Nebraska Newspapers

    <ami— anurias n i -i ——
The O’Neill Frontier
D. H. CRONIN. Publisher,
O'NEILL, NEBRASKA
A fool and his money are soon mar
ried. __
Even an Idea hesitates to strike a
man when he Is down._
The man who always tells the truth
catches the smallest fish.
The Christian population of India
now numbers nearly 4,000,000.
Less than 3 per cent of the area of
Norway is under cultivation.
The nearest to charity some people
ever get Is to offer suggestions.
Many a fellow wouldn’t know he was
In love If the girl didn’t tell him.
The best cure for the fellow who
thinks he knows it all Is marriage.
The average tnan Is willing to admit
that he has more brains than money.
There are two Imperial universities
in Japan, but women are admitted to
neither.__ _
Some girls are so modest that they
would blush even at the mention of a
garter snake. _ _
Simplicity in weddings is the tines
Sected sign of sanity among the Eng
sh aristocracy._
Lots of things look easy to manage,
till you try them. Aeroplanes and
wives, for Instance. _
Arkansas produces coal, silver,
galena, slate, oil stones and clay o<
•very description. _
The average life of an elephant Is on*
century, while a rabbit lives seven
years and a cow 15_.
A wood substitute made of dried
grass Is being experimented with
abroad for match making.
Arkansas has the largest spring In
the world, Mammoth spring, a full
size river at Its source. Spring river,
Under the direction of an expert from
the United States the Australian stat«
Of Victoria has spent *33,500.000 for Ir
rigation.
So many ships have been lost in the
■trait between the Red sea and the
Arabian gulf that the strait Is called
the Gate of Tears.
On an automobile wireless outfit
built for the Austrian army the motor
used to propel the car may also bo
utilized to drive the electric generator.
Electric smelting and refining pro
cesses are said to produce steel that is
denser and more homogeneous than
open hearth steel of the same general
composition.
One western city has a highly ac
complished mayor. Ho Is a lawyer by
profession, the fastest shorthand writ
er In the city and the best amateur
trombone player.
A series of experiments In France
has demonstrated that the best sig
nals to be displayed on the ground
for aviators ara Arabic numerals In
white on a black background.
The American Medical association Is
to make a study of methods of resus
citation from electrical shock. Many
eminent physicians and electric engi
neers are to co-oporate In the Investi
gation, which It is hoped will have im
portant practical results.
Radium emits three streams of mi
nute particles. These all carry definite
oharges of electricity, which made
their discovery possible. No micro
scope could detect them, but they be
oame apparent under proper conditions
because of the electrical charge.
The scheme on which King George’s
children are educated Includes careful
Instruction In all the typical open air
sports and games. Cricket, riding,
fencing, boxing, shooting and the like
the young prince of Wales has been
carefully and scientifically taught by
put masters.
The British army without a brass
band—such Is the doleful prophecy of
the Pall Moll Gazette. It says that a
definite proposal has been brought for
ward that ull the brass bands of the
army, except those of the guards regi
ment, shall be abolished, and that the
sole music provided for the future shall
be that of the drums and fifes and
bugles, with the pipers for the Scottish
regiments.
Up In Oregon Mrs. Abigail Scott
Dunway, a leader In the equal suf
frage movement, was run down by an
express wagon In the street, and a
crowd surrounded her. She was un
hurt and as the dust was brushed oft
her clotheH the express driver asked
anxiously If she would make him
trouble. "No," she answered, "there
will be no trouble—if you men all
promise to vote for woman suffrage."
Old writers had no Idea that the
’ brain had anything to do with the
mind. They associated the mind with
the heart or with other organs of ths
body, doubtless because theso organs
are moved or affected by mental ac
tion. Aristotle, the best informed of
the Oreeks, said that the chief busi
ness of the brain was to cool the blood
for the heart.
The birds of field and forest In Amer
ica have been so thinned In numbers
that countless Insects are now working
havoc among the crops of grain and
fruit. Henoe bird culture has been un
dertaken on a largo scale In some
states. A wealthy philanthropist of
Michigan, near Detroit, has set apart
*,800 acres of land for the exclusive use
and protection of birds.
Preparations are being made for sup
plying the Congo railway and the vari
ous steamboats on the Congo river and
Its tributaries with petroleum for fuel.
