The fr< »ntier
VOL. LV. O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, MAY 24, 1934. No. 1
TEMPERATURE OF 103
LAST THURSDAY SETS
A NEW MAY RECORD
Precipitation Thus Far This Year Has
Been Only Half Of Normal,
Totaling 3.85 Inches.
The precipitation so far this year,
according to therecord kept by Weath
erman Harry Bowen, amounts to 3.85
inches, up to an including May 20.
The precipitation by months was as
follows: January, .46; February, .34;
March, 2.11; May 3, .08; May 4, 1.19;
May 20, .07. Total so far this year,
3.85 inches. The rainfall for the
first four months of this year totaled
only 2.51 inches, which was a little
over half of what we have had for the
past three years. The rainfall for the
first four months of 1932 was 4.42
inches; 1933, 4.17 inches, while in
1934 we have only had 2.51 inches.
In addition to the extreme dryness
of the past four months wc had an un
usual amount of heat for this season
of the year. During the month of
April the thermometer soared to 92,
an unheard of figure for that month
of the year in this section, and the
month of May has broken all records
for this section. On May 16 the ther
mometer soared to 92; on the next
day, May 17, it climbed to 103, break
ing all time records for the month of
May in this state; on May 18, it was
content to reach only 100, and the
same figure on May 19; while on
May 20 it climbed again to 101 and
stopped at 99 on May 21.
According to the records kept by
Mr. Bowen, which are available since
1917, the thermometer has reached 90
or above only nine times during the
month of May, in the past 17 years,
and four of them have been in the
last four years. Prior to this year
the hottest day in May during the
* time above mentioned,, was on May
17, 1917, when the thermometer
reached 98. The next hottest May
day was in 1926 when it reached 96.
During May, 1931, it reached 95; in
1932, it reached 94; in 1933, 92; and
on May 17, 1934, 103.
John Erwin, Formerly
Of O’Neill, Is Brought
To This City For Burial
The body of John Erwin was brought
to this city Wednesday afternoon. A
delegation of the friends of the de
ceased, in about twenty-five cars, met
the funeral proccsfcion about ten miles
south of the city and accompanied the
funeral cortege to town. The body
was taken to the Biglin funeral home
where many of the old friends of the
deceased were permitted to view the
body of their old friend, and then to
Calvary cemetery. A very large
number of people of this city accom
panied the remains to the cemetery.
John Erwin was well and favorably
known in this city, where he lived for
a number of years, prior to going to
work for the Telephone company. He
was a quiet and unassuming man, pos
sessing unusual ability in his chosen
field of endeavor and. his advancement
was rapid and at the time of his death
held one of the most important po
sitions in the state, at the gift of the
company, as district office manager at
Grand Island.
The Frontier joins the many friends
of the family in this city and county
in extending to the bereaved rela
tives its heartiest sympathy in their
hour of sorrow.
Grand Island Independent: John
A. Erwin, 63, district office manager
of the Northwestern Bell Telephone
company, died at a hospital in this
city, at 2:30 o’clock Monday morning
following a lengthy illness.
Mr. Erwin was born August 13,
1880, in New York City, moving with
hiB parents at an early age to O’Neill,
Nebraska, where they lived for two
years, then moving east to Scranton,
Pa. Later he returned to Nebraska,
associating with the Northwestern
Bell Telephone company, at Norfolk,
Nebr. lie was promoted and trans
ferred to St. Paul, Nebr., and four
years ago was advanced to the po
sition of district office manager at
Grand Island, which position he held
at the time of his death, lie was a
member of St. Mary’s council Knights
of Columbus.
Mr. Erwin was united in marriage
p to Miss Ellen Armstrong. June 1,
19*0, at O'Neill, Nebr., and to this
union was born a son, William, 'J, who
with the bereaved widow survive to
mourn iiis loss. A brother, Edward,
of Pittsburg, Pa., who was at his
bedside at the time of his death, also
survives. His parents, two sis
ters and a brother preceded him in
death.
