THE O’NEILL FRONTIER
D. H. CRONIN. Publisher.
yNEILL, NEBRASKA
NL".. .:
"It Is a great mistake to conclude
that it is a law of nature that recent
■animals are all small and Insignificant
as compared with their representatives
'In the past," says a scientist. "That is
dimply not true. Recent horses are
'bigger than extinct ones, and much
bigger than the three-toed and four
toed ancestors of horses. Recent ele
phants are as big as any that have
existed, and much bigger than their
early elephantine ancestors. There
never has been any creature of any;
kind—mammal, reptile, bird or fish—i
in any geological period we know of
so big as some of the existing whales."j
A correspondent of Richard Boll, thej
naturalist, gives the following Informs-,
■tion about one of bis favorite sped-;
.mens: "The South American boas aro
most easily tamed. My present boaj
•which I have had about two years, ln-i
variably sleeps In by bed, round my
feet. He is perfectly clean, lies still!
■and very seldom disturbs me; occa-l
slonally he crawls to my face to lick,
it. I frequently take the python to
bed, but at present she Is timid and if
she cannot find my feet in the night
becomes scared and walks out of bed.
■curling herself on the floor. The evil
result is that she becomes cold.”
Several years ago the government
made a count of the lepers In the Unit
ed States (mainland) and found 278.
(About twenty cases have slneo devel
oped. These lepers are scattered
through twenty-ono states and terri
tories, but the states of Louisiana, Cal
ifornia, Florida, Minnesota and North,
Dakota have all but forty-eight of|
them. In Louisiana there are 156!
cases. California and Florida each;
have twenty-four cases. In Minnesota
there are twenty and in North Dakota
sixteen.
Dr. Plehn, a speaker at the recent
German colonial conference, attribute®
the brutal excesses of certain German [
and Belgian officials when set to gov- [
em black men to “tropencholer,” or,
tropical frenzy. An official with trop
ical frenzy, says Dr. Plehn, Is not re
sponsible for his actions, however !
criminal they may be. Tho disease !
gets hold of him like creeping paruly- j
sis, an affliction with which it lias
much in common.
A writer who lias been investigating
the old subject of superstition among;
burglars gives it as his conclusion that
no burglar will “crack” a house wliero;
a female servant that squints is kept.
If a burglar sees three different horses
slip down in a day he will not work:
that night. One Englishman in the,
dock confessed that members of hi®
profession would never "burgle” houses
with the numbers 22, 93, 111 and 444.
A Jewish newspaper tells the story of
a rabbi who expounded and Interpreted!
the Jewish law to the faithful observers!
for a stipend which a Junior clerk:
Would scorn. The learned man was,
asked by a friend how lie was getting;
on. “Slowly,” he answered with a sigh.,
"If it were not for the numerous fasts;
which our religion prescribes, I am!
sure my family would die of starva
tion.’’
Within a few weeks a son of Keshub
Chunder Sen-, the famous organizer of
the Brahmo Sornaj of India, has mar
ried the widowed daughter of a rajah.
That Is an extraordinary rebellion,
against an ancient rule in India, and!
the beginning of a domestic revolution!
which has the support of many ad-,
tranced Hindoos who do not themselves
dare to more than speak in Its favor.
At an exhibition of “empire grown”1
cotton In Manchester, it was officially'
staled that during this year 4,000 bales,
of cotton had been received from the
West Indies, over 3,000 bales from west!
Africa and over 500 bales from east,
Africa. It was believed the quantity
would be doubled before the end of the
year.
Richard Bell in his new book, "My
Btrange Pets,” tells of the solan geese,
which, in Great Britain, in bygone
days, used to be salted and dried for
human food; “Many years ago these
dried geese found their way to the low
lands of Scotland and were used as an
appetizer."
Louis Aston Knight, son of the well|
known American artist, Rid way
Knight, and himself an artist of re
markable power and originality, lias
sailed from Paris for his first visit to,
this country. He brings with him a
number of pictures for exhibition.
At Sangong, China, is the Lion
bridge, the longest bridge In the world.
It extends five and a quarter miles over
an arm of the Yellow sea and it is sup
ported by 300 huge stone arches. The
roadway is seven feet above the water
and ig inclosed in an iron network.
On a seismograph at Simla, India,
presented to the meterological depart
ment by Professor Qrmorl. the Japan
ese earthquake expert, the shock caused
by the blowing up of the steamship
Chatham in the Suez canal, 2,500 miles
away, was recorded.
