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The Frontier
VOL. LII.
O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY DECEMBER 31, 1931.
No. 32
“LOOK UP AND NOT DOWN; LOOK FORWARD AND NOT BACK; LOOK OUT AND NOT IN; LEND A HAND.”
HOLT COUNTY MAN
Brutely Slain
BY SUPPOSED FRIENDS
©--©
The hand of an assassin has brought
black tragedy to a Holt county home,
has struck down a citizen and brought
desolation and grief to a former happy
family. Felix Sojka, 43, was murd
ered Wednesday, December 23, by
supposed friends in Chicago and his
money taken.
Sojka, who resided with his family
on a farm 7 miles northeast of Page,
had gone to Sioux City on December
16 with a truck load of hogs w'hich
he sold, having arranged things at
home when he left to go on to Chicago
to take medical treatment of a doctor
he was acquainted with and whom he
had known in his native Poland. The
money obtained from the sale of -the
hogs he sent home to Mrs. Sojka. He
had taken from home a sum of money.
Two brothers of the murdered man
whom The Frontier editor talked with
say he probably had $250 on his per
son when slain and robbed.
It is not known just when he ar
rived in Chicago. A letter written
to his wife was dated at that place
December 19. Another letter, a few
brief words of greeting, not dated
but postmarked the 22nd was received
by Mrs. Sojka. The Chicago address
given on the envelope was 2109 North
avenue. Mr. Sojka formerly lived in
Chicago, coming to this county nine
years ago. The two brothers, Louis
and Walter, with whom we talked
Tuesday, believe he was slain by
former acquaintences who came from
Poland about the time they did, the
motive being robbery. According to
word from Chicago, two men are be
ing held as suspects. The brothers
came to O’Neill to arrange about
having the body sent here and through
the efforts of Frank Biglin and Wil
liam Froelich, who is in the city at
present, authorities in Chicago were
induced to ship the body. It arrived
here Saturday, and was prepared for
burial at Biglins, being taken to the
family home Sunday.
The body showed marks of violence.
The skull was crushed and other
marks of violence about the face and
head. One wrist was cut as if bound
by a wire. The body was found just
outside the building where he evident
ly had a room. A window of the
second story was pushed out and
evidences of a struggle showed in the
room. It is believed the two Polanders
with whom he was acquainted came to
his room, learned that he had money
and set upon him.
The brothers say Mr. Froelich has
taken a great interest in the case.
Without his assistance they feel they
would not have been able to get the
body without large expense and much
worry. He has assured them of doing
what he can when he returns to Chica
go to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Deceased was born in Poland on
November 19, 1888. In 1912 came to
the United States. In 1914 he was
married to Antonia Bogurz. Three
sons were born to them. In 1923
they came to Holt county, to a farm
northeast of Page. He is survived by
his wife and three sons, Bruno, Thad
aus and Frank who are at home on
the farm, two brothers, Walter and
Louis, residing in the same neighbor
hood, and his mother, one brother and
one sister in Poland.
The funeral was held Monday at
St. Peter’s Catholic church at Ewing,
Rev. Father Vandelan being the offici
ating priest. The funeral was one of
the largest ever held in that part of
the county, the procession being near
ly a mile and a half in length. It was
a spontaneous expression of sympathy
from the whole neighborhood over the
tragedy to a home in their midst.
Investigating a Recent
FIRE
o
Deputy State Fire Marshal Re
quartte of Lincoln is here investigat
ing the fire last week which damaged
one of the Ryan feed storage barns
and destroyed some hay. One young
man has been held in custody by
Sheriff Duffy at the county jail pend
ing developments. The fire at the
feed store, a bundle of burning waste
at a home two blocks from there, the
remnants of a butchered hog at a
stock yard not far away, make a com
bination that has caused the sheriff
and mashal to unite their efforts to
fix responsibility. Now a state fire
marshal comes into the picture. A
community usually has a character
or two upon which suspicions rest
when such deeds are perpetrated, and
the movements of these at that time
t*> are being pretty thoroughly schutin
ized.
R. R. Morrison went to Omaha
Wednesday.