Funeral services will be held at
nine o’clock, Wednesday morning, in
St. Mary’s cathedral, with Father
Heimes officiating. The body will be
taken overland to O’Neill, Nebr., for
burial there in the family plot.
Friends desiring to view the body
may do so, prior to the funeral, at
the residence, 112 South Elm street.
County Eighth tirade
Graduation Exercises
Are Held Here Monday
The Annual Holt county Eighth
grade commencement exercises were
held in O’Neill on Monday May 21st.
The day was lovely and a record
crowd was present. All but 15 of the
graduates were present to receive their
diplomas.
An exceptionally fine program was
presented entirely by Eighth grade
graduates, and Mrs. J. Floyd McLain
gave a very interesting and inspiring
address, then after a brief message
of congratulation, Mrs. Luella A.
Parker, County Superintendent, pre
sented the diplomas.
The students with the highest aver
ages who were present as Honor stud
ents were:
Rural School—First—Dist. fto. 8—
Muriel Graham, second—Dist. No. Ill
—Donald Moore.
City School—First—St. Boniface
School—Madonna Batenhorst, Second
—St. Boniface School—Phyllis Brown.
These four students had averages
of 97 per cent with only a fraction of
a per cent difference between their
grades.
Other Honor students are as fol
lows:
Average, 96 per cent: Agnes Kaup,
St. Boniface.
Average, 95 per cent: George and
Mary Ann Winkler, Dist. No. 159;
Francis Babl and Dorothy Kaup, St.
Boniface School.
Average, 94 per cent: Charles 01
berding, Dist. 11; Blake Skrdla, Dist.
21, Evelyn Naber, Dist. 53; Janice
Anderson, Dist. 137; Raphael Kaup,
St. Boniface, and Ivan Kliment, Dist.
102.
Average, 93 per cent: Esther Dick,
Dist. 8; Helen Shearer, Dist. 11; Lois
Lindberg, Dist. 16; Bernard Kramer,
St. Boniface; Marjorie Piklapp, Dist.
56; Regina Ramold, Dist. 70; Monica
Held, Dist. 65; Norbert Clark, Dist
111; Dorothy Dorr, Dist. 55, and Ar
mella Pongratz, Dist. 157.
Average, 92 per cent: Mildred Der
ickson, Dist. 4; Bonita Reimer, Dist.
30; King Spittler, Dist. 29; Marie
Young, Dist. 81; Edward Kunz and
Robert llamik, St. Boniface School;
Barbara Carpenter, Dist. 107; Gerald
Sobotka Dist. 111! Thelma Young,Dist.
103; Evelyn Ernst, Dist. 157; Teresa
O’Malley, Dist 163; Henrietta Shrcier,
Dist. 165; Naomi Joslyn, Dist. 178;
Marie Young, Dist. 81; Maxine Craw
ford, Dist. 84, and LeRoy Grandortf,
Dist. 15.
Average, 91 per cent: Opal Mellor,
Dist. 3; Margaret Kane, Dist. 8;
Eugent Donohoe, Dist. 9; Lawrence
Rouse, Dist. 27; Phyllis George, Dist.
29; Eunice Chudomelka, Dist. 30;
Magdalyn Twiss, Dist. 46; William
Galligan, Dist. 81; Grace Bellar, Dist.
90; Walter Rouse, Dist. Ill; Garnet
Juracek, Dist. 119; Mary Bruder, Dist.
160; Jack Crowley, Dist. 168; Thomas
Doolittle, Dist. 228, and Josephine
Sturbaum, Dist. 117.
Average, 90 per cent: Agnes Vogel,
Dist. 20; Ursula Bohn, Dist. 29; Ruth
Bellar, Dist.67; Robert Chaney, James
Jardee and Lawrence Kaup, St. Boni
face; Lillian Thiele, Dist 46; Charles
Felver, Dist. 80; Anthony Rohde, Dist.
