i
Frontier.
VOLUME XXVIII._
O’NEILL. NEBRASKA. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1907
-.—- ■ ■■■■■ .. —... .. —.—.- — ...._
NUMBER 27
FIND SIMMONS G01LTY
Jury In District Court Brings In Same
Verdict As At First. Trial.
DEFENDANT ASKS FOR NEW TRIAL
Court Adjourns Until January 20 and
Jury Excused Until That Date.—
No Important Criminal
Cases This Term.
With the verdict of guilty in the
Simmons assault and battery case last
Friday district court adjourned until
January 20,Ithe jury being excused un
til that date. There are few if any
cases of consequence this term of court,
though the judicial machinery was
busy up to the time of adjournment
with two minor state cases, that of
the state against Floyd Compton, the
trial of which lasted four days and re
sulted in the acquittal of the accused,
and the state against Sheridan Sim
mons, late fusion candidate for county
judge, for an assault on L. G. Gillespie
the evening of November 7. The ver
dict of the jury in this case was the
same as in county court, the defend
ant standing convicted of the charge.
Considerable costs have piled up in
the trial of this case in two courts,
the tine and costs amounting to about
$30 in county court and will be more
than double that in the higher court.
The defendant’s attorney, however,
has filed a motion for a new trial and
alleges as a basis for such that ,lthe
verdict is contrary to law, the verdict
is not sustained by sufficient evidence,
the verdict is contrary to the evidence,
the verdict is contrary to the instruc
tions of the court, errors of law occur
ring during the trial and duly except
ed to by defendant, the court erred in
giving the second, fourth, fifth and
sixth instructions on its own motion,
and irregularities of the proceedings
of the court in this that no informa
tion was filed in this case by the
county attorney.”
x lie appiioauiun iui a. new trim lias
not been passed upon by the court,
but will probably be \aken up after
the holiday recess. The politics in
the case make it of some interest
locally and, too, because it is about
the first arrest for an “after election"
assault although similar incidents
happen about every two years. Both
complaining witness and defendant
are democrats, though the latter op
posed the election of Simmons last
fall, and two juries have sustained the
contention of the prosecution that the
assault was occasioned by the com
plaining witness failing to vote for
the fusion candidate for county judge,
rather than what was said the night
of November 7.
ITEMS PROM ROUTE ONE.
We learn that Will Stearns’ 14-year
old daughter died Monday of pneumon
ia and that now his littie son is down
with the same disease.
Ed Harding, having lost twelve
calves from blackleg, has now vacin
ated his herd, and remarks that it is
customary to lock the barn door after
tlie horse is stolen.
Henry Twyford expects next spring
to return to Cuming county, where he
will make his home. Mr. and Mrs
Twyford have made many friends
here who wili regret to have them
leave.
J. A. Robertson has shipped in three
cars of shelled corn and sold it toJris
neighbors in the “hailed district,”
not as a speculative move, but to
supply them at as near cost as pos
sible. Anyone of a doubtful mind
might see if they can beat the price.
The Frontier has already published
an account of the marriage of Otto
Clevish to Miss Nettie Hubby, also J.
Oswald to Miss Katy Erb, so all that’s
left for your correspondent to say is
that they received callers and enter
tained without delay. At a distance,
the noise of the merry makers re
sembled the target practic of a fleet
of iron clads, while ever and anon
could be heard the romantic tinkling
of cowbells.
Tiie sympathy of this community
goes out to the homes which have
been made desolate by sudden and
tragic deaths. The hand of the grim
reaper has been laid heavily upon us
at this otherwise season of good cheer.
The sudden death of F. M. Johnson
last Friday removes an old land mark
from the community, where he had
resided for twenty-six years and never
made an enemy. The tragic and aw
ful calamity that befell the family of
D. U. Yantzi on Sunday evening ex
cites the deepest sympathy. Ihe
home of Mr. and Mrs. Will Stearns
has also been bereft of a loved one, as
mentioned in another paragraph. The
many friends of the bereaved ones are
moved with the deepest sympathy.
For Sale—400 bushel of seed oats.—
W. A. O’Malley, O’Neill, Nebr. 26-2
Judge Takes Morning Walk.
