"The Frontier
VOL. LIX. O’NEILL, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 1938. No. 12
I
Former Holt Resident
Dies At Beatrice
Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Higbee visit-1
ed here at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Thomas Edwards from Mon
day of last week until Saturday
when word came that Mrs. Ed
w'ards’ father, John S. Johnson, 71,
of Beatrice, was not expected to
| live and they, accompanied by Mrs.
Edwards, left at once for Beatrice.
Mr. Johnson was raised on a home
stead 23 miles southwest of this
city and had been section foreman
for the Burlington at Plainview
from 1908 until a year ago when
he was retired on a pension. He
had railroaded for forty-nine years.
He is a brother of Mike Johnson
of this city and father of Mrs.
Thomas Edwards. Mr. Higbee is
a captain of the guards at the Ne
braska reformatory for men at
Lincoln.
Mr. Johnson died last Tuesday
and the funeral was held this after
noon, services at Orchard and buri
al in the cemetery at Neligh. Mr.
L Johnson is survived by his wife,
~ three sons and three daughters.
Youth Struck By Car
While Riding Bicycle
While riding his bicycle north
from the old Elkhorn river bed
Wednesday morning, Morris Kirk
patrick, 16, son of Mrs. Cora Kirk
patrick, was struck by an automo
bile coming from the south, with
the result that he suffered severe
cuts on his head and body, and the
bicycle was badly damaged. Morris
says that he ran over a snake and
that his bike swerved causing him
to turn in front of the car. He is
getting along nicely, and getting
around on crutches.
* Thomas Crimmins Of
Atkinson Has Reached
The Century Mark
Thomas Crimmins of Atkinson,
Holt county’s oldest resident, who
came to this county when it was
nothing but a barren brairie, cele
brated his 100th birthday anniver
sary Sunday, July 24. An article
on the occasion, appearing in last
weeks Atkinson Graphic, appears
in part as follows:
“To see him and visit with him
one can hardly believe that this
sturdy son of Ireland was born
when Martin Van Buren was serv
ing as eighth president of the
United States. He is strong and
active. His mind is keen, and he
fcan tell many an interesting tale
of the early days in Holt county,
where he has lived for 61 years.
“He doesn’t have rheumatism.
Nor does he suffer any other aches
and pains. He has never had any
false teeth. With the aid of a glass
he keeps pretty well posted by
reading the newspaper. He is a
bit hard of hearing, and uses a
cane when he walks (both legs
were broken in a hayfield acci
dent years ago), but there is
nothing in his physical stature to
indicate that he has crossed the
century mark in life.
“If you get up early enough, most
any morning you might catch him
out in his yard in north Atkinson,
^ swinging an axe on one of the dead
' trees—that’s one of the ways he
keeps fit. He lives with his broth
er-in-law, Thomas Hanrahan, and
they ‘batch it’ together. But don’t
think that Mr. Crimmins doesn’t
do his share of the “batching.’ He
helps with the housework and does
little chores around the place. He is
quite able to take care of himself,
as evidenced byHhe fact that he
still shaves himself regularly with
the old straight-edge blade.
“Mr. Crimmins was born in
County Cork, Ireland, on July 24,
1838. He lived in his native land
until he was 31 years old, served
four years in the Irish militia and
worked several years on the docks
unloading ships in Queenstown,
^ Ireland.
“In 1869 he came to America,
landing at New York in March
of that year. He went to Salem,
Mass., and for eight years worked
on the docks in that city, then in
1877 he came west and settled in
Holt county where his brother,
the late John Crimmins, had come
two years before. He homesteaded
on the farm five miles southeast
of Atkinson where John Schorn
now lives.
“He was married in 1890 to Miss
Catherine Hanrahan of Atkinson,
who passed away June 27, 1922.
They had no children.
“Mr. Crimmins and his wife
I
moved to town in 1911. For two
years after his wife died he lived
with Mr. Hanrahan on the farm
west of here. Mr. Hanrahan quit
the farm in 1924 and they both
moved to Mr. Crimmins’ home at
the north edge of town.
"A few times in his life, Mr.
Crimmins was close to death.
