the frontier 100% Paid in Advance Circulation ★ VOLUME 67.—NUMBER 32. O’NEILL, NEBRASKA. THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1947. PRICE 7 CENTS 3 Youths Killed in * Auto-Train Crash 'Clearwater Men Die As Speeding Streamliner , Strikes Car ^Ps-CIAC TO THE FRtLVTIEf. CLEARWATER— Three young men, all born and reared in a rural community northeast of Clearwater, were killed almost instantly early Monday near Valley when the Union Pacific railroad’s City of Denver stream liner crashed into their automo bile. The dead are: * DONALD R. MICHAEL. 21. DUABD HAAKE. 21. KENNETH HOEFS. 20. Reynold Liss, Union Pacific station agent at Valley, gave this version of the accident: A westbound freight was pull ing through Valley on a branch line about 1:15 a m. The east bound City of Denver was ap proaching on the main line, which runs parallel with the branch. The auto in which the three youths were riding turned south on Valley’s main street, which intersects the railroad tracks. Liss said the car stopped at the main line tracks. Another car was in the area between the main and the branch lines, he continued, and the driver of the car bearing the three men apparently decided to get * into the space between the two lines iso. He started to drive across the tracks and had almost cleared them when the streamliner clip ped the rear of the vehicle. The impact hurled the car across the street and against a metal lamp post, about 25 feet away. The post was sheared off. Car Travels 30 Feet The car, still on its wheels, stopped 30 feet away from the tracks. A hole was ripped in the rear of the car and it is believed that Hoefs and Haake were hurled through the hole. The bodies were found 51 and 54 feet from the car. Michael's body was found 20 feet south of the car. He is believed to have been driving and was thrown through the left front door. The acting Douglas county coroner, George Sullivan, said the warning signals were work ing. Haake and Michael were visit ing with Hoefs, a Midland col lege student and World War II veteran, at Fremont. The three were lifelong friends and had been confirmed in the same class at Concordia Luther an church at Clearwater. The Hoefs funeral service was to have been held today (Thurs day) at 2 p. m. at the Trinity Lutheran church in Fremont with burial in Memorial park there. Tentative plans have been made for double funeral rites for Haake and Michael. The services are scheduled for 2 p. m. Friday at Concordia Luth f eran church. Young Hoefs' survivors in clude: Parents—Mr. and Mrs. Ot- , to Hoe s; sisters—Rachel Hoefs and Mrs. Wiltncr Westphal, both , of Fremont. | Survivors of young Michael, i Mother — Mrs. Anna Michael; i brothers—Lawrence and Harold, sister—Mrs. Emil Ahlers, all of Clearwater. i Surviving young Haake are. Parents — Mr. tind Mrs. ^ Henry Haake; brothers — Marlin and Lyle; sisters— Louetta, Louella and Lyla, all of Clearwater. The Snider funeral home, ot Clearwater, is handling arrange ments for the double funeral. MRS. CONRAD, 72, «* dies AT ATKINSON ATKII'JSON — Mrs. Dorsey S. Conrad, 72, a Holt county resi dent since 1919 and formerly of O’Neill, died at noon Tuesday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ina Stoecker, in Atkinson. Mrs. Conrad and her husband lived in O’Neill for a period of nine years, operating a tourist camp business. They left O Neill eight years ago. Mabel May Weaver was born at Prairie Center, 111., and reach ed Nebraska on January 13, 1888, the day following the his toric blizzard. She lived at * Schuyler where she was educat "ed and on December 31, 1895 she was married to Rev. Conrad. The Conrads left ,Schuyler in 1919 and moved onto a ranch lo mile* south of Atkinson. Rev. Conrad served as a Meth odist pastor at Lone pin® Crookston. Both Mrs. Conrad and her husband were active in Nebraska Children s Home so ciety work. , Survivors include: Widower, daughters— Mrs. Steocker, Mrs. lola Lowery, of Houston, lex., and Mrs. Gertrude Brown, of Milwaukee, Wis.; sister — Mrs. Edith Wicklund, of Burwm. Funeral services will .be held Friday at 2:30 p. m. at the Meth odist church in Atkinson with Rev W. C. Burmingham offici ating. Burial will be in Wood Xawn cemetery. Fishers lo California — Dr. and Mrs. F. J. Fisher de parted Wednesday for Los An geles and San Francisco, Calif They will be gone three weeks. Donald R. Michael. 