•uMommoM, •i.m mm annum.
d. h. ei
;€ VOLUME XVIII. ; " , O’NEILL, HOLT COUNTY, NEBRASKA, OCTOBER 21. 1897.
NUMBER 16.
.ms sans mm
Items of Interest Told As They Are
Told to Us.
WHEN AND HOW IT HAPPENED
Lasol Happenings Portrayed Tar General
Hdifleation and Aaisrant,
Bail ties and wire always on hand at
Neil Brennan's. v 10-tf
Attorneys Searl and Scott was down
from Atkinson Wednesday.
Eon Rest—Hoese of six rooms, rent
reasonable. Enquire of Mr. Doyle. lOtf
Mr. Luce has moved into town and
now occupies the Swingley residence on
Jigid hill.” _
Use H knd G remedy for black leg.
s a preventative it has no equal. Sold
Hersbiser & Gilligan. 15 tf
Patrick Gaghan was a caller last Fri
day and left a couple of gold standard
dollars on subscription.
Mrs. J. J. King, and daughter May,
went down to Ewing yesterday for a
few days visit with friends.
For teeth or photos, go to Dr. Cor
bett's parlors, 38rd to 80th of each
month. Photographs tl per dozen.
Herman Damero and Mary Lamphier,
of Phoenix, were granted a marriage
license last Friday by Judge McCutchan.
Do not let the black leg into your
herd. Prevent it by using H and G.
Sold by Hershiser & Gilligan. 15-tf
It would be a good idea if some of the
lady bicycle riders would be a little
more careful when they are out riding.
One of them ran into M. M. Sullivan
last evening, burising him quite severely.
>
Everyone desires to keep informed on
Yukon, the Klondyke end Alaskan gold
fiields. Send 10c. for large Compendium
of vast information and big color map to
Hamilton Pub. Co , Indianapolis, Ind.
The ladies of the Presbyterian church
will meet with Mrs. Dobbs next Wed
nesday, October 27, at 2 o’clock p. m. to
remfganisw the working society, elect
oWcers and transact what other business
^nay come up. All members are
requested to be present. Sue.
Last week we received a letter from
Roscoe Coughlin, who is still in Wash
ington, D. C. Roscoe has secured a
position in the government printing
office and says he is doing well. He sent
bis regards to all the boys and said he
would come out and see them all next
year.
. The morning of the populist conven
tion a delegate from the western part of
the county, who was being solicited to
vote against Stewart in the convention,
said, ‘‘No, I can’t vote against Stewart
■jt in the convention, for I have received
% (10, a keg of beer and my ticket down
* here to O’Neill today, but when it comes
to voting at the election I can vote as I
. please.” And that is just the way Mr.
Stewait has conducted his whole cam
paign—with money and booze
Soap will not remove tan nor freckles.
Bathe the face In warm water, and dry
very carefully with a soft towel. Do
I not use soap on the face unless absolute*
rvJy necessar/. Never use face powder of
"any sort, it spoils the skin by closing
the pores. If your child suffers from
sunburn moisten the face at night with
cucumber juice; cut a cumber length
wise and rub it on the face, allowing
the juice to remain until it dries off; or
use a mild solution of baking soda.—
Mrs. S. T. Rorer in October Ladies’
Home Journal.
The bioard Af supervisors were in
session last week. A petition praying
for the establishment pf a poor farm
V was presented and the board decided to
W submit the proposition for such estab
lishment to the voters of Holt county at
the general election to be held Novem
t ber 2, 1892. On October 12 the entire
Vy board went to Butte, Boyd county,
where they met with the Boyd county
board and opened bills for the building
of a bridge at Badger, Holt county,
across the Niobrara. The contract whs
1st to W. C. Townsend, of this county.
He receives $999 for the new work and
$759 12 for repair work. . The members
of the board returned home Friday and
on Saturday they adjourned to meet
December 1, 1897.
CAHD OF THANKS.
The members of the O'Neill Are
department hereby extend their sincere
^thanks to the orchestra for their ser
^T^ices in playing for the firemen’s dance,
Jr to the rink management for the use of
the rink, and to W. T. Evans for getting
up the supper; also to the business men
who have subscribed so liberally toward
__the repair fund.
THE HEW BAJXOT.