Mrs. Newman K. Perry, of Pittsfield,
Mass., wife of Lieutenant Perry, who
was killed by the blowing up of the
Bennington in San IMego harbor last
summer, says she will devote the re
mainder of her life to nursing sick
sailors and soldiers.
The Nelson centennial has called at
tention to the age of Nelson's captains
at Trafalgar. It averaged not quite
forty. Nelsqn's flag captain was 36.
One of the commanders was only 20.
The commander of one of the finest
battleships was 31.
Roman Catholics flocked to Westmin
ster Abbey recently to visit the shrine
of Edward the Confessor, who was
canonized on October 13, 11«3. All day
long pilgrims were kneeling at the rail
which surrounds the tomb, and offer
ing up prayers.
General Stoessei is about to be sued
for libel by M. E. K. Nozhin, war cor
respondent of the Novk Krai, the fa
mous newspaper printed at Port Arthur
during the siege, the offense consisting
In General Stoessel's description of M.
Nohzin as a spy.
The prince ox Wales has sent strict
order.-- to India regarding the careful
observance of {Sunday during the royal
tour. When the prince and princess
•.re traveling on that day their train
will be stopped during the time of di
vine service.
In color the squirrel fish is a brilliant
red which makes it a conspicuous in
babkant of the sea as it darts here and
there with quick, alert movements. The
body of the squirrel ftsh shows a few
•tripes and i* well covered with sharp
Spines.
John Paul, steward of a political dub
in New York, ha* the rare ei inti i -tiar. of
being a grandfather and g».,qq -o at
the same time. Ht* baby grafted u ti
ter ha* Ju«t been born, and bis r o
mother is living at the use of 0! *
HIS NECK IS G KEN
BUT HE SI LIVES
Peculiar Accident Befalls a
Farmer Who Lies in an
Omaha Hospital.
SAID HE WILL RECOVER
Condition of the Patient Is Improving
and Physicians Hold Out Hopes
That Man May Ultimately
Return Home in Health.
Omaha, Neb., Nov. 22.—Lying in a
"hospital, bound hand and foot by
paralysis, John Herzog la one of the
few men who have survived with a
broken neck. Nearly four months have
now passed since the accident which
'brought his to the hospital and a turn
has now come in his condition which
promises ultimate recovery. It has set
tled simply Into a matter of waiting
for the nervous forces which deserted
htin at the time of the accident to re
iturn.
Herzog la 20 years of age, built for
strength and full of vitality. He had a
little farm near Atwood, Kan., where
he lived and worked alone. Late one
afternoon last July he was working
on a haystack when a slip caused him
to lose his balance and fall head first
fifteen feet to the ground. He struck
on his head, with the resnlt of a dislo
cation and fracture of the spinal col
umn just at the base of the neck, fie
managed to get to the house with the
aid of the man who was helping him.
He lay there alone all night while the
other man rode to Atwood for a doctor.
The doctor arrived early in the morn
ing and took in the man's serious con
dition at once.
It Is probably due to the services ren
dered by Dr. Mclrwin, the Atwood phy
sician, at that time that Herzog’s life
was spared to be slowly coaxed back
to health In an Omaha hospital.
The dislocation was reduced by Dr.
Mclrwin and the splintered bones of
the spinal column set in place. After
three or four days Herzog lost com
pletely the power of motion. A paral
ysis affecting the motor nerves of the
entire body fell upon him. He did not
lose the use of the vocal organs.
After lying helpless for a month on
his farm Herzog was sent to Omaha,
August 23, a neighbor of his having
passed through a siege of illness and
pictured the advantages of such a place
for a man In his condition.
He began to mend almost impercept
ibly from the time he was brought to
the hospital. He has regained almost
complete use of the left arm and Is able
to wiggle the fingers of his right hand
just the tiniest bit. Cramps In his low
er limbs Indicate the return of the nerve
force which controls the muscles. Oc
casionally he Is able to move a leg
or a foot. The surgical explanation of
his condition Is that with paralysis
comes a degeneration of a certain por
tion of the brain. It is a question now
of regeneration of that portion and the
outward manifestations indicate that
this is taking place.
In spite of a sudden tumble from
great strength to absolute powrerless
ness, Herzog takes his enforced con
finement with philosophic cheerfulness
and spendH his (lays reading or con
versing with friends and other patients
in the ward. It will probably be many
weeks before strength so fur returns
as to enable him to leave his bed.