Judge Malone is thinking some
of entering in the championship
walking contest. He took a
Christmas morning trip on foot that
he had planned the night before to
make in the cushioned seat of a rail
way coach and did it so easy he may
save railroad fare in the future. In
order to awake in time to catch the
early morning east bound passenger
on the Northwestern he bought a new
alarm clock the night before and set
the alarm at 3:30. He intended going
to Inman to attend the wedding of his
brother-in-law and had to be there at
10 o’clock. The alarm got him out of
bed at the hour indicated and he ar
rived at the depot a little before four,
the hour he supposed the train went
through here. Four o’clock came and
went and no train. The judge paced
up and down the waiting room expect
ing the train to arrive every minute.
Finally he remarked to the operator
that the train must be late.
“What train?” asked the operator
“Why, this early morning train.”
“Oh, that train has gone an hour
ago—it goes at 3:07 instead of at four
o’clock.”
“Well,-!”
The judge went out into the cold
dark morning and thought a minute.
Then he hit the pike for Inman and
arrived there in time to attend the
wedding.
ANOTHER OCTUPUS?
Bond Companies Raise Rates of Surety
Bonds and Supervisors Wonder if
Trust Has Been Formed.
Have the surety bond companies
gone into a trust for the purpose of
raising rates on bonds furnished coun
ty officers':* Members of the board of
supervisors think it looks that way
since negotiations were started for
the bond of Treasurer Harnish. The
bond companies want $117 more now
for a two-year bond of $100,000 than a
bond of $150,000 lias cost heretofore.
Therefore it looks like a holdup to the
supervisors.
The county has been paying for the
treasurer’s bond since the begin
ning of Dan Cronin’s first term. The
amount of the bond formerly was
$100,000 and this was raised by the
supervisors during Cronin’s adminis
tration to $150,000. The bonds of the
two last treasurers were furnished for
$333 for a two-year term. This year
the supervisors decided to lower the
amount of the bond furnished by the
treasurer to $100,000, and now the
bond companies want $117 more for
a bond $50,000 less. They ask $450 for
a two-year bond of $100,000. The su
pervisors are inclined to think that a
combination has been entered into by
the surety bond companies and some
of them express themselves as favoring
a personal bond if they are to be held
up by an octupus in this manner.
The Markets
South Omaha,December 26—Special
market letter from Nye Schneider
Fowler Co.
The market opens this week with
light receipts and a consequent ad
vance in prices. There has been a
surplus of the warmed up and com
moner kinds of cattle as holders have
seemed very anxious to get rid of them
for one reason or ether. We think the
crowding of this class of cattle on the
market will be pretty well over by
January 1. Stocker and feeder busi
ness is more brisk this week.
We quote:
Choice dry lot beef, corn fed$5 10@5 60
Fair to good. 4 50(a>5 00
Others down to. @3 50
Choice range beef. 3 75(S4 60
Choice cows. 3 75@4 00
Fair to good. 2 75(g>3 60
Canoers& cutters. 1 40(a>2 50
Veal calves.. 4 00(a)5 50
Bulls, stags, etc..*. 1 75^3 75
Choice Stockers and feeeders 3 85(«4 35
Fair to good. 3 30(a)3 75
Common, down to-- (cc2 40
Stock heifers . 1 85(c^2 50
Hogs seem to be fluctuating be
tween near $4 and $4.75. They were
aboutlbottom last Friday and are now
on the advance again. Bulk $4.35 to
$4.50
Sheep are also looking up and the
week opens 10 to 15 cents higher.
Ira Willey, a young man formerly
of this county, against whom a charge
of seduction has been made by the
county attorney on complaint of
Florence May Hess, a girl under 16
years of age living east of Page near
the Knox county line, has been ap
prehended in a desolate section of
country 150 miles north of Belle
Fouche, South Dakota, and he
will be brought here to answer the
charge as soon as requisition papers
are obtained. The offense is alleged
to have occurred on March 22 last on
promise of marriage. The young man
left the country and was located at
Belle Fouche, or near there, a short
time ago, his arrest following. Coun
ty Attorney E. H. Whelan leaves for
Lincoln Friday to secure requisition
papers from Governor Sheldou.