Omaha Bee—The blanket ballot,
which baa been in use for aome yeara
in Iowa and other atatea, but which
haa never before been placed before the
votera of Nebraska, will be a novel
feature of the coining election. The
amendment to the election law, which
provides for thia form of ballot, was
passed by the last legislature. It waa
urged aa a means of almpliilng voting,
and it was asserted that it would not
only be a material assistance to the Ill
iterate voter, but would also make it
possible for voters to occupy less time
in the booths for the reason that
they could vote the entire ticket with a
single cross if they were so disposed.
While the merits of the new plan can
can be more accurately estimated after
it has received b practical test, it is
certain that, like any novelty, it must
be throughly understood by the voters
before they can use it satisfactorily.
The scheme involves some radical
changes from the old system, and It is
scarcely likely that they are entirely
familar to the mass of the voters..
During the remainder of the campaign
an effort will be made by the speakers
of all the political parties to familarise
the voters with the new ballot. County
Clerk Bedfleld has agreed that as soon
as the ballots are received from the
secretary of state be will have several
hundred sample .ballots printed and
destributed among the various campaign
committees, to be used in practical
object lessons by their speakers.
The ballots that will be used in the
election will be of white paper, as under
the old law, and will contain the names
of all the candidates of the various
parties for state and county offices. As
there are no presidential electors and
and only three stale officers to go on the
ballots this fall, they will be of moderate
size as compared with the huge sheets
that would be required in an election
like that of last fall. Each ballot will
be six colums wide, the colums contain
ing respectfully the names of republican,
democratic, populist, national demo
cratic, silver republican and petition
candidates. The candidates for supreme
judge and regents will head the tickets,
and county officers will follow.
*r. The Nebraska Iatr differs from tint of
Pennsylvania and otheretatee in which
the blanket ballot is used in the respect
that a voter may mark a cross in the
circle at the top of one party ticket
and still vote for candidates on other
tickets. If, for instance, he wishes to
vote the republican ticket with the
exception of one or more candidates, he
will mark bis vote for the straight ticket
in the circle at the top and then place a
cross opposite the names of the candi
dates on the other tickets for whom he
wishes to vote. The judges will then
record his vote for the republican ticket
with the exception of those candidates
on other tickets for whom a vote is in
dicated.
The law further provides that every
precaution shall be taken to prevent
confusion on the part of the voter.
Each of the columns containing a list
of party candidates must be separated
from the others by a distinct black line.
The names of the candidates must be
printed in capital letters from one
eighth to one-fourth of an inch in
height and a printed square in which
to record a vote if the voter so desires
must be left at the right of each candi
dates name. At the right of the printed
lists of candidates there must be a blank
space large enough to admit of a name
being written in for each office that is to
be filled.
The official ballott must be printed
and in possession of the county or muni
cipal clerk at least five days before the
election, and the red or green sample
ballots must be printed and ready for
inspection at least ten days before the
election.
Joseph Schwartz, of Spencer, Boyd
county, was In this city last Friday
with two loads of hogs. He left for
home Saturday morning and after they
got across the bridge at Whiting’s, he
sent his little girl, who was with him
driving one team, on home, about two
miles northeast of Spencer, while he
went into town to get a carpenter to go
out and do some work on hts place.
While in town he succumbed to the
seductive Influence of the fluid that
robs man of his wisdom. He left
Spencer for his home after dark Satur
day evening, but never reached home.
He was found Sunday at noon in one of
the canyons about a mile and a half
from town, with the wagon upset and
lying on his chest.' He was so badly
injured that he died about two hours
afterward. It seems that be got lost
and in wandering over the gulches the
team upset the wagon, throwing him
out and the wagon falling on him. He
leaves a wire and nine children, ail
girls.
WOLFE ANDJIS DEALS
The Pop Land Commiuioaer'e Bui*
«
ness,. Methods.
RAILROAD PASSES HIS HOBBY
Several Thousand Dollan Lost by the Mate
Through His Management.
Lincoln, Neb., October 19,1897.
And now a word about Land Com
missioner Wolfe and his land manipu
lations. He was the populist candidate
for state treasurer in 1890. In that
campaign he made a vigorous protest
against the free pass system. He said a
pass was a bribe, and that no state
official could ride upon free transporta
tion and at the same time do Justice be
tween the people and the corporations.
