rf rf &
Official Paper of Box Butte County
TWICE A WEEK TUESDAY AKD FRIDAY
OSlcial Paper of the City of Allium
VOLUME XXVII.
ALLIANCE, BOX BUTTE COUNTY,. NEBRASKA, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1920.
No. 101
COUNCIL HOLDS
SECRET SESSION
TO INVESTIGATE
INFORMAL HEARING HELD
TROBE CHARGES.
TO
Officers Answer Questions Showing
' that Seven Gamblers Were
Never Brought to Trial.
orated Taylor's story. He did not go
into the basement 'th Taylor, but
went down shortly after.
The club room frequented by the
Greeks is run by two men. They per
mit play ." for chips with which
cigars ' vty are purchased. Of
ficer Z - ed the city attorney
that, whx, v had first opened,
it could be
he asked V
closed, and thv
that he had tb
The city council met at 8:30 a. m.
Monday for what was intended to be
a secret session, but each councilman
had apparently tipped off a friend or
two, and before the hour for the
meeting: to open, a number of citizens
had entered the council chamber and
were unobstrusively decorating seats
in the rear of the room. Members of
the council and the city attorney
promptly made the hearing public
Charges had been made to Mayor
Rodgers that Officer Nova Taylor and
Night Watch Trabert had raided a
crop game on the morning of Novem
ber 2, In the basement of the Greek
, club room on West Third street Fol
lowing the usual custom, Night Chief
Taylor had accepted a cash bail of
1 15 each from the seven men arrested,
but did not search them or take them
to the city jail. This $105 was not
turned in to the police judge until last
Friday morning, although Mr. Taylor
had spoken of the matter to Chief
Reed. The men were not brought to
trial, although Taylor had prepared
complaints against them.
Councilman F. W. Harris, at whose
request the hearing was held, was not
present at the meeting. Mayor Rodg
ers, City Attorney Metz, County At
torney Basye, and Councilmen Moore,
Sturgeon and Johnson were the city
' and county officials present Taylor
was represented by Attorney Eugene
Burton.
Mr. Harris later, stated to report
ers that unless a chang was made in
the local police force or the alleged
gambling stopped, he would tender
. his resignation to the city council.
A 'He said that the belief is common
.H, that gambling has been going on in
a certain livery stable near the busi
ness section and that the electric
i light bill for the barn is being paid
' : '"'"'by two- men who have never made
any pretense of running - a t livery
stable. Chief of Police Reed and
Night Chief Taylor state that " the
barn has been closed for over a
f month, and that there is no gambling
going on in the city to their knowl
edge.
Mayor Wanted Facts.
Mayor Rodeers, in opening the
meetine. to wnicn me city unco
police officers had been invited, stated
that the council had met to investi-
eate certain reports that had been
freelv circulated. He asked Officer
Taylor to reply to questions to be pro
ounded by City Attorney Metz.
Taylor promptly inquired whether
any charges had been filed against
him. "I have to file charges before I
-can bring any man before a court,
he said, "and I don't care to answer
, questions unless there is a definite
charge and I know who has made it"
Mayor Rodgers reassured him by say
ing that it was not the intention to
V.. ' remove anyone from office, but
simply to get at the facts concerning
. the raid on the Greek club rooms.
After consulting with his attorney,
Taylor took the stand, and told the
efnrv of the raid.
About 2 a. m. November 2, he and
Ray Trabert had gone to the Greek
club rooms on West Third street
The door was unlocked, and the mem
bers of the club were playing the
usual card games in the room. Tay
lor heard a noise from the basement,
nd went down to investigate. He
Raw seven men standing around
table, on which was a leather dice
cud. The men had money in their
hands. Indications were that a crap
rame had been in progress. He did
not recall all of the players, but said
that Elmer Bullock, Coney Blume and
i a man by the name of White were
among them. Two of them were out-
of -town men.
Accepted Cash BaiL
Following the usual custom, Taylor
mM. be Aid not take the men to the
city jail, but accepted $15 cash bond
, . from each oi them lor tneir appear
ance at 10 a. m. the following day.
The men were then allowed to go.
