K,b' ,tat< Histo/fcaJ Society
The Frontier
VOL. LVII O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, JUNE 18. 1936. No. 5
_ __
MANGLED BODY OF
A MAN IS FOUND ON
RAILROAD TRACKS
Note Found In the Overalls Leads
To Identification As Joe Mc
Dermott, of Bassett.
The mangled body of a man,
later identified as Joe McDermott,
of Bassett, 32, was found on the
Northwestern railroad right-of-way
about two and one-half miles west
of this city last Tuesday morning,
by Dave Miller, section foreman.
The body was badly mangled and
until a note was found in a pocket
of his overalls no one had any idea
of his identity, but the note was
a letter to Mr. Gilmore, who now'
resides on the Graver ranch near
Ewing, who needed a man, and it
was given to McDermott Monday
by the local reemployment office.
When this was found relatives
at Bassett were notified and his
father, Pat McDermott, and a
brother, Frank McDermott, came
down from Bassett Wednesday
morning. They recognized the hand
writing on the note as being that
of Joe McDermott, also a knife that
was found along the railroad track.
They took the body back to Bassett
in the afternoon.
No one knows how the accident
happened. It is believed that he
was riding on the morning pas
senger going east, and that he
either jumped or fell from the
train as one of the mail cars of
the morning passenger, when ex
amined in Omaha had blood spat
tered over it.
Churchill-Pickering
I One June 10th at 5 o’clock in the
afternoon Miss Wilna Pickering,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William
Pickeing, of Red Bird, was united
in marriage to Howard G. Church
ill, of Keswick, Iowa.
The bride, who was given in mar
riage by her father, wore a floor
length gown of white satin and
carried a boquet of pink and white
gardenias.
Miss Vera Pickering, sister of
the bride, wearing nile green net,
was maid of honor. Mrs Claude
Pickering as bridesmaid wore sal
mon pink taffeta. The bridesmaid
and maid of honor carried boquets
of pink and white roses. Darlene
Anderson, in a pink and white
frock, carried the rings on a pink
satin pillow.
The groom wore a platinum grey
suit. Claude Pickering served as
best man and wore a suit of oxford
grey.
The bridal party entered to the
strains of the Bridal chorus from
Lohrengrin played by Miss Iris
Carson, and took their places be
neath an archway of pink and white
streamers and roses. The cere
mony was performed by Rev. C. A.
Anderson.
Immediately after the ceremony
a dinner was served to the bridal
party and guests.
Guests at the wedding were:
Mr. and Mrs. Oral Pickering and
daughters of Lynch; Charles
Churchill of Keswick, Iowa; Mr.
and Mrs. Emery Smith, of Keota,
Iowa; Mrs. George Binkerd, of Ne
ligh; Mrs. C. A. Anderson, of An
oka and Miss Olive Derickson, of
O’Neill.
The happy couple left Monday
for their home near Keswick, Iowa.
Friends here extend congratula
tions and best wishes for the
future. xxx
SOUTHWEST BREEZES
By Romaine Saunders
A shower Tuesday morning.
Roy Backus is the newly elected
moderator in the Berry school dis
trict.
Vic Howith has been named as
republican committeeman for Swan
and we will look for the indifferent
voters to get a stirring up.
A Vanderbilt heir has been allow
ed $4,500 a month. A $200 pen
sion don’t look so big beside that.
It is difficult for a president on
a junket of the country to make
no refernece to “his accomplish
ments” in public speeches.
Bluegrass stripping is setting
in again in the southwest, a little
earlier than last year. The seed
crop appears very heavy and the
market is about the same as last
season.
Not having had the letter at
hand at the time I did not mention
in the paragraph concerning John
Brennan at Salt Lake City what
he said of Marie Biglin. To quote
his letter, she “is holding down a
very responsible position here with
the Silver King mine.’’
H. L. James and Charley Peter
son arrived home an hour after
midnight Friday, having driven
from Denver since shortly after
noon. They were as far out as
some points in Arizona but bought
no cattle as neither quality nor
price were satisfactory. They
went through the “dust bowl” near
Delhart, Texas, and found the
country “coming back” after a
period of rains which have brought
a nine-inch fall of water. Cattle
men, generally through the west,
they found were feeling much en
couraged and they are asking a
rather fancy price, 8 cents, for their
steers.