He was a candidate for a state office
again in 1899, and he again canvassed
the state with the same old anti-pass
doctrine which he had talked two years
I before. In 1898 he was again a candi
date for a state office, making the same
anti-pass speeches, and whs elected.
The first official act of Land Conjmls
sioner Wolfe was to load himself with
all the annual passes be could procure
for himself, and from the dar that his
official administration began up to the
present time he has been a medium
through which free passes have been ex
torted from the railroads and distributed
to the populists without limit. Mr.
Wolfe it a farmer, and as a candidate on
the ticket of the farmers’ party he made
special promises as to what he would do
if he ever became a member of the state
board of transportation. He would re
duce the rates. That was right in his
line. In his speeches he used to read
on tong BiMBDieats oi UDDinva ngures
proving the Injustice or the prevailing
rates, and he would regulate all these
things. Now it transpires that Fanner
Wolfe was no more sincere in his
pledges to the farmer voters of the
farmers’ party than were the other poli
ticians. Since he has been in office he
has betrayed his party upon every vital
point. But the land commissioner, with
reformers, while betraying his party
upon the reforms whicn he promised, in
order to cover up his betrayals and keep
his name favorably before the people,
procured a law to be passed by the last
legislature which gave him power to
cancel the contracts between the state
and its thousands of tenants, who had
leased the school lands with a view to
improvement and subsequent purchase,
which was their right under the old law.
The public familiar with the grandstand
play which Commissioner Wolfe has
made to this state in the last few months
In handling these public lands. Wolfe,
though a farmer by profession, is a
shrewd advertiser. When he had pro
cured this law, and got ready to make
his reform flourishes, he called in the
newspaper reporters and gave them a
glowing outline of his plans. For weeks,
through these these public interviews he
kept himself in the public eye, pretend
ing that he was saving a great de al of
money to the state, and was rendering
the farming community valuable servi
ces. And now that Ur. Wolfe has bad
his inning and his advertising through
the press it is only fair to enquire Just
what has been its effect upon the public
pocket and upon the farming community
which is interested in the school lands.
To understand the situation as it was
when Land Commissioner Wolfe com
menced his reform at the beginning of
the year, we should bear in mind that
from 1890 to the present year, the occu
pants of school lands as tenants under
the state were no more able, by reason
of drouths and hard times, to pay their
annual rentals to the state than were
other tenant farmers able to pay their
rental!. Daring tbeie yean of abort
crops and low prices these tenants were
unable to pay, and it was the duty of the
state to nurse them along and keep them
on the land uutil such ttme as they
would be able to pay. This was the
policy under republican administration,
for republicans understood that It would
be disastrous to crowd these tenants
when they bad no money end there
could be nothing gained by removing
j them from the lands and driving them
from the state. The land could not
have been re-leased. There was no
demand for land. Now, there accumu
lated during these years an indebtedness
of $460,000. How to collect this in
debtedness was the problem which
should have been in the miud of Com
missioner Wolfe when he entered upon
his office. However, under this new
law, he cancels and throws away this
9460,000 without any attempt to collect
it This $460,000 is a total loss. With
a flourish of trumpets and much news
paper advertising the land commisoner
has succeeded in collecting $5,800 as
payments on new leasee, with IS.SOOi aa
bonuses. He haa thrown away <460,000,
a large part of which could - have been
collected, and in lieu thereof has collect
ed 610,800 on new leases. He cancela
the leases on 766,789 acres, throws away
9460,000 due the school fund of the
state, collects in'lieu of this 610,800, and
calls this business. Had one man in
forty paid up his back rent on this
school land, the ammount would hare
equaled all the bonus money. Had 80
per cent of the old leaseholders retained
their farms and paid regular rent in the
future the amount would over balance
which will be received on the new leasee.