——
PREFERRED DEATH.
Aurora Man Who Attempted to Kill
Wife Commits Suicide.
Aurora, Neb., Nov. 22.—Tobe Dance,
who put three bullets into Lhe body of
his divorced wife in an attempt to mur
der her, completed the tragedy by
shooting and Instantly killing himself.
His hiding place had been surrounded
and he was almost in the hands of
the sheriff and his posse when he took
his own life rather than suffer capture.
After the shooting, which occurred on
a business street of the town, and the
escape of Dance, a posse was imme
diately organized and a search for the
man begun. A systematic hunt was
kept up and he was .discovered hiding
In a strawsttack, and when he was
found he lay dead with two bullet
wounds in his body. One had pierced
the heart and the other had gone
through the top of his head, the muzzle
of the revolver having been placed in
his mouth.
—#—
WAS HIT ON HEAD.
Fragments of Stick Taken from Brain
and He May Recover.
Fremont, Neb., Nov. 21.—James M’llikon
or this city was seriously injured by be
ing struck in the head by u piece of board
while looking after the moving of a house
from North Bend to his farm in Union
township. A brace which helped hold the
building on the truck frame snapped and
a piece of it struck him in the head, frac
turing his skull. He was taken to North
Bend by D. V. Stephens, who happened to
be passing In an automobile, and brought
to Fremont on a local train. Fragments
of the stick and pieces of bone were re
moved from the brain, and unless some
complications sets in he will recover. Lat
er it w.as thought his injuries were fatal
and his son, Harvey Milliken of Omaha,
was sent for. For the last ten years ho
has been extensively engaged the stock
business in Sheridan county, but has lived
in Fremont.
BUYS POISON AND DISAPPEARS.
Old Resident of Long Pine Is Believed
to Have Taken His Life.
Long Pine, Neb., Nov. 21.—Utterly dis
heartened over a little domestic quarrel
John Kurtz, night foreman at the North
western shops and an old resident of this
place, disappeared from home and had in
his possession twenty grains of strychnine
capsules purchased previous to his disap
pearance. With these, it is thought, he
has ere this ended his life.
It is thought the missing man has hid
den himself In some remote place prior
to ending his career. Others believe he
has lost his mind and is aimlessly wan
dering about live country. He U 47 years
old. sober and Industrious and the father
of live children. The Kurtz family is pres
tratcv'l with grief.
SEN. BURTON’S TRIAL BEGINS.
St. Louis. Mo., Nov. 20.—For the sec
ond time within two years. United
States Senator J. Ralph Burton, of
Kansas, was today called upon to de
fend himself in the United States cir
cuit court against an indictment charg
ing lie was offered and accepted com
pensation from the Rialto Grain and
Securities company, now defunct, for
using Mis influence, while a member of
the senate, in beluHf of that concern in
certain matters pending before the
po* JO.T.ye denaruntu): at WcL!?hing;rOD
'GAG GUARD AND
TRY TO ESCAPE
Two Trusties at Nebraska Pen
itentary Cause a Commo
tion for a While.
PLAN, HOWEVER, IS FOILEL
Guard Managed, However, to Fret
Himself of Bonds and Make an
Outcry, Which Brought Im
mediate Aid and Rescue.
Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 18.—According to
•i statement made by Warden Beemer,
of the state penitentiary, two trustees,
William Jones and Fred Smith, made
a desperate attempt to escape from the
prison.
The two men had gagged and bound
Night Keeper J. G. Cooper at the west
end of the west cell house. The men
then began to saw their way through
the bars.
Cooper, however, managed to loosen
his bonds and call for assistance. Other
guards promptly arrived and the men’s
plans were foiled.
The men were decorated with balls
and chains to prevent a repetition of
their proceedings.
James is a colored man, sentenced
from Omaha in 1900 for burglary. Smith
1s a pugilist and is commonly known aj
“Denver Kid.”
-4—
PETRIFIED GOOSE DUG UP.
Queer Discovery Made by Laborers c
the Ashland Cutoff.
Fremont, Neb., Nov. 18.—Sioux City
and Western workmen, digging sand in
|the Platte river south of Fremont for
ruse in ballasting the track of the Sioux
City and Ashland line, unearthed two
tpetrifled objects. one resembling a
jgoose and the other the half hoof of a
ibuffalo. The objects were about six
feet below the sand level of the sand
bar.