21, of Clearwater . . . believed to have been driver of ill-fated car. Duard Haake. 21. of Clear* water ... a passenger. Kenneth Hoefs, 20. of Fre mont . . . also a passenger. STUART WOMAN SUCCUMBS HERE Mrs. Wefso, 77, Mother of Mrs. J. P. Brown, Buried Tuesday STUART — Mrs. Frederick Wefso, 77, a Holt county resi dent since 1882, was buried at 2 p. m. Tuesday in the Stuart cem etery following funeral services at the Wefso home. She died at noon Saturday in O’Neill at the home of her daughter, Mrs. J. P. Brown, fol lowing a year’s illness. For sev eral months she had made her home in O’Neill with the Browns. Born at Good Hope, 111., on November 21, 1870, Alice Clark came to Holt county with her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. William Clark, in 1882. She was then a girl of 12. On August 6, 1889 she married the late Frederick Wefso. They became the parents of four sons and four daughters. Mr. Wefso died in 1930. Survivors include: Sons—Rob ert F. Wefso, of Rushville; James and William Wefso, both of Stu art; daughters — Mrs. Alice Burke, of Bassett; Mrs. J. P. (Sophia) Brown, of O’Neill, and Mrs. Margaret Anderson, of St. Paul, Minn.; and Mrs. Frances Stuart, of Stuart. One son, Charles, is deceased. Four of the pallbearers were grandsons of the deceased. Pallbearers at the funeral ser vices were: Robert Wefso, jr., Frederick Wefso, James Burke, Brooke Stuart, Dow Holliday and Robert Derming. Rev. Orin C. Graff, of Atkinson, officiated, and Biglin Brothers, of O’Neill, were in charge. Going to Philly — Dr. W. F. Finley will depart Saturday by air for Philadel phia, Pa., where he will visit the Stephensons. He will re turn January 8. Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Park ins spent the weekend in Oma ha visiting their son and his wife, Mr and Mrs. John N. Parkins FORMER RESIDENT CRASH VICTIM Mrs. Iyouis R. Jones, 53, Nee Lauretta Murray, Dies In Montana Mrs. Lauretta R. Jones, 53, the former Lauretta Murray, died December 7 in a Miles City, Mont., hospital as a result of in juries suffered in a highway ac cident December 5 in Miles City. Her automobile collided with a truck while she was enroute to Holy Rosary hospi tal to visit her husband, who was a patient. Rt. Rev. Thomas Henessy offi ciated in the luneral rites at 9 a.m. on December 10. Since the accident Mrs. Jones had been in a grave condi tion and never regained con sciousness. She was on her way to see her husband at the time and Jack Martin, driver of the railway transport tiuck, told highway patrolmen her car had pulled onto the highway from a side street and he was unable to stop his vehicle on the icy road. She was thrown from her car and dragged 75 feet under the truck. Born at O'Neill Mrs. Jones was bom April 30, 1894 in O’Neill, where she spent her girlhood and attended school. Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. R. H. Murray. She was married 37 years ago at O’Neill, and to this union were born six children who survive their moth er. Their father passed away some time ago. She had also made her home in Buffalo, S. D. Since the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Jones in 1937, they have made their home in or near Miles City. Survivors in addition to Mr. Jones include six children: M.s. Agnes Jennings, Walter Burshek, Mrs. Frances Smith, Clifford Burshek, Lauretta Burshek, all of Miles City; Clarence Burshek, of Bozeman. Also ih Miles City for the fi nal rites were seven sisters: Mar tha Soukup, of Sheiidan, Wyo.; Mrs. Dean Streeter, of O’Neill; Mrs. Ernest Perkins, of Ains worth; Mrs. Anastasia Williams, of Sheridan. Wyo.; Mrs. Clyde Streeter, of