At O’Neill last week I had the
pleasure of a visit with Will Davis,
who was making his mother and
other relatives a visit. Will
is a fellow craftsman and a close
personal friend, but Father Time
has touched us both with his grey
tints since last we saw each other.
He is still going strong as an oper
ator on a display letter machine
on the Trib at Oakland, Calif., and
promises us a visit again next
year. He found Holt county look
ing its best and O’Neill greatly
improved, expressing the feeling
that he had entertaned a thought
of “thin spacing’’ out the declining
years at some future time in the
old home town.
Paving and court house now un
der way and postoffice soon to fol
low injects considerable activity at
the county seat. They would feel
a little more enthusiastic over it
up there if the program was the
outgrowth of a sound and wide
spread industrial revival rather
than reflecting that much more in
debtedness on the country. The
employment feature is not satis
factory to some as local labor is
not being employed to the extent
citizens had been led to believe.
Food and drink dealers are in green
pastures,rooming houses and apart
ments haven’t beds enough and the
soft flutter of Uncle Sam’s cur
rency continues most lines of bus
iness will profit more or less.
Like plucking the bud before the
rose blooms with full fragrance
and crimson beauty, the pale reaper
enter the Arnholdt home at Amelia
and took their 15-year-old daugh
ter Margaret. Death occurred at
Stuart in the hospital on Friday
last, resulting from an affected
ear, the disease having worked in
ward to the brain. The funeral,
very largely attended by Amelia
and Atkinson friends, was held at
the Methodist church in Atkinson
Sunday at 2 o’clock. Margaret,
youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Wm. Arnholdt, was born in Atkin
son in 1920. The family has been
living at Amelia in recent years.
After an impressing and touching
service at the church interment
was made in the Atkinson ceme
tery.
CONGRESS—AS SEEN
BY A NEBRASKAN
By Karl Stefan
Nothing more serious could have
occured at this particular time to
“gum up” legislation than the sud
den death of the Speaker of the
House of Representatives. There
were tears in the eyes of many
members as they assembled. Mr.
Bankhead, the new Speaker, seem
ed visibly affected, and his closest
friends advised him to “take
things easy.” They are among
those who know that his health is
not the best and they fear strain
and excitement may bring back the
trouble from which he suffered all
last year. He is the brother of
Senator Bankhead who is leader in
the senate. Their father was also
in the house. The new speaker is
considered one of the ablest men
in congress.
Mr. Byrnes was a hard worker.
He was always in his office at 8
o’clock in the morning and was
never home until after 6 o’clock
at night. He was a master parli
mentary strategist ami fair-minded
chairman and presiding officer.
Many members of the minority
party found their life made just a
little happier in congress because
of the fair mindedness of the
Speaker, and also because of his
kindness to new members.
Hundreds of people are coming
over to Anapolis for the June
week graduation ceremonies. Many
relatives of young men who grad
uate with the new class, as usual
have filled up practically all of the
hotels and boarding places in the
historic town af Anapolis.
It cost the taxpayers about $15,
000 to educate a midshipman for
four years at Anapolis, and is costs
them about $10,000 to educate a
cadet at We3t Point.
Only about 263 members of the
435 are now usually present in the
house when roll call is demanded.
Members are becoming “jittery.”
Omnibus bills carrying hundreds
of other bills, special bills, confer
ence bills, conference reports; and
the private calendar with 150 bills
are being rushed thru the house.
Senate officials appear hourly with
reports from the senate indicating
the senate has passed certain bills
and requests the house to concur.
All indication point to adjournment.
Members of the farm group are
anxiously awaiting the action by
the senate on the tax bill, because
members of this group have been
able to put new section into the
bill to protect the market on do
mestic fats and oils, and also to
continue the three cent per pound
tax on cocoanut oil. This item is
in the tax bill which is now being
debated by the senate, and when
the bill comes to the house an ef
fort will Be made on the part of
foreign fats and oils businesses,
plus the big soap industry, to elim
inate that section.
