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North-Nebraskas Fastest-Growing Newspaper
VOLUME 72.—NUMBER 3. O'NEILL. NEBRASKA. THURSDAY, MAY 22. 1952. _ PRICE: 7 CENTS.
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Slayer Search
Renewed Here
‘We’re Giving Calkins Case
All We’ve Got,’
Smith Says
Officers Wednesday “started
from scratch” again in their in
vestigation of the murder March
7 of O’Neill Police Chief Chet
Calkins.
Capt. Harold Smith and Sgt.
R. E. Nichols, of the criminal
investigation bureau of the state
safety patrol, arrived to con
tinue the search with Holt Coun
ty Sheriff Leo Tomjack.
Thus far every probe has come
to a dead end.
“You might say we’re starting
all over again,” Captain Smith
said. “We intend to review the
case. We hope to explore some
new angles that have come up.”
During the next few days, he
said, the officers will call in sev
eral of the persons previously
questioned for “re-examination.”
"We've been giving this case
all we've got/' Captain Smith
said. "There have been no
really hot clues, but we've fol
lowed up everything that has
possibilities."
The body of Chief Calkins, 51,
was discovered in the early
morning hours at the wheel of
his cruiser car parked near the
O’Neill business district. He had
been shot five times in the right
side, apparently at point blank
range.
Several persons told officers
they saw Chief Calkins shortly
after 1 a.m. talking with a man
and inspecting the trunk of a
car. It is believed the officer
was searching for a blue suit
case stolen earlier in the night
from a car here. The suitcase
carried the silver initials “D.D.”
Thousands of circulars with a
description of the suitcase have
been distributed throughout the
country, but no leads have re
sulted, officers said.
Captain Smith recently went
to Mankato, Minn., to question
two men in jail there on a
charge of possessing burglary
tools.
One of the men admitted be
ing in central Nebraska early
in March, the officer said, but
denied ever being in O'Neill.
“We had reports of some men
in a maroon car stuck in a ditch
between Ord and Burwell at
that time,” Captain Smith said.
“They were also seen in several
other towns in that region. A
maroon car was connected with
the arrest in Minnesota. I went
up there in my own car to talk
to them.”
He indicated he could not con
nect either of them with the O’
Neill crime.
Smith said he expects to
make a trip to Kansas within
a few days to conduct some
additional questioning.
It is apparent to newsmen
who have been covering the
Calkins case that authorities are
grasping for straws and that to
date the investigation has result
ed only in a lot of hard work.
It is also apparent that the
authorities still have the same
enthusiasm in tracking down
the murderer.
As one of them said: “It’s a
cop-hater on the loose and,
eventually, we’re going to catch
him.”
250 Served at
Alumni Banquet
The annual St Mary’s academy
alumni banquet was held Sunday,
May 18. More than 250 were in
attendance, according to Mrs.
Charles Yarnall, an alumni of
ficer who served as toastmaster.
The theme was “Gay Fiesta.”
The auditorium was decorated in
accordance, giving the atmosphere
of Spanish festivity.
Toasts were given by Very Rev.
Timothy O’Sullivan, “Welcome”;
Jerry Tomjack, of Ewing, “Our
Clergy”; Dottie Her, “Alma Ma
ter”; Romona Schneider, “Our
Sisters”: Mrs. Grace Hammond
Moss, “Welcome to the Class of
’52”; Suzanne Moss, “Response.”
Musical entertainment was giv
en by mixed octette singing “Old
Woman”: girls’ trio, “Beautiful
Lady Dressed in Blue”; Mrs.
Kathleen Flood Hansen, “Addio,”
frbm La Boheme.
BANQUET TONIGHT
The annual rural youth ban
quet will be held at the Amer
ican Legion auditorium tonight
(Thursday). Clifford Sobotka. of
Inman, will be toastmaster. Earl
G. Maxwell, University of Ne
braska extension forester, and
Dr. Ramond Pool, retired head
of the Nebraska university bot
any department, will be speak
ers. They reached O’Neill Wed
nesday evening. Banquet starts
tonight at 7 o’clock.
FIREMEN CALLED
O’Neill firemen were summon
ed at 5:55 p.m. Tuesday to the
Elsa Eppenbaugh residence.
Several towels hanging above an
electric stove had caught afire.
Miss Esther Grosenbach, of Hot
Springs, S.D., is a guest at the
home of her brother and sister
in-law, R»v. and Mrs. Melvin
Grosenbach. She is teaching the
Bible school this week at the
Wesleyan Methodist church.