Once was years ago, before they
moved to town, when he was ter
ribly injured when the fork of
a hay stacker fell on him. Both
his legs were broken and his hands
and arms were badly mashed and
mangled. He hung between life
and death for weeks. Aonther was
ten or twelve years ago when he
suffered his most recent serious
illness. At that time his relatives
and friends despaired of his re
covery, but he got well and hasn’t
been seriously ill since.
“A life-long democrat, Mr. Crim
mins is a great admirer of Alfred
E. Smith, and was glad of the op
portunity to vote for him when he
was a candidate for president. He
has always been interested in local
and national politics, and the city
school election last spring is the
only time he has missed going to
the polls for many years.
“In the early days he was per
sonally acquainted with that no
torious Nebraska character of pio
neer days, Doc Middleton. Asked
what he thought of Midleton, Mr.
Crimmins replied, ‘Oh, I knew him
well . . . Doc was a good man. Re
gardless of what they say, I know
he didn’t do any harm to the poor
settlers in this territory, nor did
he rob them . .. but it was a pretty
tough gang that traveled with him.’
“Mr. Crimmins built the first
settler’s shack in Long Pine, and
later lived for a time in a dugout
near where the town of Bassett is
now located.
“No special occasion was made
of his birthday last Sunday. He
received a few callers who con
gratulated him that day, and on
Tuesday the event was celebrated
J with a dinner at which his sister-in
law, Mrs. John Crimmins, and Mrs.
Joe Corrigan, were guests.”
The Weather
It has been hot and dry in this
section the past week. The last
moisture received in this city was
Wednesday night of last week
.08 of an inch was measured. In
the northern part of the county
they had a good rain last Friday
that reached as high as two inches
in places, but it did not cover a
great deal of territory. They also
had rain Friday night south and
west of Atkinson.
Tuesday was the hottest and
worst day of the year. The ther
mometer went to the high of the
year, 103 degrees. A hot wind
blew from the south most of the
day and had it not been for the
moisture in the ground the corn
crop would have been seriously in
jured. As it was it is believed that
the corn crop was not damaged.
Tuesday night the wind blew a
gale most of the night. Rain was
predicted for Tuesday afternoon
and night and while clouds gath
ered in the afternoon and night, but
a sprinkle fell here, and from radio
and press reports there was no pre
cipitation in any section of the
state, outside of sprinkles. The
weather cooled considerably dur
ing the early hours of Wednesday
morning and Wednesday was a
little more like normal,
i Following is the weather chart
for the week:
High Low Mois.
July 28 _— 85 61 .08
July 29_81 60
July 30_ 8( 6(
July 31_ 93 63
Aug. 1 - 98 68
Aug. 2 -103 68
Aug. 3_ 90 68
Precipitation for the year, 16.08
inches.
BUSY IIOUR CLUB
Mrs. Lizzie Pelcer entertained
the Busy Hour club on Thursday,
July 28, at her home in Atkinson.
All but three members responded
to roll call by reading a poem. Sev
eral visitors were present. The
afternoon was spent in playing
games and visiting. Linda Way
man received the prize. A delicious
lunch wTas served by the hostess,
consisting of sandwiches, pickles,
dessert and iced tea. The next
meeting will be held at the home of
Lizzie Schmohr on Thursday, Au
gust 25.
Lee Drayton of Norfolk, was in
O’Neill Wednesday on business.
THE NEBRASKA
SCENE
By the Lowell Service
An apathetic state primary cam
paign is drawing to a close. States
men under the dome of Nebraska’s
state capttol, always suspicious
and apprehensive, mistrust every
thing and everybody. They fear
undercurrents of public opinion;
they abhor the double-cross.
“The Lincoln newspaper and ra
dio situation,’’ said one democrat,
“is causing a lot of uneasiness
among the boys. Rates are higher
than a cat’s vertebra; schedules to
get on the ether waves have been
projected above the moon.”
“As far as the governorship is
concerned,” complained another,
“a man seeking news has got just
as much chance as a Jew arraigned
before Hitler. In Lincoln, the cen
sorship is rigid. In Omaha, the
candidacy of Cochran is deluged
with editorial syrup. We can’t tell
whether Radke is harvesting any
hay or not. We do know that
Charley Warner is flitting here and
there like a sunbeam.”