"This reform land commissioner seems to
have teen.pbout.as costly an experiment
as the reform governor’s approval of
Bartley's worthless bond. But from an
examination of the records at the state
house it seems that the majority of the
new leasts were secured by the old
leaseholders. These school-land tenant
farmers seem to have been about aa
cunning In a land deal as the reform
land commissioner is in his reform
politics. .Each one of them had a
friendly neighbor to bid in the land and
then transfer the lease to him. Does
the farmer who haa a tenant in ataeara
for rental cancel the old lease, forgive
the old debt, and then re-lease the land
p> the tame party? Or does he not
rather held the tenant to the old con
ract and then as fast as possible collects
the old rent money? Bear in mind the
land commisoner has represented
through his advertising in the press that
he has saved money to the state. It is
his business to collect the money due
the state, not to cancel the debt. It was
by means of this double-shuffle act that
J. H. Xdmisten, chairman of the popu
list state committee, flimflamed the state
out of four and one-half years’ rent on
some land in Dawson county and still
holds the land. Commisoner Wolfe
calls this reform. Mr. Edmisten,
parading himself at the populist head
quarters nowadays Instead of attending
10 nia Business at the state Houle, ii lull
of eulogies for LandCommlsoner Wolfe,
and he i« sending out literature under
state house postage urging the taxpayers
to rally once more for reform. In hund
reds of cases under this auction scheme
.Inaugurated by “Uncle Jake” new leases
Sn wulf "improved farms went ’without
bidders, and on the books the land is
still marked vacant. It means that the
man who occupied a farm like this
had such standing in his community
that no one cared to bid on his lease,
and by tacit consent he is allowed to
hold on without lease or title of any
sort except occupancy. He has candled
the leases on nearly 800,000 acres and
released 80,000 acres. For each ten
acres candled he has released one.
Well informed men In the western part
of the state say that at least 8800,000 of
this 8400,000 back rent could have been
collected this summer. Archard, one of
the pop county treasury examine's
under the state auditor, not satisfied
with the |8,000 per annum which he
gets from his office, connived with the
land commissioner and got three im
proved farms in York county away
from the men who had improved them
and expected to purchase under the old
contract. Th» effect of all this school
land reform is to lose to the state at
least 8800,000 which could have been
collected this year, and to put every
man in jeopardy who had improved and
expected to buy bis home. There’s
more of this to come out later. When
it is all told "Uncle Jake" will have all
he wants to do explaining himself with
out capturing the state university for
bis son. Letters are coming from all
over the state asking the governor to
clear himself of the Ransom charges and
to require a new bond from Treasurer
Meserve. J. W. Jomraost.
BITBAY HOTICX.
Strayed, from my place at Rochester,
Boyd county, about August 18, 1897, the
following described horses: One gray,
three years old; one gray, two years old;
one black, one year old; and one light
bay, one year old. A liberal reward
will be given for information leading to
their recovery. '4 H. C. Bakbh,
Rochester, Neb.
Hatfield & Hall
Rare moved their reatuarnt into the
Dwyer building, second door south of
the postoffllce. where they will be
pleased to meet all their old customers
and a lot ot new ones, They will serve
up oysters in any style desired, and
their dining parlors are the best in the
city. 15-8
Small precautions often prevent great
mischiefs. DeWitt’s Little Early Risers
are very small pills in size, but are most
effective in preventing the most serious
forms of liver and stomach troublee.
They cure constipation and headache
and regulate the bowels.
Hbbshisib & Gilligan.
CROSS SAYSJT'S FALSE
Dickerson Auiated in Hnntinf Down
tho Guilty Partial.
AN HONEST AND UPBIOHT MAN
Nr. Croat is a ropulist lulls Opposed to Tfca
, Populist Method of Slandering Oppoatnu.
The oattla man of the county are
being throughly arouaed orer ahe effort*
of the cattle thieve* to elect Bill Dick
arson sheriff. Men are learning of the
dose relation that existed between John
Panton, Jim Perry, Bill Dlokerson, and
Dell Aiken. They know that Dickerson
is part of the gang, and for that reason
they do not intend to have such a man
for sheriff, when they know that hi*
election would mean a return of the
cattle thieving, hog thieving and harne**
thieving of the past. The people *ee
the sneak thieves and eattle thieves legg
ing for Dickerson and they propose to
cut off their little game in the bud.
With the experience of the past we can
not afford to have the cattle thieve*
candidate bold the important office of
sheriff.—Independent.