Rock Falls Oddities
Again Make News
ROCK FALLS—Leave it to
Rock Falls to produce the
news!
This week:
A valuable saddle horse im
paled himself on a post. The
post had to be sawed off to
free the horse.
A deer was found tangled in
a fence—presumably having
been a “prisoner” for some
time. The deer was about dead
and those who found it were
convinced it could never re
cover.
A two-year-old child put
his foot in a freshly - baked
cake that his mother was tak
ing to a social affair. Result:
Dirty shoe; no cake.
Edwin L. Jardee
Dies; Burial Here
Edwin Lawrence Jardee, 66, of
O’Neill, died Wednesday, May 14.
He had been ill for two days.
Mr. Jardee was bom in New
port, and came to Holt county
in 1927.
He married Emma Andersen
in 1919 at Newport.
Survivors include: Widow; sons
—John C., of O’Neill; Benjamin,
of Rifle, Colo.; George E., of
Dead wood, S.D.; Thomas U., of
Elcojan, Calif.; Joseph B., of
Wayneville, Mo.; daughter—Mrs.
Dale LaSart, of Climax, Colo.
Funeral services were held
Friday in the Biglin Brothers fu
neral chapel with Rev. M. H.
Grosenbach officiating.
Burial was in Prospect Hill
cemetery.
Lions Will Pick
Beauty Queen
The O’Neill Lions club will se
lect a beauty queen next Monday
night. May 26, at a banquet and
program to be held at the Metho
dist church, beginning at 7 o’clock.
Tne winner will receive a $25
U. S. savings bond and a trip to
the state convention at Norfolk,
with all her expenses paid for
two days—June 1 and 2. There
will be about 12 candidates en
tered.
H. V. Osterberg, manager of
the Norfolk Chamber of Com
merce, will be here and give an
address
There will be guests here from
Norfolk, Neligh, and Bassett
Lions clubs. The O’Neill Lions
club quartet will offer several
musical numbers.
The ladies are invited.
Plan 7 - County
Mothers’ Camp
A seven-county one-day moth
er’s camp will be held at Long
Pine on July 31. Plans are be
ing developed by the extension
club sponsors. Counties expect
ed Jo be represented are Boyd,
Keya Paha, Holt, Brown, Rock,
Garfield and Custer.
There will be a coffee period
and registration at 10 a.m., a
meal at noon. The afternoon’s
program will include a display
of pottery and demonstration of
handicraft, probably wood.
Annual Extension
Picnic June 5th
The annual Holt county ex
tension club picnic will be held
in Fords’ park, O’Neill, Thurs
day, June 5.
The Elkhorn Valley and Gold
enrod clubs, both of O’Neill, will
be hosts. Members from those
clubs will have charge of enter
tainment and games for chil
dren. Refreshments will be fur
nished.
A spokesman said all exten
sion clubs and club members
are invited. Individuals are ask
ed to bring their own dishes,
silver and a covered dish.
Shirley Leahy
Queen of May
■
Miss Shirley Leahy, a senior,
was elected queen of May by
the St. Mary’s academy high
school student body.
It was her honor to crown the
Blessed Virgin Mary in rites at
St. Patrick’s Catholic church
Wednesday evening.
NEW PATROLMAN
Patrolman Robert Gude, of Ne
braska City, has been assigned to
the O’Neill territory for the Ne
braska safety patrol. He was for
merly stationed near Ainsworth.
He will work with Patrolman
Frank Dineen, who has been sta
tioned here since January, 1950
Saddle Club to Meet—
The meeting of the O’Neill
Saddle club which was scheduled
for May 25 has been postponed
until June 1. The meeting will
be on the club grounds east of
the city.
“Voice of The Frontier” . . .
780 kc., thrice weekly.
® * * €•
; -
1,500 Applaud as Donna Mae Gets Diploma
Plucky Polio Victim, 19,
Smiles from Stage;
Tutor Also Heroine
By C. D. ANKNEY
Staff Writer
Life for most of us is a series
of eternal obstacles. And to keep
going we must overcome them.
How insignificant and unim
portant most of our discourage
ments are when compared to
those of others!
I’m thinking about the case of
Donna Mae Fuhrer, the 19-year
old O’Neill farm girl, a helpless
polio victim who has endeared
herself to the hearts of thousands
ot people by surmounting all the
obstacles in the book to win an
education.
Last week Donna reached an
important milestone when she
received her high school diplo
ma without having been inside a
high school classroom. Five years
earlier she graduated from the
eighth grade and that accom
plishment was important enough
to win nationwide attention. And
now her latest triumph is a
classical legend in Nebraska ed
ucational annals.