•f * ,
Last year $160,000,000 was spent
for farm-to-market roads from ac
tual WPA funds, not counting what
the counties and states put into
this particular work. This farm
to-market road work in the WPA
has nothing to do with the $25,
000,000 which is contained in the
regular road fund. Under agree
ment now between the senate and
the house, there will not be a sep
arate department in the Road
Bureau for farm-to-market roads,
but the farm-to-markot road work
will be administered thru the office
of Road Supervisor McDonald.
Whether or not communism is
being taught in Washington schools
is problematical; however, there is
communism in Washington. Wo
men who attended the D. A. R.
convention sometime ago learned
this to be true. Two women who
wanted to shop in a department
store entered a taxicab, and they
had their D. A. R. badges on. The
cab driver told the women he was
taking them for a ride, and the
women screamed and jumped out
of the taxicab. Two other women,
also delegates, were said to have
entered a taxicab to go to their
hotel when the driver threatened
to take them to a communistic
headquarters, where he said they
would hear the good points on
communism—they too, jumped
from the cab.
Thomas D. Mullin and his
father, Patrick Mullin, of Albion,
were in the city Tuesday and made
this office a pleasant call, Mr. Mul
lin, Sr., being an old time friend
of the editor. The Junior Mr. Mul
lin is the referee in the sale of the
old Uttley ranch southwest of this
city. It will be offered for sale on
Tuesday, June 23, 1936, at 1 p. m.,
in front of the court house in this
city. The property is being sold
to settle an estate.
Mrs. J. P. Gallagher and daught
ers, Helen and Hilda, and son, Dr.
Frank Gallagher, returned last Fri
day from St. Loui3, Mo., where the i
former went the latter part of May
to visit relatives and attend the
graduation of Dr. Frank from the
St. Louis University. Dr. Frank
will visit here until the latter part
of the month when he returns to
St. Louis to take a position as
interne in one of the leading hos
pitals of that city.
«
Funeral Service? Are
Held Wednesday For
Mrs. John A. Robertson
Rachel Rebecca Hindman was
born at Colora, Maryland, Febru
ary 5, 1870, and died at her home
north of O’Neill June 15, 1936,
aged 66 years, 4 months and 10
days.
In 1880 with her parents she
came to Niobrara where her father
settled on a homestead at the mouth
of Verdigris creek and on De
cember 25, 1885, sue was united in
marriage with John A. Robertson.
The next spring they came to Holt
county and settled on an 80-acre
pre-emption and in 1887 they
bought and moved onto the place
where she lived until the time of
her death.
To this union were born 12 child
ren, all living, as follows: Lottie
Weidman, Plainview; Elsie Ander
son and Helen Sundall, Wakefield;
Harriett McElhaney, Omaha; John
A. Robertson, Jr., Chicago; Ray R.
Robertson, Hubbard; Sam, Dick,
George and Rachel Robertson and
Rebecca Ernst, O'Neill, and James
Robertson, Sioux City, Iowa. She
also leaves nineteen grandchildren
to join with their grandfather and
children in mourning the passing
of a kind and affectionate wife and
mother.
In early life she joined the Pres
byterian church at Niobrara and
has always been a consistent
member and until the time of her
failing health always took an act
ive interest in the religious and
social welfare of the community.
A better mother or ' neighbor
never lived and she gave the best
of her life for her family and her
community and she will be sadly
missed by all.
On last Christmas day Mr. and
Mrs. Robertson celebrated their
Golden wedding at their home with
all their children and grandchild
ren present.
Funeral services were conducted
by Rev. H. D. Johnson of this
city at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon
and burial in the cemetery on the
home place. 'The funeral was very
largely attended showing the es
teem in which the deceased was
held by her neighbors and friends
in northeastern Holt, where she
passed the greater part of her life.
Hand Phone Price Down
Effective July 1, the charge made
for hand telephones in addition to
the regular service charge will be
only 15 cents a month for 36
months instead of 25 ceuts a month
according to R. L. Jordan. There
is no charge after July 1 for re
placing desk or wall telephones
with hand telephones. This is the
third reduction made by the North
western Bell Telephone company
in the charge for hand telephones
since they were introduced.
