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About The Nebraska advertiser. (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | View Entire Issue (July 12, 1907)
CLERK LOSES LIFE FATALITY FOLLOWS THE STORM AT PLATTSMOUTH. AN EXPLOSION IN A CELLAR Gas Ignited By the Careless Lighting of a Match Victim Thrown Into Unused Cistern In Basement. Ed. Grassman lost his Hfo by tho explosion of gas; Arc broke out and destroyed $15,000 worth of property and a total damage of $100,000 of property Is the result of the rainstorm that flooded Plattsmouth, Neb. Of the damage to property fully $60,000 was reported at the Burlington shops, whose walls were shattered by float ing lumber that swept down upon them from a submerged lumber yard. Hail practically ruined crops in an area three miles long and one mile wide. The Boeck building, at Sixth and Main streets, had water in the cellar. E. A. Wurl, a merchant who occu pied the store, accompanied by his clerk, Ed. Grassman, and the owner of the building, Henry Boeck, went into the cellar to investigate the source of escaping gas which had been noticed for some time. In the cellar they gathered about an aban doned cistern. Grassman, who was leaning over the side of tho opening, lit a match, an explosion followed and he fell forward into the cistern. The shock knocked the other two men backward and they escaped. Before the body of Grassman could be recovered fire broke out and the fire department did not get the blaze extinguished until after 9 o'clock at night. The damage to the property by fire was $15,000. Grassman was thirty-five years of age and leaves a wife and two children. ROCKEFELLER KNEW NOTHING. Was Willing Witness, But Lamentably Ignorant of Company Affairs. John D. Rockefeller, president of the Standard Oil company of New Jersey, occupied the witness stand in the United States district court July G while Judge Landls piled him with questions regarding the financial strength and tho business methods of the corporation of which he Is the head. Mr. Rockefeller was a very willing and an equally unsatisfactory witness. He was ready to tell all that he knew, but he said that he knew practically nothing. The net re sult of his examination was that ho believed that during tho years 1003, 1001 and 1905, the period covered by the Indictments on which the Stand ard Oil company of Indiana was re cently convicted, tho net profits of the Standard Oil company of New Jersey were approximately 40 per cent of an outstanding capitalization of $100,000,000. The investigation by Judge Landis was instituted by him for the express purpose of determining whother or not the Standard Oil company, of Indiana, that was convicted of violation of the law, was really owned by the Stand ard Oil company of New Jersey; whether the Union Tank Line, whose cars were used for tho shipments made in violation of law, as similarly owned, and also to obtain an Idea of the financial resources of tho con victed corporation in order to Inflict a fine proportioned to the offense and the assets of the convicted company. Judge Landls Is empowered to fix the fine at any sum between $1,000 and $20,000 for each count, of which there were 1,462 In tho Indictment. Thus the maximum fine is $29,240, 000, but as the capital stock of tho Indiana company is but one million dollars, tho supreme court might deem the maximum fine as falling in the class of cruel and unusual punish ment, prohibited by tho constitution. It Is shown, however, that tho Indi ana company is merely subsidiary to the New Jersey concern, with a capi tal of one hundred million dollars, no such appeal could bo made. Makes Demand lTor Salary. Mayor Schmltz, of San Francisco, sent a formal demand upon Auditor Horton for his full salary for tho month of Juno and for the $300 con tingent fund allowed the mayor's of fice for July. Tho letter contained a warning against paying these or any other sums upon tho order of James L. Gallagher, tho acting mayor. The auditor was notified that ho, with his bondsmen, would bo held respon sible. Auditor Horton has decided that his only safe course is to refuse to pass mayoralty ordors unless they bear the signatures of both .Schmltz and Galjagher. POLK IS BADLY WRECKED. Small Tornado Paoces' Near New Town, Causing Damage. Tho worst storm in the history of that part of tho country struck Polk, Neb., at about midnight last night, inflicting .a crop and other property loss that is very large. A strip of country extending from Hordvllle, tho next station west of Polk, for six miles to the southeast and five miles in width, with Polk slightly south of tho strip, Is devastated. Tho storm struck the town on tho north and wrecked a dozen