In spite of the fact that an almost un
broken forest covers the hundreds of
thousands of square miles of terri
tory. A company Is laying a pipeline
along the old Congo railway from Mat
adl to Leopoldville and storage tanks
have already been erected. The change
of the locomotives to oil burners has
begun.
The oldest member of parliament in
the world, the Hungarian deputy, M.
Joseph Madarasz, who is now In his
•9th year, issues a denial of the state
ment that he Is about to retire Into pri
vate life. M. Madarasz says that he
means to retain his mandate till he has
completed hts 100th year. If not long
er. He carries a list of noted centena
rians Ip the world constantly with him.
and marks them off as they die. He Is
• determined to outlive them all, and
•one day to have the distinction of be
ing the oldest man in the world.
LINCOLN MUTINEERS
VANISH FROM SIGHT
AND LEAK NO SIGN
48 Hours’ Search By Officers
and Citizens Fails to De
velop Single Clew.
Lincoln, Neb., March 18.—When
Convicts Taylor, Morley and Dowd
slipped into the blinding snowstorm
Thursday afternoon and faded from
sight, they seem to have slipped into
a mysterious hiding place, which may
never be discovered. Late Saturday
morning, nearly 48 hours after the
triple murder of Warden Delahunty,
his deputy and an usher, not a trace
has been found of the desperadoes who
shot and dynamited their way out of
the prison.
Governor Aldrich arrived in the city
on a night train and went to the pen
itentiary early this morning. He is
conducting an Investigation which it is
hoped may disclose the means by which
the friends of Taylor, Dowd and Mor
ley were able to slip the guns and ex
plosives Into their friends.
Trusties are believed to have aided,
while some suspicion points toward a
orison guard.
All ex-convicts in the city, whoso
time of release was recent, have been
arrested and put through the sweat
box. The officers refuse to givo any
statements as to what information they
have disclosed. Two convicts, Burns
and Riley, have been closely connected
with the affair and are believed to
have been Instrumental In smuggling
the weapons into the prison, but both
have disappeared. Burns accompanied
a party of Lincoln "prison reformers”
to the penitentiary about two weeks
ago and smuggled some opium Into th«
prison under the eyes of the party.
GOVERNMENT SPECIALIST
TREATS TROUBLE OF EYE9
Winnebago, ' Neb., March 18.—Dr.
Harrison, eye specialist employed by
the government, has been examining
the Indians of this reservation for
tracoma, or what is more commonly
known as eranulateo eye lids. This dis
ease is common among the Indiana
all over the United States and many
whites are affected as well. The gov
ernment has employed three specialists
to treat the diseaeo and while they are
sent among the Indians they by no
means confine their efforts to the red
man alone. Dr. Harrison has examin
ed many white people here and haa
examined the children of all the schools
in this vicinity. He Is assisted in his
work of operations by Miss Moore, a
trained nurse. A number of operations
have taken place at the agency and the
probability of others is strong. Dr.
Harrison and Miss Moore will take up
this work on the Omaha reservation In
the near future.
ENGINEERS INVESTIGATING
CANAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS
Fremont, Nob.. March 18.—Engineers
representing the Kountze Brothers
financial interests, which aro to back
the Fremont power canal envelopment,
have arrived and at present are en
gaged In making measurements of the
flow of water in the Loup and Platte
rivers for comparative and other pur
poses. The rivers are carrying a vast
quantity of water at present. Similar
measurements will be made next July,
when the water reaches its lowest flow.
Seven years ago, New York engineers
and capitalists, who examined the
Platte and Loup projects decided that
the one by which water would be taken
from the Platte river between Fremont
and Schuyler offered the best prospects,
and so reported.
Fremonters who have closely followed
the power canal situation believe that
either the Doherty or Kountze Bros, in
terests, possibly a combination of
them, are behind the present activities.
They believe that the othor proposi
tions talked of at Columbus and Lin
coln are nothing more than attempts to
further interests of claimants, who aro
speculating upon the rights filed upon
the two rivers Involved.
SMALL POX APPEARS ON
WINNEBAGO RESERVATION
Winnebago, Neb.. March 18.—Con
siderable apprehension is felt here
over the appearance of what seems to
be small pox. Dr. H. H. Johnson to
day telephoned to the agency in con
ference with Dr. Daureghty concerning
the cases so far developed. The public
school has been closed and precautions
are being taken to prevent the spread
of the disease.
Three cases have developed in town
and the son of Rev. G. W. Water
mulder, at the Indian mission, east of
here, was visited by Dr. Daureghty to
day, but he lacked the symptoms.