Politicians familiar with the stra
tegy of Charley Bryan predict that
he will start a whirlwind campaign
for the governship immediately
after the primaries. The gossip is
that the Radke campaign is a min
or offensive.
Two pamphlets have been print
ed and are ready for circulation.
One explains the philosophy of
old-age pension relief and tax ex
emption. This document is spon
sored by Cecil Matthews. An ex
tensive legislative program has
been outlined. The phamplet is
signed by Bryan.
Traveling men and other heavy
consumers of gasoline are expected
to make a fight for decreased taxa
tion on motor fuels. It is believed
that they will stage a fight to cut
the tax in half. Hotel keepers and
proprietors of tourists camps com
plain about the traffic, which they
claim is diverted thru other states.
Truckers add to the outcry.
Friends of Governor Cochran as
sert that the organized petroleum
dealers are behind the campaign
for decreased gasoline taxation and
maintain that most people are sat
isfied with the present arrange
ments.
Country newspapers may benefit
from the fight which the metropoli
tan newspapers are putting up
against the Eastern Nebraska Pub
lic Power district. More than a
year ago the district outlined an
advertising policy when the sys
tem went on a paying operating
basis. For sales promotion and
line loading, 1% per cent of the
gross income of the district was
set aside. It was ordered that the
money be spent in the newspapers
that served the area that furnished
the business. As the customers are
all farmers, the weekly newspapers
in the vicinity had the largest
coverage and gobbled the appro
priations. To make the fight more
bitter, some of the big newspapers
opposed the policies of the district.
At the suggestion of the Rural
I Electrification Administration, the
headquarters of the Eastern Ne
braska was moved from Lincoln.
The Federal agency also endorsed
the educational program of the
district. This will be carried on
almost entirely thru the local news
papers that have the largest num
ber of farmers on the subscription
list.
Following the custom inaugur
ated during the term of Chancellor
Avery, of providing a home for the
chancellor of the University of Ne
braska, the board of regents last
week announced the purchase for
$12,000, of the home of Mrs. Doro
thy S. Sidles, at 2110 A street, Lin
coln, as the official residence for
Chancellor C. S. Boucher and his
family. The custom was in abey
ance during the regime of Chan
cellor Burnett, as he preferred to
continue to live in his own home
near the state farm.
As soon as plans and specifica-1
tions are completed, work will be- ]
gin on the construction of a new
boys’ dormitory at the Kearney |
State Teachers’ college. The state ;
normal board last week accepted a
PWA grant of $72,000 for this pur
pose. The total cost of the build
ing will be $160,000. Plans were
also approved by the board for the
remodeling of a faculty building at
Chardon State Teachers’ college,
the total cost to be about $25,000,
of which the PWA will be asked to
share 45 per cent. Approval was
also given by the board to a $10,000
WPA grant for a new athletic field
at Kearney, a sewes, and extension
of a water main.
The weekly accident survey of;
the state, compiled by the coopera
tion of the office of the state super
intendent, the Nebraska Press as
sociation, and the Nebraska Safety
council, shows a happy decrease in
accidents for the week ending July
16. The week ending July 9 had
555 accidents, and 380 killed or in
jured, while the following week had
but 469 accidents and 285 on the
casualty list. Automobile acci
dents decreased from 155 last week
to 113 for the July 16 period. Farm
accidents, however, increased from
88 to 114.
Almost 60 applications have been
received according to State Assist
ance Director Neil C. Vandomoer,
from persons desiring to take the
examinations under the merit sys
tem for state and county assistance
workers. Not all the 300 persons
now working in the service who
should take the examinations have
yet applied, said the director. He
emphasized the fact that the ex
amination plan “covers the election
of personnel for technical positions
only, not clerks or stenographers.
Only persons taking the examina
tions and receiving passing grades
will be eligible to the state and
county registers, from which fu
ture vacancies will be filled. The
examination plan has been estab
lished by the state to comply with
promises made to the social secur
ity board in order to obtain fed
eral matching of state assistance
funds.”