or more -business and residence houses. Tho principal losses are sustained by Alex Scott, dealer in implements; Joseph Engleke," restnurant; Ira Plessinger, meat market; Rev. J. A. Larkln, re tired minister; tho Baptist church; Frank Fruido, restaurant. The imulef ment building of Mr. Scott, erected at a cost of $2,500, is a total loss, and tho stock, which was valuod at $7, 000, has suffered a 103s of from $500 to $1,000. Long Pine, Neb., was also visited by a tornado and heavy damage done. With but few exceptions all the fronts of the store buildings wore blown in. Tho Methodist church was demol ished, the roof of the Northwestern roundhouse was blown off, and trees In the streets were blown to shreds. The Diamond livery barn was de molished. The roof of Berger's de partment store was torn off and much damage done to his stock of goods, especially in the dry goods and gro cery departments. ' Tho total damage is estimated to be $100,000. HELD AS A HOSTAGE. Morocco Chief Raisuli Steals the Sul tan's Bodyguard. Kaid General Sir Harry MacLoan, commander of the sultan of Morocco's bodyguard, has been made a prisoner by Ralsull, tho bandit chief, and will be held as a hostage by the latter until tho sultan agrees to pardon Ralsull on his own terms. General MacLean was negotiating with Raisuli regarding the lattor's pardon when he was made prisoner. General Mac Lean is an ex-officer of the British army and is descended from an old Scotch family. All his Influence with the sultan has been exercised In the interests of civilization and humanity, and he is universally respected, even among tho nic c fanatical of the for elgn-hating Moors. Trans-Mississippi Congress. D. R. Francis, as chairman of the committee on program, has Issued the official call for the eighteenth an nual session of the trans-MlssIsslppl commercial congress, to be held at Muskogee, I. T.. November 19-22. The call Is issued to governors of states and territories and all public and commercial bodies in the trans-Miss issippi district. Drowned In Lake Manawa. Mrs. Clarence Stallard of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was drowned by tho capsizing of a rowboat on Lake Man awa during a severe storm. She was with her husband. They had started to row across the lake to the docks of the amusement resort, when thoy were overtaken by the storm. Stal lard was later found exhausted on tho shore near the bathing beach. City Auditor Short. Fred E. Smith, former city auditor of Akron, Ohio, is short $173,992, ac cording to the report submitted to tho state auditor by F. A. Parmalee, the state Inspector. The report says that Smith has securities from those to whom he loaned the city's money ag gregating $188,385, but Parmalee made no attempt to ascertain their real value. Fatal Fire at Battle Creek. An overheated oven caused a fire at Battle Creek, Mich., which de stroyed the main building of tho ToaBtcd Corn Flakes company's plant, causing a loss of $75,000. Three fire men were severely injured during tho fire and a Grand Trunk railway line man was killed by seizing a live wlro while working among the debris. A New Kingman, Kas., Courthouse. Tho corner stone for Kingman county's new courthouse was laid at Kingman. The ceremonies wero in charge of the Masons, directeil by tho acting grand master, Frederick Wash burn of Anthony. Kingman county was organized In 1874, and this is its first substantial courthouse. It Is reported that tho Union Pacific company has purchased an additional tract of land on Indian Crook at Beat rice and near the company's round house thero and will soon begin oper ations with a view to enlarging its shops thero. Tho citizens of Kearney, acting with tho old settlors of central Nebraska, are making an effort to have tho site of old Ft. Kearney purchased for a National Park and memorial ground. JOHN D TO NO MORE G. 0. D. LIQUOR Express Companies Need not Carry Such Shipments to Kansas. Judge Pollock Revokes Former Or der Common Carriers Under No Obligations to Receive Goods Kansas City, Mo. Judge John C. Pollock of the United States circuit court, revoked the mandatory order Friday morning compelling express' companies to carry C. O. D. liquor and denied the temporary Injunction against the Wolls-Fargo Express com pany and thePaclfic Express company asked by the Harvest-King Distilling company. All technicalities raised by the at torneys for the complainants wero waived and Judge Pollock decided tho case purely on Us merits. After quoting several authorities the judge i said in his order: "It is clear that express companies are under no obligation or duty in common law to engage In C. O. D. carriage of goods, but that the obllga. tlon imposed