Celebrate Thirty-fifth
Wedding Anniversary
About 100 friends and relatives
gathered at the Dorsey postoffice
on Friday night, June 12, to help
James Wiley and wife celebrate
their thirty-fifth wedding anniver
sary.
It was a complete surprise to
them. The guests gathered just
over the hill north of the Dorsey
store, then all but the drivers
walked to the house and on arriving
they sang “The Gang’s All Here.”
Mr. and Mrs. Wiley then invited
all in and congratulations and a
little visiting was done after which
followed a nice program consisting
of a reading—“An Old Sweetheart
of Mine,” by Mrs. John Carson and
one “The Old Home” by Vera
Pickering; an instrumental piece
by Helen Hanson; songs, “I found
You Among the Roses” by Mrs.
Charles Cole; “Will You Love Me
When my Hair has Turned to Sil
ver” by Fae Bear and “When You
and I Were Young Maggie” by
Mrs. Art Wiley. Then the bride
sang an old time song which was
enjoyed by all.
After the program ice cream and
cake was served. A beaiutiful
large wedding cake, baked by Mrs.
Cole, adorned the table as did two
smaller wedding cakes baked by
O’-al Marston and Mrs, Art Wiley.
Good nights were said and all
hoped Mr. and Mrs. Wiley would
be able to celebrate many more
wedding days.
James Wiley and Lizzie Binkerd
were married June 12, 1901, and
have lived continuously in the Dor
sey neighborhood ever since. Mr.
Wiley has been the Dorsey post
master for 16 years.
Their children were all born and
raised here, all finished the Dorsey
school, which is the same school
their father attended. Three sons
and three daughters were born to
them; one daughter, Ruth, died at
the age of 6 years. The other
children, are Eliza of Honolulu,
Mrs. Ellen Marsten of Omaha,
Walter and Marvin of Verdigris
and Judith at home. Mrs Marsten
and Ella were unable to attend
but the others were all present.
Those attending from a distance
were Walter and Marvis of Verdi
gris, Mr. and Mrs. Art Wiley and
sons of Gross, Mr. and Mrs. Hurley
Binkerd and family of Verdel, Al
bert Ellis of O’Neill and Fae
Bear of Lynch.
NEWS OF PEOPLE
YOU KNOW
J, J. Schweitzer, C. K. Yantzi
and J. K. Hershberger, ot' Milford,
arrived in the city last Saturday
evening for a couple of days visit
with relatives and old friends here.
Mr. Yantzi is a brother of J. U.
Yantzi and lived for several years
northwest of this city. Mr.
Schweitzec was also a resident of
this county for many years, owning
a farm and operating a blacksmith
shop thereon about 12 miles north
west of this city. Mr. Hershberg
er was also a pioneer resident of
this county, living northwest of
this city near the Schweitzer place.
He left the county about forty
years ago and this was his first
visit since he left, although Mr.
Schweitzer and Mr. Yantzi have
been frequent visitors. Mr. Hersh
berger was astonished at the looks
of the town and the splendid ap
pearance of the farming section of
the county. He says that every
thing looks nicer here than it does
I down in his part of the state and
that O’Neill is the best looking
'town he seen since he left home
and that the evidences of business
activity on all sides convinces him
that the people in this section are
a lot better off than they are in
the southern part of the state.
They returned home Monday.
Thomas Fullerton, of Riverside,
Cal., was in the city Wednesday, ac
companied by his brother, J.B. Ful
lerton of Atkinson. Mr, Fullerton
was a resident of this county many
years ago but for the past 26 years
has been a resident of California.
He arrived in the county the latter
part of last week for a visit with
his brother, J. B.., and to look over
boyhood scenes. He had been vis
iting a brother in Wyoming and
will go from here over into Iowa
for a visit with relatives and will
then go to Florida for a visit with
his brother, Wallace. He remark
ed that he could see a wonderful
change in this country since he
left here and that most of it was
for the better.
Mrs. R. R. Dickson, Mrs. J. F.