O’Neill; Mrs. J. Mat thews, of Lincoln; Mrs. Ellen Blomberg and children, Dixie and William, of Gill, S. D., and one brother, George Murray, of Leeds, S. D. Her parents and one sister preceded her in death. White Christmas Seen; No Moisture This Week A relatively "mild” first-half of December prompts some of the self-styled long-range weath er prognosticators to predict a white Christmas. Except for near-zero readings on two separate days, the mer cury has hovered in the 10’s and 20’s so far this month with the minimum readings. The week’s summary, based on 24-hour periods ending at 8 a. m. daily, follows: Hi Lo Moist. Dec. 11 Dec. 12 Dec. 13 — Dec. 14 Dec. 15 Dec. 16 Dec.I 17 - 30 10 . 30 10 35 13 42 22 . 45 10 .25 10 . .. 35 11 T Leave for California — Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Kurtz de parted Friday for Pasadena, Calif., where they will spend (the winter. They made the trip y automobile. PRILL CHARGES ARE DISMISSED City Fails t o Convict Page Farmer on Two Counts Charges of resisting an officer and disturbing the peace, filed by the city of O’Neill against Ralph Prill, Page farmer, were dismissed Friday by County Judge Louis W. Reimer follow ing a three-hour hearing in Holt county court. The action grew out of a Thanksgiving day incident in West O’Neill in which Assist tant Chief Police Joseph Wert arrested Prill and took him to jail, where he was held for 45 minutes. On the witness stand Wert testified that he slapped Prill. Three witnesses for Prill told the court that Prill was not disturbing the peace. Defense witnesses were: Tony Asimus, James McDermott and Alvin Ott. City Attorney William W. Griffin represented the plaintiff and Raymond S. Hill, of Sioux City, was counsel for the defen dant. More than 50 persons were in the district court room for the hearing. L. M. Merriman and James R Lyons were on business in Grand Island Monday Santa to Use Supersonic Jet Plane to Keep D i^e Here BULLETIN SPECIAL TO 1 HE FRONTIER NORTH POLE — One of Sonia'* helpers Wedne* day announced mat the Jolly Ol' Fellow wm neck-deep in work in preparation for Saturday's date with the kiddie* at O'Neill. He is sandwiching in the O'Neill visit as a last-minute stop before he begins his annual run of Christmas deliveries. "That's where my new Su personic Blitsen jet plane will come in mighty handy." he declared. "Tell the kids I'll see them at 2:30 and I'll try to talk to every one of them!" Meanwhile, in O’Neill the Chamber of Commerce offi cials are making final prepa rations for Santa’s arrival. Rain, snow or sleet, Santa ex pect« to keep his engagement with the youngsters here. Details on now he’ll arrive have not been received, but he’ll be met outride the city Uv a tire truck and city offi cials. Treats for his junior friends will be transierred on to the fire truck and will accompany him to the south front door of the O’Neill pub lic school building. There will be candy and fruit for the children. Christmas buying in the O’Neill stores has continued brisk all week and Chamber officials explain that there are still ample gift selections in most stores. Many items are being advertised in this issue of The Frontier. O’Neill stores will remain open until 9 on Monday and Tuesday evenings, December 22 and 23. CORA JOHNSON RITES FRIDAY Widow of the Late ‘Mike’ Johnson Dies; Here Wednesday Mrs. Cora Belle Johnson, 69, widow of the late Morris (“Mike”) Johnson and a Holt county resident for 66 years, died at 9:45 a. m. Wednesday at her home here. She had been seriously ill for six months. Funeral services will be held at 2 p. m. Friday at the Metho dist church here with interment in Prospect Hill cemetery. Rev. Lloyd W. Mullis, church pastor, will be in charge and the fol lowing have been selected as pallbearers: Ray Eidenmiller, Walter Calkins, Chester Calkins, H. A. Yokum, Merle Hickey and Charles Fleming. Born in Ohio Born at Green/ield, O., Cora Belle Brown came to Holt with her parents, the late Mr. and Mis. Wesley Brown, in 1881, set