—♦—
NEBRASKA NEWS BRIEFS.
LINCOLN—Harry Reese, of Lincoln, has
gone to Excelsior Springs, Mo., to see his
father, Chief Justice Reese, who is suffer
ing from a severe ailment of the sciatic
nerves. According to reports Judge
Reese is not improving and is suffering
intense pain. Relatives here aro not will
ing to concede that the chief justice Is
dangerously ill, however, and hope to wit
ness un ultimate recovery.
FREMONT—A mammoth new bell that
weighs 2.000 pounds will be installed in
the belfry of St. Patrick’s Catholic church
as a gift to the church from Mrs. Julia
Archer, who bought It in accordance with
a request made by the lato Henry Archer
shortly before his death. The bell is as
large and fine a bell us any in the cathe
drals at Omaha and cost, exclusive of
freight charges, $600.
MADISON—Jacob Hahn, residing six
miles west of Madison, was kicked by a
horse and instantly killed about 9 o'clock
yesterday morning. He was struck in the
chest Just over the heart and with such
force that his body was hurled against
the barn door, breaking it from Us hinges.
Dr. Smart, of this city, was called to the
scene of disaster, but life had tied before
the doctor was able to reach the Hahn
place. The unfortunate man was 68 years
of age and leaves a wife and three sons.
WAYNE—Word has reached here that
Miss Grace Hunter, who Is visiting in 1-os
Angeles, was stricken with blindness
while at the breakfast table one day last
week. Doctors who were called in the
case give some encouragement that the
sight may be recovered. The cause Is a
nervous disorder.
WAYNE—Grant Mears. the sheriff of
Wayne county for 10 years, who retired
voluntarily last fall, has J\led for the re
publican nomination for representative in
the legislature.
OMAHA—Dates have been fixed in fed*
©rcourt by Judge Monger for the ex
amination and appraisal of the book val
ues of the Omaha Gas company. This is
a part of the proceedings in the case
win rein the gas company Is seeking to
permanently enjoin the city from et.iore
ing the ‘ dollar gas" ordinance. The gag
company is given until April 15 to com
pile Its work, and then the city may be
gin and take such V.nitt as proves neces
sary. v
I _
NEBRASKA NEWS NOTES
NELIQH—Henry Bertram spent the
night In Jail, charged with beating hla
wife because she told him she might re
quire a surgical operation. Mrs. Ber
tram had been confined to her bed foe
several days. Bate at night she ran
through the streets for more than two
blocks, clad only in night clothes and
stockings, to the home of Chris Shraham,
from which Chief of Police Nichols was
summoned. Mrs. Bertram's face was bad
ly cut and one eye was completely closed.
She said her husband had beaten her in
bed.
AUBURN—William Bpradllng, a veteran
of the civil war, was found dead yester
day afternoon at his room, one block west
of the Missouri Pacific depot, and It is be
lieved he had been dead since the eve
ning before. He was about 70 years of age
and for several years has run a corn
popper on the street. He lived alone, but
leaves a wife from whom he was divorced
and two sons and two daughters, two of
whom reside In Auburn. An inqueet will
be held.
NORTH BEND—C. C. Frahm fell from
hl» haymow Into a stall containing two
young colts yesterday and was badly
trampled before James Hill, a neighbor,
was able to rescue him. Mr. Frahm was
Injured In such a manner that he could
not rise and the frightened colts pranced
around In the Inclosure striking him with
their hoofs. Ills thigh bone was sprained
And sufisrcd intfirni! injuries. It is
believed they will not prove fatal.
FREMONT—It haB been definitely deter
mined by the local Lewls-Clark chapter,
D. A. R„ to place the mammoth boulder
that will mark the old western trails
through Fremont la the Union Pacific
railroad park, at the foot of Main street.
The chapter Is awaiting consent from
Union Pacific officials before setting a
time for the monument to be placed.
O’NEILL—J. A. Donohoe, an attorney
of this place, filed yesterday as a candi
date on the democratic ticket at the pri
maries for congressman from the Sixth
congressional district. Donohoe has
served one term os state senator. M. P.
Klnkald will be Donohoe'* opponent on
the republican ticket. He will be re
nominated without opposition.
HASTINGS—Camp 4001, Modern Wood
men of America, will meet tonight to
make arrangements for caring for the
large crowds expected at the state Insur
gent meeting to be held here on the 20th.
