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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 4, 1951)
,f;v* ,1 ,■ *:••*** f «1 » * 12 PAGES — 2 SECTIONS I SECTION — 8 PAGES - p, • , .. • .... ' ' North-Nebraska’s Fastest-Growing Newspaper / VOLUME 70.—NUMBER 35. O'NEILL, NEBR., THURSDAY, JANUARY 4. 1951. PRICE 7 CENTS No Baby Derby Entries Todate & _ -- ♦ Stork on Holiday During First Days of 1951 The $64 question still stands: Who will be number one in ’51? In the December 23 issue of The Frontier all sorts of prom ises were made by 14 O’Neill firms in cooperation with this newspaper to shower the first comer in the new year with gifts. The fifth annual derby was to rget under way immediately af ter midnight on Sunday, Decem ber 31. The rules were clear and con cise—just like they have been in each preceding year. But the stork decided to take a holiday. He has been threatening to decend on a number of Hod county home where he's been expected for several days, but until The Frontier went to press with this issue late Wed nesday there were no reports ^ of a first baby for '51. An O’Neill couple, Mr. and Mrs. Oswald Drueke, nearly saw honors go to their new-born son, who arrived at 10:45 a. m. on Tuesday, January 2, but the little ^ fellow was born outside the boundaries of Holt county and ^thus is ineligible for the shower if gifts. (He was born in a Lynch lospital and Lynch is in Boyd county.) The Frontier’s telephones were jangling with the word about the Drueke infant and even a dot ing grandparent brought in the birth announcement. But George Hammond, the “Voice of The , Frontier” announcer, clarified the point on the Wednesday morning program (WJAG, 780 k. f., 9:45 a. m.) f He explained that the baby could not qualify because of an out-of-county birth. Mrs. Drueke is the former Madelynne Hynes and this is the couple’s third child. Thus, the editor of the First Baby Contest patiently awaits each phone and mail call much like an expentant father. Official announcement of the contest winner is not to be made until the January 11 issue any way. Want a refresher on what the lucky little guy or gal will re ceive for being the champ? Here’s the rundown: (Continued on page 8.) What’s This—Rain? No Complaints, Please There’s an old saw that runs something like this: If you don t like Nebraska’s weather, wait five minutes and it’ll change. Holt countyans this week wit nessed rain, snow, sleet, sunshine and cold—but hardly enough in any of the categories worth men tioning. At noon Friday sidewalks and streets were wet from a light ■,hower. Late Friday evening the /around was covered with a thin lyer of snow. Late Tuesday iere was a bit of sleet in the air (some sections of the state had \ snow). Intermittently during the past seven days there has been lots of sunshine and early Mon day-New Year’s day—the mer cury dipped to 15 degrees, the low mark for the week. Then, aboui 2 p. m. Wednesday more snow began to fall — but not much. Government Weather Observer Elmer Bowen scoffed at the rain and spow, labelling them as worth only a “trace” of precipi tation. . Weather summary during the past week based on 24-hour per iods ending at 6 p. m. daily fol lows: Hi Lo Prec. ? December 28 45 21 IJecember 29 — 39 18 December 30 — 40 25 , December 31 — 36 32 January 1-32 15 T January 2 - 35 21__ C. P. SIDES, 78, DIES AT LYNCH Northeast Holt Man Buried Saturday in Prospect Hill Funeral services were conduct ed at 2 p m. Saturday, December 30, at First Presbyterian church for C. P. Siders, 78, longtime northeast Holt county resident, who died about 8:25 p. m. on Wednesday, December 27, in Sa cred Heart hospital at Lynch. He had been seriously ill for about two weeks. Charles Perry Siders. son oi James and Ellen Siders, was born at Camargo, 111., on No vember 29, 1872. As a child he moved with his parents from Illinois to Harper county, Kansas, where the family resided for four years. From there the family moved to Car roll county, Missouri, where the late Mr. Siders spent his early manhood. He was educated in rural schools in both Kansas and Missouri. On June 27, 1895, he was unit ed in marriage to Maggie Gilli land. To this union seven chil dren were born. In 1905 he moved with his family to Holt county where he resided continuously except foi four years spent in