DlfcS SUDDENLY
P. M. Johnson, Stage Driver on Phoe
nix Route, Struggles With Fright
ened Horses and Drops Dead.
Francis Marion Johnson, who has
been driving the Phoenix stage the
past two years, died suddenly at the
home of his son, Clyde, near Ray Fri
day last.
Mr. Johnson was en route with the
mail and stopped at his son’s home a
few minutes. He tied his team and
went in the house for a short time.
When he started to leave his horses
became firghtened a- d started to run
but did not get away from him. He
was just going to step In the buggy
when the horses started, but he suc
ceeded in bringing them to a stand
still after a few circles around the
yard. His son came to his aid and
took the horses by the bridle.
“I got them stopped,” remarked his
father just as Clyde took hold of the
bridles. He was standing between
the wheels and the bed of the wagon
and turned his body partially around
as he spoke. Just as he spoke he fell
to the ground. Clyde turned the
horses sufficient to cramp the buggy
to get his father away from the wheels
and went at once to see what was the
matter. He was then dying and made
a few gasps for breath before expiring.
Coroner Flynn went out from O’Neill
to view the remains and states that
death was due to cerebial hemorage.
Mr. Johnson was sixty-eight years
of age, being born in Peoria county,
Illinois, May 3, 1839. He had long
been a resident of this county. The
family is well known in the Ray neigh
borhood, where three of his sons live.
The funeral was held Monday, the re
mains being interred in the Steam*
cemetery.
BOARD ADJOURNS
Last Meeting of Supervisors in 190"
Closes the Day Before Christmas.
Will Meet Again January 6.
The last session of the board of su
pervisors for this year was adjourned
Tuesday, the business for the year not
being quite all finished up but adjourn
ment was taken so the members ol
the board could go home to spend
Christmas.
The board had been in session sinew
December 16 approving bonds, attend
ing to road matters, allowing claims
and attending to various other things.
Claims to the amount of about $15,000
were allowed and warrants ordered
drawn to par the same.
January 6 was the date set for the
next meeting when the business left
over from the December meeting will
be cleaned up.
Methodist Church Items.
Class meeting Sunday morning at
10 o’clock, Mrs. O. O. Snyder leader.
We should be glad to see a large at
tendance. At 10:30 the pastor will
preach, taking for his theme, “The
Universal Reign of Christ.” The
evening topic will be, “Finished.”
Sunday school at the close of the
morning service. The lesson will be a
review of the lessons for the quarter,
and will be interesting and instruct
ive. The Junior League will meet as
usual at 3 o’clock Sunday afternoon.
We trust that the Juniors will all
be on hand promptly. Epworth
League service at 6:30Sunday evening.
Let the young people all come out and
make this an interesting and helpful
service.
We are planning for a watch meet
ing next Tuesday evening, to begin at
8:30. There will be a varied and in
teresting program, and all our friends
are invited to participate.
Prayer meeting as usual on Thurs
day evening at 7:30. To this, as to
all services of our church, we cordially
invite everybody.
T. S. Watson, Pastor.
MINOR MENTION
William Laviollette, jr., arrived
home from St. Paul last Saturday
evening to spend the holidays with
his parents.
Start the New Year right by pay
ing your subscription to your local
paper.
“Dennie” Spitler came up from
Ewing this afternoon for a few days
visit with friends. He is now located
at Aberdeen, S. D., running a meat
market, and says he is prospering.
Discount sales are a thing of the
past. Go where you can get shoes and
clothing at wholesale prices, which
means what the goods cost at the
factory. That is the price we charge
you for goods.—Sullivan & Co. 25-3
John Colley and daughter, Mrs. T.
P. McPharltn, and sons, C. J. and Dan
of Spencer, returned from Clinton,
Iowa, last Sunday night where they
attended the funeral of P. J. Coffey,
who was killed by being struck
on the head by the superstructure ol
a bridge while standing on the run
ning board of his engine, a week age
Wednesday.
HAPPILY WEDDED
Deputy County Treasurer Hancock
Celebrates Christmas by Taking
A Bride.
