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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1914)
The O’Neil Frontier D. H. CRONIN, Publish#*. O'NEILL,NEBRASKA *1 am sending this package to a mis sionary friend of mine who Is about to ■all for India,” said the man who got on at Clifton avenue. "You couldn't ■ucss In a thousand years what is In It, so I'll tell you. It's Insect powder. X couldn't give a present that a mis sionary would value more highly. W« «»• the Ignorance and superstition and Vice that the missionaries have to con tend with, and those things are bad •nough, but there are other trials still harder to bear that the gospel worker* •ever write home."—Newark News. The opening ceremony of the new todo-Coylon railway will take place February 24. laird Pcntland, governol of Madras, will preside at the function, IWhlch also will be attended by the gov ernor of Ceylon and a large assem blage of notables from India and Cey lon. The occasion is to be marked by ■ great banquet to celebrate the com pletion of an enterprise of vital Impor tance to transportation Interests In the • Orient. A "dogs' address book” has Just been published In Frankfort, Germany, by ■ society for the protection of animals, »nd it is provided that every dog whose name Is entered In the directory Is to carry a badge bearing the. number •gainst the entry. If a lost or strayed dog should bo taken to the society’s ofllces, the owner can immediately be Informed and be restored quickly to Xhe possession of his pet. The Civil and Military Gazette ol Xehore, India, says that the postofflce department of the Indian government, having found the employment of motor traction for the conveyance of malls a great success In Rangoon, Burma, la •eriously considering the Introduction of motors in Calcutta, Bohbay and Madras, to replace the enormous num ber of horse vehicles at present used In those towns. Turkish clgarets, exquisitely flavored end scented, are the passion of the czar of Russia, who scarcely ever ■mokes anything else. His clgarets »re made from specially matured to fcacco exclusively grown for him In Turkey. Each clgaret, by the time It reaches the czar, costs almost a penny, end the Russian ruler gets rid of us ■uuiy as 40 or 60 a day. "Lord send an airly spring,” prayed the shivering Blllvllle parson. "Not one with the rheumatism and the earthquake chills In It-, and snakes too frequent, but a clear springtime of fish and freedom, hammock and hap piness, with Jest enough plowin’ for •zeroise, and time enough to rest on the river banks of life and dream that are rich.” Near Limoges are three large mills Sor preparing rabbit hair, the skins be £ftng collected from all parts of France, practically all the process Is mechani cal. The average wage lor women, who (constitute two-thirds of the 400 em loyea. Is 26 cents and for men 50 Bnts for a working day of 10 hours. At a meeting of the Doughnut club Pf Worcester, Mass., a six-Inch dough Sut was presented to one of the mcm ers of the club who had reached Ills i#9th birthday. The club was formed 38 years ago, when the charter members Siaed to meet for doughnuts and coffee •t one of the Worcester restaurants. Roman antiquaries are beginning to "think that the story of Romulus und pemus Is not a myth. Commendotore jSonl, who Is In charge of the ex ploration work, believes that he has Sound the tomb of Romulus and also the remains of the first city which the Sounder traced with his plow. In Riverside, Cnl., a woman who was •onvtcted of stealing rose bushes from A private estate was told to take her Choice of a sentence or of restoring the pushes. She chose the latter, and lin ger the direction of the dourt planted •0 rose bushes along the side of the toad near the estate. A man In East Manchester, N. H„ possesses an unusually Intelligent torso, which can tell Its own ago, strik ing its hoof on the ground 25 times, and •an Indicate by nods whether or not it jhos had dinner. It follows its master without a halter and drives without the jtue of reins. The cotton seed crop of Smyrna last pear was estimated at 13,584 short tons, •r about 20 per cent less thun the pro duction of the previous season, the gortage being accounted for by the :k of rain at sowing time. The qual ’ of the seed, however, was excellent Celestln Dembion, whose books en deavor to prove that the plays at jtptbuted to Shakespeare were written (by I-ord Rutland, will coma to this country in the spring to lecture on his (theory. He is a deputy and professor mt literature at Brussels university. Chowfa Maha Vajlravudh, who suc ceeded his father on the throne of Plain, Is modern In his