84; June Finley, Di3t.88; Henry Fleek,
Dist. 107; Kathryn Russell, Dist 107;
Marjorie Rouse, Dist.lll; Mary Fiala,
Dist. 113; Elmer Steskal, Dist. 145;
Viola Ziska, Dist. 168; Rose Marie
Stewart, Dist. 181; Evelyn Moore,
Dist. 215; Margaret Arnholt, Dist.
228; Eleanora Bredehoeft, Dist. 15,
and Irene Larble, Dist. 207.
A complete list of the Eighth grade
graduates for Holt county will be
found in another column of this paper.
—
Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Hubbard will
leave the latter part of the week for
Lincoln where they will make their
future home. Their property here,
except their home, was sold, at public
auction last Monday. They have many
friends in O'Neill and Holt county who
regret to sec them leave, but wish
them happiness and prosperity in their
new home. The Frontier will visit
them each week in Lincoln and keep
them posted on the happenings of
their old home.
Phil Dempsey made a trip to Spenc
I er last Friday,
Receives Letter From
Nephew In Germany
Fred Gatz received a few days ago
a postcard mailed at Hamburg, Ger
many, requiring 15 days for it to
reach O'Neill. The writing on the
card was by Fred’s nephew, Richard
Gatz. a postal employee in the civil
service of his country. The young
man was on his annual vacation, go
ing thru Norway and other small
nearby countries
One of the most interesting points
about the card is the photographic
work on the reverse side. The scene
is of ocean going ships, a great num
ber of them of all sizes, and the work
of sky, clouds, water and craft is so
realistic one notes at once the work
is superb. Fred left the old country
when a young man and he never has
seen the nephew.
Aged Man Is Found
Dead At Atkinson
An aged man, believed to have been
75 or 80 years old, his name pro
nounced Iloosick or Hoozik, who had
been on U. S. relief rolls, died at At
kinson one day last week and, his body
was not discovered until Saturday
evening about 6 o’clock. His body
was found by Theodore Kubart, of
Atkinson. County officials were noti
fied and J. D. Cronin, coroner, and C.
C. Bergstrom, deputy sheriff, respond
ed and decided no inquest was neces
sary. The remains were much decom
posed and it was planned to make in
terment eyrly Sunday morning.
A daughter of the man lives at
Norfolk. His wife has been dead for
many years. The officers decided he
died of natural causes, likely those
commonly afflicting the aged.
O’Donnell-Pettinger
A very pretty wedding took place
last Tuesday morning in the Catholic
church at Emmet when the Rev. M. F.
Byrne united in marriage Miss Mary
O’Donnell and Mr. Ray Pettinger.
Miss Evelyn Pruss played Loeh
grin’s Bridal March and during the
ceremony Miss Neile Caughcnbaugh,
cousin of the bride, sang “I Love You
Truly.” Appropriate hymns were
sung during the mass by a choir con
sisting of relatives and special friends
| of the bride.
The bride was lovely in a dress of
white silk crepe. She wore a veil and
carried a bouquet of white carnations
and baby breath. She is the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. James O’Donnell, of
Emmet.
The bridesmaid, Miss Anna Rose
O’Donnell, sister of the bride, wore a
blue crepe dress with white acces
sories.
The groom is the oldest son of Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Pettinger, of Atkin
son. lie was attended by his brother,
j Ralph Petttinger, of Atkinson. Both
i men wore dark suits.
Following the ceremony a breakfast
was served at the homevof the bride’s
parents to 25 guests, consisting of
relatives and friends of the bridal
! party. Rev. M. F. Byrne was a guest
of honor.
A dance was given for their friends
at the Crystal Ball Room in Atkinson
on Wednesday night.
The young couple will make their
home for the present with the groom’s
parents. This young couple have al
ways lived, in the Emmet community
and have a host of friends who wish
them every happiness in their journey
thru life. • xxx
Country Club Notes
A dancing party will be held at the
club house on the evening of Monday,
May 28, 1934. The music will be fur
nished by the ‘‘Harmony Kings,” an
orchestra that bears the endorsement
of music critics who have heard them
play. R. L. Jordan made it possible
to obtain this music and that alone
is recommendation enough. In the
past he has secured wonderful music
for Country Club affairs. The danc
ing will commence at 9:30 P. M. and
extend until 12:30.