Governor Cochran has called at
tention to a state regulation which
prohibits the rejection of automo
biles at municipal testing stations
on the ground of faulty tires, a
point on which a number of motor
ists have been refused state stick
ers. The governor also, after hear
ing the flood of protests that have
been coming in concering “too
rigid” inspection, urged municipal
testing stations thruout Nebraska
“to use judgment, leniency, and
discretion” in the inspection of
cars. Safety, not business, was the
aim of the law, he said.
Recently a Lincoln man went to
the testing station with a new car.
With him, he took his son-in-law, a
young attorney. The car owner
got plastered on several counts,
despite the protests of the lawyer.
“You’re a gazabo of an attorney,
or else these fellows don’t know
their business,” declared the irate
car owner.
At the end of the fiscal year, the
state assistance division finds that
it has a balance on hand of $1,024,
922.63. During the year ending
June 30, the total of receipts was
$7,723,789.50, and $6,698,875.87 was
spent. Of the total expended last
year, $333,689 was used for ad
ministration, and $6,365,186.66
went to assistance clients. The
cost of county administration was
$229,899, and the administrative
costs for the state were $103,790.
Judge Polk of the Lancaster dis
trict court has set August 10 as the
date for hearing on the matter of a
temporary injunction in a friendly
action brought by the Champlain
Refining company to prevent the
state department of agriculture
from enforcing its order requiring
the company to pay the five-cents
per-gallon tax on gasoline it brings
by pipeline into Nebraska at Su
perior. The company, since Au
gust, 1935, has been piping into
Nebraska from Oklahoma each
month, and it has been selling the
gasoline to licensed Nebraska deal
ers at its Superior terminal on the
basis that the dealers pay the tax.
The department of agriculture has
recently demanded bat the Cham
plin company pay the tax, since it
is much simpler to collect from one
than from many dealers. The com
pany claims that many dealers will
be unable to do business if the com
pany has to add the tax to the
dealer’s price at the time of de
livery. Now. the dealers have until
the middle of the next month in
which to pay the tax. Moreover,
the company claims that the order
(Continued on page 4, column 1.)
State Accident Record
Shows Fewer Mishaps
Accidents for the week ending
July 23, paralled the drop indicated
in the last report. The total came
to 345 accidents as compared to
4G9 for the week ending July 16.
The casualty list totaled 269 which
was a slight drop from 285 of the
previous period. Deaths dropped
from eighteen to thirteen. While
not as bad as the previous week,
the children’s report still shows up
bad with four children reported
killed, and thirty-nine injured.
Auto Accidents Decrease
Motor vehicle accidents con
tinued to decrease as a slight drop
was shown in this week’s records.
The total came to ninety-seven ac
cidents and ninety-nine injured or
killed in contrast to 113 mishaps
and ninety-five on the casualty list.
A man died of injuries sustained
when a tire blew out and wrecked
his car, a boy on a bicycle was
struck by an automobile and died
of his injuries, another was killed
when an oil transport overturned
and burned and a fourth died after
his truck crashed into another
stopped on the highway. A man
was disabled in a collision and an
other when he was hit by a car.
Out of thirty-four collisions
there were twenty-two injuries.
Fifteen were injured when cars got
out of control, fourteen as the re
sult of skidding, eight when tires
blew out causing wrecks, eight
pedestrians were struck by cars
and hurt, and five were injured
when a car passed a stop signal.
Mechanical defects in car’s were
responsible for two being hurt, two
more were injured when cars hit
obstructions, excessive speed caused
; one to be hurt, and another sus
tained injuries when a parked car
was hit. Three men were injured
| while cranking their cars, two
others were hurt when cars came
to sudden stops, two were hurt
when a car hit the back of a
wagon, car doors caused two more
to be hurt, a man was caught be
tween his car and the wall with
bad results, and a boy suffered a
broken leg when a7i automobile
backed into the machine on which
he had climbed.
Two hit and run drivers put in
an appearance and one intoxicated
driver was responsible for one be
ing disabled and three injured.
I*uhlic Accidents Follow Trend
Other public accidents followed
the general downward trend this
week by dropping from 145 last
period to eighty-eight for this
record. The casualty list dropped
from seventy-five to fifty-two.
Three more people met death by
drowning this week and a woman
was accidently shot and died of her
injuries. A girl had an eye re
moved after it was injured some
time ago in a laboratory explosion.