A blaze in the kitchen of the Grand
Cafe 7 o’clock Monday morning: caused
a bit of excitement. A pan of bacon
in the oven of the range caught fire
and opening of the oven caused the
(lame to spread to other breakfast
dishes cooking on the stove. Frank
Biglin, taking an early morning
breakfast, was the only one being
served at the time. With his aid and
that of the employees the flames were
subdued by throwing on flour to an
extent that the burning dish of bacon
was got out side. An alarm was
turned in but the worst was over
when the firemen arrived with the
truck.
Postmaster and Mrs. Henry Grady
are enjoying a visit from Mr. Grady’s
sister, Miss Rose Grady, who with
her sisters are operating a millinery
store in Denver. For some years they
were in the same business here. Miss
Genieve, their daughter, also came
from Denver for the Christmas sea
son, returning to Denver Sunday.
Jack, in his first year at college at
Atchinson, Kan., and Miss Dorthea,
teaching in the schools at Casper,
Wyoming, are spending a fortnight
at home.
Class Supplying Many
GARMENTS
>*-K
The Good Cheer class at the Meth
odist Sunday school has been meeting
one afternoon in every two weeks
since in September for the purpose of
sewing and preparing cloihing and
collecting shoes and overshoes and
making some bedding to be used for
helping the needy. In this way they
have furnished 644 articles to famil
ies in O’Neill and vicinity. The class
wishes through this paper to express
their appreciation to all who helped
in any way in this work and to con
vey the thanks from those who have
been benefited from such help.
Charles Spangler called at The
Frontier Monday to shake hands and
see if the commander of the force here
remembered him after the lapse of
twnty years, which indeed we did.
Mr. Spangler was a boy in the early
days over northwest of Minneola when
the writer was familiar with the hills
and ravines along Louse creek. He
has been for a number of years in
Canada where he has a farm but
makes frequent trips to visit relatives
and friends here. He is now on a
periodical visit, which he says gener
ally lasts about three months. He
likes his Canadian home but says
there is no place like the good old
U. S. They have gone through a dry
season up there and experienced short
crops and low prices. He is looking
fine and a life of sobriety and industry
is bringing its full fruition in these
later years.
$168,777 FEED LOANS
Ten Farmers in Holt County Among
the Borrowers
Lincoln Journal: Federal feed loans
totaling $168,777 have been approved
and sent into the seven northeastern
drouth area counties of Nebraska,
V. H. Peterson reported to Director
W. H. Brokaw of the agricultural col
lege extension service. Peterson has
just returned from Grand Forks, N.D.,
where he has been helping Walter
Eliff, who has had charge of loans
for all northwestern states.
Thirty-two applications for loans
are still pending and will probably
be paid, Peterson said, and will bring
the total for the area up above
$175,000.
Knox county farmers received 363
loans amounting to about $90,000,
study of Peterson’s report shows. Ced
ar county farmers got 156 loans total
ling about $44,000; Boyd county got
122 loans totaling about $32,000. Ten
farmers in Holt, five in Brown, and
one in Rock county received loans a
mounting to over $3,000. Of the loans
still pending, fifteen are in Boyd
county, eleven in Knox, four in Cedar
one in Holt and one in Rock county.
With the exception of the few loans
still pending, the actual cash from the
government is in the hands of the
farmers who applied for the loans.
All of the loans were made on a busi
ness basis and on satisfactory security.
Interest has been deducted already
and the money will have to be repaid
to the government next fall.
All of the money loaned to date has
been for feed. The next step will be
to supply money for seed loans from
Borne source, Director Brokaw be
lieves. Congress has not appropri
ated any federal funds to date for
seed loan purposes, he says. Un
doubtedly if federal funds are made
available, the same set-up will dis
burse the funds.
I _
Diner: “Here, waitress, take this
chicken away: it’s as tough as a pav
ing stone.”