The next day was election day, and
the police judge's room was used as a
C polling place, ana ne am not now
whether the men had ever turned up
' for the trial. He explained his fail-
' ore to, turn over the bond money by
saying that he slept days and worked
nights, and had no opportunity to
catch the police judge. No attempt
had been made by the gamblers to
vm. he said. - He had made out
the seven complaints and placed them
in the chief desk.
7 y admitted
'.that it
could not, unless gv going
on there. The windov, f. P'aco
are covered with a sortv a soap
screen. Chief Reed said that he did
not believe there was any gambling
going on there in the regular club
rooms, but "it's pretty hard to catch
a Greek when he's talking Greek,"
he said.
City Jail Unsanitary.
The officers said that the city jail
was in such an unsanitary condition
that they did not like to confine pri
soners there over night for misde
meanors.. It has been the custom in
Alliance, as in other cities, to accept
cash bail for appearance for trial.
For a time the police judge was con
sulted on each occasion, but without
any direct sanction from Police
Judge Roberts, the officers have, in
many cases, accepted bail rather than
put their prisoners in the jail. City
Physician George J. Hand arose to re
mark that everything that had been
said against the condition of the jail
was true, and reminded the council
that they had spoken of remodeling
it several months ago. Following the
session the council examined the jail
and planned a rearrangement of the
cells, as well as a geneal houseclean-
ing. "It's not a fit place for any
human being to be confined," said Dr.
Hand.
At the close of the hearing, which
was rather informal, the council re
quested the city attorney to take the
necessary steps to bring the offenders
to justice.
Mayor Rodgers says that he has no
intention of suspending members cf
the police force over the affair, and a
majority of the members of the coun
cil are t aid to be behind the mayor in
his stand.
WORKERS CHOSEN FOR
RED CROSS ROLL CALL
Mrs. E. R., Harris, chairman in
eharge-of the fourth Red -Croa roll
call, which takes place this year
from November 11 to 25, .inclusive
has announced the following list of
workers, who will have charge of the
streets assigned to them:
Laramie Mrs. Fernald, Mrs. Geo,
D. Darling, Mrs. A. J. Cole.
Cheyenne Mrs. F. J. Peterson,
Mrs. W. C. Mounts, Mrs. Nelson.
"Biar Horn Misses Janice Adams
and Frances Schott.
Toluca Mrs. W. E. Spencer, Mrs.
F. W. Haves.
Emerson Dorothy Hamilton, Eve
lyn Kuhn.
Platte Verna Dow, Frances Grass
man.
Alliance hotel Mrs. A. H. Robbina.
Niobrara Phyllis Thompson, Viv
ian Corbett
Sweetwater Lillia Graham, Mar-
dell Drake.
Yellowstone Helen Hawes, Miriam
Harris.
Missouri Estella Yarbaugh, Lua
Thompson. -
Miss ssiddi Mrs. Klineennei.
The campaign has already been
started. The local chapter has made
a firm resolve to put the membership
drive over, and the entire city will le
canvassed. Five-minutes talka win
be made at the Imperial at each
show, and before the close or the
drive some special picture illustrating
the work of the Red Cross will be
shown. This year no attempt will be
made to secure contributions other
than memberships. All that is needed
is a heart and a dollar and there
isn't a returned soldier, or a relative
of a returned soldier, who will fail to
respond.
CAMPFIRE GIRLS HELD
A BAKING CONTEST
The Campfire Girls of Alliance
members of all bands participating,
held a baking contest Saturday after
noon at the assembly room of the
court house, five prizes being awarded
to the winners in the various classes.
Frances Schott was awarded the palm
for the best cookies; Veletta Hacker,
the best cake; Florence Baker, the
best nut bread; Vera Lowry, cream
puffs, and Wauneta Robinson, bread.
Judges were Mrs. William Mitchell,
Mrs. Harry Johnson and Mrs. r. C.
Prince. Some eighty girls entered the
contest
Following the judging and the
making of awards, a number of the
contestants donated their entries for
a bake sale, which was held at the
SPUD EXCHANGE
MAKES A KICK
J. F. Lawrence Will Take up Freight
Question With the Rail- .
way Commission.
