Nebraska Newspapers

    The Frontier
/
VOL. LV. O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 28,1986. No. 41
RAY WOLFE KILLED
AT OMAHA WHILE IN
PURSUIT OF BANDIT
- . I
One Bandit of Fleeing Fair Killed
In the Chase. Smith Will Be
Charged With Murder.
Reynold E. “Ray” Wolfe, cruiser
patrolman of the Omaha police de
partment, was fatally wounded in
a running gun battle with bandits
at Omaha about 9 o’clock last Sat
urday evening. He died an hour
later at Lord Lister hospital. His
cruiser partner, Clarence Drehsen,
was wounded in the leg, but will
recover.
Ray Wolfe is a son of W\ B.
Wolfe, of this city, and lived here
until about a year ago when he
moved to Omaha.
The shooting occurred when
Wolfe and Drehsen gave chase to
a car containing Roy James Smith
and Roland Robert Welch, 26, later
slain, in the belief that they were
the two bandits who held up the
Stahmer grocery at 20th and Ban
croft streets, Omaha, earlier in the
evening.
First degree murder charges will
be filed against Smitfi for the slay
ing of Wolfe.
The following account is from
the Omaha Bee-News:
“Charges of first degree murder
were drawn up at the county at
torney’s office Monday afternoon
against Ray James Smith, alias
Earl Reynolds, for the slaying of
Patrolman Reynold E. Wolfe, fatal
ly wounded in a running gun battle
Saturday night.
“The complaint will be taken to
police station Tuesday morning for
the signature of Inspector of De
tectives A. C. Andersen by Deputy
County Attorney Oscar T. Doerr.
The death penalty will be asked, it
was announced.
“Acting on information given by
Smith, police arrested for investi
gation Halbert “Happy” Fitzsim
*mons, 2877 Cass St., who, accord
ing to Inspector of Detectives A. C.
Andersen, admitted accompanying
Smith and Welch on several rob
beries, including the hold-up of the
Knights of Columbus club in Om
aha; the hold-up of the Union Fuel
Co. office at 4311 Nicholas St., and
the robbery of a drug store in Fre
mont.
“Police said Fitzsimmons was
sent to the boys’ industrial school
at Kearney on Oct. 3, 1927, for
eight months, for participation in
a series of holdups, and that he was
sentenced to the state reformatory
for three years on April 25, 1931,
on a robbery charge.
“Both Smith and Welch also
have police records.
“Ballistics experts said, Monday
the missile which caused Patrol
man Wolfe’s death w’as a large
guage shotgun pellet identical with
similar slugs found in a shell in
the gunmen’s car. This fact, they
said^ indicated the fatal shot was
fired by Smith, since the slain gun
man, they said had no opportunity
to fire a shotgun.
"Questioned by Chief of Police
Robert P. Samardick and Chief of
Detectives A. C. Andersen, Smith
failed to account for the SCO found
on his person.
“Belief that Smith and, his slain
pal, identified as Roland Robert
Welch, 26, alias Phil Crandall, were
the two bandits who held up the
grocery shortly before 8.30 p. m.
Saturday, was expressed by police
on finiding the S60, the amount
taken in the holdup.
“While funeral arrangements
were being made for Reynold E.
“Ray’' Wolfe, and while his cruis
ing partner, Clarence Drehsen, lay
in Lord Lister hospital with a gun
shot wound in the left leg, Deputy
County Attorney Fitzsimmons said
police ballistic experts Monday
morning would examine the weap
ons found on both Smith and Welch
to determine from which the shot
fatal to Wolfe was fired.
“He said, however, this would
not hold up the filing of the first
degree murder charges.
“When the slain bandit was
found lying in the garage of the
P. F. Peterson Baking Co., 12th
and Jones Sts., after the chase and
exchange of shots, a .38 caliber gun
was in his hand, leading police to
believe he had fired the fatal shot.
“The remainder of the bandit’s
arsenal not found in the car was
discovered hidden under a tier in
the bridge at 11th and Jackson
Sts., by police after finding Smith
in the Howard hotel where he had
run after the battle with the two
cruiser patrolmen and detectives
Lynch and Green, who entered the
chase at 16th and Leavenworth ,
Sts., when they saw the speeding
bandit car streak across the street,
with the cruiser car at its heels.