Colorado. The late Mr. Siders lived on severa: farms in the Minneola Flats vi cinity where he was well-known Rev. Ralph G. Gerber, pastoi of First Presbyterian church, of ficiated in the burial rites and Biglin Bros, were in charge. Pallbearers were Guy Johnson Flora Knight, Roy Alder, Emme' Wertz, James VanEvery anc Soren Sorensen. Survivors include: Sons—Ray of O’Neill, and Everette, of Wy oming; daughters — Mrs. Errrn Devereaux, of White Pine, Colo, and Mrs. Beulah Bartos, of O’ Neill. Three daughters—Goldie, Re becca and Ethel—died in infancy For the past 20 years the latt Mr. Siders had been residinj j with his son, Ray, and family. Visits Brother’s Grave in Holland Harold Burge, son of Mrs. Bes sie Burge, was to have dockec Tuesday in New York City aftei a six-weeks tour of Europe, in -eluding a visit to the grave ol his brother, Floyd, who was kill ed in action during World Wai II. Floyd lost his life on April 11, 1945, shortly before hostilities ceased. He was buried at Mar graten, Holland. Harold left O'Neill on No vember 19, debarked from New York City and arrived at Southampton, England. He ac companied Peter Kistemacher, Dutch farmer who had been on a speaking tour of the U. S. and had visited O'Neill in Oc tober. From London, Harold went to Kistemacher’s farm, a r r i vinf mere December 7. He visited other points in the Low Coun tries and also visited the Dutch family which “adopted” his brother’s grave and has carefully tended it through the years. Harold paid respects to his brother’s grave on December 13 in company with his hosts. He stayed at Kistemacher’s un til December 15, then went to Brussels, Belgium, and Paris, France, sailing homeward from Southampton, England, on De cember 27. His mother last heard from him when he wrote from London enroute to Southampton. He expected to be back to Holt county today (Thursday) or Fri day. ‘Smuggled’ Letter Tells About Reds __ Mrs. Terwilliger Gets Note from Behind Iron Curtain (Editor’s note: Mis. Perry ^ iTerwilliger was a domestic ■ * worker for a wealthy family in her native Hamburg, Germany, immediately after World War I I. While in that home she be /•’ came acquainted with the gov I emess of the children of the f family. This one-time govern ess, now living in the Soviet zone outside Berlin, “smug gled" a letter to Mrs. Terwilli ger. The letter reached the At kinson farm woman this week. The writer risked trouble by going into the U. S. zone to write and mail it and her name is purposely omitted. Now over 50, her letter — as translated , for The Frontier by Mrs. Ter villiger—reveals the fear and f /^spair of those people living % ,;hind the Iron Curtain.) ■vi “ . . . We know, West Germany cannot possibly conceive what life behind the Iron Curtain is like, and please answer as soon as you receive this letter, as 1 shall be very afraid until I am assured that this letter did not fall into the wrong hands. “You cannot write to me di rect but I will give you the ad dress of a relative in the U. S. sector of Berlin • • • “We hear the ‘Voice of Am erica’ whenever possible, but we have to be very careful when we listen. “I married in 1928 and owned a private kindergarten school. My husband was top-draftsman in a large factory and we owned a nice home. "The nightmare started in 1933 when Naziism started, and we were very much oppos ed to it. There were innumer able house searchings and we were always with one foot in those horrible concentration camps. “‘Then came 1945. We were glad the war ended and had no fear because we were glad the awful bombings stopped. I was completely bombed out, my par ents, too. I escaped only with the clothes I wore. “My stepdaughter took us in. Then the Russians came. It is indescribable, but I could write volumes. They ransacked the house, took watches, clothing, bedding, linen, featherbeds, mat tresses, rugs, in fact, left every thing in shambles. Of course, we had no work. I washed for some folks when I could and received a little dry bread in payment. “We went begging and had food thrown in our faces. I’d rather hunger. We trudged into Berlin, living on the outskirts, and begged for food. They gave us potato peelings which we ground and added ground net tles and cooked them. We also had a little fruit from our small garden, and so we ‘lived.’ “‘Many times I would look at my husband at night to see if he was breathing. Many times when gathering potato peelings we (Continued on page 8.) RALPH E. CHACE BURIAL TODAY Retired Atkinson Man Dies Following 2 Year Illness ATKINSON—Ralph E. Chace, 72, a retired Atkinson meat and grocery merchant, died early Tuesday, January 2, at his home in Atkinson. He had been in failing health for the past two years. Funeral services will be held today (Thursday) at 2 p. m. at the Methodist church in Atkin son with Rev. E. C. Hughes offi ciating. Burial will be in Wood Lawn cemetery under direction of Seger funeral home. Pallbearers chosen are Alex Cleary, Lloyd McDowell, Dell F. Scott, Earl Houts and C. W. Kirkland, all of Atkinson, and Joseph Contois, of Clearwater. The late Mr. Chace was born at East Claridon. O.. on Sep tember 14, 1678, a son of Em ory and Ella Jones Chace. As a lad 6-years-old he moved with his parents to a farm near Ewing, where he grew to man hood. On April 12, 1899, he mar ried Miss Mildred E. Clifton at Orchard. The family resided for several , years in the Ewing and Clearwa . ter vicinities, later Mr. Chace be coming active in the meat and , grocery busines at Wray, Colo., Bayard and Neligh. Mr. Chace brought his family to Atkinson in 1920 where for several years he operated a meat market and grocery store in partnership with the late Ira L. , j Livingston. Later, Mr. Chace took his eldest son, Elvon H., into the firm as a partner and it be came known as Chace's Mar ket. In 1946 the store was sold to Cleary Bros. The late Mr. Chace joined the Methodist church in youth and for many years he served as a member of the official board of the Atkinson church. He was a . member of the Odd Fellows lodge and a charter member of the Atkinson Lions club. In April, 1949, Mr. and Mrs. Chace celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. Survivors include: Widow — Mildred; sons — Elvon H. and Charles E., both of Atkinson; daughter— Mrs. Willard (Ethyl) Linville, of Atkinson; brother — George, of Ellensburg, Wash.; sister—Mrs. A. C. Wiig, of Oma ha; six grandchildren. One son, Raymond, died in 1936. Sullivan Sworn - In Acting Postmaster Thomas J. Sullivan, O’Neill’s recently-appointed acting post master, was sworn-in Sunday by G. C. Schoep, of Norfolk, postal inspector. Witnessing the cere mony were Mrs. Agnes E. Sulliv an, retiring postmaster, and As sistant Postmaster Harold Weier. Mrs. Sullivan will not be offic ially relieved of her duties until j all quarterly and year-end re ports are completed “sometime l this week’’. Mrs. Sullivan’s retir’ement was announced last week after 15 years in the post. M/Sgt. John C. Watson visited friends in O’Neill Wednesday. He is being transferred to Ft. Riley, Kans., from Washington state. Slate Patrolman Robert Nichols, of Lincoln, of the patrol's criminal investigation bureau (left), and Homer F. Mullen, cashier of the Emmet State Bank, are inspecting a steel bar used by the robbers that broke into the bank early Thursday and escaped with a $75 loot and contents of four safety deposit boxes. Photo was taken inside the walk-in vault. Postmaster John Conard (left) and Postal Inspector G. C. Schoep, of Norfolk, examine the safe in the Emmet postoffice after robbers had cracked the safe for $250 in cash and stamps. Robbery of the bank, posloffice and Conard store (in which post office is housed) occured about 3 a. m. GUN ROAR DROWNS REVELERS’ SONG World Trouble Casts Dark Shadow on New Year O’Neill usnecl m the new year —1951—in the customary way. But the strains of “Auld Lange Syne ’ failed to drown out the roar of guns in Korea. While the old year ticked it self out most persons were un happily aware that the Chinese Reds were mustering a big push in Korea and experts in Wash ington were giving 50-50 chances for a full-scale war with Russia to break out during the new year. Most of the churches provid ed special rites and the at tendance at these suggested that Holt counlyans were praying earnestly for world peace. A watch night service began at 10 p. m. at Wesleyan Metho dist church with singing and clos ing with a communion rite at midnight. At St. Patrick’s Catholic church a holy hour was observed from 11 p. m. until midnight. O’Neill night spots were busy. The American Legion club, which boasted it would have “the big gest and best party ever