Waitress: “Maybe it’s a Plymouth
! Rock, sir ”
Contempt of Court Charges
Arise Out of Flannigan Trial
John McAllister, Arthur E. Mc
Cauley and Joe Juracek, three Holt
county citizens, are under $500 bonds
each to appear before Judge Dickson
on Saturday, January 2, to be heard
on an information filed by County
Attorney D. J. Cronin wherein they
are charged with contempt of court
in offering to bribe three of the jurors
in the Flannigan cases recently con
cluded in district court here
Jury bribing is a new feature in
jected in this already heavily freight
ed case. As recited by the informa
tion prepaired by Mr. Cronin, two
of the jury were offered the magni
ficent sum of $50 each, the third the
use of a farm near Stuart rent free
next season. The jurors declined to
“sell their souls for a nickel.”
Following are the informations in
the three cases as drawn up by the
county attorney:
Offers Half of $100 Bet
Be it remembered that Julius D.
Cronin, County Attorney in and for
Holt County, Nebraska and in the
Fifteenth Judicial District of the
State of Nebraska, comes here in per
son into Court at this, the regular
November term, A. D., 1931, thereof,
and for the State of Nebraska, gives
the Court to understand and be in
formed that John McAllister, late of
the county aforesaid, did, on or about
the 21st day of November, A. D.,
1931, in the County of Holt and State
of Nebraska aforesaid, willfully and
unlawfully seek, strive and attempt
to corrupt and influence one Henry
Heiser, who then and there was a
member of the jury panel, duly and
legally chosen to serve as a juror at
the 1931 fall term of the District
Court of Holt County, Nebraska, at
which term of Court there was set
for trial a case entitled, “The State of
Nebraska, plaintiff, versus John M.
Flannigan and James C. Flannigan,
defendants,” and which said case was
to be heard and tried before said
court and a jury to be chosen from the
panel of which the said Henry Heiser
was a member, and the said John Mc
Allister did then and there, at or
about the time stated, willfully at
tempt to obstruct said proceedings
and hinder the due administration of
justice in said action to be tried by
said jury panel in that on or about
the date before mentioned, at about
noon, the said John McAllister called
Henry Heiser on the telephone ad
vising Henry Heiser that he desired
to see him and inquired when Henry
Heiser would be in Atkinson; upon
learning that Henry Heiser was not
cominir to town that day or the fol
lowing' day, John McAllister inquired
if he could see him that afternoon if
he drove out, to which Henry Heiser
replied that he could and told John
McAllister where he could be found;
that afternoon about 2:30 or 3:00
o’clock while in the road hauling corn
fodder to his home Henry Heiser was
approached by John McAllister who
said to him, “I see by the paper that
you were drawn on the jury panel
for this term of court;” John Mc
Allister then inquired of Henry
Heiser if he knew anything about the
Flannigan cases and Henry Heiser
told him that he did not; John Mc
Allister then stated that a man had
called at his restaurant last night at
dinner time and bet him One Hundred
Dollars (f 100.00) that the Flannigans
would be convicted and that it was
pretty hard to refuse a fellow when
he held the money right under your
nose; McAllister then said to Henry
Heiser if you will hang the jury you
will get Ffty Dollars ($50.00) of it;
Henry Heiser replied that he would
not do that to which John McAllister
then said if you will not do it I have
two or three other fellows that will;
John McAllister then asked Henry
Heiser to keep this conversation under
his hat and left. That such conversa
tion and such action on the part of
the said John McAllister willfully in
tended to influence the action, judg
ment and decision of the said Henry
Heiser in the event that the said
Henry Heiser would be selected as a
juryman in the case of The State of
Nebraska, plaintiff, versus John M.
Flannigan and James C. Flannigan,
defendants, which was to be tried be
fore the District Court of Holt County,
Nebraska within a short time and was
a willful attempt to obstruct the pro
ceedings in said action and suit and
was a willful attempt to hinder the
due administration of justice in said
suit, which the same came to trial,
and was a contempt of this said Dist
rict Court and its dignity and con
trary to the Statute in such cases
made and provided.
Another $50 Bid
Be it remembered that Julius D.