From letters received It la believed that
hotels and restaurants will be unable to
care for the great numbers expected.
HOOPER—Boys peering In at a window
at the home of H. H. Wilson believed they
saw a burglar at work In a sliver closet
and reported to Town Marshal Crawford.
The whole neighborhood assembled and
surrounded the place. Marshal Crawford
entered and searched the premises, but
found no one.
FREMONT—President F. McGtverlng of
the Nebraska Bankers’ association, left
yesterday for Chicago to attend a meet
ing of state association officers. The ob
ject of the meeting Is to devise a means of
combatting ’’an epidemic of crimes against
banks and banking Institutions."
YORK—The case of Miss Clara Oarsman
against Edward Johnson for 110,000 for In
juries received by being thrown from a
carriage on account of the team being
soared, as she alleges, by Johnson’s auto
mobile, Is being tried In district court this
week.
LYONS—The infant child of Mr. and
Mrs. Boyde Carlson was found dead In'
bed. The parents had been out to an
entertainment and left the child with Its
grandmother, and It Is thought that the
child got smothered in some way In the
bed.
FREMONT—A Fremont branch of the
Railroad Employee’ Protective and Invest
ment company was organised at a meet
ing with the following officers: R. H.
Wagner, president; K. X. Hicks, vice
president; Charles Miller, secretary.
WYMORE—Wymore claims to have the
champion egg sucker of the state, who Is
sues a challenge to any sucker In the
state. The contest Is to be held July 4
here. Champion Harry Campbell ate 24
raw eggs at on* sitting recently.
FREMONT—A hundred members of the
Knights of Pyhthlas lodge assembled at
Kaatle hall last night for a banquet In
celebration of the 48th anniversary of the
founding of the order.
NORTH BEND—Seven new members
have been taken In by the Methodist
church and 18 by the First Presbyterian
church as a result of the revival meet
ings recently held.
NORTH BEND—The North Bend roller
mills have been closed down temporarily
for repairs.
LINCOLN—Mrs. Villa Scott, a young
woman who came here from Tarkio, Mo.,
to get a divorce from her huBband, killed
herself late last night by swallowing car
bolic acid. Her acquaintances said they
could give no reason for her act other
than that she had become despondent.
SERIOUS RISK INVOLVED
IN MAIL ORDER INSURANCE
Lincoln, Neb., March 16.—State Audi
tor Barton haw issued a warning to
merchants and manufacturers in tho
state that they should be careful about
buying mail order lire insurance. Some
of the big concerns of the state, in an
effort to get their risks written at the
lowest possible price, have been buy
ing from companies not authorized to
do business in Nebraska and having no
agentB here.
Mr. Barton says that tho Nebraska
man who patronizes one of these com
panies is taking a big risk for the rea
son that if he has a loss he will have
a time of It getting his money should
tho company refuse to pay. All com
panies duly admitted are required by
law to appoint the state auditor as an
agent upon whom service could be had.
In the case of a dispute with one of
the outlaw companies, as the auditor
calls them, there is nothing left to do
but to sue the company In the state
or country of Its home office. The Lon
don Lloyds Is one of the companies
particularly mentioned by the auditor
as being engaged in this business in
Nebraska.
NEW YORK.—Miss Margaret Cam
eron. known as the ward of Edwin
Hawley, and whose real name is Emma
Sturges, has been deeded by the late
financier’s heirs property estimated to
be worth $1,000,000 and allowed a life
Income of $26,000 a year, according to
a statement made yesterday by John R.
Stanchfleld. attorney for tne heirs.
PASADENA, CAL.—J. Condory ac
cused by Mrs. Jack Cudahy of entering
her home to persecute and intimidate
her, was held yesterday to answer be
fore the superior court to a charge ol
burglary. He went to Jail in default
of $600 bail. Condory is accused ol
entering the home of Mrs. Cudahy on
thi evening of February »8 ami was
identified by her. He denies lhat He
was employed by anyone to harm Mrs
Cudahy. As a result of the day's hear
ing, Mrs. Cudahy will be unubie to fol
low her children cast, where they ar«
believed to luivo been taken hv their
guardian. She must stay here to tes
tify adieu tiie Condory case is tried.
JURY APPROVES OF
THE JUDGE’S ACTS;
EDITORS INDICTED
Suits Will Be Started By Cherry
County Officials for Slan
der in Connection
With Finding.