Farm Mishaps Drop
After reaching a record high of
114 accidents last period, the total
for this week showed a drop by
going to eighty-five. There were
sixty-one injured or killed as con
trasted to sixty-four of the pre
vious record. A farmer died as
the result of an accident with a
runaway tractor and a little girl
was killed when she caught her
head in the barn door and was
choked to death. Another was dis
abled when he lost several fingers
in a combine.
Nine persons were injured in
falls, six were hurt by farm ani
mals, twenty-four others were in
jured in runaways, another sus
tained an injured eye, and still an
other hurt his back. There were
twenty-one rural fires.
Industry Steps Up
Contrary to the other catagories
which showed a drop, Industrial
accidents indicated a substantial
increase by going from twenty-six
accidents with twenty-two on the
casualty list last week to thirty
four mishaps and twenty-six in
jured or killed this period. A rail
road employee was killed when he
fell off a moving train. Six work
men fell and were injured, three
were hurt by machinery, seven
railroad employees were injured
while at work, five were burned,
one man injured his eye, one other
suffered a broken hand, still an
other was struck by falling iron
and badly hurt, and a fourth was
knocked unconscious by lightning
while at work. There were nine
fires.
Home Accidents Decrease
After showing an increase last
period, home accidents reversed
their trend and decreased from
sixty-nine last period to forty-one
for this week. Thirty-one per
sons were injured or killed, how
ever, as compared to twenty-eight
of previous record. An elderly
woman died of injuries sustained
in a fall some time ago, and a
small hoy badly burned in June
died as a result. Fourteen were
hurt in falls, three were burned,
three were cut, two had hand in
juries, lightening struck a house
and stunned a woman, another had
an injury in her ear, still another
an injured eye, and the last was
badly shocked when stunned by a
wasp. With two more washing
machine injuries reported, this
makes a total of one hundred
twenty-four such mishaps in a
little over eleven months. Twelve
home fires occurred.
Here And There
A rather unusual sight was ob
served on the ground of the local
country club last Tuesday evening,
when a foursome of our young
golfers were observed playing on
the second green with the aid of
matches, the hour being about 8:45
p. m.
We understand the address of
Francis Connelly has been changed
temporarily from the east part of
town to the southwest.
It seems as though the Douglas
and Lancaster county commisioners
are the only ones that have the
courage of their convictions. They
have stated that the State Assist
ance Committee does not have the
right to select, hire or discharge
their employees for them, and At
torney General Hunter has con
curred in this opinion.
Our fire chief is building a new
garage with a sleeping porch above
and rumor has it that there will be
a shiny brass pole down the center
of the building.
Eva Protivinsky is still looking
for the culprit that attached the
toy bomb to her car Wednesday
noon. Woe betide the gentleman
if Eva catches up with him.
The people of O’Neill seem to be
hardier and longer lived now than
in tho old days, for according to
the records of the local undertak
ing parlor, the month of July, 1938,
was the first month in the past
twenty-five years that no deaths
have occurred in the immediate
locality.
The weekly treasure hunt held
Wednesday night was the usual
success. The only casualties re
ported were a mashed finger suf
fered by Jim Preston when a car
door was accidently slammed on
his hand, and the usual collection
of injured feelings.
That the average taxpayer and
citizen is coming to the point where
he realizes that the New Deal must
eventually be paid for is evidenced
by the results of the recent pri
maries in such Democratic states
as Texas, Missouri and West Vir
ginia, where the New Deal candi
date in several cases went down to
defeat.
Births
Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hiatt of
Dorsey announce the birth of a son
on July 31, named Jesse Howard.
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Pichler, of
Chambers, announce the birth of a
son on July 31.
Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Walton, of
Venus, announce the birth of a son
on July 30.
Mr. and Mrs. James Murphy, of
O’Neill, announce the birth of a
daughter on July 31.
Mr. and Mrs. Domonick Bohn, of
O’Neill, announce the birth of a
son, Maxwell Frank, on July 29.
Mr. and Mrs. Leo Matthews an
nounce the birth of a baby girl,
Cecilia Marie, on July 30.
INMAN CALF CLUB
The Inman Calf club will meet
at the Karl Keyes home on the
night of Monday, Aug. 8.