R. M. Sauers, in charge of kitten
ball for the season, has called his
players together for spring practice.
In addition to his players of last
season Manager Sauers has some
talent among the new members—
Runky Tomlinson, Pete Todson, Steve
Gilbert and I.ou Zastrow are expected
to add strength to the team. Games
will be scheduled with neighboring
towns and teams in the country, altho
the Country Club team will not enter
a league—the games being played for
fun purposes only.
Alberta Van Every visited a few
days last week at the home of Mr. and
i Mrs. Dan Sholes, near Inman,
PLAN AN INTENSIVE
CAMPAIGN AGAINST
THE GRASSHOPPERS
W ork Done During Coming Week Will
Prove More Effective Than Wait
ing Until Damage la Done.
An intensive grasshopper campaign
is planned for Holt county since large
numbers of hoppers are reported to
be hatching in many communities. Re
cent observations of state entomol
ogists inform us that for this county
the poison bran should be spread
largely during the week of May 28 to
June 1. A small amount of poison
properly spread while the hoppers are
small is much more effective than
larger amounts spread, after damage
shows up.
Mr. McRynolds has assured us that
relief help can be furnished to poison
right-of-ways and abandoned farms if
the communities will cooperate in
poisoning their own fields and pro
viding some means of transportation
for the workers while in the precinct.
Precinct committeemen will be given
definite instructions. When he calls
on individual farmers for assistance
of this kind, they can materially help
toward control by planning their work
ta rvM>n tViiu ncc-u'i nnon TV»a nmann
LU glVC HUB U5MMUIIIT. X HU JJUI3UII
will be spread between 5 nnd 9 o’clock
in the morning on a bright warm day.
Only with full cooperation on the
part of each individual can the cam
paign be a success. A specialist from
Lincoln will be here to oversee the
work.
Celebrate Golden
Wedding Anniversary
The Golden wedding day of Mr. and
Mrs. John Sobotka, of south of In
man, was celebrated at their farm
home Sunday, May 6. The Sobotkas
were married in Europe, came at once
to Omaha, then to Holt county where
a homestead, was filed on, and in Boyd
county, near Spencer, another home
jj|ead engaged their attention several
years until they moved to near O’Neill.
Finally another move was made,
this time back to the place south of
Inman where they still reside. The
Sobotkas have one of the largest
families in Holt county, 14 children,
10 boys and 4 girls. All are living.
The children are Joseph, John,
Frank, Charles, Louis, Anthony,James
Henry and Anna, of Inman, Jake, of
Lost Springs, Wyo., Mrs. Frank Pribil,
of O’Neill Mrs. William Kezneck, of
Deadwood, South Dakota. Mrs. Clif
ford Meyer, of Beatrice. This couple
has 31 grandchildren and one great
grandchild.
All but three of the children were
home for the celebration. The couple
received many gifts.
Old Revolver Subject
Of Much Discussion
The old 15-inch long revolver, pos
: sessed by Hank Tomlinson, and un
| earthed out on Black Bird creek by
Eric Borg about two years ago, has
| created a stir among local devotees of
; the old fashioned shooting irons. All
of them say the weapon is a real relic.
One of the most interesting stories
about it is that it may have been
j owned by Frank or Jesse James, and
may have been buried or lost while
they, one or both, were in flight after
robbing a bank at Northfield, Minn., a
job that cost several lives and long
prison sentences to several of the
Younger brothers. Chadwell was one
| of those killed.
The trigger and its guard are mis
sing from the gun and one gun stud
ent believes these may have been re
moved by some gun handler for the
purpose of more rapid shooting. That
was common in early times. The
I hammer was worked by thumb, and
no trigger was needed. Often the
trigger guard caught in a holster and
caused the owner to swallow a few
parly day post-holes, a poor occur
ance when a man had so many en
emies to live for.
One man pronounced the weapon
either a Starr or a Remington and
all admit it is not a Colt. It is a
cap and ball type revolver, six shot,
eight inch barrel, and entire length is
15 inches. It is badly rusted.