ideas and plans. iHe Is literary, writes poetry and has so (Car forsaken the ways of his ancestors (that he travels by uutouiublle, having a •umber of fine cars. When Sir Isaac Newton was dying (be was told that the many things he bad added to our knowledge should Comfort him, but he replied that he Holt "like a child who had picked up a jtow shells on the shores of a limitless •cean of truth." The marine disasters of 1913 amount ed to $35,000,000 In British Insured •hips and cargoes, totally lost, as (compared with $26,500,000 In 1912. The jPjgures fur the latter yeur include the (pltanic, representing underwriting Mlaims for about $6,250,000. The Island of Trlnklad Is 55 miles long and 40 miles wide, and has an •rea of approximately 1,800 square •Ules. A chain of mountains extends Siroughout Its length, the highest point 1 which is about 3.000 teel above vel. Strikes and lockouts In Rhode Island Curing 1913 caused a loss of $122,855 to W«ge earners and about $350,000 in value of production to employers, ac cording to the report of the commis •oner of industrial statistics. The industry of canning crayfish, known in the market as Cape Bplny lobster, which began in the vlelnltv of Cope Town a few years ago in u Bmall Way, has gradually grown in Import ance until the output for the last tea aon aggregated nearly 50,000 cases. In ord»r to decide a bet. i Chicago millionaire has taken a census of all those similarly wealthy In the city, and has found that there are at least 213 Tlie census is not yet complete and is expected to show u roll of 500 when <Lib hod. Wasps rank next to the higher •asses of xuin in point of insuit intoi Ucenco. CHARGED STORAGE ON ' PIANO LEFT AT HOME ; BY ACM SALESMAN Verdict for $25 First Affirmed by Supreme Court, But Is Later Knocked Out. Llnoon, Neb., Mar. 2.—The supreme court has changed Its mind, and there by lifted a cloud of worry from the piano dealers. George A. Crancer, of Lincoln had a live salesman in Butler county. The salesman called on Wil liam Combs and endeavored to con vince him of the uplifting Influences of a piano in his home, especially if the said piano were one of those tho salesman had to dispose of. Combs said he didn’t want any piano, but the salesman was Insistent that he "just let me put one in for you and you can try it and if you don’t want it, we’ll take it out again without any charge to you.” Combs let the piano be de livered. It remained there nine months but as he was still unconvinced that his life demanded the soothe of music, the agent came after the instrument. Combs told him he could not have it unless he paid $5 a month storage charges. The agent thereupon re plevlned the piano, and Combs filed a crossbill for $45 storage charges. A jury gave him $26, and • the supreme court once affirmed it. On rehearing It admits it was wrong, and that in order to maintain his demand for storage Combs should have notified the piano man to come and take the instrument away. As the costs are are thus placed upon Combs and as he has an attorney whose palm he must cross, his nine months' companionship with the piano will cost him the great er part of its value. WANTS GOVERNMENT TO AGREE ON LIMITATIONS Lincoln, Nob., Mar. 2.—After having had two Juries in his two trials dis agree as to his guilt, Itay Boyer is en deavoring to make an agreement with the federal prosecutor that hereafter he be tried but once by a jury. Boyer Is a former university student who itook a homestead out in Wyoming. There he ran across an Idlun grave in which were cached several thousand elk teeth. Finding theso sold readily for goodly sums, Boyer started out to dispose of them. When ho ran out of the geinulne he started to sell imita tion teeth made in Seattle. Where ho and the government differ as to facts is that he says he never sold any imitation as genuine, while the government has spent hundreds of dollars trying to prove he did. It has failed to convince two juries. Boyer has sold us high as 15,000 teeth In a year, and got all the way from 50 cents to $6 each. —f LAW INVALIDATED BY LEGISLATIVE FORM ERROR Lincoln, Neb., Mar. 2.—The neglect of the legislature of 1913 in following the plain provisions of the constitution with respect to tho form of enact ments is responsible for the holding void, by the supreme court, of the new law permitting the building of a new Jail and county court house upon peti tion of 61 per i*mt of the voters. The legislature is found to have Tailed to numo in the new law the soctions it was endeavoring to amend and did not re peal the sections for which it sought to make a substitute. The specific case before the court was an appeal from Burt county, where, following this law a proposition to raise $100,000 by levy ing 5 mills for three successive years was adopted. The court's order ends this hope of public improvement, al though the district court had refused to enjoin the county board. POLICY ANNULLED BY GIVING WRONG OCCUPATION Lincoln, Neb., Mar. 2.