Valentine, Neb.. March 16.—Wholly
exonerating Judge W. H. Westover
and the officials of Cherry county from
the charge of corruption and miscon
duct of office, approving in every re
spect trie manner in which the cases of
the four men charged with the murder
of Charles Sellers were disposed of and
Indicting for libelous statements and
false accusations, three prominent edi
tors of Cherry county, the grand Jury
which for the past 16 days has been in
session here, made its report today.
After a lengthy examination of over
70 witnesses in the case, all stories and
rumors to the effect that others were
implicated In the foul crime were found
to be baseless and false. Under the di
rection of A. W. Scattergood. of Ains
worth, personal representative of the at
torney general of Nebraska, the entire
matter was thoroughly Investigated
from every point of view and even the
faintest rumor of corruption was traced
to its source with the same result in
every case—absolute exoneration of
all officials concerned.
True Bills Found.
For printing malicious and slander
ous statements concerning the disposal
of the cases at the October term of
court, Ray W. Hitchcock, editor of the
Cody Cow Boy, and Mrs. Lottie Cram
ner, editor of the Valentine Searchlight,
were indicted for writing and causing
to be printed and distributed a circular
containing unwarranted charges of
corruption and slanderous statements
against Judge Westover and the county
officials of Cherry county. F. Kemp
Heath, former editor of a Cody news
paper and at present a lawyer of Cody,
was Indicted. While it was not within
the province of the jury to indict any
one for making slanderous statements
by word of mouth against Judge West
over, County Attorney John M. Tucker.
Sheriff C. A. Rossiter, County Clerk F.
A. Cumbow and J. T. Keeley, clerk of
the district court, there is a possibility
that civil suits for damages for defama
tion of character may result at the next
term of court.
Not only was the court entirely freed
from every suspicion of graft or cor
ruption, but all matters for which he
had been criticised by disgruntled citi
zens were explained to the grand Jury,
who placed their indorsement on every
official act of Judge Westover in re
gard to his disposal of the cases. It
might be well to state that the origin
of most of the stories circulated as to
corruption and bribery were the result
largely of ignorance of the law and its
proceedings on the part of those orig
inating the false statements.
Criticism of Court.
The point on which Judge Westover
had been most severely criticised was
that he accepted a plea of guilty of
■murder in the second degree, whereas
many people of the county thought the
murderers should have been held to
trial for murder in the first degree. The
following extract from the report of the
grand jury gives the reasons for his
baction ns set forth by Judge Westover:
"It has frequently been asked what
were Judge Westover's reasons for di
recting the acceptance of a plea of
guilty of murder in the second degree
from the four men accused of the mur
der of Sellers. It appears from the evi
dence and from what the grand jury
is able to gather, that the only object
in putting these men upon trial after
they offered to enter such plea was to
secure n conviction of murder in the
first degree with the death penalty. If
this had been undertaken it would have
required the empanelling of four juries
In Cherry county, of men who had no
conscientious scruples against the
death penalty in murder cases, and who
had never formed or expressed an opin
ion with reference to the guilt or inno
cence of either one of the accused. The
first requirement would have disquali
fied at least one-third of the jurymen
called, as demonstrated by experience
in the trials of similar cases in this
district; this, then, would have left
two-thirds of the voting population of
the county from which these juries
must be empanelled. Judge Westover
claimed that he had made a careful in
quiry in the southern and western part
of the county, and was unable to find
or hear of any Juror who would be
qualified under the requirements of the
laws of this state, and entertained a
grave doubt as to whether or not even
WATER POWER SITES
MOST BE CONSERVED
Herbert K. Smith Makes Report
in Which He Warns Taft
Against Corporations.
Washington, March 16.—Concentra
tion of control over water powers by
large Interests In Important localities
Is increasing so rapidly that Herbert
Knox Smith, commissioner of corpora
tions, has reported to President Taft
that the government should preserve
title to the remaining power sites and
develop them to prevent a possible mo
nopolization of public utility compa
nies. A full report of the commission
er's investigation of water power devel
opment was presented to the president
today.
Commissioner Smith dlrocts particu
lar attention to the Increasing affilia
tion of water power concerns and pub
lic service agencies, such as street rail
way and lighting corporations, and
oftentimes banks as well. The connec
tion between such concerns he regards
of serious public significance.
The rapidly Increasing concentration
of water power control about which the
commissioner sounds a warning may
become, he says, the nucleus for a mo
nopoly of both water and steam power.