O’Donnell and Miss Anna O’Don
nell entertained fifty guests at a
delightful 7 o’clock dinner party
at the Golden Hotel last Monday
evening, honoring their sisters
Mrs. Jay J. Simpson, of Leaven
worth, Washington, and Mrs. Clar
ence Campbell, of Omaha. The
dinner was followed by bridge. Mrs.
Max Golden and Mrs. F. J. Biglin
winning high scores; Miss Inez
O’Connell and Mrs. F. N. Cronin
the all cuts. The guest prize was
won by Mrs. Ivan Kinsman, of
Columbus. Mrs. George Stannard,
of San Diego, California*, was also
an out of town guest.
Ben F. and James Barnaca. of
Ogallala, Nebr., were here last
Thursday visiting old time friends.
They formally resided on Oak
Creek northwest of this city, but
left here many years ago for the
western part of the state. Sheriff
Peter Duffy was a neighbor of
theirs when they were residents of
this county and he accompanied
them on a trip to the old home
place Thursday. They were sur
prised at the great improvement
made in this city and county since
their removal from here.
Mrs. H. J. Birmingham, Mrs. Ed
ward Campbell, Miss Betty Biglin
and Joe Biglin drove to Sioux City
Tuesday morning, ’-eturning home
that evening.
The Weather
High Low Mois.
June 12"_ 82 54
June 13 . 92 62
June 14 .90 64
June 15_ 98 62
June 16 _ 97 53 .09
June 17 86 49
Hospital Notes
L. E. Skidmore, of Inman, came
in the 10th and was operated on
for ruptured gall bladder on Sat
urday evening, the 13th. At pres
ent he is improving as fast as
could be expected.
Max Miller, 15, of Page, was
operated on for hernia on Wednes
day morning and, is doing fine at
present.
Anti-New Deal Meeting
There will be a meeting in the
K. C. Hall in this city on Tuesday
evening, June 30, at 8 o’clock in
the evening for the purpose of
organizing the Republican Volun
teers, a “rank and file’’ organiza
tion of all those opposed to the
New Deal.
The meeting will be addressed by
Hon. James H. MacLafferty, form
er member of congress from Calif
ornia. In our next issue we will
give you further particulars of this
meeting. Plan now to be in
O’Neill on the evening of June 30
and attend this meeting.
BRIEFLY STATED
Clark Hough, 27, while filling a
fresno on the streets just before
noon, sustained turn broken ribs
when the fresno struck a rock in
the street, the handle flying up
and striking him in the side.
L. T. Bonner, of Imperial, Nebr.,
was in the city the latter part of
last week visiting his old time
friend, Emil Sniggs, They had not
met for fifty-two- years and int is
needless to say they had an enjoy
able visit.
Mr. and Mrs. George Stannard
| and daughter, Lynn, of San Diego,
California, arrived in the city Mon
day for a visit of a couple of weeks
with relatives and old time friends,
and incidently to attend the golf
tournament and the festivities of
the week.
Mrs. Clarence Campell came up
from Omaha last Sunday night for
a weeks visit at the home of her
sisters, Mrs. J. F. O’Donnell and
Mrs. R. R. Dickson and with other
relatives and friends here. Mr.
Campbell is expected to come up
for the week end.
John J. Hancock of Casper. Wyd.,
formerly of this city, was in O’Neill
last Saturday visiting some of his
old time friends. John is now
practicing law at Casper and says
that it looks as if Wyoming would
be in the republican fold this fall
with a good strong majority.
C. F. W. Lehmann, one of the
old timers of the southern part of
the county and for years a Fron
tier reader, was a pleasant caller
Tuesday extending his subscription
for another year. Mr. Lehmann
says that crops and pastures are
looking fine in the southern part of
the county.
Sixty-three war veterans receiv
ed their bonuses thru the local
postoffice since Tuesday morning.
At 10 o’clock this morning there
were still nineteen being held in
the O’Neill postoffice for the vet
erans to call for them. The amount
of bonus money paid to war vet
erans in this county is about
1198,000.