Cronin, County Attorney in and for
Holt County, Nebraska, and in the
Fifteenth Judicial District of the
Ptfte of Nebraska, who prosecutes in
the name of and by the authority of
the State of Nebraska, comes here in
person into Court at this, the regular
November term, A. D., 1981, thereof,
and for the State of Nebraska, gives
the Court to understand and be in
formed that Arthur E. McCauley, late
of the County aforesaid, did, on or
about the 17th day of December, A. D.,
1981, in the County of Holt and State
of Nebraska, aforesaid, willfully and
unlawfully seek, strive and attempt
to corrupt and influence one George
Gilman, who then and there was a
member of a jury duly and legally
empaneled and sworn and engaged in
the trial of a criminal action in the
District Court of Holt County, Ne
braska, entitled ‘The State of Ne
braska, plaintiff, versus John M.
Flannigan and James C. Flannigan,
defendants,’ which said action was
then and there being tried and heard
before said Court and a jury, and the
said Arthur E. McCauley did then and
there willfully attempt to obstruct
said proceeding and hinder the due
administration of justice in said ac
tion then on trial, in that at or about
five or five-thirty o’clock in the after
noon, of said aforementioned date,
Arthur E. McCauley approached
George Gilman at or near the Medlen
Butcher Shop in O’Neill, Nebraska,
and said, “Well, you fellows are about
through up there; if this jury is hung
and you come up to my office in At
kinson there will be Fifty Dollars
($50.00 in it for you.” That such
conversation and such action on the
part of the said Arthur E. McCauley,
was then and there willfully intended
to influence the action, judgment and
decision of said juror, George Gilman,
there to be arrived at in said suit on
trial before said District Court and
was a willful attempt to obstruct said
prcedings and suit and was a will
ful attempt to hinder the due admin
istration of justice in said suit and
was a contempt of this said District
Court and its dignity and contrary
to. the Statute in such cases made and
provided.
Offers Farm Rent Free
Be it remembered that Julius D.
Cronin, County Attorney in and for
Holt County, Nebraska, and in the
Fifteenth Judicial District of the
State of Nebraska, who prosecutes in
the name of and by authority of the
State of Nebraska, comes here in
person into Court at this, the regular
November term, A. D., 1931, therof,
and for the State of Nebraska, gives
the Court to understand and be in
formed that Joe Juracek, real and true
name unknown, late of the county
aforesaid, did on or about the 8th or
9th day of December, A. D., 1931, in
the County of Holt and State of Ne
braska, aforesaid, willfully and unlaw
fully seek, strive and attempt to cor
rupt and influence one Ralph Rosen
krans, who then and there was a mem
ber of a jury and was legaly em
paneled and sworn and engaged in
the trial of a criminal action in the
District Court of Holt County, Ne
braska, entitled ‘The State of Ne
braska, plaintiff versus John M. Flan
nigan and James C. Flannigan, de
fendants,’ which said action was then
and there being tried and heard be
fore said Court and a jury, and the
said Joe Juracek, real true name un
known, did then and there willfully
attempt to obstruct said proceedings
and hinder the due administration of
justice in said action then on trial, in
that at or about one o’clock, while the
jury in said action was having its
noon recess, the said Joe Juracek. real
true name unknown, approached the
said Ralph Rosenkrans, one of the
jurors in said action, on the street
corner near the Golden Hotel in O’
Neill, Nebraska, saying that he want
ed to see him; thereupon the said Joe'
Juracek, real true name unknown, and
Ralph Rosenkrans walked east about
opposite the poolhall and stopped on
the sidewalk, whereupon Joe Juracek,
real true name unknown, inquired of
Ralph Rosenkrans if he was on the
Flannigan jury and Rosenkrans told j
him that he was; Joe Juracek, real
true name unknown, thereupon asked
where Rosenkrans was going to live
next year to which Rosenkrans re
plied that he did not know as he had
not seen his landlady and was some
behind in his rent. Joe Juracek, real
tr ue name unknown, then stated to;
Rosenkrans that he had two places,
up near Stuart, Nebraska and that
they were very fine, attractive places
and that it was a fine community,1
ideal for the business in which Rosen
krans was engaged because there was
more money in that community than
in the locality where Rosenkrans then
lived. Joe Juraeck, real true name
unknown, then said to Ralph Rosen
krans that he could have one of those
places and that it would not cost him i
one cent for rent; that he, Joe Jura
cek, real true name unknown, had On?