If the water power cannot meet the
entire demand of a given locality, he
ROBBERS IDENTIFIED.
San Antonio, Tex., March 16.—The
robbers who attempted to hold up the
Southern Pacific train near Sanderson
and were killed have been identified as
Ed Welch, an escaped criminal, and a
man named Kilpatrick. Little is known
of Kilpatrick.
3TRI1<E BREAKERS RETURN.
Chicago, March 15.—With the assist
ance of the Legal Aid society. 20 lath
ers imported here from St. Louts to
work as strike breakers yesterday, won
their tight to force the employment
agent who brought them here to pay
their return fare to that city.
•
one qualified Jury could have been em
panelled from the voting population of
the county.
Difficult!#* of Trial.
Should thia have been undertaken
and the voting population of the county
bad been exhausted wthout securing a
qualified Jury In either one or all of
theae cases, than the defendants would
have been entitled to their liberty with
out trial. Thia w&a the condition which
was to be avoided If possible. Another
reason assigned by him for directing
the acceptance of the plea Is that In
all the states of this union It Is cus
tomary with trial courts upon pleas
of guilty being entered, to Impose a less
sentence than would be Imposed upon
conviction at the end of a trial. A
third reason assigned Is that had the
cases been tried It would In all prob
ability cost the taxpayer* ># Cherry
county from $28,000 to ssO.OOO to pay
the expenses, and should the trials
have resulted In conviction of murder
la the second degree, or first degree
with Imprisonment for life, or man
slaughter. and the accused escape the
death penalty, then the expenditure of
this immense amount of money would
have been inexcusable. Under the pleas
made by the accused the court sen
tenced each and every one of them to
Imprisonment at hard labor during
their natural life. This seemed to be,
In the Judgment of the court, adequate
punishment under all the circum
stances. And If the legislative and
executive branches of the government
will see to It that this sentence Is car
ried out, and that the accused remain
in the penitentiary, then no person can
reasonably complain that the punish
ment Imposed Is inadequate.
"After a careful and thorough exam
ination of ail the testimony adduced
with special reference to finding out
whether or not any corrupt Influence
waB brought to bear upon the court to
secure the acceptance by the state of a
plea of guilty of murder In the second
degree from these four men, it only
remains for us to say that we can find
no reason whatever for the acceptance
of this plea other than those given
herein above, and especially we find no
reason whatever to believe that the ac
ceptance of thia plea of guilty of mur
der is the second degree was secured
by any corrupt or Improper Influence
whatever. After a careful Investiga
tion of the whale subject we are In
clined to approve of the acceptance of
this plea as being to the best Interests
of the county of Cherry and its citi
zens."
Dismissal of Eunice Murphy.
The cltisen* of Cody and vicinity
were much wrought up that Eunice
Murphy, the girl in the case should be
dismissed without trial. As to this,
Judge Westover made the following
statement which appears In the report:
"That when she was arrested and
brought back to Valentina she had a
preliminary examination before the
county Judge at which time all of the
evidence against her which could be
found by the state was submitted. This
evidence was taken by Mr. Scott the
official court reporter, and shortly
thereafter transcribed by him. After a
thorough examination of this evidence
I became satisfied under the law that
the evidence was not sufficient to war
rant or sustain a conviction, and on the
first day of the term X took the mattel
up with the attorneys for the state,
and asked them if they had any more
evidence or different evidence against
her than that produced at the preli
minary examination. They said they
had not, and that the evidence at th<
trial would not be as strong against
her as it appeared at the preliminary
for the reason that at least two cir
cumstances which tended to Indicate ,
guilt at the preliminary examination,
had afterwards been explained in her
favor. There was no disa-reement be
tween the court and the attorneys foi
the state as to the sufficiency of the
evidence, or insufficiency of the evi
dence to warrant or sustain a convic
tion, and the attorneys for the state
were requested to dismiss the cast
rather than to spend the time and th«
public funds In what we knew In ad
vance would be a useless prosecution,
The attorneys hesitated to do this on
account of public feeling, but finally
filed a motion to dismiss the case upon
the grounds that a plea of guilty of
murder in the second degree having
been accepted by the court for the fout
principal defendants, that she could
then not be succeasfully prosecuted as
an accessory. While the grounds stated
in the motion were not tenable, yet,
the court being clearly of the opinion
that the evidence was insufficient the
grounds alleged In the motion were dis
regarded, the motion sustained, and tha
action dismissed. I have since reviewed
the matter with great care and un
hesitatingly state that the conclusion
reached and upon which I acted at tha
time this ease was dismissed, was cor
rect in every particular, and that 1
could not have excused myself had 1
taken any other action whatever, oi
permitted the expenditure of public
funds In the prosecution of a case
which I knew must fall, before it was
started."
points out that the owners can acquire
auxiliary fuel plants and handle water
and fuel power over the same distrib
uting lines, and thus a complete com
mercial power monopoly might grad
ually be built up—in fact already ex
ists—in a number of communities.