“It was Dectives Lynch and
Green who helped Wolfe and
Drehsen pocket the bandits at 12th
and Jones Sts., and who aided in
the capture of the fleeing man.
Emmet Harmon And
Grace Huigens Wed
Tues. At Creighton
Emmet A. Harmon, of this city,
and Miss Grace Huigens, of
Creighton, were united in marriage
in the chapel of St. Lodgers Acad
emy, in Creighton, last Tuesday
morning, in the presence of a few
of the immediate relatives and
friends of the contracting parties.
The groom is a native of thij
city and is one of our prominent
and rising young lawyers, and has
a host of friends in this city and
county.
The bride is a charming young
lady, who for about six years was
in the employ of the Interstate
Power company in this city, re
signing her position with the com
pany a few weeks ago, in prepara
tion for the event that was solemn
ized last Tuesday morning. She
has a host of friends in this city
who extend, to her and her affable
husband wishes for a long and
happy married life.
The young couple left on a short
wedding trip and are expected to
arrive home the latter part of the
week.
Poultry Auction Club
Being Planned For 4-H
Plans for a 4-H Auction Club,
designed to stimulate interest in
raising high quality production
bred, pullets, in Holt county were
announced this week by Agricul
tural Agent Reece. Former 4-H
poultry club members have an op
portunity to join.
Members will start with 250
baby chicks or their equivalent and
manage them in such a manner
that a high per cent of the pullets
produced may be profitable layers.
Those joining the club will not
only learn how to rear and manage
a flock of pullets but will also be
come adept in culling for future
egg production.
An auction is planned for the
State Fair next fall for members
exhibiting a pen of 25 pullets and
some practical poultry equipment
which will probably include feed
es, water stands and nests made of
boxes. Local and county fairs
probably will have similar auctions.
Agent Reece has information
about the new club and local lead
ers and former 4-H members are
urged to get in touch with him as
maturity of pullets at time of ex
hibition will be part of the basis '
for judging.
Trio Sentenced Here
For Automobile Theft
Last Friday, Joseph Conaro, Ev
erett Hoyer and Donald Kifer, ar
rested and charged with stealing
the automobile of Ed. Burge off the
streets of O’Neill a week ago last
Tuesday night, were brought be
fore Judge Dickson in district
court. They plead guilty to the
charge of stealing the car and Con
aro was sentenced to two years in
the state penitentiary. Boyer and
Kifer were sentenced to one year
each in the state reformatory. This
should be a warning to young men
who are in the habit of picking up
other people’s cars for joy riding,
that there is danger in the practice.
Corn-Hog Directors
Hold Meeting
The 1935 corn-hog board of di
rectors met in the court room at
O’Neill on Tuesday, February 2f>.
The following officers were elected
for the ensuing year:
Allotment Committee: R. H.
Lienhart, Chambers, President;
Fred Beckwith, Emmet, vice pres
ident; A. L. Borg, O’Neill. Treas
urer, Frank Allen, Page; Secretary,
F. M. Reece, O’Neill; Advisory Fi
nance Committee, Ed. Murray and
A. J. Sauser. O’Neill.
Romaine Saunders came up from
his ranch in the southwestern part
of the county today. He says that
things are fairly good in the south
country and that stockmen are get
ting along nicely with their stock.
WHAT’S DOING IN
THE LEGISLATURE
By James R. Lowell
The governor s 1-cent gasoline
tax bill is certain to puss, according
to the political dopesters, but the
mesaure has been subjected to
heavy barrage by gasoline dealers,
persons engaged in the automotive
business in general, and members
of the legislature, mostly repub
licans, who contend that the $2,000,
000 a year federal relief authorities
have required the state to raise
each year for the next two years
to supplement FERA funds to re
lief clients, can be raised without
adding to the gas tax.
Opposition to the governor's re
lief bill has been led largely by
Cushing (R) of Old, who would
use a state treasury surplus, ever
aging about $1,500,000 over the
past few years, to meet relief re
quirements in the immediate fu
ture. Liquor license fees are sug
gested as a likely source of funds
for relief within the next six
months or so.