Let's talk for a few moments
about this plucky Donna Mae
Fuhrer. Let's move behind the
scenes in that modest little
farm home and really get ac
quainted with this pretty lit
tle heroine—this young lady
whose personality and philoso
phy of life make your heart
beat just a little quicker.
Consider for a moment learn
ing to write with your mouth,
and having to turn the pages of
a book with an instrument held
by the teeth. That’s what Donna
has accomplished — with profi
ciency!
She has earned all the credits
required by high school with
high grades. She received 19
one’s, which rate 93 to 100, and
six two’s, which rate 85 to 93.
At last Thursday’s graduation
rite Donna, her hair neatly done,
wearing a green blouse, black
slacks, and a corsage, was hand
ed a certificate for being the
outstanding student in the Uni
versity of Nebraska high school
extension course. She finished
with the highest grades ever reg
O'Neill's widely-known polio victim, Donna
Mae Fuhrer, receives her O'Neill high school di
ploma from an ambulance cot from Dr. L. A.
Burgess, president of the board of education. At
right are Principal Joel Lynman. Teachers Mar
vin Miller and Mrs. Leo Mullen. Donna Mae has
never been inside an O'Neill high classroom.—
O'Neill Photo Co.
istered in the high school exten
sion course of study.
James Kurtz, of the universi
ty’s extension branch, recently
noted on one of her test papers:
“Congratulations, Miss Fuhrer.
It is seldom we have an oppor
tunity to grade a perfect paper."
In Donna’s presence one forgets
her handicaps as she contem
plates the future. She already
has inquired from the University
of Nebraska concerning a fur
ther course of study, which will
include public speaking and ra
dio work.
Though at first frightened by
the “mike" when interviewed for
the radio, she has the desire to
enter radio work with a program
of her own. She wants to help
bring cheer to those who are
downhearted and afflicted by the
means of radio.
And there is no question a
bout her succeeding in that, too.
Should you visit Donna Mae to
cheer her up, you will find your,
self smiling and laughing while
the process is reversed. You ex
pect sadness and a downcast
spirit. Instead you are greeted
with a bright face, a beaming
smile and generous dimples.
Behind all this has been the
will to win. This has meant a
great deal of hard work. It
has not been easy. Each inch
of progress has been a mea
sure of triumph.
When you try to tell her how
wonderful it is that she has ac
complished all this, in sincere
modesty she replies, “It would
not have been possible without
the help of Mrs, Johnson.”
And this introduces another
heroine in this story of victory.
Mrs. Clay Johnson, sr., of O’
Neill, has for five school years
and three summers attended to
the supervision of Donna’s edu
cation. Except when snowdrifts
prevented, Mrs. Johnson visited
the Fuhrer home regularly twice
a week for the first year and
once a week thereafter.
In years gone by Mrs. John
son, a well - educated woman,
taught school in Omaha. Mrs.
Johnson is a public speaker, too,
and was especially qualified
(Continued on page 5)
Chamber to Urge
Courtesy Parking
Secretary Laurence Haynes,
of the Chamber of Commerce,
said Wednesday an educational
courtesy parking campaign will
be launched this week, directed
at O’Neill businessmen and their
employees. Owners and em
ployees will be contacted relative
to parking vehicles in the rear of
business establishments and
parking lots to help alleviate
parking congestion.
The parking situation is be
coming more serious each day,
Haynes said.
125 Attend Father
Son Banquet—
A father-son banquet was held
Tuesday evening in the Metho
dist church basement under the
sponsorship of the young adults.
About 125 fathers and sons
were in attendance.
The theme for both decorations
and the program was “Fisher
men.”
Burl Munsell acted as toast
master, or chief “line-caster.”
The program follows: “Father
We Thank Thee,” by John
Kurtz; reading, “Itty Bitty Tad
pole," by Curtis Peacock; ad
dress, “Sons—A Tribute," by D.
E. Nelson; “Hints on Fishing,”
by Doi) Green; song, “Eventide
Songs for Fishermen,” by John
Bowen; address, “Respect for
Fathers,” by Gordon Lorenz;
music, by L. B. Price and son,
Edward; “Ever Hear This One?”
by Matt Beha, and “Nine Little
Fishermen,” by Gary Gillespie,
Danny Sullivan, Jerry Sullivan,
Jim Reynoldson, J. B. Munsell,
Leroy Heiter, Perry Dawes and
Fred Eby.