—Because tho husband of Emma Kruoex deceived tho head officers of the Fraternal Union by giving his occupation, when he ap plied for a $2,000 policy, us that of can maker, when in fact ho was n saloon keeper, the supreme court says the widow cannot recover. In fairness, however, the court orders the return tc the widow of the assessments paid fof 10 years by the husband. Kracek’i sister was clerk of the lodge, and she admitted that In the blank where tho applicant’s occupation is to be written someone bad started to write the fact, hut after writing “sal” had scratched it out and substituted "canmaker." Un der the rules of tho order saloonkeep ers are Ineligible to membership, and the court holds that fraud was used in keeping Jho facts from the grand lodge. officers. CITY HEALTH OFFICERS WERE RADICALLY WRONG Lincoln, Neb., Mar. 2.—L. E. Wal lace is not in the happy position of the man who had “nothing against no body." Mr. Wallace is warm and he wants redress. The other morning he called on a physician to ask advice as to rash that had appeared on his face. “Smallpox,” said tho doctor, and so did the city health officer. Mr. Wallace was promptly bundled off to the isola tion hospital, and the young lady whom it was learned he had been cull ing upon the previous evening was compelled to subject herself to com plete fumigation. Yesterday Mr. Wallace waked up to tlnd his rash gone. The doctors foregathered, ami now say lie never did have the small pox. But maybe after being shut up with six men who do have it he will get it. But what interests Wallace is whether there is any way to secure damages for lacerated feelings. ATTORNEY FOR BRANDEIS MOCKS WEEPING WOMAN Omaha. Neb., Mar. 2.—When At torney John C. Wharton, for Arthur L). Brandeis, defendant in a $250,000 damage suit against him by Mrs. Nel lie l’aul, yesterday afternoon made ids plea to the Jury in the case he cried in imitation of the plaintiff as part of his argument for his client. in answer to Attorney Brady, for Mrs. Paul, who quoted passages from the scriptures, Mr. Wharton retaliated with other passages. The feature of his address, however, was to weep and la ment like the plaintiff in an effort to weaken her testimony. He then denounced her bitterly, bringing forth his views for an acquittal of the defendant. INCUBATOR LAMP EXPLODES AND SETS FIRE TO HOUSE Beatrice, Neb., Feb. 2S.—The ex plosion of a lamp attached to an in cubator, which was being operated in the second story of the home of John Yockel in South Beatrice, set fire to the house which was completely de stroyed before the firemen could reach the burning structure, it being located over a mile from town. The family was awakened by the odor of smoke and wore driven out In the cold thinly clad, in order to escape with their lives Practically nothins was saved. The loss is placed at $3,000 partially covered by insurance. 1 ?---—t j NEBRASKA NEWS NOTES j PIERCE—-The golden wedding anni versary of Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Gerry Brande was celebrated In Fraternal hall by members of the Odd. Fellows, Eastern fctar, Masons, and many other friends, about ICO persons being present. Two purses were presented to Mr. and Mrs. Brande, one by the old soldiers contain ing $14, and the other by friends, contain ing $80 in gold. Mr. and Mrs. Brande were married in West Gardner, Me., Feb-* ruary 24, 1864, while he was at home from the front. He left immediately after the ceremony to rejoin his regiment. He served four years in the army. FREMONT—The Fremont city council, following a vigorous complaint registered by Councilman * Larson, of the Fourth ward, requested the city clerk to call the attention of the state food department to alleged “watering of milk” by Fremont milkmen. Councilman Larson averred that the cold weather and consequent les sening of the milk supply had brought a sudden and very apparent “modification" of the product. The councilman declared he was sure that a test would reveal that the product had been mixed with water. OSHKOSH—The proposition of voting bonds in the sum of $40,000 to build a court house for Garden county was overwhelmingly defeated at a special elec tion held here. The bonds failed to carry oven in Oshkosh, the county seat, where the court house was to be built, by 15 majority, and outside