J. F. Lawrence, manager of the Ne
braska . potato growers' co-operative
exchange, is in Lincoln this week,
where he will take up with the state
railway commission the matter of
freight rates on potatoes to southern
Nebraska. The Burlington and C &
N. W. lines have been charging potato
shippers two local rates, instead of
giving them the through rate on di
rect shipments where it has been
necessary to route them over the two
ines.
According to George Walker, local
manager for the North American
Fruit exchange, which sella spuds for
the Nebraska exchange, it costs as
much to send potatoes td southern Ne
braska as to Des Moines. Peoria.
Hutchinson, Kas., Kansas City or Chi
cago. 1 he freight charge now ranges
from 51 and CO cents per hundred
from points on the C & N. W. to
points on the Burlington in southern
Nebraska. Both railroads nick the
shippers for short hauls instead of a
portion of a long one. .
Growers Don't Understand.
There seems to be a general mis
understanding, especially on the part
of the growers who do not belong to
the association, that when they sell
their spuds through the Nebraska ex
change, they have the expense of
making collections as well as the
trouble of attending to other unpleas
ant details. This is not the case.
The exchange not onlv does the sell
ing, but does the collecting as well.
All the grower has to do is to get a
car and load it. From that time on,
the exchange takes care of the mat
ter.
Sell by the Hundredweight
The general custom in Nebraska
and the west is to sell potatoes by
he hundiedweipht The Herald, an
issue or two back, mentioned a price
of $1.80 per bushel, instead of per
hundred weijrht, and for the next few
days Mr. Walker was kept busy ex
plaining, to shippers that it was an
error. Newspapermen are not particu
larly to blame, however, as the unit in
selling potatoes varies in every part
of the country. In Maine, potatoes
nre o'd by the barrel, in certain
northern states by the bushel, and in
the south they are sold by the sack.
The hundredweight is the official unit
in Nebraska, at least, and prices on
all carlot sales are based on this
weight
WOMAN
ALLIANCE POST WILL
ENTERTAIN DECEMBER 3
Alliance post No. 7, American Le
. aa a a 1-
e on. will te at nome to memuim
'S CLUB
PURE FOOD SHOW
: . THE WEATHER.
I Forecast for Alliance and vicinity;
' Fair tonight and probably Wednes
day; rising temperature.
To Be Held at Roof Garden Thursday
and Friday Afternoon and Even
ing, December X and S.
Mallerv erocerv. The Camnfire real
Ray Trabert, night watch, eorrob-l ized over $30 from the sale.
and other ex-soldiers, their wives and
friends, ojt Friday evening, December
3. according to plans made by , the
executive committee at the last meet
ing. The entertainment will include
a reeular buffet luncheon, served
armv stvle. consisting of the w. k.
baked bean, half a dozen kinds of
sandwiches, and a number of drinks
without any kick in them. It will take
place at the Armory.
Following the dinner, there will be
a dance and several vaudeville num
bers. Andy's Fearless Six has been
secured for the occasion. This or
chestra is well known in Alliance
and the middle west In the past
week they have added three excellent
features to the original jazz band,
Mr. Slind of Minneapolis, formerly
solo violinist with Graham's orches
tra; Mr. Sid, the "sax king," formerly
with Harenow's of Lincoln, and
"Billie" Ackerman, singer and pian
st. With this lineup of two saxa-
phones, violin, banjo, piano and traps, ,
the-members of the legion are assur
ed of having one of the peppiest
dances that could be arranged.
There will be no admission fee, and
only ex-soldiers and their wonwn
friends will be admitted, lhe enter
tainment Is the first of a series
planned for this winter. After a sum
mer's vacation, the legion intends to
make up for lost time this 'Winter.
Very few social affairs have been
held, but if present plans wortc out,
legion members in Alliance will have
the time of their lives. :
A special committee was appointed
at the recent meeting to consider a
number of A. E. F. plays and vaude
ville sketches for a legion production
early this winter. The December 8
entertainment, however, will be for
one purpose that of having a good
time.
D. C. Bradbury is chairman of the
entertainment committee; Adjutant
Farrell and every member of the post
are the committee on invitations; and
James P. Burlington. Jr., will have
charge of the dance.