Among the proposed measures
for raising relief funds aside from
the 1-cent gas tax, is one by Cone,
of Valley, proposing a half-cent
gas tax, plus use of beer and liquor
taxes estimated at about $800,000
annually; a proposal to take $200,
000 out of the general fund; a pro
posal to collect $5,000,000 annually
by levying a 2 cents per package
tax on cigarettes; a proposal to
collect half a million dollars by
levying a $1 per thousand dollars
tax on mortgages, to be paid by
mortgagees; and a proposal to col
lect $500,000 by levying $1 per one
thousand dollars tax on life insur
ance policies of legal reserve com
pames.
Two amendments have been made
been made to the relief bill. One
limits the cost of administering
the fund, particularly salaries, to
6 per cent of the $4,000,000, where
as the present FERA set-up in Ne
braska spends about 13 per cent for
administration. The other auth
orizes the governor to terminate
the increase portion of the gas tax
at any time before July 1, 1936
(the original expiration date set
by the governor) if the cash in the
relief fund reaches the $4,000,000
mark.
Cone in presenting his substitute
relief plan to the house of repre
sentatives said that the governor
had agreed to ask for only a half
cent gas tax, and furthermore had
agreed to offset this burden against
the motoring public by cutting
automobile licenses in half and re
ducing motor truck licenses one
fourth, which would save about
$600,000 in license fees per year.
Still another proposal has been
advanced to use for relief the
$300,000 beer license fee balance
that l'eposes in the treasury.
In addition to the suggestion of
a 2-cent-a-package tax on cigarets
for financing relief activities, Dug
an of Omaha, is talking up such a
tax law to finance the old-age pen
sion law. He estimates such a tax
would raise $750,000 a year. Drug
gists and tobacco wholesalers are
very much opposed to such a meas
ure. Dugan says the tax would
raise half of the $1,500,000 needed
yearly to make old age pensions
worthwhile in Nebraska.
The house liquor committee has
decided not to accept any of the
control measures introduced to date
and has begun writing its own bill,
supposed to incorporate in itself
all the best features of the other
bills. The committee l'efuses to
divulge any information concerning
the nature of the proposed bill un
til they have had time to shape it
up a bit more.
On the matter of liquor control,
Governor Cochran says that he op
poses state entry into the retail
liquor business, and that “the best
way to beat the bootlegger is to
make liquor easily obtainable at a
price that isn’t excessive.”
The open hearings held on the
liquor question were not as suc
cessful as had been hoped for. Most
of the persons appearing at the
hearings used their time to argue
on matters pertaining to the use of
alcoholic beverages fi’om a moral
standpoint, but offered nothing con
structive in the way of solving a
control system.
Senator Sullivan of Omaha, a
member of the senate liquor com
mittee, was moved to remark, after
attending the open hearings, that
“we are not interested in hearing
any more from the liquor dealers,
the brewers, or those who hope to
go into business in any way, neith
er are we interested in hearing
now from paid agitators on the dry
side. We want to hear from the
common citizens who want this law
to be decent and successful.”
The chances for Nebraska vot
ers having to mark their ballots
only for governor, lieutenant gov
ernor and auditor, where elections
to state office are concerned, is
lengthening as the senate passed
the short ballot bill, S. F. 74 in
troduced by Stewart of Clay Center.
The bill would eliminate the state
land commissioner’s office entirely,
and would, empower the governor
to appoint the head of all other
constitutional executive depart
ments, subject to confirmation by
the legislature. Railway commis
sioners are not considered execu
tive officers and their elective stat
us would not be changed by the bill.
The bill also would extend the
terms of the three elective officers
from two to four years and would
make the governor and lieutenant
governor ineligible for re-election.
The state officers now elective who
would become appointees of the
governor if the Stewart proposals
are ratified by the voters are the
attorneygeneral, secretary of state,
treasurer, and, state superintend
ent of schools.
1
The new provisions would go into
effect with the terms beginning in
1937 when the one-house legisla
ture becomes effective. Should the
bill pass the house, the series of
three amendments embodied in the
bill would be placed on the general
election ballot next year. The gov
ernor’s approval is not required.