to collect the purchase price of the article shipped is an ob ligation that must rest in contract aYul not In an obligation imposed by law." Several express companies announ ced, May 15, that they would no long er carry C. O. D. liquor shipments Into Kansas, giving as their reasons that public sentiment is opposed to such traffic in the face of the Kansas prohibition law. Tho managor of one of the express companies said that he had decided It was morally wrong to carry C. O. D. liquor shipments, even though It was permitted by the interstate commerce law. The attorneys for the distilling com panies urged that the express com panies had no legal right to refuse C. O. D. shipments of liquor. Judge Pollock Issued a mandatory order June 1 compelling the express com panies to carry the C. O. D. ship ments until the questions at issie might bo presented to the court in propei form. This order he has re voked. Squires a False Alarm. Oceanview Ringside, Cal., Bill Squires the mystery from Australia, lasted a portion of a round when Tommy Burns solved the mystery with a succession of right hand blows to the jaw and tho fight was over. The fact that Squires was an un known quantity had lent Interest to the fight aud tho biggest crowd that ever gathered at an outdoor contest assembled just outside San Francisco to witness the contest. , No Per.T.Jts for the Japs. San Francisco, Calif. Tho board of police commissioners Thursday denied the application of five Japa neso for tho privilege of renewing their permits to keep intelligence of fices in this city and refused two Japanese applicants who desired to obtain now permits for the same business, on the ground that the ap plicants were not citizens of the United States. Cannot Exclude Negro Children. Topeka. The supremo court Friday night decided that the city of Wichi ta, by its board of education, in the absence of statutory authority, has no right to oxcludo a child, by reason of its color, from public schools. Railroad Company Fined $15,000. Rochester, N. Y. Tho Now York Central railroad company was fined $15,000 In tho federal court Fri day afternoon for failure to file rates on a shipment of oil for tho Standard Oil company. THE BARI PUT THE MAN IN JAIL. President Wilson of Princeton 8ays Fining of Corporations Is Use less to Cure Evils. Norfolk, Va. Gov. Hughes of Now York, and Wood row Wilson, presi dent of Princeton university, worn tho orators pf the day at tho joint Independence day celebration nnd first annual reunion of the lineal de scendants of tho signers of tho Dec laration of Independence at tho Jamestown exposition Thursday. Tho singing of "Columbia," nnd other patriotic songs by the chorus of children preceded tho nddresses of Gov. Hughes anl Dr. Wilson. Individual accountability for tho acts of corporations, tho arrest and imprisonment of corporation heads Instead of tho fining or dissolution of corporatons themselvi'J is tho romedy for the monopolistic tenden cies nnd the unlawful practice of modern 'industries, urged Dr. Wilson. "One really responsible man in jail," he said, "one renl originator of tho schemes and transactions which aro contrary to the public in terest , legally lodged In the peni tentiary would be worth moro than a thousand corporations mulcted in fines If the firm is to be genuine nnd permanent." What the country needs, Mr. Wil son set forth, Is not government own ership of railroads, etc., but laws that will attack and punish presidents and general managers of railroads for evasions and violations of tho statutes. Stock manlpulatons, ho calls "sheer thefts," and says thoy should bo punished as such. Failuro to do so, In his mind, is like over looking highway robberies. To Compile Catholic Statistics. St. Louis, It was learned that the Rev. John J. Glennon, archbishop of St. Louis, has just been appointed by tho United States census bureau as special agent to co.mpllo complete sta tistics of the Catholic population of the country, estimated at 15,000,000. Archbishop Glennon has appointed Rev. J. J. Tannrath of St. Louis, chief assistant, and haB written to ajl tho bishops In the United States, asking their co-oporaion. Raisuli Makes a Capture. Tangier,. General Sir Henry Mac Lean, commander of t ho sultan's body guard and next to the sultan tho most Influential man In Morocco, has been captured by Ralsull. tho bandit chief. Raisuli has announced that he will hold 'the general a prisoner until tho sultnn grants tho terms which he, Ralsull, demands for his own pardon and MacLean's release. Are StIIV Officers. Denver, Colo. Charles H. Moy er was retained as president and William D. Haywood as secretary treasurer of tho Western federation of Miners b the