Among the coming events, the pure
food show to be given by the mem
bers of the Alliance Woman's club at
the Lowry & Henry Roof Garden on
Thursday and Friday, afternoon and
evening, December 2 and 3, is attract
ing the most attention. The women
have been working on the project for
the past two or three weeks, and
weeks, and have found Alliance mer
chants willing to co-operate with
them. The first seventeen merchants
to whc..i the idea was explained were
prompt to contract for booths at the
show. All the preliminary arrange
ments, have been completed, under the
direction of Mrs. Elmer McManls,
who 'is general chairwoman, and the
remainder of the time will be devoted
to getting the hall in readiness and
preparing the booths of which the
club members will have charge.
The principal feature of the show
will, be the displays put on by the
various merchants of the city. Those
who have contracted for booths are A.
D. Rodgers, the Golden Rule, Tom
Stales, Earl Mallery, who will have
two booths, Harry Thiele, Lee Moooe,
the ; Rhein Hardware, the National
Biscuit company, the Alliance Drug
company, Hirst s Fourth Street Market,-'
Morgan Grocery, s George D.
Darling, the Newberry Hardware com
pany, Palace Meat Market and the
Sugar Bowl. - There will be displays
of articles and demonstrations that
will appeal to the women of the city.
In addition to displays of fine furni
ture and clothing, there will be demon
"trat'ons concerning the various pre
paration of various fowls and food
products for sale in Alliance.
- r Many Interesting Features
There are a number of interesting
features planned in connection with
the show. The one that will undoubt
edly attract the srreatest Interest is
the Why show, which will take place
on both Thursday and Friday. On
Thursday afternoon, babies from four
months to one year of age will be
iudged, and a prize awarded to the
heV looking and most perfect But
one. prue, a large photograph contri
buted by .Miss Mabel Worley, will be
given Thursday afternoon, both boy
and girl babies competing. Friday
afternoon, photographs by Van Grav
en will be awarded to the winners in
both sexes, and on this afternoon
babies from one to three years of age
will compete. Women who wish to
enter babies have been asked to get
in touch with Mrs. A. J. Cole, chair
man of the baby show committee. V
In order to avoid charges of favor
itism, the judges for the baby show
will be chosen from visitors to Alii
ance. It has been suggested that a
committee of traveling men will be
selected to make the awards.
, The members of the club, in addition
to the baby show, will sponsor a popu
lar girl contest, in which the most pop
ular girl in the city will receive a big
box of candy. Entrants to this con
test must be over eighteen years of
age, it is announced. Other features
under the management of the club wo
men will be the country store, the ce-1
dar chest, the novelty booth and the
doll contest
Mrs. Elmer McManis, general chair
man, has assisted in staging several
of these pure food shows, and has put
on a few of them herself, the last one,
at Sulphur Springs, Texas. The re
ceipts of this show will go in their
entirely to the woman's club, and will
be devoted to furnishing their rooms
in the city library building.
Following are members of the var
ious committees: '
Country store Mrs. Roy Strong,
chairman; Mrs. R. M. Baker, Mrs. Jack
Hawes and Mrs. Joe O Connor.
Novelty booth Mrs. George D. Dar
ing, chairman; Mrs. H. P. Toohey,
Mrs. Harry Tiele and Mrs. Frank Har-
ER OF COMMERCE
TO STAGE A SMOKER
Invitations will be issued today or
tomorrow to all the members of the
Aliance chamber of commerce, as well
as all those who should be members
of the organization, to attend a lunch
eon and smoker to be held at the ar
mory Thursday evening, Navember 18.
E. W. Mess, secretary of the Great
er Nebraska association, will be pre
sent and make a short address.
An effort will be made to make
the Alliance chamber of commerce
conform closely to the idea of con
tributing members. At this meeting
there will be a general discussion of
future plans, including the selection
of a new secretary for the organi
zation. Those 'present will be asked
to vote on the question of whether
they want a man from Alliance or an
outside man for this important posi
tion. A general expression of opin
ion is desired. Another question that
will come up concerns permanent
quarters for the club, where weekly
luncheons for directors and members
can be served.
The directors hope for a large at
tendance at the smoker and feed.