Ten Big Groups.
Ten great groups of interests, with
the General Electric company as the
most powerful, are declared by Com
missioner Smith to control or strongly
Influence about 60 per cent of the de
veloped commercial water power of the
United States. These 10 groups them
selves are more or less Inter-related,
with resultant growing community ol
interests.
Mr. Smith, urging immediate formu
lation of a definite policy of developing
the remaining water power sites on th«
public domain, recommends, generally
speaking, that the government retain
the ultimate control of these sites.
The problem of development, the
commissioner continues, cannot be
solved by fixing by law the selling price
of water power by Itself, whieh. In any
event, will be controlled, by the cost ol
fuel power.
operate the sites, selling the energy at
market rates, or the public may lease
the sites at a rental fairly representing
Its natural value." The commissioner
favors the rental system.
The bureau of corporations, in its In
vestigations, found concentration of
water powers, according to the report,
In three distinct phases. First, there
was a centralisation of control in each
Important locality; secondly, large In
terests Influenced a number of these
local concerns, and finally, there was
found a growing relationship among
the big interests.
SOME BETTER AT DENVER.
Denver, Colo.. March 16.—Railroad
traffic conditions into Denver, showed a
slight Improvement today with the ar
rival of one Atchison, Topeka & Santa
Fe train from the cast and the an
nouncement by Burlington officials that
trains w ere able to get through from ;
Chicago on delayed schedules, but not l
from St. Louis. Union Pacific and j
Rock Island trains were annulled again !
today. The Missouri Pacific is still ■
blocked In eastern Colorado and west
ern Kansas. 1
1
NEBRASKA NEWS NOTES I l
-1 i
HASTINGS—A statement from tha]
board of trustees of Hastings college say®l
that the work of the college will be con-<
tlnued. The vacancies on the board from!
resignations were filled with representa-*
tive men of Hastings and the state, and a
committee was elected to secure a presl-,
dent at an early date, and the field sec-]
| retary, W. W. Smith, was directed toi
prosecute the work of completing tha;
raising of the $100,000 endowment, upon.;
which task he has been engaged. It is not;
announced whether an effort will be1
made to secure the return of Dr. Turner'
as president. It is stated that the charw
ter of the college vests the management
with the trustees rather than with tha
synod.
UTICA—A stranger who says his nama
is John Wertman and his home in Okla
homa was found eight miles north of hera‘
at night almost frozen to death. Ha)
camped by the road side near a stream,;
though he carried $700 in money. During]
the storm of the night he wandered away
from his wagon and fell into the stream.]
In the morning he was found wandering!
up and down a wire fence in a demented!
condition. His feet are badly frozen and;
he has been unconscious most of the time
since he was brought to town. He will!
probably survive.
LINCOLN—Governor Aldrich has start
ed out to collect Information from a num-,
ber of other states in regard to the smug-;
gling cf “dope” inside prison walls, im
moral practices among convicts, and gen-,
eral evils of penitentiary confinement. Her
will write to wardens of Institutions In
Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, New,
York and a few other states, asking them
for data gleaned from their own ex
perience or In other ways. With the facts
thus secured, the governor expects to be
In a position to deal more effectively with,
the situation at the state penitentiary
here. The inquiry may extend to whether
or not women are allowed to teach Sun
day school classes In prisons elsewhere.
SPENCER—At a special bond election
held In Spenoer to vote $5,000 worth o-i£
bonds for Improvements made on tha
school building, the proposition carried by
86 to 9, a light vote turning out. The
school board met on the same evening and
elected the following teachers for the next
school year: C. E. Claar, superintendent;
Emma Outhouse, principal; Stasia Walsh,
grammar; Mina Tnilock, intermediate;
Julia Dennis, intermediate; Emma Pu
celik, second primary; Elizabeth DerryJ
first primary.