tling on a homestead 25 miles southwest of O’Ne She was reared and educated there and was a schoolmate of the man she was to marrv later on May 5, 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson became the parents of one son, Roy V. Johnson, sr., and one daughter, Mis. Ralph (Cora) Kilpatrick, both of O’Neill. Besides the son and daughter, other survivors include: s i x grandchildren; two great-grand children; sister—Mrs. Alice Saw yer, of San Francisco, Calif., and Mrs. Ethel Moran, of Los Ange les, Calif.; brother— William Brown, of Plainview. Mr. Johnson, who died July 25, 1945, was employed for many years as a maintenance man with the Burlington railroad. Families Prepare for Student Homecomings Christmas, the time families get together for fireside chats and friendly visits, finds O’Neill with a great many families pre paring for homecomings. Among the students returning are: University of Nebraska, cin coin—Anthony and Gerald Toy, Edward Condon, Marjorie McEl haney, Polly Ann Rickly, Mr. and Mrs. Warren Burgess. Ixns Ann Her, Fred Halva, Shirley Schaffer. Eugene McKenna, John Baker, Donna Gallagher, and Lois Cole, of Emmet; John AI ^Creighton university, Omaha —Edward Campbell, James Mer riman, George Janousek, Robert Shoemaker, Stephen and Roo0™ Wallace, Paul Kubitschek, Rob ert Allen. T Doane college, Crete — Joan Brady; St. Mary’s college, Leav enworth. Kans.—Kathleen Flood; University of Chicago, (*“•) Neil Brennan; Clark college, Dubuque. Ia.—Devine Brennan; University of Denver, (Colo.)— William Brady; University of South Dakota, Vermillion — Wayne Ralya; Wayne State Teachers’ college—-Allen Martin, Rosary college, River Forest, 111 —Elizabeth Gallagher and Pa tricia O’Donnell; Barat college, Lake Forest, 111 — Mary Louise Birmingham and Helen Kubit schek: Colorado Womens col lege, Denver, Colo.—Joanne Bur gess; Wesleyan university, Lin coln—Roberi Bowen; University of Chicago medical school, Chi cago, 111.—Nadene Coyne; Oma ha technical school. Omaha—Jo seph Biglin: Mt. fit. Gertrude academy, Boulder, Colo. lvn Moore; St. Benedicts college, Atchison. Kans. — Thomas De Backer; National Business insti tute, Lincoln—Donna Rae Clem ents and Eugene Streeter; Rock hurst college, Kansas City. Mo. —Jick Harty; Norfolk Junior college—Richard Hungerford. Arrives from West— PAGE_Mrs. Les Goddard, of Richland. Wash., arrived Tues day night to make an extended visit with her parents, Mr and Mrs N G Miller. 12 CHANGES ON ZONING PLAN Two amendments were add ed to the citywide zoning pro posal Friday night at an ad journed meeting of the city council. Both amendments re sult in important changes to ! the zoning ordinance, which has not yet been enacted but lias been under consideration for several months. One amendment eliminated the proposed business building restrictions on east-west Doug las street — the city’s mam thoroughfare—from one end of the city to the other. In the original proposal, Douglas street was intended to be both residential and business. The original draft of the or dinance confined the building of hatcheries to the socalled industrial area, which would be the vicinity of the railroad tracks. An amendment adopt ed at Friday’s session would permit hatcheries to build any- | where in the business or in dustrial area. This amendment was unanimously voted. A half-dozen citizens ap peared at the meeting. Blanche Spann Pease Radio Show Winner CELIA— Mrs. Blanche Spann Pease has received a letter from Tom Brenneman of the coast-to coast “Breakfast in Hollywood’’ radio prog am. Mr. Brenneman told her she had been judged a prize-winner and that her wish would be read on his program. She received one of the famous “orchid wishing rings” as a prize. ENROLLS AT 'U‘ Edward J. Condon, of O’Neill, has enrolled at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln after quali fying as a regular student in the naval reserve officers’ training corps program. The purpose of the NROTC is to provide a source from which qualified officers