held in O’Neill” was filled to capacity. There was dancing and noise making until the early hours of the morning. County Surveyor Quits, Leaves Holt County Surveyor Leonard E. Thomazin, Republican, of Cham bers, last week filed a written resignation with the Holt county board of supervisors. Thomazin told the board he was moving to St. Edward and would be ineligible to hold the : elective post. No salary is involved in con- | nection with the surveyor’s du ties. The surveyor works on an hourly basis when there is work to be done. Thomazin was unop posed in the primary and gener al election last year. FIREMEN CALLED O’Neill volunteer firemen were called at noon Wednesday to ex- j tingu;‘-v' a small fire in a truck ! owned by the New Outlaw gro cery. Damage was slight. A tear gas cartridge, which exploded and filled the bank with gas, deterred the thieves. Cartridge was attached to rear of door on walk-in v,ault (a bove). Robbers spread cream on floor to neutralize gas which finally forced them to leave.—The Frontier Photos. (SEE COLUMN 7.) 5 More Draftees Off to Service Five more Holt county selec tive service draftees boarded an Omaha-bound bus here at 8:30 a. m. Wednesday and headed off to the wars. They were: Robert Scott, of Chambers; Andrew Ramold, of Atkinson; Harold Krugman, of O’Neill; Frank Burival, jr., of O'Neill, and Eugene Lewis Sobotka, of Inman. Mrs. W. H. Harty, chief clerk, ;aid no orders to furnish men for preinduction physical examina tions have been assigned to Holt ?ounty for January. LACKS QUORUM The O’Neill city council did lot meet in regular monthly ses sion Tuesday night as scheduled tor lack of a quorum. Several :ouncilmen were obliged to at ;end the meeting of the O’Neill Uivic club scheduled the same jvening. Pending is action on traffic signals. O’Neill’s main ntersection, Fourth and Douglas itreet, has been without an au ;omatic traffic signal for several nonths. Press Search for Emmet Robbers NEW OFFICERS MOVE IN TODAY Register of Deeds Is Absorbed by County Clerk’s Office Two newly-elected Holt coun ty officers will take over the reins of their offices today (Thursday)—January 4. They are: William E. (“Bill”) Wefso, Re publican, of Atkinson, succeed ing L. G. Gillespie, Republican, of O’Neill, as county assessor. Wefso eliminated Gillespie in the primaries and subsequently won the general election. Leo S. Tomjack, Democrat, of O’Neill, replacing A. B. Hubbard, Republican, of O’Neill, as Holt county sheriff. Hubbard has purchased a filling station at the five-mile corner, east o f Chambers, which he ownad and operated prior to entering politics. Gil lespie will continue in his pri vate insurance business. Miss Alice French, newly-ap pointed Holt county superintend ent of public instruction, spent the holidays getting oriented in her new job, but will not be re leased at O’Neill public school until January 15. She succeeds Miss Elja Mc Cullough who will attend school at Wayne. The board of supervisors will hold a hearing today (Thursday) to fix the county’s census for op erational purposes. This is a statuatory procedure and could affect certain salaries and bud gets. Meanwhile, because of Holt’s population drop the office of register of deeds is being elimi nated. Esther Cole Harris, regis ter for the past 20 years, will be come deputy county clerk and will continue to operate the reg ister of deeds office under Miss Ruth Hoffman, county clerk. William J. Schwinck, 23, of Neligh, has been signed by the O’Neill public school board of ed ucation to succeed Miss French. He is a graduate of Neligh high school and the University of Ne braska, where he majored in mathematics while earning a bachelor’s degree in science and education. Married, Schwinck has taught at Potter and Sargent. He will arrive January 10. GEORGE SPENCE, ATKINSON, DIES Methodist Rites for Longtime Holt Resident ATKINSON—George E. Spence, 74, died about 7 o’clock Sunday morning, December 31, at his home here. Funeral services were held at 2 p. m. Tuesday at the Methodist church with Rev. E. G. Hughes, church pastor, officiating. Survivors include: Widow; sons—William, of Ewing; Rich ard, of Long Pine; Clarence and Elmer, both of Atkinson; half sister—Mrs. Albert Timmerman, of Missouri; half-brothers—Mike Kramer, of Glendo, Wyo., and John Kramer, of Genoa. George