BROKEN BOW—Claude Boyles, 16 ori
17 years old, was fined in Judge Fodge’sj
court for assault and battery on Miss Jea-(
sie Lovett, teacher of a school about 18(
miles north of here. The boy went to the*
school house door, and when Miss Lovett)
appeared, made an insulting remark, ati
the same time grasping her by the arroj
and attempting to drag her outside. Thai
teacher wrenched herself away and rani
back to the school room where some pu
pils yet remained.
LINCOLN—The Nebraska supreme court;
reversed its ruling of a year ago, when it!
held that insurance is not trade and com
merce and therefore not subject to that
anti-trust laws of the state. The court*
in an opinion by Justice Lettor., declared!
surety companies subject to prosecution
for violation of what is known as tha!
Junkin anti-trust law. The case is that*
of an eastern bonding company alleged to
be in a combine with other bonding com
panies.
LINCOLN—Acceptance by Congressman
Henry, of Texas, chairman of the rules
committee in the House, of an invitation
to respond to a toast at the Bryan birth-,
day banquet here March 19, added another
prominent democrat to the speaking list
for the spread. Other acceptances are
from Senators Gore, Owen and James*
ex-Senator Pettigrew, Governor Shafroth,
of Colorado; George Fred Williams, ofj
Massachusetts, and Frederick Townsend'
Martin, of New York.
LINCOLN—The pure food department*
has just completed the testing of another,
batch of seed corn submitted to it. Oner,
lot. which came from Decatur in Burt!
county, showed the highest per cent ofi
germinating power of any yet tested, it;
developing 90 per cent. On the other hand,
one lot of SO kernels sent in from Saline
county showed only 12 which germinated,
and two lots from Burchard showed 20
and 27.7 per cent, respectively.
WINNEBAGO—W. W. Small and wife
returned from Madison, S. D., last week.,
Mr. Small has held the position of clerk
in charge of the Omaha reservation with
headquarters at Macy, Neb., for the past
two years. Mr. Small was forced to leave
his duties last month and undergo an op
eration for appendicitis at St. Joseph hos
pital in Sioux City. Upon his recovery
he paid a visit to his parents.
LINCOLN—In the case of Mrs. Neff,
against Emil Brandeis, of Omaha, the su
preme court yesterday reversed the de
cision of the lower court, holding that
at the time of the accident in which Mrs.,
Neff was run down by tiie Brandeis auto
mobile the relation of master and servant
did not exist between the defendant and'
the chauffeur.
FREMONT—Morris Christensen, who*
made an attempt to murder his wife and
infant with a red hot poker on Sunday
morning, was found a fit subject for state
as.vlum treatment by the commission yes
terday afternoon, and this morning was
taken to the Norfolk state institution by
Sheriff Condit. »
PAWNEE CITY—Superintendent I. G.,
Wilson of the city school has tendered his
resignation to 1 lie board of education, to
take effect, at the close of the present,
school year. Mr. Wilson has been elected
to the department of elementary English
and debating in the Peru state normal
school.
OGALALLA—The Ke.th County Fair as
sociation met at Ogalalla Saturday and
set September 24. 25 and 26 as the dates of
the fall fair. Keith county farmers and
Ogalalla business men have contributed
sufficient funds to erect a large pavilion
and booths for the grounds.
SURPRISE—Eighty-six conversions in
three weeks is the result so far of the
Methodist revivals in progress here. Rev.
Albert Jacobs and Mrs. Jacobs, of Lin
coln, have charge of the services.
FREMONT—Under the weight of the
heavy snow the roof of the pavilion used
as a skating rink on South Main street
collapsed Monday night. None was in
the structure at the time.
SCRIBNER—Henry Stockhorst, aged 40,
a resident of Scribner for many years,
died yesterday after a long illness. Mr.
Stockhorst is survived by a wife.
WEST POINT—The West Point Wom
an's club is leading for the reform of cer
tain of the ordinances of the city, espec
ially those relating to health and sanitary
conditions, the enforcement of which has
been in the past rather lax. The club
proposes to inaugurate a house cleaning
campaign in which it will be assisted by
the citizens at large.
WEST POINT—The managers of the
West Point Speed association are actively
engaged in making. preparations for the
forthcoming race meet, July 30, 31 and
August 1. Negotiations are pending with
several aviators and flying machines will
be a feature of the meet. An elaborate
plan of boosters’ trip is being arranged.