Not only do they wish to. interest
those who have not affiliated with the
organisation, but they want to get
ideas from those who already belong,
as well as to secure the highest de
gree of co-operation from every mer
chant in the city. Alliance needs good
roads and hundreds of other things,
and an aggressive commercial organ-
zation Is a great factor in securing
them. As the invitation expresses it:
'We want an expression of opinion
from all. If you cannot talk, you can
isten and vote your - convictions. If
you expect to live in Alliance, come
out and mingle with the rest of the
business and professional men of the
city and exchange, ideas."
OFFICER TAYLOR
AND PRISONER
DOAMARATIIOn
YOUTH FAILS IN SPECTACULAB
DASH FOR LIBERTY.
Exasperated Cop Knocks the Fogl
five Down Free-for-AU Threat
ened by Critics of the Cop.
"The next time I'm arrested, IH
stay put No more trying to beat it
when a cop has his hands on my coat
collar. Never again!" With these
sage remarks, or words to this ef
fect, Walter Woodard, who gave hta
address as Denver, shook the dust
from his shoes and walked forth front
the city jail, where he had just bees
released by Chief Reed.
Woodard, who Is a youth somw
twenty-five years of age, was arrested
by Officer Nova Taylor early Satur
day morning, following a complaint
from the road camp of the Roberta
Construction company, a mile west of
Hoffland, that Woodard and a pal, bj
name A. Hill, had disappeared v th
night previous, and that at about th
same time it was noticed that two
suits of clothes and other apparel,
valued at over $100, could not be lo
cated. The men in the road camp,
were suspicious because all the disap
pearances happened at about the same
time, and brought in a description of
the two men. Within a short time.
Officer Taylor had located Woodard.
Woodard was not wearing any of
the missing garments,' and professed
to know nothing of them. He admitted
that he had come to Alliance with
Hill, and said the two of them had
registered at a rooming house. Tay
lor suggested that Woodard lead him
to the rooming house, so that ha
could nab Hill and make a search for
the missing clothing, and Woodard
apparently fell in with the idea.
A Wild Goose Chase
' The officer was first escorted to the
Alliance hotel annex by his prisoner,
.who, after wasting ten or fifteen
minutes, announced that he was
quite sure it was not the place. . So
ROACH-MURPHY CASE . -
f TOOK DAY -TO TRY
Tit anit tiiiiirtit Kv Alva V.. Tfnh
o .,;, rwu Mnrnhv nrr nniH th I the pair Journeyed to a rooming-
entire day for County Judge Tash I oe, ami here, after some horseplay,. . .
Monday.' He got an hbur off for lunchl P"" UK,B ,in"V w
at noon, but was callerf upon to per-'jnd Wi pal., had stayed elsewhere t
form a marriage ceremony for a rest! They went to a third place, and I tha
Last August Roach and Murphy en-ni! w rcnvcu. wu.rs
tered into a written agreement where J Taylor was beginning to get hot
Roach was to stack all the hay on the unaer tne couar, oui ne accompaniea
Phelan ranch, owned by Murphy, for M prisoner to a fourth place, tho
which he was to receive $1.60 per ton. Empress rooming house, where Wood-
the hay to be measured and computed ard proceeded to break away and
according to the Hampton rule. Mr. mane a cuum ior irecuum.
Murphv secured two disinterested It was a short dash, but a spectan-.
neighbors Virgil Putn.m and William lar one. Officer Taylor drew h:s re-
Campbell, to measure lhe nay, wnicn voiver, uui w.m ,wb.ih iw,
they did and gave the mcasaurements bore to fire. Uwer Box Butte avenue
to John Murphy. By these meaasure- was lined with spectators, some of
ments there was. found to the 817 tons whom proceeded to revile the officer
of hay. Reach was not satisfied with and cheer the fugitive. Woodard was
those figures and with the assistance under some disadvantage, because ho
of his father, brother and nephew, was wearinsr heavy hobna'led boots,
made another measurement, the re- which cut down h:s speed- Officer
suit of which was 1,056 tons, being a Taylor, too, was rot b!e to cut down
discrepancy of 239 tons. After credit- any records, his o'ympic days being:
ing Murphy with payments made on long since over. He was more fleet
account, he brought suit for what he of foot than Woodard, however, and
claimed to be balance due, the sum of caught up with him in the alley to
tftj.v Mui-nhv admitted that he owed the rear of the former Herald office.