of tills precinct the bonds received less than 26 votes. The bonds were defeated by a vote approxi mating 7 to 1. NORFOLK—The Country club stock holders voted unanimously to purchase 20 acres of land north of town, which the club has leased during the past few years. The directors were instructed to close their option on the land. The first vote showed the opinion favoring the purchase was unanimous. Permanent arrangements will be made within a very short time. HASTINGS—A. L. Mohler, president of the Union Pacific Railroad company, probably established a precedent here in addressing the Chamber of Commerce on government ownership of railroads. It is believed to be the first such incident of a railroad president taking the platform on this question. Mr. “Mohler was against government ownership. CEDAR BLUFFS—At a special meeting of the members of th* Methodist church, at which District Superintendent M. B. Williams was present and presided, Rev. Harry Royes declined the offer of a pul pit in one of the Methodist churches in Lincoln and decided to remain here. 'grand ISLAND-Wilhelm Engle, re siding on a farm six miles south of here, died on his 82nd birthday, from injuries rereived when ho w$s attacked by a vi cious bull belonging to a neighbor, Fer dinand Stoltenberg. The bull jumped a wire fence to attack the old man. PLATTSMOUTH-C. E. Noyes, chair man of the Cass county republican com mittee, has issued a call for the primaries to be held on March 13 for the election of delegates to the republican county con j vent ion to be held in Weeping Water on March 18. MADISON -The Injun* to Attorney Jas. S. Nichols as a result of being struck in the neck by Attorney W. L. Dowling, Is not as serious as was reported. He is able to be at his office. Dr. Shiko, who attend ed him, says the injury was not serious. ANSLEY—At the regular meeting of Ansley Camp, No. 1234, Modern Woodmen of America, the members declared unani mously Against the rate law adopted at the Chicago meeting and also as against the present officials of the order. NELIGH—Dr. Af F. Conery has been bound over to the district court in the sum of 52,500. County Judge Ingram ren dered his decision. Conery is charged with causing the death of Mrs. Dora Rodgers by a criminal operation. Small Talk That Kills Sales. From the Chicago Tribune. In a little talk to his salespeople not long ago a successful merchant said: “One most harmful habit indulged In by many salespeople Is the repeating of some meaningless term to any visitor who comes to the store. Wo will take an ex pression, for Illustration, that you have all heard. Something for you?’ We hear It In the store, In the cafe. In the cafe teria, in the city hull. We cannot get away from it, yet everybody is tired of hearing it. “This term, with others. "What do you want?’ Anything for you?' 'What is It?’ 'Is that nil?' 'Nothing more?' 'Nothing else. Is there?’ 'You didn’t want this, did you?' eto., are disgusting to the customer. They mean nothing and kill sales rather than get business. "The first thing you do or say when approaching a customer usually decides whether you will be able to make a sale or not. livery day we see prospective customers who have stopped at some counter really Interested in some line of goods, when they are accosted with 'Some thing for you?' Immediately lose all their interest. Y’os, there Is surely something they want, but what Is it? On a real hot day it may be a cooling, refreshing drink or what not, but then your question did not create a desire to purchase drv goods, nor did it suggest any wunts along that line. "If salesmanship Is going to be vour pro fession. say something that will bring out a reply In your favor, make some posi tive suggestion, give some kind of Infor mation. give some kind of selling talk that will be educating, that will make vour customer see the benefits of the purchase the same as you do." Quite So. From the National Magazine. At a club frequented by doctors the discussion came uo recently whether a person could live without a brain. During the discourse one of the doctors said: "When I was practicing medicine in Indiana n remarkable case came under my supervision. A man. while out hunting, had leaned upon his shot gun and the weapon had gone off ac cidentally, making a large wound in has head Just above the ear. The brain was laid bare and in bringing the pa tient to the hospital a handful of the gray matter leaked out. He was tre panned and finally recovered, his mental faculties apparently as good as ever." "\our story is very interesting," in terrupted an auditor "but it sounds to mo somewhat Inconsistent.” "Why so?" question the narrator. "Because," answered the other doc tor. “if he had ever had n handful of brains he wouln't have leaned on the gun.” He Found Him. From the National Monthly. In a cluss of 12 boys, one of them had broken a school rule, but none of them would own up to being guiltv or tell on the one they knew had com -mitted the offense. “1 will thlash every boy in the class until 1 find the offender!" announced the teacher. So she began and had whipped 11 of them. When he reached the last boy he said: "Now, if you will tell mo who did this I won't thrash you" b wer!