may be obtain ed for the Navy and Marine corps, the Naval reserve and the Marine corps reserve. BUY REGISTERED BULL Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Moore went to Hurley, S. D. Monday where they purchased a regis tered shorthorn bull, whose sire is Smi-a-Bor Mercury of Smi-a Bor farms at Grain Valley, Mo. His grandsire is the famous Edellyn Campcon Mercury, se lected as the most outstanding and valuable shorthorn sire of 1946 HAROLD MILLER'S SKULL FRACTURED Injured in Accident at Council Bluffs; Surgery Needed INMAN—Harold Miller, about 40, of Council Bluffs, la., a son of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Miller, of Inman, suffered a fractured skull early Monday in an accident in Council Bluffs. The mishap oc cured while he was working for a farm implement firm. An ob ject is believed to have fallen on his head. Following a surgical operation in a Council Bluffs hospital, his condition was described as “sat isfactory. The parents of the injured man left Inman early Tuesday j to be near their son, and to vis- ; it with Mrs. Miller and three 1 children. Mrs Miller is the for- . mer Bessie McClurg, of Stuart. The Harold Millers had recent ly moved to Council Bluffs from Atlantic, la. Schoolmates Visit • Friday overnight guests of Mrs. Vannie Newman were Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Smith, of Gib bonsville, Ida. Mrs. Newman and Mrs. Smith were school mates. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Juracek were guests Sunday of Mr. and Mrs. Albert Derickson, of Star. 1 Daniel J. Cronin . . . mar ried 59 years. (See story a* the right.) HOLT RESIDENT DIES ON COAST Heart Attack Fatal to Mrs. Casper Pribil In California A heart attack proved fatal early Saturday to Mrs. Casper Pribil, 60, at National City, Cal if. A Holt resident, she and her husband had reached Cal ifornia only a few days before and had planned to spend the winter at the home of their daughter, Mrs. Gifford Kivett, at National City. Mrs. Pribil had not been in good health for more than a year. Her death, however, was sudden and unexpected. Mr. and Mrs. Pribil began their Califor nia journey on November 25. The body was to have reached O’Neill early today (Thursday), and funeral services will be held in St. Patrick’s Catholic church at 10 a. m. Friday with Rt. Itev. J. G. McNamara, officiating. Burial will be in Calvary ceme tery. Elizabeth Ann O’Donnell was born on a farm near Stafford, southeast of Inman, in 1887. She was a lifelong resident of Holt county. On July 4, 1905 she married Mr. Pribil in O’Neill. They be came the parents of two daugh ters, Mrs. Gifford (Mary) Kivett, and Mrs. William W. (Geneva) Watson, of O’Neill. She was a member of St. Patrick’s Catholic church and the Catholic Daugh ters of America. Survivors, besides the widow er and two daughters, include: Sisters—Mrs. Mamie O’Donnell, of Omaha, and Mrs. Jake Pribil, of O’Neill; brothers— John O’ Donnell, of Omaha, and James O’Donnell, of Hamburg, la. MRS. MARTFUD DIES IN COLORADO Former Jessie Pru ssj Pneumonia Victim; Rites Today Mrs. John S. Martfeid, 61, the former Jessie Pruss, died at 2 a. m. Tuesday at Longmont, Colo. She had been seriously ill with pneumonia for only a few days. Funeral services were to have been held today (Thursday) at Longmont with burial there. A brother, Henry Pruss. ol O'Neill, and two sisters. Mrs. Dan Crandall, of Chambers, and Mrs. Leslie Caster, of Nor folk, were among those rela tives summoned due to Mrs. Marifeld's critical illness and subsequent death. They re mained for the funeral. Mrs. Martfeld was. born at Glidden, la., on December 26, 1886, a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pruss. She was reared and educated in Holt county, having come here in 1900. On June 17, 1909, she was married to Mr. Martfeld, a building contractor. The family left O’Neill in 1942. Survivors include: Widower; sons—Dale, of Longmont, and William, of Arkansas; daughter —Elaine, of Longmont; five grandchildren, one