Men who have examined l he stones
isay undoubtedly the one shaped like a
half-hoof is the petrified hoof of some
(animal. They agree, also, that there is
>a strong probability of the object being
;a petrified goose, though there is some
question on the point. One man ven
tures the assertion that it a petrified
decoy used by an early hunter, Indian
or white man.
Men who live along the Platte ex
press surprise at the great amount of
stone that is being found in the sand
bars. At a depth of about five feet be
ilow the surface the other day a work
man found a layer of stones varying
from the size of a baseball to that, of
a man’s head.
—♦—
YORK COUNTY WITH PRESIDENT
Commercial Club Adopts Resolutions
and Forwards Them to Senators.
York, Neb., Nov. 17.—The business men
of York are with President Roosevelt in
wanting a special judicial tribunal es
tablished for adjudicating interstate com
merce questions. At last night’s meeting
of the Commercial club of York the fol
lowing committee, Hon. G. W. Post, A.
li. Christian and B. F. Marshall were ap
pointed to draft resolutions to be approved
by the Commercial club, recommending
and endorsing President Roosevelt’s plan,
that a railroad commission he appointed
with authority to regulate railroad tariffs,
enlarging the powers of the interstate
commerce commission to the extent that,
If a complaint is made, that It shall have
the authority to investigate the rate and
if found excessive, to establish a rate
that is just and equitable. There are no
favored shippers in York, and passing of
the resolution was unanimous.
The committee was requested to send
copies of the resolutions to Senators Mill
ard and Burkett and Congressman Hin
shaw with tin; request that they take a
positive stand in favor of President Roose
velt’s policy of supervision and regulation
of the railroads of the United States
through a railroad commission clothed
with authority.
_A_
BOOST FOR PRISON.
Senator Burkett Wants Nebraska Fee
oral Prisoners Sent to Lincoln.
Washington, Nov. 17.—Senator Burkett
made a plea with Attorney General Moody
for lhe assignment of United States pris
oners convicted in Nebraska to the Lin
coln penitentiary instead of having them
sent cither to Sioux Falls or Leavenworth.
Senator Burkett called the attention of
tin' attorney general to the fact that Ne
braska has one of the most up to date
prisons in the country; that the health
statistics showed that Lancaster county
stood among the first in low rate of mor
tality, and he urged the attorney general
to authorize the sending at least of United
States prisoners convicted in Nebraska to
Lincoln. Attorney General Moody was im
pressed with Senator Burkett's presenta
tion and said lie Would send a special of
ficer to the Nebraska penitentiary to re
nort on conditions.
SEVERELY BITTEN BY RATS.
Lad Goes to Sleep in an Empty Bo.
and Is Attacked by Rodents.
. Omaha. Neb., Nov. 16.—Bleeding from
seventeen wounds made by vicious rats
which attacked him while lie slept in an
[empty box, u 12-year-old lad, giving
jthe name of "Nat.” came to police head
quarters for assistance.
The lad was tramping his way west
[from Si Louis and was entirely with
out funds. Crawling into a dry goods
jbox partially filled with rags and pa
jpeis, "Nat” cuddled up for a warm
(sleep.
; But he had invaded the home of sev
eral large rodents who attacked him
(soon after he went to sleep. In the
darkness the boy fought desperately,
but the rats bit him from all sides. He
finally succeeded in crawling from the
box and escaping from the fierce ro
dents.
-*
WOMAN SUFFERED BURNS.
Plattsmouth, Neb., Nov. 16.—Dr. K. D.
Cummins was called called to attend a
patient two miles west of Mynard, and
arriving there found that Mrs. Edgar Bar
ker had been frightfully burned from her
arm pits nearly to her ankles. .Mrs. Bar
ker was rendering lard in a large kettle
In lhe yard when her dress caught fire.
■—♦—
ARM AND HAND TORN OFF.
Northwestern Bridge Inspector Meets
with Terrible Accident.
Creighton, Neb., Nov. 16.—Kobeit
Eckles, a prominent Northwestern
bridge Inspector, of Norfolk, was blown
sixty feet into the air near Creighton
by the explosion of his gasoline veloci
pede.
One arm and hand were torn to pieces
>lld ti e man's clothing was torn to
red". rt .s not yet known whether he
..til re*
1
WILL GIVE UP BABY.