At 10 o’clock Christmas morning at
the Methodist church in Inman oc
cured the nuptials of Mr. Claud Philip
Hancock of O’Neill and Miss Stella
Florence Smith of Inman.
Rev. B. F. Murten of Boone, Neb.,
who was united in marriage a week
previous to an Inman young lady of
the same name as Mr. nancock’s
bride, was the officiating clergyman.
The ceremony was simple and un
ostentatious. It was attended by
many friends of the bride and groom
at Inman and vlcinty, the only guests
from other places being Mr. and Mrs.
J. C. Harnish of O’Neill and the
groom’s sister and husband, Mr. and
Mrs. Malone, also of O’Neill.
Immediately after the ceremony the
the bridal party went to the railway
station, where, amid the cheers and
good wishes of a host of friends, the
young couple boarded the 11 o’clock
east bound train for a brief honey
moon trip to the eastern part of the
state. They expect to return to In
man Saturday and in the evening
will be given a reception at the home
of the groom’s parents, Mr. and Mrs.
John Hancock.
The groom is a bright and capable
young man of exempliary habits. He
has held the position of deputy county
treasurer the past year and makes
an efficient and reliable official. His
bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Charles F. Smith, old settlers at In
man. They will come to O’Neill to
make their home after the honey
moon.
LOCAL MATTERS.
B. A. Powell was in from Minneola
today.
Elijah Babcock was up from Inman
Tuesday.
Bob Gallagher of Page was in town
Tuesday.
Mrs. J. N. Sturdevant Is visiting at
the home of her parents here.
A. E. McKeen and wife spent the
Christmas season at Lincoln.
. Edward Earley is driving the Phoe
ftix stage since the death of Mr. John
son.
Jim McPharlin came in from the
ranch Monday to spend Christmas
with his family.
Miss Dorothy Davidson is spending
the week with her sister, Mrs. Adams,
formerly of O’Neill, at Lincoln.
Dr. Corbett dentist in O’Neill De
cember 23, 24 and January 13, 14, 15,
16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30. 26
John Braddock of Page was a pleas
ant caller last Friday and advanced
his subscription to The Frontier an
other year.
Miss Mabel Graham of Omaha ar
rived in the city this afternoon and
will be the guest of Miss May Hunt
until after the holidays.
Mrs. W. 0. Fawkes departed Mon
day for her home at Minneapolis,
after a week’s visit at tee home of her
daughter, Mrs. L. G. Gillespie.
C. E. Howe returned Saturday from
a visit to his sons in Custer county,
whither he went after a week’s service
on the federal grand jury at Omaha.
P. E. Keenan, one of Shields townj
ship’s prosperous farmers, was a caller
last week and advanced his subscrip
tion to this popular household neces
sity.
“Casey” Chase returned Monday
evening frem Genoa, Nebr., where he
had been visiting his parents the past
six weeks. He expects to make O’Neill
his future home.
PERSONAL—I have important
news for Alvin B. Quimby from
Vermont. Reward for his\ ad
dress.—A. W. Woodard, 1822 H. Street
Lincoln, Nebr. 24-3
Miss Mabel Snyder returned from
Lincoln, where she lias been attend
ing the State University, Friday even
ing to spend the holidays with her
parents in this city.
ror oaie—auoui six uu/.en iuii oioou
Plymouth Bock chickens; $4 and $5 a
dozen, rooster thrown In.—L. P. Jen
sen, Disney post office. At Addison
place 3 miles west of Minneola. 25-3p
Tom Coyne arrived in the city Tues
day evening from Seattle, Wash.,
where he has been the past two years.
He will remain for two or three weeks.
Tom says it’s worth two month’s pay
to get back among old friends.
Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Thomas left fo
Corning, Iowa, this morning to be
present at the fiftieth wedding anni
versary of Mr. Thomas’ parents which
will be celebrated on December 30.
Before returning home J. J. will
spend two or three weeks at Excelsior
Spriugs, Mo, in au endeavor to get
rid of an attack of rheumatism from
wnich he has suffered the past two
months.
The public schools, which dosed
last Friday for the holiday vacation,
re-open on January 6.