What a malicious man McHugh 1st
For the past two weeks he ha* been
trying to make Bill Dickerson out a
cattle thief. Ha* accused him of being
tangled up with John Fanton in the
Cross cattle stealing cue. Hu said
that Dickerson aided Fanton to get
away, and then helped to delay and mis
lead the officer* in their search after
him. When McHugh wrote the above
he did not expect anyone who knew
Dickerson would believe it. but it wag
written solely with the hope that It
would find a few believers in parts of
the county where Dickerson is unknown.
However, read what M. F. Crow, the
complainant against John Fanton, hu
to say in the following affidavit and
then judge for yourself how okuch
truth there is in the charges made by
the prevaricating defender of the woman
and child beater. It location (under
ground) is a fitting place plaoe for such
a sheet to eminate from:
State of Nebraska,
Holt county.
I, M. F. Cron, being lint duly sworn,
depose and say, that I was tbs com
¥ liaising witness and filed the complaint
n the State of Nebraska against John
Fan ton, et al, and assisted in hunting
down and prosecuting the parties who
stole our cattle (the Cross cattle) and I
am and was intimately connected with
the prosecution of said thieves, and
knew the inside workings of said case,
and was famaliar with the facta in said
case, and wish to say at this time that
William Dickerson, the present candi,
date for sheriff on the republican ticket
was in no way suspicioned of having
anything to do with said cattle th<eves,
at that or any other time, but on the
contrary assisted us and the officers in
every way he possibly could to hunt
down the thieves and see that they were
punished, and has rendered vsiluable
assistance and advise in the above case
to break up cattle stealing and other
thieving in Holt county. I have known
him for twenty years, and during all
that period I have known him to be an
honest, upright, respectable and law
abiding citizen. I make this statement
under oath in justice to Mr. Dickerson,
having seen an article which was pub
lished in last week’s issue of the Holt
County Independent reflecting seriously
on Mr. Dickerson, charging him with
connection with cattle stealing and
which charge I believe to be absolutely
false in every particular and without
any foundation whatever.' I am a pop
ulist but believe in justice to all candi
dates who may be running for office in
Holt county. M. F. Cross,
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 16th day of October, 1897.
J. Bluer Allison,
[y commission expires Feb. 2,1899.
Notary Public.
xon Floor.
Ptatb of Nkbbaska,
Holt county.
I, James McKathnie, being first duly
■worn, on oath depose and say that I am
a student in the Atkinson public schools,
that I am fifteen years of age, that my
home is with my father, Benjamin
McKathnie, who lives about eighteen
miles north of Atkinson, and that since
the 6th of September, 1897,1 have been
batching in Atkinson and attending
school, and that one night in the
month of September I had a boyish
altercation with Johnnie Stewart, son of
John M. Stewart of this place; while
the trouble was brewing John M.
Stewart, his father, came up to us, sent
his boy home and questioned me as to
what the trouble was, while I was trying
to tell him he became very angry and
very hard in the face with his fist
knocking me off of the sidewalk.
Further affiant sayeth not.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 16th day of October, 1897.
U . ALMin AliLlBVn,
[seal] Notary Public.
My commission expires Feb. 9,1899.
STXWABT AT HOU.
That John M. Stewart is not a fit man
to occupy the high position of sheriff of
Holt county many of the leading popu
lists admit and that his nomination was
dictated by the ring they don’t deny.
The court-house syndicate, who controlls
the editorial mutterings of the Indepen
i dent, realize that Stewart has no pos
called me a ■—of-a-b-, struck me
JAMB8 McKaTHHI*.
J. Elmer Allison,
■ible show of being elected, end that
they can not refute the charges this,
paper hai brought against him, but they
try to excuse him by saying he was not
to blame. In order to show the people
the kind of a man this "gang" want to
force upon them we publish the follow
log, which Is the third danse set op by
his wife, Delia M. Stewart, In her appli
cation for divorce, now pending in the
district court. This is an exact copy of
the original now on Hie in the office of
the clerk of the district court Bead It
carefully, dear reader, and you will
believe, as we do, that he Is not fit foe
this position, nor worthy the support of
the people:
SncnoH 8. The plaintiff further rep
resents that on or about the 18th day of
January, 1888, the defendant regardless
of his duties as a husband was guilty of
extreme crudty toward the plaintiff
without any just cause or provocation
on her part; that on said data defend*
ant whipped plaintiff with a hone whip.