Hundred Dollars of his hard earned!
money bet that the Flannigans would
not be convicted for the reason that
bankers could not be convicted in pub
lic courts. That such conversation
and such action on the part of the
said Joe Juracek, real true name un
known, was then and there willfully
intended to influence the action,
judgment and decision of said juror,
Ralph Rosenkrans there to be arrived
at in said suit on trial before said
district court and was a willful at
tempt to obstruct said proceedings
and suit and was a willfull attempt
to hinder the due administration of
justice in said suit and was a contempt
of this said District Court and its
dignity and contrary to the Statute
in such cases made and provided.
Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Tomlinson had
the unusual pleasure of having their
family with them for Christmas. Be
sides the parents there were present
for the occasion: Mr. and Mrs. Glenn
Tomlinson and Ralph of O’Neill. Mr.
and Mrs. Arthur Tomlinson and son
Virgil of Redbird, Mrs. Isabelle Bruhm
and children Rita and Billy of West
Point, Mr. and Mrs. William Turner
and children Maxine and Bobby of
Chambers and Mr. and Mrs. James
Coventry of Inman.
Wedding Anniversary
SURPRISE
>x- ——<<
Mr. and Mrs. Charley Richter
celebrated their silver wedding anni
versary at Dorsey on Christmas day,
with a surprise given by their children
Mary, Charley and Lowell Richter.
They were married at her home 8
miles nottheust of O’Neill on the
twenty-fifth of December, 1906. On the
first of Marsh in 1907, they moved to
their home, known as the Philip
Heckle place 21 miles northeast of
O’Neill, where they have lived since.
The evening was spent playing
cards and games. A three course
supper was served at midnight.
Those present were:
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Schollemeyer and
family, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Scholle
myer and family, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph
Chase and family, Mr. and Mrs.
Frank McDonaland, Mrs. Fred Richter,
mother of Charlie Richter, Mr. and
Mrs. Fred Richter, Mr. and Mrs. Earn
est Richter and son Marvin, Nila and
Eline Renner, Hereld and Emma Burg
land, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Allendor
fer and family, Mr. and Mrs. Howard
Oberle and family, Mr. and Mrs. Less
Smith and family, Charlie Spangler
fram Canada, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew
Weltlaufer and family, Bud Ander
son, Mr. and Mrs. John Krough and
family and the Alder family.
The State Industrially.
Omaha—$4,500,000 union railroad
terminal of this city has Union sta
tion, connected with Burlington sta
tion by an enclosed passageway.
Broadwater—Diamond Service Sta
tion purchased by Dean Sawyer and
Hartley Smith.
Seward—C. H. Riggert purchased
interest of Mr. Ramsel in jewelry
firm of Riggert and Ramsel.
Genoa—W. E. Fleming of Neligh
purchased Willard Jew'elry Store.
Seward—Newschoolhouse completed
and will be dedicated shortly.
West Point—Mrs. Cora Blankenbek
ler of Bancroft, opened lunch counter
on South Main St., in Flores building.
Dodge—Jos. H. Sechovec leased
space and opened jewelry department
in Simanek Drug Store here.
Wayne—M. R. Wait of Omaha and
L. L. Wait of Coleridge opened Ser
vice Electrict Shop, electrical repair
establishment in Savidge building on
South Main St.
Omaha—Smith Jewelry Shop,
Limited, opened on fourth floor of
City National Bank building.
Niobrara—Nebraska-Dakota Bridge
Corporation headed by group of Minn
eapolis and St. Paul business men,
plan to start construction of bridge
here by February 15th and complete
structure by August, 1932.
Broken Bow—J. T. Mudd, jeweler,
purchased gift shop merchandise of
Miss Gertrude Chambers and consoli
dated stock in location occupied by
Gift Shop.
Neligh—Harry Livingston opening
lunch room in building north of post
office, fromerly occupied by Steiner
jewelry store.
Lemoyne-^Members of Keith and
Arthur Counties Turkey Growers Co
operative Association shipped carload
dressed turkeys from here recently.
Kennard—Corner lot at Second and
Main streets leased for filling station
to be erected soon.
Wymore—Electric clock installed in
window of Rock Bottom Grocery.
