The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965, December 14, 1922, Image 8

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    Only 7 More Shopping
Days Before Xmas
Xmas Presents For
Everybody At
■
New Meat Market
We have opened a new meat market in the old
Brennan store building where we are prepared to
furnish you with all kinds of fresh and cured meats.
Your patronage is solicited.
The Cash Meat Market
J. B. Ryan, Prop.
In the old Brennan Hardware store building.
Where The Price Is Right
DR. L. A. CARTER
sPhysician and Surgeons
Glasses Correctly Pitted.
Office and Residence, Naylor Block
-Phone 72
O'NEILL :: :: NEBRASKA
J. D. CRONIN
Attorney - At - Law
Office: Nebraska State Bank Building
-Phone 57
O’NEILL :: :: NEBR.
Presents
r
Cut Glass . Toys Toilet Sets
Books Smoking Stands
China Games Smoking Stands
White Ivory Goods Dolls
Xmas Tree Decorations Xmas Cards
A Beautiful Doll will be given away Xmas Eve.
Ask for particulars.
Shop early while our stock is complete.
Reardon Bros.
CONGRESSMAN KINKAID.
Relating To His Location At O’Neill,
Political And Official Activities.
(Published through courtesy of the
writer.)
July 12, 1922.
Nebraska, And His Induction Into
Hon. S. J. Weekes, Chairman Repub
lican Central Committee for the 6th
Congressional District, O’Neill, Ne
braska:
My Dear Weekes: Anticipating
that some devotee will undertake writ
ing a biography ofo ur mutual, depart
ed, friend, M. P. Kinkaid, and, be
lieving I have personal knowledge of
facts connected with his early location
at O’Neill, Nebraska, lfUrdly obtain
able elsewhere, I take the liberty of
submitting them to you for such dis
position as you may deem proper in
the premises, viz:
In the early fall of 1881, two
gentlemanly, and cultured, appear
ing young men called at my office in
O’Neill, introducing themselves as M.
P. Kinkaid—the name of his compan
ion has escaped my memory. (I was
then county clerk, also exoficio reg
ister of deeds and clerk of the dis
trict court). '
I hey announced that their visit was
j not due to official matters connected
with the affairs of my office, but were
seeking information touching the con
: ditions, prospects, etc., of Holt county,
which, at that time, was the frontier
section of Nebraska. I readily gave
them all the information I could, and,
I will add, the good old county of
Holt, did not suffer to any great ex
tent from my representations. I was
favorably impressed with their ap
pearances, as well as their intellectual
and conversational powers, in fact it
was very infrequent men of their cali
ber visited our locality. They conclud
ed to remain a few days for the pur
pose of personal inspection of the
'country contiguous to O’Neill. Much
of their time was devoted to myself at
the office. During such times I learned
from Mr. Kinkaid that his profession
was that of attorney at law; that he
had established a law office at Pierre,
Dakota Territory; that he was not
favorably impressed with the practice
that obtained under the Territorial
laws, (Dakota had not then been di
vided, and admitted to statehood),
more especially the remoteness of the
judicial courts, and the enviornments
in general; that he was seeking to bet
ter his location. He also suggested
that he had some money to invest, and,
to that end, made careful inquiry as
to the financial condition of Holt
County, including the approximate
amount of out-standing county war
rants, and the probability of time of
their payment, also, the amount of
claims filed upon which warrants had
not issued, as shown by the claim
register, and such general inquiry
needful to him. Among other mat
ters it was suggsted to him that, ow
ing to the meagre valuaion of the tax
able personal property in the
(there being scarcely any
realty, outside the town lots in O’Neill,
owned by General John O’Neill, and
Patrick Fa,hy,) only a small per cent
of warrants issued had been paid, and
that quite a large amount of the claims
had been lodged that could not be con
verted into warrants until the tax lev
ies of succeeding years; that warrants
already issued could be obtained at a
good margin, and claims at* a much
greater rate of discount. (The prac
tice of disposing of claims upon which
warrants had not issued, was upon
t.1 official certificate of indebtedness
i1 'tl by the county clerk, and when
a: n d, the name of the assignee was
e: eve 1 on the claim register, and the
w. riant covering same, when issued,
would, be delivered to the assignee at
such time as it could be reached in
regular order. (This practice was
hardly sanctioned by law, but no se
rious complications obtained thereby).
Just prior to their departure from
O’Neill, Mr. Kinkaid advised me that
he had concluded to locate there; that
he would return to Pierre, Dakota,
close up his business and professional
afi'airs, ship his law library, and other
effects to O’Neill, and return thereto
the following spring—which was ac
cordingly performed in every particu
lar. Upon his arrival he at once es
tablished himself in the practice of law
and investments. Upon leaving
O’Neill, at time of his first visit, he
asked if I could, and would, interest
myself in the procurement of some
county warrants and claims for him.