* "I ‘did ’ tv,r’' Wa“ thu — GETS JUST ONE GENT IN CLAIM FOR LIBEL FROM LINCOLN PAPER Reporter Listed Wrong Finch in Police Court Action—Rul ing on Technical Libel. Lincoln, Neb. Feb. 28.—Instead of the $25,000 damages that he demanded. Charles K. Finch was awarded 1 cent In his libel suit against the State Jour nal and Evening News. Finch is a re tired railroad engineer. He has a son Floyd who has figured in several escapades. A year and a half ago Homer M. Scott, a Lincoln drayman, lost $2,750 in a saloon where he was loudly proclaiming his desire to bet on Wilson's election. Floyd Finch was one of three men arrested later on com plaint of Scott, but after a month or so the case was dropped. In the interval the newspapers kept printing develop ments of the case. In one issue the two papers mistakenly substituted the name of the father for that of the son as one of the defendants. The father was bondsman for the son. and his name appeared on the back of the court docket envelope. Through a peculiar chain of circumstances the reporter, in the hurry of the afternoon round, printed the wrong name. A week later Finch complained to the editors, which was the first they knew of the error. A prompt correction and full retraction was printed, but Finch said this was not enough and demanded $2,600. This was refused. The testi mony disclosed that he did not lose his job and the court instructed the jury that where it was not shown that pe cuniary damages were sustained, but that there was a technical libel, only nominal damages could be given. The newspapers defended on the ground also that Finch could not have been damaged because all previous stories carried the son’s name and all who had followed the case knew it was not the father who was meant. — "JESTER” RAISES FALSE HOPES FOR BLIND MAN Lincoln, Neb. Feb. 28.—In a small camp near the state penitentiary yes terday Warden Fenton discovered a blind man, a poisoned woman and a starving horse, also three little chil dren. Last fall some coarse jester told the man, whose name is Roanes, that Kansas had passed a law pensioning blind men and that in order to avail himself of the law he need be a resi dent of that state but a brief time. Roanes, who then lived at Grand Isl and, immediately started overland to Topeka. Arrived there he found that he had been the victim of a practical joke. As he had friends at Grand Isl and, he started back. He lost one horse, his wife became ill from poison that developed in a cut arm, and lack of money made him halt at Lincoln. —f— BISHOP OPPOSES EARLY CLOSING OF POOL HALLS Hastings, Neb.. Feb. 28.—“W'hat are you going to do with the boys of Hast ings if you do close the pool halls earlier, as the women have requested?” asked Bishop Beecher of the Episcopal church. "You can’t by legislation compel them to spend their evenings at the Y. M. C. A. You have not solved the problem if you close the pool halls and drive the boys into the cellar or the garret. "Y'ou can accomplish more for the boys by placing in every pool hall and in other public places the motto that profane and obscene language, gambling and drinking are prohibited, and then seeing to it that this motto is observed. The closing of the pool halls is not the solution, for I have tried it in Omaha. TEN SALOON MEN ARE NAMED AS DEFENDANTS Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 28.—Ten saloon keepers in W'ilber are made defendants in a damage suit for $20,000 tiled in the Lancaster district court by the widow of Ross McKinsey, a Saline counts farmer w,no lost his life in a drunker street brawl in Wilber on the 2d ol last August. McKinsey was killed by a man named Clawson, afterward sent to the state penitentiary. His widow alleges that the saloon men kept theii saloons open until midnight that even ing, to accommodate patrons of a 8tree’, fair, that her husband visited th< places of the 10 defendants, was mads drunk therein, and as a result of hii drinking he became quarrelsome picked a fight and was killed. BOYER JURY REPORTS ITS FAILURE TO AGREE Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 28.