Among the more important bills
considered by the legislature dur
ing the past week were the two re
organization schemes embodied in
three bills up fo! action. One bill
would set up a state board of agri
culture consisting of the governor,
dean of the agricultural college,
director of the university extension
service and 13 members appointed
by the governor. Another proposes
a 7-man board, six appointed by
the governor and the seventh to be
the dean of the agricultural college.
Several prominent Lincoln busi
ness men criticized the state fair
management and advocated reorg
anization of the annual exposition.
They suggested that a “showman"
(Continued on page 4, column 5.)
County And State Get
Old Fashioned Blizzard
This section, as well as a large
portion of the western states, was
in the hands of an old time blizzard
last Sunday. The only difference
between the storm of last Sunday
and those of olden days was the
fact that it did not get very cold,
the thermometer reaching only to
zero Sunday night. Saturday even
ing it started blowing, and blew
almost a hurricane during the en
tire night, altho it was not very
cold. Along about 6 o’clock Sunday
morning it started to snow and.
kept it up thru the entire day and
most of the night, with a heavy
wind keeping the snow in the air.
The amount of the snowfall here
cannot be estimated as the wind
kept it moving all day long. The
snow was so thick at times during
the day that it was impossible to
see across the street.
The snow quit during the night,
but nearly all roads were impas
sible Monday morning, clogged with
snow drifts. The road maintainers
were out early that morning and
about noon nearly all the roads
leading to this city, that is the
main highways, were cleared.
Monday night the thermometer
dropped to 8 below zero. It warm
ed up during the day and it was
five above Tuesday night.
The storm was very severe over
practically all the state. Roads
were impassible and many travel
ers in different parts of the state
were compelled to put up in farm
homes along the highway, until thfc
storm had abated and the highways
were made passible again. Monday
morning’s daily papers, which are
brought to this city by truck every
morning, failed to reach here, the
truck being unable to get thru on
account of the snow drifts.
The storm was tough on cattle
on account of the scarcity of feed,
but we have not heard of any stock
losses as a result of the storm.
FUNERAL SERVICES
HELD TUESDAY FOR
SLAIN POLICEMAN
Large Crowd Gather To Pay Last
Respects To Former Citizen
Who Died A Hero.
The people of this city were
shocked and grieved last Sunday
, when word was received that Key-1
! nold Wolfe had been shot and killed
by a highway man in Omaha Sat
urday night. Word was received
by his father Saturday night and
he left for Omaha early Sunday
morning, going down with Mr. and
Mrs. Lamro, of Valentine, parents
| of Mrs. Wolfe.
The arrived home Monday night
with the body, escorted by Police
Lieutenants Martin Jensen and
Earl Sherwood, in full uniform, as
representatives of the Omaha Po
lice Department.
Reynold Wolfe was born on
April 28, 1909, and was nearly 26
years of age at the time of his
death. He was the son of Mr. and
Mrs. W. B. Wolfe and grew to
manhood on the farm of his par
ents a few miles southeast of this
city. After getting through school
he worked for a time in the Coyne
I hardware store in this city and
had many friends among the people
! of O’Neill, by whom he was uni
j versally esteemed,
i On July 21, 1932, he was united
in marriage to Miss Mary Lamro,
| of Valentine, the ceremony being
performed at Burke, South Dakota.
About a year after their marriage
they moved to Omaha where Rey
nold worked in a garage until he
was appointed a member of the
Omaha police force on January 15,
1934. He was a member of the
force a little over a year at the
time he met his death in the per
formance of duty. He made many
friends in Omaha and was highly
esteemed by his superiors in the
department as well as the members
of the force.
Deceased leaves to mourn the
tragic death of a kind and affection
ate husband, son and brother, his
wife, his father, William B. Wolfe,
a brother, Donald, and two sisters,
Mrs. Clyde Allen, of Emmet, and
Miss Wanda at home.
The funeral was held Tuesday
afternoon from the Methodist
church, Rev. A. J. May officiating
and burial in Prospect Hill ceme
tery'. The funeral was one of the
largest seen in this city for years,
the church not beng nearly large
enough to hold, the people who
attended to pay their respects and
honor the deceased.