Notice—All accounts not settled by
January 15,1908, for blacksraithing at
Emmet, Nebr.. will be given to a law
yer for collection.—G. E. Bowen,
O’Neill, Nebr. 27-2p
George Brown, John Ridner and
William Allpress, all of Keya Paha
county, are in the city on a land con
test case involving a 40-acre tract in
Keya Paha county.
Estray—Taken up at my place De
cember 13, two hogs, red with white
spots. Owner can have same by pay
ing for keep and this notice.—J. Q.
Howard. 26-2p
W. L. Gielish has leased the Horls.
key meat market that lias been closed
since last spring and opened for busi
ness Tuesday. W. L. is a good butch
er and finds the business more attract
ive than farming.
Go to Bazelman Lumber company
for the celebrated Lincoln nut and
lump coal at $8 per ton and Kemmer
nut coal at $9 per ton; West Virginia
Splint coal at 98.50 per ton, the best.
Illinois coal at $7 down to $0.50 per
ton. 2^-4
Christmas was pretty generally ob
served in O’Neill by the closing of
business houses and most of our citi
zens spent the day around their fire
sides. Though mail trains came and
went as usual there was not the usual
crowd about the post office for the
afternoon mail (
Neligh Leader: John M. McAllis
ter went up to O’Neill the first of the
week to adjust a loss for the Liverpool
London and Globe Insurance company,
which company he represents, on At
torney R. R. Dickson’s household
goods which came near being totally
destroyed by fire.
Miss Maggie O’Neill of Council
Bluffs Is spending a fortnight with
her parents in the city, Mr. and Mrs.
John ,0’Neill, and other relatives.
Miss O’Neill says it seems good to
meet and visit with her old friends
and acquaintances again after an ab
sence from here of several years. Miss
O’Neill is following the profession of
nurse in Council Bluffs and is doing
well.
Two couples waited until after
Christmas to be married. Judge Ma
lone issued two licenses today,perform
ing the marriage ceremony for one
couple. They were: Hugo A. Schrader
to Miss Lillie Dunn, both of Atkinson.
Carey E. Grant and Miss Cora B.
Estes, both of Stuart, were granted
license.
Mrs. John Walmer, who had been
at the home of her mother here the
past three weeks and was taking med
ical treatment, returned to the ranch
in the southern part of the county the
fore part of the week. Mr. Walmer
tells us his wife will probably have to
be taken to a hospital for an oper
ation, but she prefers to forego the
same until after New Year’s.
Butte Gazette: O. V. Kenaston is
authority for the statement that a
railroad survey has recently been made
.from Huron to Platte, S. D., to cross
the Missouri near his place. It is
said to be one of Jim Hill’s projects
and is headed for O’Neill, Nebr., to
connect with the Great Northern at
that place. If this road should
materalize it will mean much to Boyd
county.
W. F. Grothe of Emmett, one of the
enthusiastic republicans and a pros
perous farmer of that township, was a
pleasant caller Saturday. On account
of the extremely wet spring Mr. Grothe
did not raise much of a crop the past
season but he is preparing to put in a
greater acerage than ever next year in
order to make up for the loss of the
last crop.
xx. xj. pencil acuua xuc riuuuci a
handsome book of views and statistical
matter from Seattle, Wash. It is an
admirable compilation of interesting
pictures and valuable information,
and is the printed evidence of a re
sourceful community pushed to the
front by the indomnitable hustle of
Seattle people. Mr. Newell was form
erly in the real estate business in
O’Neill and is making “things go
some” in the same line in Washing
ton.
John Hunt left this morning for
his old home at Winona,, Minn., to be
present at a family gathering which
will be held in that city on New Years
day. He has two sisters and a brother
liviDg and they will gather at the
home of the sister living in Winona,
Mrs. Thomas Burke. Those who will
be £present are: John Hunt of this
city, Dennis Hunt of Kearney, and
Mrs John Lappan of Edmington, Pa.
It has been twenty-eight years since
Mr. Hunt left Winona and has never
been back since and he anticipates a
pleasant visit among the scenes of his
youth. He expects to remain there a
couple of weeks and will spend a week
in Omaha with his son, R. J., upon
his return.