... . I ... , . . n .1. i!
him the sum of $179.40, which ne ami Tne paraue mieo. uy ire umw,
.nror, nfn -nurt. and Roach refus-1 Off cer Taylor had recovered hie
ed to accept After listening pat:ent- breath, the fugitive was defiant He
ly to the testimony of the twelve wit- rcTu.et 10 pecompary me omcer w..
nesses, hearing the argument of the jail, and the officer wasted no moro
counsel, the court very quickly arriv- time.
ed at the conclusion that the defen- Opinions differ as to just what
dant owed the plaintiff the sum of transpired. Some of the onlookers .
$251.46, for which judgment was en- maintained that the officer struck,
tered. Both parties to the suit ex- Woodard a powerful blow with his
pressed themselves as being entirely clenched fist and others say that ho
eniefiid-. P. Romic appeared for the struck him with his open palm. In
plaintiff and Harry E. Gantz for the either event, the prisoner bit the dust
ana nis ear uuucn uuiig w
ground. Then the officer ordered him
to arise, and emphasized the order
with the toe of his boot The young;
man arose, and followed his captor
meekly to jaiL
" The police were unable to locate ,
The action commenced by Howard the rooming house where the young'
Beck in the county court of Garden man stayed, and a thorough search
county asking that a guardian be ap- failed to disclose either Woodard's
pointed for his brother, w. w. tsecx, pal or me missing tioming.
the hearing of which was to have been being insufficient evidence, Woodard
held Monday, November 15, was dis- was released Dy Cniei Keea ounuay
missed by the plaintiff. Willis Beck morning. He has learned one lesson,
has made a wonderful improvement however, that it's unwise to kid a
since his recent paralytic stroke, nd policeman, and still less wise to at
County Judge Tash, after talking with tempt to take to the woods when he
him at the hospital, has announced is too far away from them.
ht he has no objections to Issuing Considerable criticism oi tne onicer
him a marriage license. The broth- has been made in certain quarters,
er, Howard, lodged a formal bjec- but Mayor Rodgers and a number of
tion in writing in the office of the other citizens who saw the fray are
judge against the license being issu- of the opinion that, under the circum-
ed, and this has been withdrawn. A stances, Taylor was not particularly
few weeks ago, the Judge refused to to blame. Some of the men present
issue a license to Mr. Beck and his offered their assistance to Mr. Taylor
housekeeper, Mrs. Prettyplace. in the event a free-for-all should
take place, and for a time it seemed
O. England of Wissington Springs, I as though it might be needed. Mow-
defendant
NO OBJECTIONS NOW
TO ISSUING LICENSE
vey.
Baby show Mrs. A. J. Cole, chair
man; Mrs. TCnlnh Cox. Mrs. Stephen
J. Epler, Mrs. W. R. Pate, Mrs. A. W. pointed for his brother, W. W. Beck, pal or the missing clothing.
Newberry, Mrs K. c uaruer.
Cedar chest Mrs. Dick O Bannon,
chairman; Mrs. L. L. Smith, Mrs. Ella
Young, Mrs. E. J. Baskin.
Soliciting committee Mrs. W. E.
Spencer, chairman; Mrs. Oscar O'Ban
non, Mrs. Bliss Sturgeon, Mrs. James
Hunter, Mrs. C. W. Grassman, Mrs.
I. L. Acheson.
Popular young lady contest Mrs.
E. R. Harris, chairman; Mrs. Ber
nard Holsten, Mrs. James P. Burling
ton, Mrs. Verne Hunt
Door committee Mrs. Chase Fea-
gins, chairman; Mrs. Walter Turner,
Mrs. Howard Reddish, Mrs. a L.
Finch.
Music committee Mrs. C E.
Ilershman, chairman; Mrs. Inez Dun
nig, Mrs. J. S. Rhein, Mrs. William
Lamon.
S. D., and Bernard Hlx of McFall, erer, those who disapproved of the
ietPft hI the local naval re-1 officer's methods were apparently in
Uruiting office as firemen. I the minority.