Relatives from out of the city
who were present at the funeral
were: Mr. and Mrs. William Lam
ro, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Lamro,
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Lamro, June
and Glenn Lamro, of Valentine;
Mr. and Mrs. Rafe Shaw and fam
ily, of Tonawanda; Mr. and Mrs.
Dan Kelly, of Winnetoon; Mr. and
Mrs. R. A. Baker, of Ainsworth.
After the funeral Mrs. Wolfe ac
companied her parents to Valentine
where she will visit for a few days
before returning to Omaha.
The Frontier force joins the
many friends of the family in this
city and county in extending to
them their heartfelt sympathy in
their hour of sorrow.
Funeral services were also held
at Omaha. The following appeared
in the Omaha Bee-News:
“Between two lines of blue uni
formed men the hearse bearing the
body of Cruiser Policeman R. E.
! Wolfe passed Monday afternoon
at 30th and Farnum Sts.
“It was official Omaha’s last
tribute to a brave comrade.
“The 200 policemen and firemen
who stood at attention in salute
as the funeral procession went by
were saying farewell to the youth
ful policeman who lost his life Sat
urday night in a running gun battle
with bandits.
“With relatives, friends and city
j officials, the men in the ranks had
heard their brother policeman ac
claimed as a patriot whose last
deed was performed in a month
unique in its contributions to Amer
ican patriotism.
“In the service at Heafey &
Heafey mortuary, shortly before
the march down to 30th and Far
nam Sts., Dr. Frank A. Ilosmer,
pastor, First Presbyterian church,
declared:
“ ‘Once a year regularly we draw
lessons from Washington and Lin
coln. This man at his post was a
patriot, even as those in promin
ent positions whose doings we
celebrate.
“ ‘In these days of racketeers
and all kinds of law violators we
need to cultivate respect for those
who are risking their lives in order
that our community may be a safer
place in which to rear our boys and
girls.’
“The body was taken to O'Neill,
Nebr., immediately after the cere
mony. Police Lieuts. Martin Jen
sen and Earl Sherwood accom
panied it, to represent the police
department at the servicer, there.
“Attending the service were for
mer Chief of Police George Allen,
Chief of Police Samardick, Fire
Crief Olsen, Sheriff Hopkins,
County Attorney English, Mayor
Towl and Commissioners Knudsen,
Trustin and Butler.
“W. B. Wolfe, O’Neill, father of
the dead policeman, arrived in Om
aha Sunday afternoon, accompan
ied by Mrs. William Lamoureaux
and Lester Lamoureaux, Valentine,
Nebr., mother and brother of the
widow.’’
4-H Club Members
Eligible To Enter
Accounting Contest
Holt county 4-H club members
enrolled in farm account projects
are again eligible this year to com
pete in the International Harvester
national club farm account contest
Agricultural Agent Reece has been
informed by L. I. Frisbie, state
club leader at the Nebraska Col
lege of Agriculture. Large prizes
go to winners.
Under the rules of the contest,
the farm records must run for any
period of 12 consecutive months
between January 1, 1935, and Feb
ruary 29, 1936. Prizes are offered
for the best kept farm business
records. A record, of the year’s
business on the contestant’s farm
or a neighboring farm will be ac
ceptable but records on any one
farm will not be accepted from
more than one entry.
The records will be scored for
completeness, accuracy, neatness,
analysis and suggestions for chang
es in farm plans to increase earn
ings. All record books and stories
must be submitted to Agricultural:
Agent Reece not later than March ,
15, 1936. Five members in each
county compete to be eligible for
prizes.
A prize of a $10 International
merchandise certificate goes to the j
Holt county champion. In state
competition, the winner receives a j
$100 merchandise certificate while
the sectional prize is n $225 cer
tificate or a choice of some farm
implements. The national grand
prize gives a choice of various farm
implements or a $500 merchandise
certificates.
High School Students
To Have A Chance At j
Winning Scholarships
St. Mary’s Academy and O’Neill
high school seniors will again have
an opportunity this spring to com
pete for 250 tuition scholarship to
the University of Nebraska offered
by its board of regents. Students
in tho upper fourth of their grad
uating class may be entered by the
superintendent or principal for the
contest April 11, 12, and 13. En
tries must be at the University by
March 23.
Nona Bressler, of O’Neill, was
awarded one of the scholarship to
the University for this year.