DEATH IN AN EXPLOSION
Four-Year-Old Daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. D. U. Yantzi Meets Sad End.
LAMP EXPLODES AND SETS FIRE
Father Badly Burned In Trying to
Save Lives of the Children.—Neigh
bor Saves the House From
Destruction.
A lamp explosion at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. D. U. Yantzi, twelve »
miles north of O’Neill, resulted in one
of the most pitiful and tragic deaths
Sunday night this paper has been
called upon to chronicle for some time. I
Their little four-year old daughter
was burned almost to a crisp and after
a struggle of a few brief hours in that
condition i life’s fitful and childish
dream was over.
The accident that snuffed out the
life of the little one happened about
six o’clock in the evening. Mr. Yantzi
was entertaining their three children
In the house while Mrs. Yantzi was '
caring for the milk outside. The two
youngest, a babe and another a little
older, were on his lap and the four
year old girl was playing and romping
about the room. A large lighted lamp
that had been filled that day was set
ting on a high piece of furniture in
the room. It had been lighted but a
few moments when the explosion oc
curred. The little girl was right In
front of the lamp as it exploded and
caught the full force of the explosion.
She was instantly ailame with burn
ing oil, while flames filled the room.
Mr. Yantzi, clinging to the two child
ren on his lap, grabbed the burning
girl in one arm and got out of the
house as fast as possible. His wife
came running to the house and took
the two smallest children while Mr.
Yantzi ran to the water tank with
the little girl and immersed her in the
tank to extinguish the tire.
Thinking there was no chance to
save their home, Mr. Yantzi went to
the barn to find something to wrap
about his little daughter, whose cloth
ing had been burned nearly off and her
skin and flesh charred in places almost
to the bone. He could find nothing
but a canvas sack which he wrapped
about her and they started at once for
the home of Conrad Wettlauffer, Mrs.
Yantzi’s father, a distance of about a
mile and a half.
Richard Koch, a neighbor living
a half mile away, saw the blaze and
hurried to the Yantzi home where he
arrived in time to extinguish the fire
and save the house. Their bedding
and clothing was ruined in the room
in which the explosion occurred but
the damage to the house is reported
slight.
When Mr. and Mrs. Yantzi arrived
at Wettlauffer’s with their children
the seriousness of the calamity waa
revealed. The hair was entirely (turn
ed from the head of the little girl, her
ears were burned to a crisp, her face a
mass of cooked flesh, and even the
little one’s tongue shriveled by the in
tense heat she had gone through. Mr.
Yantzi’s hands, arms and face were
frightfully burned, pieces of cooked
flesh falling from his hands and expos
ing the bones. The baby was burned
on the hands and face, but not serious
ly, while the other child and Mrs.
Yantzi were uninjured.
I)r. Wilson was summoned from
O’Neill by telephone and hastened to
the Wettlauffer home. The little
girl was past any human assistance
and died about 12 o'clock that night.
Mr. Yantxi’s hands were found to be
in a serious condition,though the doc
tor believes it will not be necessary to
amputate them. It was a pitiful
scene as the little one lay with flesh
cooked nearly through to the vitals
and yet alive. The little girl appar
ently suffered no pain after the first
exposure to the tire and did not appear
to be conscious, though she kept up a
continuous articulation which could
not be understood by those about her
and which was accompanied by no
signs of suffering. The funeral was
held Tuesday at the Mennonite church
near ahe Yantzi home.
Aiie cause ui tue e&piusiuu uoo uui
been ascertained and may not be. Mr.
Yantzi was in town Saturday and got
a jug of kerosene at a local grooery
store and some of this kerosene was
used to fill the lamp. The lamp may
have been filled to the top, leaving no
air space, which is condusive to an ex
plosion, or there may have been a
trace of some other explosive in the
jug or oil, though gasoline was never
kept abi.ut the Yantzi home. The
jug of oil is being preserved for inves
tigation with a view of ascertaining
if possible the reason of the explosion. |
See me for prices on best Illinois
coal, also best patent Hour *2.50; J
straight grade *2.15. Every sack war- '
ranteed good.—Con Keys.