LANDS BIG ONE
Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Gaskill, Dick
and Mardell returned late Tues -
day from a five-day fishing trip
into Minnesota. They fished on
Little Rock lake- Their luck was
“extremely good,” Mrs. Gaskill
said. Mr. Gaskill caught a lOVi
pound northern pike 36 inches
long.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Lyle Twain Clemens, of Ne
ligh, and Miss Norma Jean Far
rier, of Chambers, on May 17.
Darrell Ray Wedgewood, of
Alma, and Miss Ardith Rae Far
rier, of Chambers, on May 17.
Paul V. Chapman, of Amelia,
and Miss Mary Regina Kotewa,
of Fairmont, Minn., on May 17.
OFFICIAL’S WIFE
DIES SUDDENLY
Mrs. Albert Frost, 62,
Discovered Dead by
Her Husband
ATKINSON — Mrs. Albert
Frost, 62, wife of a newly-elect
ed Atkinson city councilman,
was found dead late Saturday,
May 17, by her husband, upon
his return to his home.
She had not been ill, relatives
said, and death was attributed
to a heart ailment.
Funeral services were con
ducted at 10 a.m., Tuesday, May
20, at the Methodist church with
Rev. E. G. Hughes, church pas
tor, officiating. Rites were held
at Grundy Center, la., on Wed
nesday where burial was made
in a family plot.
Survivors include: Widower;
son—Dr. Vern Frost, an army
physician stationed in Califor
nia; daughter — Mrs. Lewis C.
(Avis Jean) Dickerson, of Lin
coln; mother; four grandchil
dren.
The late Inez Peterson was
born at Grundy Center. She
came to Atkinson in 1916.
Mr. Frost is a veteran in the
produce buying and plumbing
business.
QUICK SALE
Some sort of a sell-out record
was established Friday during
the Mode O’ Day’s smoke dam
age sale. The racks and shelves
were cleared by a throng of
eager women buyers in one hour
and 10 minutes. First advance
word of the forthcoming sale
was broadcast at 9:45 a.m., Wed
nesday, May 14, on the “Voice
of The Frontier” program. A
quarter-page ad in The Frontier
announced the sale to Frontier
readers. The Mode O’ Day will
reopen today (Thursday).
O'Neill and Spencer
Midgels lo Clash—
A midget ball game is sched
uled for 2:30 o’clock Sunday be
tween O’Neill and Spencer. The
game will be played on the north
diamond.
The O’Neill juniors will play
Orchard at Orchard on Sunday.
Game time is 2 p.m.
“Voice of The Frontier” . . .
Mon.. Wed., Sat., 9:45 a.m.
Stuart ScouU
Win Trophy
ATKINSON — The Stuart
Scout troop 182, of the Covered
Wagon council, was the winner
of two days of competition at
the district Scout camporee held
at the Atkinson state park Fri
day, Saturday and Sunday, May
16, 17, 18. The Stuart troop re
ceived a trophy whereas all oth
er troops competing received a
ribbon for their troop flag.
The other troops represented
were O’Neill, Spencer, Jamison,
Ainsworth, Ewing, Chambers,
Troops were scored as follows:
and Atkinson.
Stuart, 242; O’Neill, 224; Spen
cer, 212; Jamison, 152; Ains
worth, 145; Ewing, 130; Cham
bers, 116, and Atkinson, 103.
The basis of the competition
was a daily inspection of camp
sites, cleanliness, preparation of
and type of food being prepared,
scouting skills such as fire build
ing, first aid, signaling, compass
work, knot tying, bridge build
ing, etc. Additional points were
earned depending upon percent
age of Scouts and adult leaders
in troop in attendance at camp
oree.
Cub Scouts and parents at
tended Sunday afternoon, dur
ing which time a series of dem
onstrations was carried out.
A registration of 94 Scouts and
17 leaders was taken for the
three days. It was estimated that
about 70 Cubs and 100 spectators
were in attendance Sunday.
Glass Etching—
The Star Get-Together club
met at the home of Mrs. Ben Mil
ler Wednesday, May 14. Eighteen
members answered roll call. The
mother’s camp at Long Pine was
discussed. Glass etching was dem
onstrated by Mrs. Ewalt Miller,
Mrs. Nels Linquist and Mrs.
Fred Timmerman. The club pre
sented Mrs. Roland Miller a gift
in honor of her 25th anniversary.
At the close of the meeting a
lunch was served by the hostess.
Next meeting will be at Mrs.
Fred Timmerman’s June 11.
MRS. SUITER EXPIRES
PAGE—Mrs. Francis Suiter, 97,
of Oacoma, S.D., died on Tues
day, May 6. Funeral services
were heid at Iona, S.D., Friday,
May 9. Mrs. Suiter was the moth
er of William Williamson, of
Page. She is survived by three
other sons and one daughter.