Small grain harvesting is com
pleted and threshing is the order
of the day all over the county. Re
ports are to the fact that the small
grain is not yielding as well as had
been anticipated, but that the
quality of all grain is good, in fact
i much better than the average year.
Primary Election Will
Take Place Tuesday
Next Tuesday is primary elec
tion. Voters should be sure to go
to the polls and vote for their
choice of candidates for the differ
ent offices. Many voters do not
think the primary is an important
election, but it is where the candi
dates for the various offices to be
voted on at the general election in
November are chosen,-and if you
do not select good candidates at
the primary you will not have good
candidates for the general election.
So, be sure and vote next Tuesday
for your favorite candidate on your
ticket.
Catherine Lawlor And
F. M. Dcutsch Are Wed
Last Week At Lincoln
Miss Catherine Lawlor, a former
member of the faculty of O’Neill
high school was married at Lin
coln last Thursday to Frederick M.
Deutsch of Norfolk. Following is
part of the account which appeared
in the Nebraska State Journal:
“St. Mary’s cathedral was the
scene of a pretty morning wed
ding Thursday when the nuptial
mass for the wedding of Miss
Catherine Maryann Lawlor, daugh
ter of Mrs. Nicholas Lawlor, to
Frederick Moran Deutsch of Nor
folk, was read by Rev. Thomas
Walsh of Battle Creek. Rev. C. J.
Riordan assisted in the mass. The
altar was decorated with pink roses
and lighted with candles. Baskets
of gladioli were on either side of
the altar. Reuben M. Walt sang
and J. C. Norman Richards was at
the organ.
“The bride, who was given in mar
riage by her brother, John Lawlor,
apepared in a floor length gown of
dusky pink over taffeta, fashioned
with a close fitting bodice and a
full gored skirt ending in a train.
Pink daisies trimmed the right
shoulder line to the closing of the
V neck, and the same daisy trim
was carried out in the skirt, run
ning diagonally from waist to hem
line. The waist line was marked
by a moire belt. The short sleeves
were shirred. The bridal veil of
tulle was gathered into a halo of
Dutchess lace. Seed pearls trimmed
the front of the crown and held the
veil in place in the back.
“The bridal bouquet was of flesh
colored Sally roses. The ribbon
tying them was used at her moth
er’s wedding and she carried the
handkerchief carried by her mother
at her wedding.
“Miss Margaret Lawlor served
her sister at maid of honor, and
wore a dress of blue marquiset,
over taffeta, made with a close fit
ting bodice, V neck and a full skirt.
A pink moire belt trimmed the
waistline. The slip was trimmed
with daisies near the hemline and
the daisies showed thru the sheer
material of the dress. The sleeves
were puffed. She wdre a blue sailor
straw hat trimmed in pink and
blue flo*crs and a veil that tied in
a bow in the back. She carried
braircliff roses and blue delphin
ium. Nancy Lawlor, niece of the
bride, was the flower girl and wore
a dress of white organdy, embroid
ered in pink and blue, fashioned
with a full skirt. She wore a head
band of pink rosebuds and blue
delphinium, and carried a rose ball
of pink rosebuds and blue delphin
ium. Accessories were white.
“Best man was Allred P. Deutsch
of Cleveland, brother of the bride
groom. C. A. Jeffrey of Omaha,
Charles Lawlor and Henry K. Gil
man of Sioux City were ushers.
“A reception was held at the
home of the bride’s uncle and aunt,
Mr. and Mrs. C. D. Mullen follow
ing the ceremony. A luncheon was
later held at the home of the bride
for the pridal party and the family.
“After a trip to Canada the
couple will be at home at Norfolk,
where the bridegroom is an at
torney. The bride chose for travel
a black silk chiffon dress made
with a jacket. Her accessories
were black.”
Mrs. A. F. Thompson and child
ren of Oakland, Calif., who have
been visiting her cousin, Mrs. Arlo
Hiatt and family, left Sunday for
Chambers, where they will visit
Mrs. Thompson’s sister and family,
Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Hoffman.
Leo Carney returned Tuesday
night from Fremont where he went
as a delegate to attend the Annual
American Legion state convention.