Young Wife Confesses She Wronged
Her Husband When She Forcsd
Him to Marry Her.
Denver, Nov. 22.—“I will give up ray
pa by. I acknowledge I wronged my
husband when I allowed him to marry
me believing that the child I was about
to give birth to was bis. and i will do
all in my power now to make atone
ment for the wrong 1 did him."
This is the statement Mrs. Jay A.
Maynard desires to make public, and
which she herself tries to believe. Mrs.
Maynard clasped her baby to her
breast and sobbed convulsively over
the little golden head as she spoke the
words that would sever them forever.
Before their marriage both young
people liver near Silver Creek. Neb., on
neighboring ranches. It was February
28, 190!>, that Jay A. Maynard married
Lo.ttie Reed to save her from the shame
that was inevitable. Six months later
Mrs. Maynard gave birth to a little girl.
All went happily in the little home.
Maynard believing himself the cause
of his wife's indiscretion and thinking
that all was now screened by their
marriage, until one day the wife con
fessed the secret that she said was kill
ing her. This was that her husband
was not the father of the child, but that
one William Luthers of Silver Creek,
Neb., an earlier lover, was responsible
for its existence.
Husband Leaves in Rage.
A terrible scene followed this confes
sion and resulted in Maynard leaving
bis home and vowing never again to
look on the face of the woman who had
so grossly deceived him.
He returned and told his wife that
if she would send the child away where
neither should ever hear of it again he
would take iter back to his heart and
forgive all. This proposal the young
mother bitterly resented and told her
husband to go; if there must be a
choice she would keep her baby.
Now, through repeated pleadings
from her family and husband, she has
consented to give up her baby.
“Only let me keep her a few days
longer,” she begs, trying to postpone
the misery of having her darling torn
from her bosom. The husband stands
by, inexorable in his wounded pride,
and says over and over; “You have
deceived me. Tears will avail you noth
ing. Clive up this child and I will be
lieve you are sorry.”
A man and wife have been found who
are willing to adopt the fatherless one
and in a few days it will be taken from
the mother.
—»—
KILLED BY MOVING MACHINERY
Body of Young Man Found Dead and
Mangled on Shaft.
Beaver City, Neb., Nov. 22.—The dead
and mangled body of Bari Stearns, an
employe of the Beaver City mills, was
found wound around a shaft of the mill
which is situated a mile west of town.
It is believed he had been dead for fif2
teen minutes when his lifeless body was
discovered by the proprietor of the mill.
The scene of the accident was in the
basement where the line shaft is con
nected with the water power and where
the various belts and pulleys direct the
power to the different departments of
the mill. The unfortunate, man had
gone to this place to put in operation
an auxiliary part of the machinery. In
some way he was entangled in the mov
ing machinery and met an awful deatli
whirling around the rapidly revolving
shaft. The lifeless body was found
, dangling from the shaft, the broken
neck and many bruises indicating that
the body had been subject to much vio
lence. probably after life was extinct.
It is believed the belt which encircled
the dead man’s neck had choked out
life before a cry of alarm could be giv
en. The connection of belts, pulleys
and shafting in that part of the mill 16
not considered at all dangerous. Just
what accident befell the young man is
a mystery.
FREMONT VETS AMONG DUPES.
Locating Agent in Employ of Cattle
men Makes Catspaws Pay Fee.
Fremont, Neb., Nov. 21.—Among the old
soldier declaratory statements canceled by
the United States land office at Grand
Island were about eighteen or twenty
made by residents of this city. They were
procured by a smooth “locating agent,”
himself an oil soldier, who represented to
them that actual removal to the land was
not necessary, that they could dispose of
their relinquishments, have credit for their
length of service and when they proved
up sell out at a good price. They made
their filings in good faith and in ignorance
of the rules of the department. Most of
them paid the agent from $10 to $15 “lo
cating free,” which he claimed was much
less than he usually charged. They are
mostly men of advanced years, in poor
health and of limited means, and not one
made any attempt to complete his filing or
make improvements. They have now
learned to their satisfaction that the agent
was in the employ of a cattle company,
his work being to secure soldiers’ declara
tory statements, and that they paid for
tin' privilege of being used as catspaws
for the stockmen and fared worse than the
soldiers’ widows who received pay for
making the filings. Naturally they decline
to talk of the!r being so successfully
duped, but are watching intently the pro
ceedings of the federal grand jury.