Lyman—Sugar factory here com
pleted slicing of 1931 beet crop, with
total of $138,000 beets sliced in 69
days, averaging more than 2,000 tons
beets each 24 hours.
Hay Springs—Hay Springs Hard
ware formally opened in new $15,000
structure.
Seward Journal sold to Blue Valley
Blade and Seward Independent Dem
crat.
SIOUX CITY FIRM SEND
AIRPLANE
HERE AFTER FLOWERS
o--—©
A sample of the efficiency of modern
business methods was shown in an
incident occurring in the city yester
day. An airplane came over from
Sioux City yesterday morning that a.
customer of a Sioux City firm might
have his order filled on time. An
undertaker at Stanton had ordered
flowers for a funeral for 1 o’clock
Wednesday afternoon from Rocklin,
Lehman & Co., florists. The flowers,
several boxes, were expressed to
O’Neill on the Burlington and were
to be transferred to the Northwestern
for the early train east. The mes
senger from Sioux City did not notify
George Wyant who "handles the ex
press and transfers at this end and
the flowers were kept here. When
the Sioux City firm learned from their
Stanton customer that he did not
receive the flowers the manager,
Mayer Harrison, boarded an airplane
and came to O’Neill, loaded up the
flowers and gent the pilot down to
Stanton with them in time for the
funeral. Will ijjglin met the incoming
plane,, with the flowers, at a landing
placfi iftlst east of of town. Mr. Har
riott concluded to return to Sioux
City on n bus.
There will be a meeting at 8:00
P. M., Wed., Jan. 6, in the court
room for all adults interested in the
Boy Scouts. The purpose of the meet
ing is to elect officers of the local
organization for the coming year and
to transact any other business which
may be presented.
COMMITTEE.
M. T. Eveland enjoyed the exper
ience of getting up to the table and
partaking of the Christmas dinner.
Most of us did the same, but sitting
down to the dining table is an every
day affair with the rest of us. Mr.
Eveland, in his eighty-fourth year,
until just recently has been confined
to a bed since last July and his
Christmas dinner was his first meei
at the table in some months.
Services at the First Pre byteriaa
Church
Sunday School 10:00—Mr. Geo. C.
Robertson, superirtt m.orfc.
Morning Worship *1:00—This will
be our regular Communion Service.
Young People’s C. E. Meeing 6:45
—Eleanor Younkin, leader.
Evening Service 7:30—This will be
a New Year’s Candle Light Service.
Let these services help you start
the New Year right.
H. I). Johnson, Pastor.
Methodist Church Notes
Benj. Kuhler, Pastor
Theme for the first Sunday morning
of the New Year will be, “Life In
vestments.’' How did they come out
in the past? Which are permanent,
which transitory? Jesus had some
thing to say about it. In the evening
the talk will center around “Happi
ness." Who are Happy and why?
Does it pay to seek happiness, or so
live that happiness will follow us?
Henry Ford gives his belief in these
words. “I believe in God and in Jesus
Christ. I was brought up in fhe
church. I belong to the church. I
attend church. I never go to hear a
sermon, whether by a preacher in a
large or small church, that I do not
get help. Religion is like electricity.
I do not understand elactricity but
I am deeply interested in it. I want
to know all I can about it. I know
that it warms our hearts and makes
the world better. I know that it lights
up the dark places of the earth. I see
and admit its effectiveness, even tho
I do not profess toupdestand it at all.”
2 Matched Games at
BOWLING
•-—— -o
For two hours Tuesday evening at
the Petersen bowling alley, teams
composed of the best in the Lions and
Gun clubs battled for supremecy. Two
games were played and the final sum
ming up showed the Gun Club 35
ahead.
The first game was won by the
Lions on a margin of 6 points: the
neat game went to their om>oneats
by 41. The high score in fne first
game was 193, in the second 20L,
The bowlers:
Lions—Cadwell, Haity, McNally*
Yantzi and Gillispie.
Gun Club—Hagensick,Gunn, Hough,
Medlen and Calkins.
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Philbin returned
to their home in Wayne, Neb., Sunday
after spending the past week visiting
at the home of Mrs. Philbin’s parents,
Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Shaughnessy of
O’Neill.