W. J. llammond, William Hammond,
Jr., and. Ira Moss returned last Mon
day night from their trip to Califor
nia. They went out there to attend
the wedding of Bill’s brother, Harold,
but did not arrive in time for the wed
ding as the ceremony was performed
on Monday and the boys did not reach
Los Angeles until Wednesday. They
say that crops ure in a deplorable con
dition all the way to California, on
account of the lack of moisture.
Program Of Activities
Of St. Mary’s Seniors
The Annual banquet of the St.
Mary’s Academy Alumnae association
will be held Sunday, May 27th. Cards*
will be played, in the assembly room at
2:30 and banquet at 5:30.
Class day exercises will take place
at 2:30 on Friday afternoon, June 1st.
At 9:30 the following morning, June
2nd, the commencement exercises will
take place at St. Patrick’s church.
Treppish Turned Over
To Wisconsin Officer
On Forgery Charge
When Earl Treppish, 35, was re
leased last Saturday from the Nebras
ka penitentiary after serving one year
on his conviction for allegedly mur
dering Clarence Coy, 30, his trapper
partner in northwest Holt county on
or about April 1, 1932, he was turned
over to Detective Charles Nowakow
sky, of Milwaukee, who wanted Trep
pish on a charge of forgery.
Treppish said the forgery charge
against him is false. He was con
victed here and started serving a life
sentence on the murder charge and
the Nebraska supreme court reversed
the case and ordered a new trial.
That put the matter up to J. D. Cronin
once more, and Cronin and Duffy, Holt
county sheriff, made every effort at
finding important new evidence with
out success. Some new evidence was
found but not enough to justify a new
trial and another trial on the same
evidence would be certain to termin
ate in favor of the defendant when
passed on by the Nebraska supreme
court. ,
Spencer Man Is Drowned
While Fishing At Dam
Last Thursday night about 11 o’clock
Leo R. Fuhrer, 31,'farmer living sev
eral miles northwest of the Riverside
light and power dam on the Niobrara
river, about 30 miles north of O’Neill,
drowned in about 18 feet of water at
the dam when he slipped and fell in
while fishing. The man wore wading
boots which greatly retarded.his efforts
at getting out of the water. Others
present made every effort at a rescue
but their efforts were fruitless until
about ten minutes passed. Philip
Dempsey was credited with bringing
the body to land.
Prolonged work over the body re
sulted in no sign of life and. a Spencer
doctor prounced the man dead. It is
presumed the victim had a weak heart
or perhaps some other ailment which
caused his death so quickly. In some
cases, drowning persons have been
brought to life after being under 30
minutes.
Fuhrer leaves a widow and. two
children, a girl of eight years and a
boy of six months.
Marriage Licenses
Last Thursday afternoon Raymond
Thompson, of Atkinson, and Miss
Lucille Transue, of Neligh, were
granted a marriage license in county
court.
Charles A. Mitchell and Mrs. Annie
McNurlin, both of Brunswick, were
united in marriage by County Judge
Malone at the county court room last
Thursday afternoon.
Richard Pettinger, of Atkinson, and
Miss Mary O’Donnell, of Emmet, were
granted a marriage license in county
court last Saturday.
Plen Nichol and Miss Eva Ulry,
both of Page,were granted a marriage
license in county court last Tuesday
morning.
S. J. Weekes returned last night
from Omaha, where he had been the
past three days sitting as a member
of the loan committee of the Agri
cultural Credit Corporation. Mr.
Weekes says that the officers of the
corporation find it necessary to move a
large number of cattle, upon which the
government has loaned money, out
of South Dakota, on account of the
lack of feed, caused by dry weather,
and that there has been a representa
tive in this county for the past few
days contracting for pasture for 10,
001) head, which they expect to move
to this county, as soon as the neces
sary pasturage can be secured.
Last Sunday while fishing at River
side dam north of here on the Nio
brara river, Chauncey Porter hooked
a catfish that weighed nine and a half
pounds. Fishing with Porter were
Roy W. Carroll, public school super
intendent here, and D. H. L. Bennett.