CHEESE WAS BETRAYER.
Burglars Who Entered Beer Vault Also
Ate Limburger.
Fremont, Neb., Nov. 22.—A slice of lini
burger cheese established the guilt of
Harry Hurley of Mason City, la., charged
with burglary. Hurley was one of the
three prisoners charged with forcing en
hance to the Blatz beer vault here and
stealing a quantity of beer. Besides the
Deer the only thing missed was a pound
jf limburger cheese belonging to the Ger
nbau custodian of the vault, Edward
Pscherer. Pscherer, when examined by
‘he police for evidence the morning after
the burglary, said the burglars took his
limburger.
While the trials of the throe prisoners
progressed a pungent odor prevailed in the
police room. Pscherer was on the witness
stand when an officer produced from the
oocket of Defendant Hurley a piece of
•heese wrapped in brown paper.
The witness, who speaks broken English,
at once exclaimed:
‘By Gosh, that’s my limburger.”
Hurley and the other two prisoners, who
G^ave the names of Mifferd and Collins,
nad attempted to direct their testimony to
diow that they had not entered the beer
vault, but found been in a gunnysack
beside the railroad track. The cheese in
Hurley's possession was the missing link.
It was strong evidence and Judge Cook so
ieclared. The defendants were bound
over to the district court.
Hurl y afterwards tried to explain to
County Attorney Graham, that he bought
the cheese in Arlington. He became con
fused and thei\ confessed he and his com
paions were guilty of the burglary.
DENOUNCES WESTERN UNION.
Pittsburg, Nov. 20.—The American Fed
eration of Labor convention today adopted
all recommendations embodied in Presi
dent Gcmper's report.
The committee on boycotts presented a
resolution against the Western Union Tel
egraph company, condemning that com
pany’s attitude towards the Commercial
Telegrapher’s union. .
FRED M. HANS IS
BACK AT OLD JOB
M an Who Killed Ranchman
Luse at Ainsworth Again
Railroad Detective.
FARMERS CHASE TRAMPS
Because They Refused to Aid in Get
ting Out Large Corn Crop They
Are Nearly Mobbed at Knox,
a Small Town.
Norfolk, Neb., Nov. 17.—Fred M.
Hans, who was recently acquitted of
the murder of Ranchman David Duse,
after a sensational trial at Ainsworth,
has been given his old job as detec
tive for the Northwestern railroad.
Hans was acting as detective for the
road when he killed Duse several years
ago. At one trial he was sentenced
to life imprisonment, but after consid
erable parleying in court he was
granted a new trial.
Hans claimed that he killed Duse in
seif defense, while the prosecution
claimed that he killed Duse because the
cattle rustlers in Brown county wanted
the aged rancher out of the way.
MAKE IT HOT FOR TRAMPS.
Ready to Mob Men Who Refuse to
Work in Corn Fields.
York, Neb., Nov. 17.—Two tramps,
shut up in a boxcar, came near being
mobbed today at Knox, an elevator sid
ing south of York on the Kansas City
and Omaha railroad, not because they
were tramps, but on account of refusal
to accept work shucking corn. A
freight train had set the boxcar on the
siding, and when the farmers who were
hauling grain to the elevator saw' two
able bodied men crawl out of the car
then pounced on them, offering 5 cents
per bushel to shuck corn, free board,
room and washing, and when one of the
tramps replied “that he had all the
work he wanted picking his teeth,” the
farmers made a rush for the tramps
who ran down the track and soon dis
appeared. Tramps coming to York
county arc liable to get mobbed if they
refuse to husk corn. York county farm
ers have so large a crop and scarcity
of labor that they are nearly desperate
and owing to the scarcity of help hun
dreds of wives, daughters and small
children are in the cornfields from early
morning until dark husking corn. One
farmer has just finished building a corn
crib holding over 8,000 bushels, attach'
ing to it an elevator that elevates
wagon and all except team and dumps
the load of corn in top of the crib.
COAL AND GAS FOUND.
Farmer Boring a Well Made Happy
Discovery.
Humboldt, Neb., Nov. 17.—Quite a
little interest is being manifested in
this section over the prospect of finding
coal in the southwestern part of th«
county, 'there is talk of a stock com
pany being formed to prospfect tho
land of a farmer, who some time ago
took from a well he was boring a nico
supply of coal at quite a depth. The
farmer in question kept the matter
quiet for a long time in the hope o'
getting satisfactory options on sur
rounding land, but failing in this he
revealed the facts to a neighbor, and
the present agitation resulted.
