the bank clearings
for tho week ending October 2u), and is there
really so much? mouey in the world, and whero is
it all at?"
The money represented by those twelve Arabic
numerals Isn't all in ono place, nor In a housand
places, but there's a good big lot of It in the som
ber su'otreaaury tout sUuds downtown among a
host of 6lender, ornate structures which seem to
penetrate tho skies. That squat and columned
building grew up In 6even long years (a neighbor
five times as tall went up in as many month's),
but it has walls that are is;ht feet thick at tho
base and five at the eaves, and It has dozens of
rifles and revolvers end two Gatllng guns and
scores of cases of ammunition, also some holes
In the roof of the portico Just over tho doors
the protectors may drop bombs on tho heads
any persons who can't be repulsed in any other
way.
In the little desk-crowded office first floor to
the risht as you enter the building from the Wall
street Bteps a rotund, gray-haired man reached
to the flat-top desk adjoining the one at which
he sat, picked up a tall spindle, dropped his sllver
rlmmed Bpectacles into place and held the top
most paper on the peg beneath the light. It bore
nine figures no explanatory memoranda, not
even a symbol.
Two hundred and seventy million dollars,"
the rotund, gray-haired man interpreted. "That's
exactly how much money we had on hand this
morning."
. ona goes down Into the depth of the build-
so
of
ing and sees a little white suck filled with double
eagles and peers into the gray vaults and sees
also what looks like r dozen vanloads of the same
kind of ba's, and If ho doses his fingers ou a
package that woVild easily slide into bis overcoat
pocket and which, he learns, contains 500 810,000
gold certificates $5,000.000 and then sees sev
eral safes filled to capacity with similar packets,
he can realize, even If his mind cannot compre
hend the amounts, what the big figures that ap
pear In the subtreasury statements mean.
This store has been more violently disturbed
of late than in many years. Nearly $50,000,000
in currency and an enormous' mass of gold and
silver certificates came In. and the fact that the
dally balance didn't fluctuate much (only a few
millions) indicates how hard the office force has
worked and txplalns why they and W. G. Marlor,
the cashier, were "all in." as one of the money
toters sald. Yet auothef v'ew was expressed by
one of the squad of scrubwomen who entered tho
building on the heels of the last messenger hurry
ing out with his bag of gold.
'Shure. this bank business is about as hard
as me own," she said. "Th" bankew you see
around here lately do more sweatln than I do on
me knees scrubbin' up the dirt they leave behind.
And the poor men iiere in th' bank (the subtreas
ury Ehe meant) they work harder 'n my ol' man.
Hei a hod-carrier." - 1
So the physical aspect of. these millions the
public has read so much about lately is a matter
of muscle to those who are in actual contact with
the eath. Take, for instance, the coming $10,
000,000 in bullion on the steamship Lusltania. It
sounds good to the worklngman whose savings
are too securely locked up in a perfectly solvent
bank, for he has read that all that is needed is
more cash in circulation. But a million millions
In gold ban aboard a hundred fchlps, or the
same amount piled in City Hall park wouldn't
relieve the situation if it were not for tho waving
of Uncle Sam's wand over it in tho subtreasury.
There the bullion or coin is presented, after it
Is carted from the pier, and in an hour, If thero
is call for such swift exchange, John Joues may
get a piece of it a piece of tho actual coiu just
come from Europe when he presents his check
at a bank window uptown. More likely, though,
he would get some of the certificates issued
against that value in gold.
As to the gold bars, they are taken at once to
the assay office, the crowded ljitlo building that
adjoins the subtreasury ou the east. There their
weight and value are determined, and when that
is done certificates are issued against them up to
90 per cent of their value. The bullion is not
made into "coin of the realm" until later until
Uncle Sam or his men at the mints find it conveni
ent to do so. That stock which has been tested
and stored in tho subtreasury vaults Is "as good
ii3 sold," so there's no hurry about converting it
Into eagles since the certificates are flying around.
Now and then In the recent series of runs on
banks attention was called to the actual physical
transfer of the cash which some depositors de
manded. Oa ono occasion an automobilo carry
ing several bags of gold to a lank la Brownsville
broke down near an East river terry entrance)
aud a crowd of tenement dwellers that gathered
about tho treasure car had to be held back by a
squad of policemen. Again, a messenger boy
skipped for a few hours with several thousand
dollars In bills which he had drawn for his em
ployer. But the general public, even close read
ers of the newspapers, did not know the circum
stances of the transfer of an infinitesimal propor
tion of the total. Those few persons who stood
in the mala corridor of the subtreasury saw tho
procession there long lines of men, with here
and thera a woman, nho rushed in ltk empty
bags or satchels, and walked out a little mora
sedately, bearing nobody but themselves and tha
puying tellers knew how much money.
And w hen the bearer of the gold or Its equiva
lent got out Into the crowded streets what thent
Why. he Jubt walked along endeavoring to stimu
late the careless stride and idle curiosity which
in New York mark the man who has no deep con
cern. That no robberies t such messengers wera
reported in the courso of the recent "panic"
speaks well for their ability to "act Just natur
ally" and in that way keep their valuable secrets;
also it tells, perhaps, that the "trailers" were on
the Job for trailers were there, strong detectives
who are capable of handling any ordinary thief
with lightninglike rapidity.
And while the messengers filed In the main
corridor of the subtreasury, got their money and
hurried out. there was another channel from tha
building through which disbursements flowed even
more rapidly. It was the little door in the Pine
street side of the building, near which were lined
up a curious array of vehicles at one moment
a hanscora cab, a coupe, four automobiles, a gro
cer delivery wagon and a motorcycle. Men with
proper certificates rushed into the building and,
with short delay, helped the attendants to carry
bags and bundles to the curb. Then Into th
tangle of traffic In the narrow downtown streets
went the currency conveyors, to dispute the right-of-way
with troubled truckmen.
All the time this extra work made necessary
by the stringency is going on at the subtreasury
there is no respite from the regular business.
Money continues to pour in from the postofflce,
the customs, the internal revenue and other A
partments of the federal government, and the pay
masters check against the deposits for the salaries
of the men of the army, the navy and all other
branches of the government service a business
which proceeds with precision, panic or no panio,