Dr. and Mrs. J. E. Steele, of Har
lan, Iowa, were visitors at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Quig Mon
day on their way home from a
visit to Yellowstone Park. An
other old time friend of the Quigg’s
and the Steeles, Lee Beeler, of Til
den was also here Monday and they
all got together at the Quigg home
and discussed old times in Harlan.
William Hammond, Jr., who has
been attending the University of
Southern California at Berkley for
the past year, returned home Wed
nesday morning. He drove thru,
coming via Colorado Springs,
where he picked up his mother and
sister, who had been visiting rela
tives there for the past ten days,
and brought them home with him,
reaching here in the small hours
of the morning.
I
GOLF TOURNAMENT
TO GET UNDERWAY
SUNDAY MORNING
Nearly 110 Expected To Play In
Golf Meet Here Sunday,
Monday and Tuesday.
Next Sunday blight and early
the Fifteenth annual golf tourney
and home coming of the O’Neill
Country Club gets under way and
it looks now like a record number
of players are to qualify. The
tournament always has attracted
100 and it should not be surprising
if 140 entered play. The tourney
continues Monday and Tuesday.
The dates are June 21, 22 and 23.
The Club shows growth. New
members are Miss Elizabeth Grif
fin, here for the summer from
Montana with her sister, Miss Ag
nes Griffin; John Connolly, Clar
ence Ryan, Warren K. Morris, C.
B. Yarnell and D.jH. Cronin, all of
O’Neill.
Forecasting a season of intense
activity was a flight tournament
and Dutch lunch held on the
grounds Tuesday evening when 75
members were present. Prizes were
awarded Francis Soukup and Miss
Jane Mains.
Through misunderstanding, Mrs.
F. J. Dishner has been written up
as head of the two-day bridge play
for women in connection with the
golf tournament. Mrs. Dishner is
chairman of the committee of wom
en for activities of women for this
season. Mrs. W. J. Froelich is
chairman of the committee that is
to supervise the bridge games and
other entertainment features for
next Sunday and Monday for
women.
Local stars in golf are whipping
the pill for top trim against sev
eral crack players expected to en
ter play. Some low score regulars
here are Max Golden, Pat Myhre,
Ralph Mellor, Bob Moore and J. F.
O’Donnell, the latter rounding his
play in usual precision form.
There is no use attempting de
scription of the prizes offered.
These will satisfy every winner.
The same is true of those offered
for bridge play winners. Each day
play starts at 2 o’clock and both
local women and out-of-town en
trants will contest for bridge prizes
and a door prize on both Sunday
and Monday. Mrs. Froelich also is
is to direct her committe’s ren
dition of a program and the serv
ing of refreshments to women.
Coming from long distances for
this tourney are Colonel Owen
Meredith of Rockford, III., William
J. Froelich and Dwight Green,
Chicago attorneys; Dan Green,
president of Mid-West Utilities,
Chicago; George Stannard, from
California and Frank O’Donnell,
attorney of Dallas, Texas, and
there are many others.
The people here will recall that
Harry Houston, of Plainview. in
1930 won the tourney champion
ship here, that he won a tourney
last May 24 at Norfolk and an
other at Pierce only last Sunday.
And, there are other sharpshooters
desirous of tucking the top-honor
under their arms at the O’Neill
links in 1936. S. J. Lewis, Omaha,
won here last year.
There is to be dancing under
lure of a crack orchestra. Every
thing indicates the best tourney
ever.
ALPHA CLUB
The Alpha Club met at the home
of Rachael Robertson Wednesday,
June 10, Mrs. George Robbertson
being hostess.
Twelve members were present,
answering roll call by representing
the title of a book which other
members were to guess. Five
guests were present.
The business consisted of a dis
cussion of the midsummer picnic
and a report on court procedure
by Mis. George Robertson.
Entertainment was a contest
“How good a wife are you?” con
ducted by Mrs. Albert McDonald.
A, delicious lunch wa3 served ^
after which the guests departed.
CARD OF THANKS
We sincerely thank all the good
friends and neighbors for their as
sistance and sympathy and for the
many flowers.—John A. Robertson
and children.
Henry Beckman made a business
trip to Omaha Tuesday afternoon,
returning home Wednesday night.