It is claimed the indications point
strongly to gas and oil us w'ell as coal,
and the parties interested will stop at
no length to determine the extent of
the find.
BURSTING SHELLS WARN ALL.
Serious Night Fire Was Checked and
House and Family Saved.
Humboldt, Neb., Nov. 16.—A house oc
cupied by Section Boss Anderson was the
scene of a lively blaze but the prompt
arrival of the fire boys saved the'place.
The occupants know nothing of the origin
of the blaze, but were awakened by the
explosion of a number of shells which
were loaded and hanging in a belt on the
wall of the room where th<j fire started. By
the time they sent in the fire alarm the
fire had done considerable damage to the
room, but by keeping the doors closed tho
family had been able to confine the flames
to the two small rooms.
CLAIMS CHAMPIONSHIP.
A Butler County Man Husked Ninety
Bushels of Corn in Four Hours.
Lincoln, Nob., Nov. 16.—Butler county is
the residence of the champion “nubbin
tosser” of the United States, according to
Deputy Game Warden Smith, who just has
returned from David City. So confident
arc the residents of the county that their
man is “it" that they arc willing to back
up their opinion with a large amount of
coin of the realm. The new champion is
Kzra Ward, of Surprise, who husked
ninety bushels of corn in four hours, or at
the rate of 202V:: bushels per day of ten
hours.
The remarkable feat was witnessed by
a number of reputable citizens of Surprise
and they declare that M. Ward did not
appear to be hustling much at that. The
corn was husked, hauled a quarter of a
mile and scooped into a crib after being
weighed. The wagon was weighed in and
out each time. It is whispered that Mr.
Ward can husk and scoop 230 bushels of
corn in ton hours in fair weather. The best
previous record this'year was by an Illinois
man who managed to gather 160 bushels in
eight hours.
FALSE TEEThTsTOP BULLET
Anaconda Man Has Narrow Escape
from Being Murdered.
Butte, Mont., Nov. 15.—But for his
false teeth, William Semper would now
be the victim of a murderous attack on
him at an early hour this morning at
the Turf exchange, Anaconda, by Swan
Anderson, known as “Swede Dutch,” a
gambler. The assault was made while
Semper had his back turned to his as
sailant and the gun was held within
a few feet of his left cheek.
The bullet passed through the cheek,
knocking out two teeth, and was de
flected by. part of the dental work in
Semper’s mouth. An examination of the
wound afterward, showed that the
course of the bullet was straight for
the brain and if the plate had not
blocked it, he would have been killed.
KIDNAP FAINTING BERTHA
Notorious Woman Crook Is Spirited
Away from Insane Asylum.
Kankakee, 111., Nov. 15.—Bertha Libeke,
wed known to the police of a score of cities
as “Fainting Bertha,” shoplifter, pick
pocket and all-round crook, was kidnaped
from the Illinois eastern hospital for the
insane Saturday night by two men, who
released the woman from a screen room and
then drove away with her in a buggy. No
trace of the woman has yet been secured.
She was committed to the hospital after
serving a term in the Joliet penitentiary
PERJURY CHARGE
AGAINST A BANKER ,
Vice President of Chamberlain
Banking House on Trial
at Tecumseh.
HE IS A WEALTHY FARMER
Judge Ordered Complaint Against Hir*
Owing to Conflicting Testimony—
Defendant Confident He Can
Show Court Its Error.
Tecumseh, Neb., Nov. IS.—In the
county court here the case of the state
of Nebraska vs. Prank A. Taylor, for
perjury, came up for hearing before
Judge James Livingston. Mr. Taylor
was vice president of the failed Cham
berlain banking house of this city and
in the trial in Nemaha county recently
against Charles M. Chamberlain, in
which Taylor was a witness. Judge B.
P. Good ordered the action against him
on the charge of perjury.
It was the opinion of the court that
testimony given by him in a case in
this county, which hinged on the failure
of the bank, and the case then at bar
was conflicting and entirely different.
Mr. Taylor was arrested about a week
ago.
Mr. Taylor’s explanation of the mat
ter is that had the judge, who was
called into this district to try the case
mentioned at Auburn, been thoroughly
conversant with the facts he would
not have ordered the proceedings. He
is confident he can establish this fact.