Winners of scholarships for the
first semester of next year will be
announced in time for graduation
exercises in the spring. Examina
tions will be held in the local high
(Continued on page 4, column 4.)
CARD OF THANKS
Groping beneath the shadow of a
great sorrow, still we behold a star
of beauty—a star which reflects the
sympathy and the kindness of many
neighbors and friends who gave
so freely of their sympathy and
helpfulness on the occasion of our
recent bereavement in the tragic
death of our beloved husband, son
and brother, the late Reynold
Wolfe. We are very grateful to
the members of the Omaha Police
Department and the city officials of
that city for the many beautiful
floral offerings, as well as to our
many friends in this city for their
kindly remembrance with floral of
ferings. We will ever bear your
many acts of kindness in grateful
remembrance.-Mrs. Reynold Wolfe,
Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Wolfe and
children.
FARMERS MAY GET
FREE TUBERCULIN
TEST FOR CATTLE
Group Interested in the Eradication
of Tuberculosis Is Working
In Holt County.
Dr. W. T. Spencer, stock repre
sentative of the South Omaha
market, Dr. A. H. Francis, of Lin
coln, with the U. S. Bureau of
Animal Husbandry, were in the city
Wednesday visiting with Dr. J. D.
Kopp, local representative of the
State Bureauof Animal Husbandry.
These gentlemen are interested
in the eradication of Bovine Tuber
culosis in the state. Dr. J. D. Kopp
is located in this city and. will re
main here until all the herds in the
county have been tested, that is all
those who express a desire to have
their cattle tested. There is noth
ing compulsory about the testing
of the cattle here. This work is
being done under an emergency ap
propriation made by the federal
government and it will cost the
stock owner nothing for this work.
Every state in the union is ac
tively engaged in the eradication
of cattle tuberculosis in coopera
tion with the United States Bureau
of Animal Industry. An average
of more than a million cattle have
been tuberculin tested each month
for the past eight years.
In December, 1934, there were
1,931, or 62.9 per cent of the coun
ties in the United States In which
cattle tuberculosis was reduced to
less than one-half of one per cent.
It is unlawful to introduce cattle
that have not passed a tuberculin
test into a county that has been
declared an area for the eradication
of tuberculosis unless they are
steers or feeder cattle kept separ
ate as to feeding, watering, and
other assc ciation from tested cattle.
With the full cooperation of the
cattle owners, a county can protect
itself under the state law.
The federal and state govern
ments pay two-thirds of the dif
ference between the appraised val
ue and salvage received, with a
maximum of $30 on grade animals
and $60 on purebred animals to the
owner of any animals that react
and have to be disposed of. The
first $20 on grade cows and the
first $50 on purebred animals will
be paid from federal funds made
available under Dec. 1, 1935.
Dr. Spencer, of the South Omaha
market, is a former resident of
this city and while here visited
many of his old O’Neill friends.
Have Wild Trip When
Caught On The Road
Facing A Blizzard
Thomas Mains and son, Robert,
had quite an experience last Sun
day and one that Tom says he does
not want to undergo again, as he
was really scared. Last Saturday
morning they drove down to Grand
Island for a short visit with rela
tives.
Sunday they started back home,
and they finally arrived here, but
after fighting the snow storm for
about three hours. It was snowing
very little when they started, but
the farther north they came the
worse the storm was.
Tom says that Robert was at the
wheel and the storm finally’ got so
bad that they could not see where
they were going. They stopped
several times to be sure that the.v
were on the road, straining their
eyes trying to see along the side of
the road to determine whether they
were in the center of the road or
on the side.
Tom says they were not bothered
with other cars along the highway
and do not know what they would
have done had they met the usual
amount of traffic on this highway.
They finally arrived home about 4,
glad to be back and able to navig
ate, but unwilling to undergo a
similar trip.
Offices Moved
The corn-hop and rural rehabil
itation offices, which were former
ly in the court house, are being
moved to the Davidson building
across the street from the O'Neill
Hatchery. All correspondence and
business connected with these two
divisions will be handled through
this office.
Alfred G. Bauer and Miss Rose
L. Bohn, both of Ewing, were
granted a marriage license in
county court last Tuesday.