Struck her with said hone whip re
peatedly and also struck plafatUfwtth
his fist and knocked plaintiff down, at
the same time cunlng her and aatag
foul, profane, indecent, cruel end
abusive language toward plaintiff and
that about 10 o’olock p. m. on the 10th
day of December, 1886, defendant
cursed plaintiff and used foul and pro
fane language toward plaintiff; struck
plaintiff with his fist, pushed her out of
her own house in Atkinson, Neb., shot
the door and locked It on plaintiff when
she was sick, and she was obliged to
take refuge from the winter weather In
the home of a neighbor, and did not see
her children for several days and weeks
thereafter. -
nainnu inrun mw un aunng
nanny yean past, and often and on
diyen days and dates which plaintiff
cannot now «pacifically name, it has
been a common occnraaee for defend*
ant to come home drank and act toward
plaintiff in a shameful, abusive and vlo*
lent manner, and has npeatedly daring
the laet two yean placed plaintiff and
her children In gnat fear for their per
sonal aafty by reason of hla wilfut
malicious, unreasonable and uniawfu
actions, and plaintiff states that aha is
now constantly in fear of defendant and
is afraid for the personal safty of Aar
self and childnn, aodtherafon asks the
court to grant a temporary order Imat*
dlately against the defendant, prohibit*
ing him from Interfering with plaintiff
or her childnn or plaintiff's home or
property or effects, or in any way or
manner meddling with plaintiff or
her childnn until the further order
of the court; and also asks thatths
court grant a_ restraining order against
defendant, prohibiting him from dis»
posing or transfer!ng his property
except In the ordinary course of bust
ness until the further order of the court
THX VAIS.
Following is a complete list of thsi'
articles donated for the Catholic fair and
the names of thoSe contributing. The
fair commences Tuesday evening and
an interesting literary program has boon
prepared for each evening and those
who attend will be well entertained:
Gold watch—N. Brennan.
Lap robe—John Mann. . y|
Bilk bed spread—J. P. Mann.
Water pitcher—Mn. Mail Brennan.
Card receiver—B. H. Hall, Chicago, by
Neil Brennan.
Hat—Mn. N. Martin.
Hat—Mrs. Roberta.
Cow—Michael Gallagher, Inman.
Cow—William Hart Inman.
Hat—Mn. Nichols.
Pair of curtains—Mn. P. C. Corrigan.
Rocking chair—Bridget Cooks.
Pair of shoes—F. C. Kirkendall, Omaha
by P. J. McManus.
Silver tea pot—Mn. B. B. Howard.
Pair of lambs—Peter Donahos.
Pig—B. J. Donahoe.
Crazy quilt—Young Ladies.
Cow— D. J. Cronin.
Pig—Mn. Cleary.
Pig—Sid Graham, jr.
Bed—Mn. J. J. McCaffery.
Cow—James Ryan.
Oliver tea aet—Knapp, Spaulding ft
Co., Sioux City, by N. Brennan.
Silver butter dish—E. Whitfield, by
Neil Brennan.
Silver fruit dish—1.* Whitfield, by
Neil Brennan.
Chest of tea—Tolerton ft Stetson Co.,
Sioux City, by M. M. Sullivan.
Suit of clothes—M. M. Sullivan.
Painting—R. Scott, Chicago, by P. J.
McUanua.
Cow—Dan Gallagher, Inman.
Yearling steer—Peter Ryan, Inman.
Fifty pounds of flour—Con Keyes.
One hundred pounds of flour—Steve
McGinnis.
Cow—John Donlin.
Berry dish Richardson Drog Co.,
Omshs.
Bottle of perfume—£. E. Bruce,
Omaha.
Vase—P. C. Corrigan.
Mershaum pipe—Dr. Benedict, Cleve
land, Ohio. , •
Sheep—Thomas Walder.
Mower—O, F. Biglin.
Rocking chair—Murphy Wssey Co.,
Omaha, by J. J. McCafferty.
Copper boiler—Western Tinware Co.,
by J. J. McCafferty.
Set of silver knives and forks—Baker
Hardware Co., by J. J. McCafferty::"
Continued on eighth page.