Mr. Taylor is a prominent farmer.
The failure of the Chamberlain bank
ing house was a catastrophe in this
community which caused much suffer
ing. Its influence is still felt and is
clearly shown in various incidents that
are occurring almost daily. The col
lapse of the bank and the events fol
lowing it have aroused animosities that
are bitter and relentless, and this feel
ing is injected into everything which
savors, even in a remote way, of Cham
herlainism. It has invaded the politics
of the county and it is here that its
influence is most keenly felt. It has
ruined the lives and reputations of men
forever who had always borne the re
spect of the community and even the
innocent have come under the deadly
ban.
—'*— .
WOODMEN WIN SUIT,
The Reserve Fund Will Not Be Taxed
by State.
Omuh'a. Neb., Nov. lfi..—The suit
brought by the state board of equaliza
tion to compel the Woodmen of the
World and the Woodmen circle to pay
taxes on their reserve funds which
.amount to several millions of dollars,
has been denied by the supreme court.
it was on this point that the Wood
men of the World threatened to remov*
their headquarters from this city in
case the suit was sustained.
At the time the county taxes were
equalized last summer by the county
board of equalization, the latter body
refused to tax the reserve fund. The
state board then brought action for a
writ of mandamus to compel County
Clerk Drexel to assess the fund. It is
this writ that the supreme court has
denied.
The present action merely relieves
the Woodmen of the World from being
taxed on the fund for the present year.
A test case, however, Is being made by *
the Royal Highlanders, and it is ex- f
pected that this will settle once and for
all whether reserve funds of fraternal
insurance societies are taxable in Ne
braska.
> -
LIVED IN STRAW HOUSE.
Stranger Clad in Rags and with a Red
Handkerchief for a Hat Found.
Plattsmouth, Neb., Nov. IB.—A per
son who has much the appearance of
a wild man, with long hair and beard
and ragged clothing and a red ban
idana handkerchief to cover his head,
lias been found living in a straw house,
made by binding straw bundles and
[setting them upon end like a long shock
lof grain just large enough for him
'to lie down under in a plum thicket on
the farm of J. W. Thomas, near the
[big Burlington bridge, since last July,
with nothing to eat but apples, pota
toes and vegetables, without being
cooked, which he gathered in that
Vicinity.
1 The unfortunate mortal is about 50
■years of age and is perfectly harmless,
but Mr. Thomas feared he might freeze
[to death this winter, so he reported his
'dnd to the police,
EFFORT FOR MRS. LILLIE.
Friends Begin New Campaign in Be
half of Convicted Woman.
Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 16.—Another ef
fort is to be put fortli in behalf of Mrs.
Margaret Lillie, serving a life sentence
for the murder of her husband at David
City.
Many of the convicted woman’s
friends believe that they have a chance
to secure her freedom, claiming that
another clue has been discovered,
■which, if presented to the court, will
result in the opening of the peniten
tiary doors for the woman's exit.
It Is said that after the David City
[murder a personal enemy of Mr. Lillie
disposed of his property and quickly
[disappeared and his whereabouts are
(unknown to the authorities. The iden
tity of the man is known to Mrs. Lillie
tind a number of her friends.
[ Warden Beemer's wife is deeply In
terested in Mrs. Lillie and is active In
(all efforts In the convicted woman’s be
half.
SAT WITH BULLET IN HEAD.
Aged Man Made Good His Threat tv
Kill Himself.
Grand Island, Nov. 16.—Thomas
Jj. Ritter, aged "1 years, and a resident
of this city for the past twenty-two
years, committed suicide by shooting
[himself in the head. The aged man
planned to take his own life several
Bays ago, having told relatives that he
[intended to do away with himself. His
(daughter heard a shot in the house and
bn investigating found the old man
[sitting in a rocking chair with a bullet
[through his head.
SAT IN PAIL OF BOILING WATER
' Cedar Bluffs, Neb., Nov. 16.—At the
[Jiome of Mrs. Bouller’s father, nine miles
[southwest of Cedar Bluffs, the infant
;son of Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Boulier was
(scalded to death. Mrs. Boulier had
[poured some boiling water into a pail
[and turned around to get some cold wa
iter to cool it with, and little Stanley
[backed up from the other side of the
iroom, and not seeing the pail sat light
[down in It. His mother saw him sit
'down and jumped and lifted him out.
tearing his clothing off him. But the
injury was loo great and the child
Vied.