It being perfectly agreeable, he de
posited a certain amount of money
with me, anl remitted more from time
to time until his arrival in the spring.
The foregoing covers about all of his
acts relating to his locating at O’Neill,
and his immediate professional and
business activities.
Owing to his early advent into
political and official matters, I will,
with your pardon, continue this nar
rative to include his nomination and
election as state senator.
Following his return to O’Neill, in
accordance with his declaration made
at the time, of his first visit thereto,
the general election was approaching
at which, among other offices to be
filled, was that of senator and repre
sentative to our state legislature.
Our senatorial district, No. 12, com
prised, as I remember, the counties of
Dixon, Cedar, Knox, Holt, and the un
organized territory west of Holt—at
tached to said county for judicial,
election and revenue purposes. Along
towards convention time the candidate
for the senate was practically conceded
to Holt county. In canvassing for an
available candidate, (by a few of the
straight republicans at O’Neill,) it
was suggested by D. W. Mathews,
j vulgarly called “Doc," who was then
; owner and publisher of the “Frontier,”
! published at O’Neill, that the name of
M. P. Kinkaid be submitted to the con
j vention provided he could be prevailed
i upon to accept the nomination. The
proposition was duly presented to him,
| and he took it under advisement.
I While deliberating he called upon me
| several times for my personal views
as to the feasibility of his candidacy.
II urged him to accept of the nomina
' tion. We also discussed the matter of
i his eligibility under our statute. (The
law tprovided that a candidate for
; senator was not eligible until he had
' resided in the district at least one
, year prior to his election.) In this
I particular Mr. Kinkaid expressed him
; self as having no fears whatever. His
contention being his declaration made
| during his flm visit Id O'Neill, of hii |
1 mention oi moving tnereio, ana lo-'
eating inercat, ana ms suusequem. acts
ail bring indicative ol sucn intent,
wouiu oe consiruea and considerea as
retroactive, mat is, wouia relate Duck
to his initial steps of location ana
qualify nim unaer tne law. (inis con
tention was ainrmea Dy tne state sen
ate unaer contest proceeding nerein
alter relerred to, winch tends to show
Mr. Kinkaid’s able judicial mind at
mat early period in his legal profes
sion.)
He did, however, hesitate on th«
grounds of being, comparatively, a
“newcomer” not seeking office or
other political advancement, and fell
that an earlier settler of the countj
should be selected. To disabuse his
mind in that respect, he was reminded
that the residents of the county wert
all “newcomers,” that it was a fron
tier in every sense of the word; that
the matter of seniority, if any, was
waived and ignored; that the candidate
being conceded to Holt county, it was
the desire of his political party that
a representative man be chosen; that
by reason of his talent, and training,
he was the unanimous and logical
choice, etc. Finally he consented and
delegates favorab'e to his nomination
were selected at the county convention,
and he was placed m nommaion at the
senatorial convention following. j
(W. D. Mathews was one of the del- '
egates to the senatorial convention,
and, to him, as much as anyone else,
is due the credit in suggesting the can
didacy of Mr. Kinkaid, and the secur
ing of his nomination and election.)
At the general election there were
three political parties represented,
viz: Republican, demo-greenback,
and the so called Van Wyck, or “mug
wump”—there being considerable fol
lowing of the latter in Holt county,
owing to the dissatisfaction of the
McClure-Hagerty faction of the repub- I
lican party relative to appointment of
postmaster at O’Neill. Mr. Kinkaid I
was elected by a large majority of all I
the votes polled, whereupon his seat I
was contested by the “mug-wump” I
candidate charging Mr. Kinkaid was j
not eligible for the position in re re
quired term of residence in the dis- I
trict. The testimony was adduced, and I
reduced to writing, before G. M. |
Cleveland, County Judge for Holt I
county, at O’Neill, Nebraska. The \
state senate, after considering the |
testimony, duly seated’ Mr. Kinkaid as
one of the members of that body, in f
accordance with his contention here- I
inbefore referred to. i
(The record of testimony was to |
have been transmitted via express to {
the senate chamber at Lincoln, Ne- 1
braska, but nearly failed reaching its j
destination. It was the intention of I
Judge Cleveland to deliver it at the j
express office in the evening for its j
transmittal on the following morning I
train to enable it to reach the senate I
on time; but for some reason, he de- I
ferred the matter until morning time. ■
About the time the train arrived at I
O’Neill, the judge appeared at my of- j
fice greatly agitated, exclaiming “the I
train is at the depot, and I will fail I
getting this testimony aboaid; what I ,
shall I do?” He was advised to “run I
for it, judge.” By so doing he reached- I
ed the train (it being a mixed-train I
and slow of movement) while undei J
way, but, was fortunate in finding the I
door of the express car open, into, or I
through which, he heaved the package I
which, by the kindness of the express- I
man, it reached its destination on time I
At the request of Mr. Kinkaid, I was I
present at the convening of the sen- I
ate, and its consideration of his con I
test proceedings, to render whatever I
assistance I could in case of the loss I
of the testimony while in transit.)