—A jury in the federal district court reported its inability to agree in the case of -Ray C Boyer, accused of using the mails to defraud. Boyer was charged with rep resenting himself in possession of a large number of elk teeth and solicit ing people to buy. These teeth, it was alleged by the government, were not genuine, but were manufactured, and the witnesses were brought from states from the Atlantic to the Pacific to testify against the accused. Boyer admitted he had sold teeth that were not genuine, but denied misrepresenting them. The trial consumed nearly a week, and the jury was out 2S hours. DRESS CAUGHT FIRE AS PUTTING WOOD IN STOVE Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 28.—Emmy Buslcfc. a 4-year-old girl, died last night at the hospital from burns re ceived while playing about the family cook stove. Her mother had gone to a neighbor’s house, and was met at the door by the girl with the cry. “Mother. I am burning up." The mother smothered the flames with a blanket. The girl’s body was almost bereft of clothing and her body frightfully burned. She had tried to crowd a stick of wood In the fire, and a tongue of flame had leaped out and caught her dress. OMAHA GRAIN EXCHANGE ATTACKS DEDUCTIONS Washington, P. C., Feb. 28.—The Omaha Grain Exchange today filed complaint with the Interstate Com merce commission against the Burling ton and other roads, attacking the practice of certain arbitrary de ductions by the roads on shipments of grain in case of loss in transit. —t— POLICE CHIEF GIVES COAL TO NEEDY CITIZENS Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 26.—Chief Malone of the police department has joined the ranks of the philanthropists by giving away $100 worth of coal to worthy needy citizens of Lincoln. The chief is spending his hard cash for the fuel and is busy a great deal of the time now directing its distribution. He says that it is surprising how many people in the city need something to keep them warm and haven't the cash to pay for it. Chief Malone Is careful that some of the professionals do not "work" him for a ’^sucker.” ANTI-SALOON WORKER LIBEL SUIT IS SPECIAL SOURCE OF INTERES1 Action Brought by Proprietor oi Hotel Who Objects to Aspersions. Lincoln. Neb., Feb. 27.—Horace F. Carson superintendent of the anti saloon league is now on trial In the county court charged with having crim inally libeled John S. Poole, manager and lessee of the Windsor hotel. A large number of the audience present at the hearing were women, some hav ing children with them. Much of the morning session was characterized by clashes between the attorneys as to the admissibility of evidence. Ex-Governor C. H. Aldrich and A. G. Wolfenbarger, a former well known prohibition work er and orator represents the defend ant Judge E. P. Holmes former judge of the Lancaster county district court for many years is assisting County At torney Strode. City Clerk Tierg, the first witnesses for the state, introduced a certified copy of the Carson communication filed in the office by the defendant, and directed to the city council. It is this document upon which the charge of libel is predicated, the defendant hav ing charged that the investigators in the employ of the anti-saloon league, having been approached by many wo men, who solicitated them to go to rooms for immoral purposes. It was further*stated that the places most often mentioned included the Windsor hotel, of which the prosecuting wit ness is the proprietor or lessee, and In another place it was stated that the proprietors of these places seemed con fident that they would not be subjected to interference. The defense claimed that the state ment did hot refer to the proprietors of hotels, but only to those of rooming houses, and that there had been no charge that the prosecuting witness had tolerated misconduct at his place. It was only stated that women had in vited men to go there. ■ John S." Pool, the prosecuting wit ness, testified that he had been the proprietor of the Windsor hotel since November 27 and the dining room was opened on January 5. He said that he had changed the hotel to the American plan to avoid any suspicion as to its character. He swore that he had never allowed women to visit the place for immoral purposes. _L_ I OMAHA POLICE "HIGHBALL.” TOM DENNISON’S ENEMY Omaha, Neb., Feb. 27.