E. Spence, son of George and Ada Spence, was born November 9, 1876, at Avon, 111. He came to Atkinson with his parents when he was 9-years-old. The family home was taken as a homestead in the Green Valley community. He was united in marriage to Miss Florence Norris, of Sloan, la., on November 30, 1898. Four sons were born to them and all survive Mr. and Mrs. Spence celebrat ed their golden wedding anniver sary two years ago. He was one of Atkinson’s best-known citizens for many years and laughingly used to say he had mixed half ; the cement in the town. He was a mason by trade. O'Neill Public School Resumes Classes— O’Neill public school resumed | ! classes Tuesday morning, Janu ary 2, following the annual Christmas recess. St. Mary’s academy pupils will trek back to the school room on j Monday, January 8. Tear Gas Thwarts Thieves in Bank Vault Law enforcement and postal authorities are still pressing their search for burglars who forced their way into the Emmet State Bank and Emmet postoffice dur ing the early hours Thursday morning. The thieves escaped with the contents from four safe ty deposit boxes and a small a mount of cash from the bank and some cash and stamps from the postoffice. Investigating authorities said Wednesday they were working on “several good clues.” The burglars entered the bank by removing bars from a rear window and forcing their way in. They punched the lock to the vault but a tear gas cart ridge was detonated in the pro cess. The gas, authorities said, was a distinct deterrent to the thieves who found the vault almost un tennable. They went to the John Conard store (next door) and returned with several cans of cream which had been purchased at Conard’s cream buying department. The cream was spread on the floor of the bank and tended to neutral ize the gas. The burglars made away with about $75 in silver change used at the teller’s counter and broke into four safety deposit boxes. Some of the contents of the boxes were strewn about the yard in the rear of the bank. The dial op the sail' within th*i walk-in vault was khocked off but the intruders failed to penetrate the huge safe. The tear gas was credited with preventing a prolonged try at fhe inner vault. The tear gas cartridge was in stalled on the vault about two years ago by W. P. Dailey, who operated the bank for many years. About $129 in cash and $96 in stamps was taken from the post office safe. The burglars punch ed the small safe without too much difficulty by first knock ing-off th* dial. They overlooked —purpose ly or otherwise—a pad ol mon ey order blanks and some post al bonds. Entrance was made into the Conard building by forcing the rear door. Mr. Conard said there were local people in the building until about 11:30 p. m. the night be fore. Robert Nichols, of the state pa trol's criminal investigation bur eau, and G. C. Sehoep, postal in spector, estimated the break-ins occurred about 3 a. m. Only a small amount of pen nies and merchandise was taken from the Conard store itself. Mr. Conard roughly estimated his personal losses “about $75.90.” Items taken included several knives, some shells, tobacco, can dy, some foodstuffs, 30 pocket combs and some handkerchiefs. The sequence in which the break-ins occurred was not im mediately determined. But it was believed the postoffice was rob bed first and when the tear gas posed a problem in the bank j they returned to Conard’s for the cream. The combination of tear gas and spilled cream made bank cleanup difficult, according to Homer F. Mullen, the cashier. Tom Perkins, Conard’s e m - ployee, discovered the postoffice break-in when he opened the store about 8 o’clock. Ronald Wills opened the bank about 8:30 and discovered that the thieves (Continued on page 4.) Playful Jets Create Few Sore Necks O’Neill folks craned their necks and scanned the skies the other day and played the game, now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t. They were watching two play ful jet airplanes having fun high over the city. As several people correctly guessed, one of the pilots was an O’Neill man, Lt. Herbert O. Brennan, stationed at an air base in South Carolina. He was on a cross - country hop, landed at Sioux City and had a telephone visit with his mother, Mrs. F. N. Brennan. Lieutenant Brennan re cently returned to the U. S. from Scotland.