Judge Dickson and. Miss Marion
drove down to Wayne this morning to
bring home Miss Nancy, this being
the last day of school at the normal.
RULINGS MODIFIED
ON ADJUSTMENT ACT
FOR DROUGHT AREA
Corn May Be Planted As A Forage
Crop, But It Shall Not Be
Harvested As Grain,
Modification of the corn-hog rulings
will permit Nebraska farmers in the
areas designated as drought areas to
plant corn for forage on any of the
land on their farms excepting the
wheat and corn-hog contracted acres,
according to a ruling received Mon
day noon b W. H. Brokaw, state
wheat, corn-hog administrator. Just
which counties will be designated as
drought counties and what date will
be set as the release date had not been
determined, the information indicated.
Copy of the official statement from
Washington follows:
“Fodder Corn and Forage Crops in
Drought Areas.—Contracts for acre
age reduction and production control
of corn or tobacco, covering farms
situated in areas hereafter officially
designated as drought areas by the
Secretary of Agriculture, are hereby
modified to permit the planting, in
excess of the acreage permitted under
each of such contracts, of fodder corn
for roughage purposes only (not to be
harvested as grain) a-'d of forage crops
(including barley and oats) fdr pas
ture or hay only. Provided, however,
such plantings shall not be made on
acres contracted or rented to the Sec
retary under any commodity contract,
nor shall such excess plantings be
made before the date established or to
be established for each of such drought
areas by proclamation of the Secre
tary. Crops in excess of those here
tofore permitted by such contracts
planted pursuant to this modification
shall not be harvested for grain. At
the time compliance is checked each
producer will be required to designate
the excess acreages of crops to be
harvested as fodder or forage under
this ruling. The Agricultural Adjust,
ment Administration may designate
the date before which fodder corn on
excess acreages is to be harvested.”
This concession of the agricultural
administration means th. farmers
with abandoned wheat lanu or those
with fields in which the barley and
oats have not been making a crop, can
put all of this land into corn for for
age to be fed on the farm, Brokaw be.
lieves.
The ruling also permits the use of
forage (including barley and oats) for
pasture or hay only. These crops,
plus those already permitted such as
sudan grass and the grain and forage
sorghums, will give Nebraska farmers
considerable leeway in handling the
drought situation in the state if rain
comes within the next few days.
Brokaw said Monday afternoon
that he expected to receive more in
formation from Wat/hington within
the next few hours so that he could
give corn-hog committees and agri
cultural agents instructions to pass on
to their farmers. Information already
received indicates that the Secretary
of Agriculture will name the counties
and states which are to be considered
as drought areas, and that he will
also get the date on which the land
can be released and the corn can be
planted on abandoned wheat and ab
andoned small grain acres.
Since the wheat allotment contract
did not prohibit a ma* from planting
any crop on abandone*.wheat land, the
new concession of the corn-hog sec
tion will help practically every farmer
in the state to handle his farming op
erations to get the maximum feed for
his livestock, and at the same time,
take advantage of the wheat and corn
hog contracts. In very few cases
Brokaw predicted Monday afternoon,
will farmers drop out of the corn-hog
contract in order to get their aband
oned wheat land into corn for grain.
Benefit payments coming on the hogs
and the corn acres amount to crop in
surance and in most cases are large
enough to make up for the difference
between the possible returns from
corn harvested as grain and the actual
returns from the corn harvested as
fodder.
Lloyd Gillespie came rushing into
this office last Friday morning and
presented, the editor with a cigar in
honor of his first grandchild, a daught
er hnving been born to his daughter,
Marjorie, Mrs. E. R. Wood, of Pom
ona, Calif., on May 17. The little girl
has been named Marlyn Joan. Mother
and daughter are doing nicely and
| Grandpa has finally got back to earth.
Mr. and Mrs. John S. Johnson, of
Plainview, visited Sunday here at the
I home of Mr. and Mrs. Tom Edwards.