—Frank Erd man, who was charged with attempting to dynamite the home of Tom Denni son two years ago, dropped quietly Into the city, but his visit with a short one. The police heard of his presence in the city almost as soon as he got off the train. They looked him up just as soon as ever they could and then ‘•per mitted” him to leave Omaha right away. He was in the office of Deputy Sheriff Cahill for a chat, when Detective Rich came in and “invited him down to the police station." At the police station he was taken to see Chief of Detec tives Maloney. Immediately following the interview Erdman went to the union station in company with a de tective. Erdman was employed here as an in vestigator for the Anti-Saloon league. One day a suit case, loaded with dyna mite and a fuse, was found on the porch at Dennison’s home, 1507 Yates street. Erdman was arrested and charged with having attempted to blow up the house. He denied the charge. The district court found him guilty, but the supreme court reversed the verdict and sent the case back for a new trial. While this was pending an old charge against Erdman in Colorado was resurrected and he was sent to that state, where he was sent to the penitentiary. He was released two months ago. The supreme court's reversal was based on the evidence of Father Rigge, who found by mathematical computa tion from n shadow, cast by the sun, that two children could not have seen Erdman at the time they asserted. The case hinged on their testimony. YOUTH ADMITS ATTEMPT TO KILL KEARNEY FARMER Kearney. Neb., Feb. 27.—Ernest Wil cox, the 15-year-old boy, who was ar rested at Council Bluffs charged with the attempted murder of Henry Rich ards, a farmer, living near this city, has made a complete confession to County Sheriff Andrews. The boy states he fired the first shot to rouse Richards, who was sitting be hind a cream separator and could not be seen from the window. When Rich ards jumped from the chair the boy emptied the second barrel of the gun, aiming at his head. He says he knows no reason why he shot his employer except that he lias not good common sense. His trial will come up before Judge Hostetler in the district court next week. Before his confession the youth tried to lay the blame upon a person whom lie named "Howard.'’ This man, he said, had met him at the Richards home and threatened to kill his em ployer. Fearing that he would be charged with the crime the boy said that he left the farm and ran away. Y. M. C. A. ROOMER IS NOW SMALLPOX PATIENT Lincoln, Neb.. Feb. 27—L. E. Wallace, a roomer at the Y. M. C. A. building, is now confined at the isolation hos pital with the smallpox. His room there is now fumigated and is isolated from the large number of rooms that are rented out under the Y. M. C. A. roof. Mr. Wallace, unaware that he was suffering from the disease, was out last evening with a young woman of the city. Because of this fact the aforesaid young woman has been forced to inhale the disagreeable fumes of formaldhyde lest she may have harbored any germs while in the com pany of the gallant young man. With his accustomed chivalry the city health officer refuses to divulge the name of the girl. STATE BANK OF SUPERIOR ORGANIZED FOR BUSINESS Superior, Neb., Feb. 26.—The State bank of Superior was organized yester day. taking over the assets of the Su perior National bank, with a capital of $50,000 and the following officers: President, L. J. Dunn of Lincoln: vice president. W. T. Avid of Omaha: cash ier. C. W. Harvey. formerly of Lin coln: assistant cashier, O. II. Oeu mann, formerly of Denison. Ia.* as»tet ant cashier, H. C. Hanna: directors. L. /. Dunn. W. T. Auld. C. W. Harvey, J. T Dalby. H. O. Hanna. H. B. Grainger of Lincoln, G. M. Seamann. RAILROAD ATTORNEYS NOT SATISFIED WT POWELL'S ESTIMATES Will Attempt to Discredit Fig ures Compiled by State Rate Expert. Lincoln. Neb.. Feb. 26.—Attorneys for the Nebraska railroads, fighting against a reduction of class rates before the state railway commission, after using Expert Powell as a witness, are pre paring to attack his figures fiercely. Counsel, for the transportation corpor ations, indicated that they were much disturbed because the commission re fused to allow them to cross-examine the expert and prepared to get even. Under the leadership of Edson Rich, general attorney for the Union Pacific, vigorous efforts will be made to dis credit the testimony for Powell. At tempts will be made to discredit the ac curacy of the information obtained by him in preparing the data for the hear ing before the commission. Expert Powell went to Minnesota and made a study of the system there and of the results secured. Much of the study of way bills was made at the time that the railroads were fighting against the Aldrich freight rate law and the 2-cent passenger rate, in an ticipation that they would get into court against these measures. This in formation will now prove valuable in the present hearing. A study of the waybills showed that the cost of hand ling goods at terminals is XI cents per 100. both in and out included. Expert Powell considers that a rate of 40 cents a ton per mile for hauling freight of the first class is a liberal one. The railroads complained against the reduced rates for distances greater than 300 miles. The present practice of the roads is to increase the rate per ton per mile for those greater shipments within the state. Expert Powell de clared that his figures did not lead him to agree with this contention of the defendants. FORMER SIOUX CITYAN TELLS OF DOMESTIC GRIEFS Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 26.