Another incident coupled with th< I i
taking of the testimony at O’Neill. 11
believe that H. M. Uttley, the firs* I *
resident attorney at law in Hob I
county, conducted the proceedings or I
the part of Mr. Kinkaid. At the be- J
ginning of the hearing Mr. Kinkaic I
expressed himself as intending to b< I
very courteous to the contestant, anc I
not put up much of a fight, as he war I
very sanguine of the result on the pari I
of the senate, but, before much pro- I :
gress had been made in the case, hr I
became somewhat rankled over the I
treatment the opposition accorded him I
whereupon he declared he would “fight I
them to a finish”—-which he did. |
At the county election Mr. Kinkaid I
received nearly the entire vote of the |
county, including republicans, demo- 1
greenbackers, and mug-wumps, I
whereas, the requblican candidate for |
representative, Mr. B. S. Gillespie, a J
capable, deserving, and, at that time, I
a stanch republican, was defeated. 1
This letter has become more vol- l
uminous than I expected at its begin- l
ning; there has been injected therein 1
incidents, and other matter, not alto- l
gether germain to the data that I in- j
tended to narrate, which can be easily 1
eliminated by the party who may feel 1
disposed to narrate the activities, and I
affairs, of Mr. Kinkaid in historical I
sequence. I have recited the facts, to I
the best of an impaired memory, up to 1
Mr. Kinkaid’s election to the state
senate. I believe you are the better I
equipped to write a history of his af
fairs, from the time of his locating at
O’Neill, than that of anyone else. Be
ginning at the conclusion of my nar
rative. you are personally cognizant of
his subsequent business, (professional,
political, and official activities, and
your memory, if necessary, can be
readily reinforced by accessible rec
ord evidence.
With your pardon for indulging so
much of your time, and with kind per
sonal regards, I remain
Yours very truly,
SANFORD PARKER,
614 N. 40 St., Omaha, Nebr.
FROM THE INMAN LEADER.
Cards have been received announc
ing the arrival of a little daughter,
Margaret May, born November 28th,
to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hinton of Dix
on, South Dakota. Mrs. Hinton was
formerly Hattie Moore.
Casper Wagman is building a new
house on his farm three miles north
west of Inman. The new structure
will be 20x20 and when completed will
be occupied by his son Joe and family.
Two dressed hogs were stolen last
week, one at the John Gallagher home
and one at John O’Donr.ell home.
These hogs had just been butchered
and hung up in a shed.
Roy Sharp former station agent in
Inman, who has spent the past year in
A useful gift is always more appreciated. This is particularly true
during this re-adjustment period, so why not give useful things this
year.
You are invited to inspect my large stock of furnishings, clothing,
shoes and dress goods, useful things for every member of the family.
Goods that are fresh; patterns, styles and modes that are the latest.
You will find something to please you and that will please the recipi
ent of your gift. And the prices are right.
. HI II—I ————I ...I ■—H IUTT- 1 -- 1 1 —————
A. Saunto
California, is expected back some time
his week and will resume his old po
rtion. Wm. Maynard, who has been
icting as relief agent will go to Tilden
vhere he has a ^permanent position
vith the company. Thomas Hutton,
vho has been operator at Tilden has
>id in theStafford station and will take
harge as station agent in a short
ime.
(First publication Dec. 14.)
ESTRAY NOTICE.
Taken up at my place on October
!2nd, one shoat weight about 50 lbs.
)wner can have same by proving
>roperty and paying expense.
C. P. SIDERS,
!8-3p Opportunity, Neb.
f1 . . I
George M. Harrington 1
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
PHONE 11. I
O’NEILL, NEBRASKA.
i11 mmai in iwmihimi—iww
W, F, FINLHY, M. Tj
Phone: Office 28, Residence 276.
O’Neill Nebraska
Christmas
V
Candy
m ^rteZ'^mP&aDO&w t'33Li^3UILy iMiM Pf ITtlMSffliMBEiZtfc-.ffX4&gy2BKX23i£iCJ>fc«t1g8.- -jJUSSy 4
Buying at the Bakery is a real event this year.
We have many candies priced at 15c.
These high grade goods are made in our shop.
That’s why we can make prices so low.
Get the habit of buying your candy at the candy
factory. ' *
a—i. »■■!— !■ ii ii in.in—boct—
McMillian & Markey
j Henry Bay’s
Store & Meat Market
Is fully prepared to send you anything you need
for the
CHRISTMAS DINNER
0
We have plenty of
green vegetables,
fruits of all kinds, as
well as a complete line
of staple groceries.
Our Meat Market will furnish your every want
in the meat line.
HENRY BAY
Phone 35. Scott Building