federation conven tion Tuesday although they aro Im prisoned In Idaho on the chnrgo or complicity in tho murder of Format Governor Frank Steunenberg. War on the "Warpath." Norfolk, Virginia. A riot oc curred Wednesday night at tho Jamostown exposition, following an attempt of 500 members of the South Carolina and Kentucky regiments to take chnrgo of tho "Warpath," which attempt tho Powhattan guards re sisted. Several wore injured. Broke World's Hnm;r-ir Record. Now York. John Flannagan broke tho world's 16-pound ham mer record from a nine foot circlo at tho Irish Counties Athletic Union games Thursday. He threw 173 feet four Jnches. THEY HAVE SERVED JOHN D. Officers Finally Located OilMagnata at Pittsfield, Mass. Must Appear in Federal Court at Chl cago and Tell Judge Landls About Standard Oil. Pittsfield, Mass". After a search lasting nearly two weeks, in which representatives of tho United States marshals of Chicago, Clovoland Now York and Boston havo been on deavorlng to servo upon John D. Rock efeller, head of tho Standard Oil company, a subpoona issued by Judge Landls of the federal court of Chica go. Mr. Rockefeller was located In this city Wednesday and personal sorvlco made upon him by doputy United States Marshal Charles L. Frlnk of North Adams. Early In tho day, Doputy Marshnls Frlnk and James Ruhl, tho latter of Boston office, vlBlted Taconlc farm, but E. Parmaleo Prentico told them that his fathor-ln-lnw was not thoro. Tho officers professed to be satisfied with tho Btatomont and departed, re marking that thoy had no search war rant which would permit them to go through the houBo. Doputy Ruhl boarded tlvq train for Boston nnd Doputy Frlnk wont to Mb homo In North Adams, about 25 miles from thlH city. Later Deputy Frlnk decided to pay another visit to the farm and ho returned to Plttsflold and secretly drovo put thoro In tho afternoon. He proceeded through v tho wooded drlvoway into tho open space in front of tho houso and roc ognlzed Mr, Rockefeller Bitting on tho piazza. Tho deputy passed tho BUbpoonn to tho oil man explaining at tho samo time that Mr. Rockefel ler's prcsenco In tho federal court at Chicago on July 6 was needed. Railroad Demurrers Denied. Jefferson City, Mo. Tho bu preme court In Banc denied tho de murrer of tho Missouri Pacific rail road to the oustur suit instituted by Attorney General Hndloy to dissolve tho alleged merger of tho Missouri Pacific, Wabash and other Gould In terests in Missouri. Tho railroads will bo given time to file an answer to tho suit but this will not bo dono until tho October term of court. Holmes Jury Disagreed. Washington, D. C. After being out for almost 20 hours, tho Jury in tho trial of Former Associate Statis tician E. S. HolmcB, Jr., of tho depart ment of agriculture, on the chargo of conspiring to dofraud tho govern ment by giving out the department's crop information Wednesday at 4:45 p. m., reported a disagreement. Bonapart Wants Information. San Francisco. United States Attornoy Devlin hns received a lotter from Attorney General Bonaparte,, asking him to mnko an Investigation and report immediately upon tho no tion of tho San Francisco wfflcfcilB In refusing to grant licenses to employ ment agencies conducted by Japan ese. Fleet Movement Is Wise. London, Eng. The transfor of the American fleet to the Pacific is a mat ter of great interest to tho BrltiBh press. The Post In an editorial article says It regards this movo as a most natural and intelligible outcome of the now position of the United States as a world power, the only wonder being that this decision was not sooner. Shot While Raiding a Joint. Oklahoma City, Okla. J. R. Maddox, a deputy United States man Bhal, was Bhot and klllod and Dr. R. A. Saupper, another officer was probably fatally wounded when they raided a "joint" near Porum Friday. James Titsworth, proprietor of tho place Is under arrest. The Missing Bank Teller Captured. New York. Chester B. Run yan, the missing teller of tho Wind sor Trust company, who disappeared with about $90,000 of tho company's funds sovoral days ago, was arrested in this city Friday. Runyan carried 164,000 when arrested. Sane Fourth at San Francisco. San Francisco. The Fourth was quietly celebrated in this city. Fire crackers and fireworks wore barred, but tho parks and the pleasure grounds were thronged and music and athletic sports furnished enter talnmont to thousands. Miners Work Eight Hours In France. Paris, France Tho bill fixing Hie maximum time for labor In the mlne3 at eight hours per day was passed Friday by the chambor of doputlos. German Banker Arrested. Berlin, Germany Horr Knorr, n bankor of Anklam, Pomeianla, has boon arrested on tho chargo of emboa zllng ?100,000.