brother, and two sisters. English Boy Honored — John Simth, who came here from near London, England, last summer, was honored re cently at a birthday party. School friends joined him in the celebration of his anniversary at his home. % They sat down to jello, and cake and the English boy told his friends it was the biggest party he had ever had. PLAN JOINT PROGRAM CELIA—The Celia school and Hendricks school are rehearsing a Christmas program which they plan to put on together DANIEL J. CRONIN DIES SUDDENLY Heart Attack Fatal to Former Holt Official in Omaha A heart attack at about 11 a. m. Sunday claimed the life of Daniel J. Cronin. 86, a former Holt county official and a well known resident who left O’Neill in September.' He was residing at the home of a daughter, Mrs. E I. Johnson, when he was fatally stricken. His death came unexpected ly to four members of his fam ily. who were near him when he died. They were his wife: Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, and son. John Cronin. Relatives said that the Sunday morning was one of the lew in which he failed to attend church, but he had showed no signs of a serious illness. The body was shipped to O’ Neill Tuesday and funeral ser vices were held at 10 a. m. Wed nesday in St. Patrick’s Catholic church with Rt. Rev. J. O. Mc Namara, church pastor, officiat ing. Interment was in Calvary cemetery. A large crowd, including many longtime friends, attended the rites. Came in 1880 The late Mr. Cronin was born at Danville, 111., a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Cronin. He came to O'Neill with his parents in 1880, 67 years ago, and help ed them homestead six miles north of O’Neill. On February, 13, 1888 he was married to Miss Mary Morrison in St. Patrick’s church here. They had been married 59 years. The Cronins lived for a number of years on Blackbird creek, on ihe place now occu pied by Alfred Drayton, and began rearing their family of six daughters and three sons, all - of whom ara living. Mr. Cronin farmed and ranched for many years. In 1901 Mr. Cronin was elect ed Holt county treasurer, serv ing two terms. Upon becoming county treasurer the family moved into O’Neill where Mr. and Mrs. Cronin resided until three months ago, when they moved to Omaha to make their home with Mrs. Johnson. Widnw SurvivM Survivors include: Widow' sons—John and William, both or Omaha; Philip, of Chicago, 111.; daughters — Mfs. F. J. (Mary) Roach and Mrs. E. I. (Loretta) Johnson, both of Omaha; Miss Julia D. Cronin, of Cheyenne, Wyo.; Mrs. G. F. (Margaret) Berkenkotter, of Denver, Colo.; Mrs. A1 J. (Nona) Sauser, of O’ Neill, and Mrs. J. L. (Grace) Guinan, of Missouri Valley, la.; 14 grandchildren; four great grandchildren; sisters — Mrs. Dennis Hunt, of Lincoln, and Mrs. John Hayes, of Arlington, Calif. Out-of-town relatives attend ing the funeral, besides the wid ow, sons and daughters, were: Mrs. Hunt, of Lincol n; F. J. Roach, E. I: Johnson and Wil liam Johnson, all of Omaha;; J. L. Guinan, of Missouri Valley, la.. Mrs. W. J. McCormick and Joseph McGraw, both of Dallas, Tex., and Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hart, of Inman. Among out-of-town friends at tending the funeral were: Ro maine Saunders, of Lincoln; Pat rick Kilmurry, of Atkinson; Mr and Mrs. William Fallon and son, Harold, of Gregory, S. D. The pallbearers were: H. J. Hammond, P. C. Donohoe, P. J. O’Donnell, Leo Matthews, Dean Streeter and Thomas Greene. i-—-- — — SUFFERS LEG FRACTURE PAGE!—Denme Ickes, 4-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. N. D. Ickes, received a fractured leg above the knee Saturday after noon when he was run over by a tractor driven by his brother, Lionel. The brother did not know he was playing nearby at the time. He is at the O’Neill hospital recovering. KIN DIES CHAMBERS—Scott Fleek, 69, of David City, died at his home Thanksgiving day. He is a bro ther of Mike Fleek, of Chambers, and had visited here many times. Mr. and Mrs. Mike Fleek attended the funeral.