—Raigli C. Poole, a negro, claimed that he was a much abused man when he recounted his married life with Blanche E. Poole in district court when seeking a divorce from the defendant. He said that Mrs. Poole is now living in Sioux City with one of the children. The plaintiff said that at one time the defendant had him arrested and thrown in jail on the charge of wife abandonment be cause he failed to pay her $20 a month, when he was making sacrifices to pay her $15 a sum that he was scarcely able to afford considering his limited re sources. He testified that while he was away from home suffering from a broken arm. Blanche packed her household goods and taking the money he had left with her to pay the bills went to Omaha. He was given a de cree. I —r— TELEPHONES HARD HIT IN SOUTHERN NEBRASKA Idncoln, Neb., Feb. 26.—The loss of the Lincoln Telephone & Telegraph company from the snow and sleet storm of Sunday night is estimated to reach at least $100,000 by General Man ager Hurtz. The southern end of the territory of the company was the hard est hit. This embraces about 15 coun ties. Manager Hurtz says that a great deal of the wire that is not ruined will require overhauling in order to make It servicea.bie. More than 1,000 poles' are down. The Western Union and the Postal Telegraph companies are now able to furnish complete service again. —1~ BUTLER FOUND GUILTY FIRST DEGREE MURDER Fremont, Neb., Feb. 26—Willard Butler, accused of murdering his fa ther, James Butler, was found guilty of murder in the first degree with rec ommendation of a life imprisonment sentence by a jury in district court. Butler’s sisters and their husbands were in the court room when the jury’s finding was returned. They occupied seats together, forming a sad little group in the northeast corner. There was entire absence of demonstration. ^GERMAN ADMIRAL AND DEWEY CANNOT AGREE Baden, Baden, Feb., 26.—The contro versy over the friction between the American and German admirals In Ma nila bay at the time of the Spantsh American war, which has been revived by the narrative of Admiral Dewey, recently published, was made the sub ject of a statement to the Associated Press last night by Admiral Von Died richs, commander of the German war ships. Admiral Von Diedrichs attributed the trouble between the Germans and the Americans largely to malicious reports in the English papers in China and the absence of definite regulations gov erning the blockade and the movement of foreign warships. He indicated, however, that a latent mistrust *wai! responsible in a measure. He was de sirous of co-operating with and sup porting Admiral Dewey from the be ginning. he said, but the American ad miral's fondness for Captain Chiches ter, in command of the British squad ron, and the time Admiral Dewey spent with the British officers prevented him from seeing as much of Admiral Dewey as he would have wished. Admiral VonDiederichs himself ad mits ho informed the British naval commander in Manila bay at the time of the Spanish-American war that he would shoot any American officer who attempted to board a German warship "to make inquiries and establish her Identity," in carrying out the orders of Admiral Dewey. This admission was made today in the course of a further narrative of events given to the Associated Press. STEAMER IN TROUBLE. Beaufort, N. C., Feb, 26.—With her shifted cargo of asphalt giving her a list to starboard that partly submerged her decks, the British steamer Ber lin, for Venezuela was in a helpless condition in Lookout Cove. 18 BELOW IN OHIO. Columbus, Ohio, Feb. 25.—Tempera tures ranging from zero to IS below were reported in Ohio today. Fair weathel* and rising temperatures were forecasted by the weather bureau. Zansvillo, in the Muskingum river val ley reported IS below zero at day break. Further east along the Ohio river the weather bureau said it was 1 below and that the cold wave was moving east ward with prospects for colder wether in the Ohio valley tonight.