30 ENROLL FOR
BAND SCHOOL
Municipal Band Will
Make First Appearance
in Parade
The newly-organized O’Neill'
summer band school got under
wav in the public high school
building on Monday, May 19,
with over 30 students enrolled,
according to Charles B. Houser,
the regular band teacher.
Full band rehearsals will be
held every Tuesday, Thursday
and Friday morning at 9 a.m. In
addition, class and private les
sons will be offered on all the
band instruments.
A special class for beginners
is scheduled to meet every Tues
day and Thursday at 10 a.m. to
give each child a chance to try
all of the instruments to see
which one suits him best.
“It will not be necessary for
the people in this group to pur
chase an instrument until after i
this trial period,” Mr. Houser
said.
First meeting of the munici
pal band this summer will be
for the memorial day parade. All
band members who plan to be in
town that day should dust off
their instruments and be in uni
form for this event, according to
the director.
AT HOBSON INQUIRY
PAGE—Mr. and Mrs. W. E.
Howell have received word from
their son, Lt. W. S. Howell, that
he was with the fleet out on
maneuvers when the destroyer
mine sweeper Hobson was sunk.
He was on the Rodman, the sis
ter ship of the Hobson. The
Rodman brought the damaged
Wasp that ran into the Hobson
back to New York City. Lieuten
ant Howell will stay at Byonne,
N.J., until after the investiga
tion of the accident.
LANDMARK MOVED
The Henry Cook house, an old
frame landmark at the comer of
Madison and Douglas streets,
known as the Outlaw comer, is
being moved. The property re
cently was sold by Mrs. T. J.
Donohoe to Carl and Ann Asi
mus. This week they are moving
it onto lots west of their famous
“goat house” on West Everett
street.
WARM GROWING
WEATHER NEEDED
But All Crops Looking
Good; 40 Percent Corn
Now Planted
Holt county farmers and
ranchers are generally agreed
that some warm growing wea
ther is needed. Temperatures
have been abnormally low for
this segson of the year.
They disagree, however, on
another score: north-Holt farm
ers would welcome a good rain;
south-Holt men beg nix.
James McNulty, who lives
north of O'Neill, said Wednes
day a good shower would be
welcomed in his neighborhood,
mostly for the small grain. On
the other hand. Joseph Galla
gher, of Inman, said: "Don't
you dare order rain!"
But a heavy rain fell late
Wednesday night.
That discussion points up an
age-old problem in the O’Neill
sector where soil conditions and
altitudes vary.
County Agent A. Neil Dawes
estimated Wednesday about 40
percent of the corn has been
planted.
All crops are looking real
good, mostly because of the a
bundance of spring moisture.
With so many meadows under
water it is too early to tell about
the hay and bluegrass crops.
Some farmers say their alfalfa
may soon have to be cut because
of its rapid growth even though
it hasn’t been in bloom. Farmers
are guided on the cutting prob
lem by examining the new
shoots.
Week’s we ather summary,
based on 24-hour periods ending
at 5 p.m., daily, follows:
Hi Lo Prec.
May 15 _ 75 39
May 10 59 44 .71
May 17_ 63 45 .26
May 18_ 66 37
May 19 _ 67 44 .03
May 20 __71 44
May 21 _71 50
; Kicked by Hone,
Surgery Needed
PAGE—Ed Stewart, 36, farm
er residing three miles north
west of Page, was kicked by a
horse on Tuesday, May 13. He
was rushed to Our Lady of
Lourdes hospital, Norfolk, where
emergency surgery was perform
ed that evening.
His condition is "improved”,
attendants say, and he may be
released later this week.
His wife has been staying at
Norfolk to be near him.
Mr. and Mrs. Gene Mudloff
and sons, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth
Wettlaufer and Sherry and
Mickie Stewart went to Norfolk
Saturday evening where they
visited the injured man. Sherry
and Mickie remained with their
mother; the others returned that
evening.
Teaching Vacancy
Exists at OHS
A vacancy still exists on the
O’Neill public school teaching
staff, according to Supt. D. E.
Nelson.
A successor is being sought for
Joseph George, who taught so
cial science in the high school
the past term and was not a
candidate for reelection.
Twenty - one other teachers
have signed contracts, Nelson
said.
Africa Missionary
Speaks Here—
At the Assembly of God church
Tuesday evening, Rev. Murray
Brown, of Africa, was a special
missionary guest speaker.
He also showed slides about Af
rican life and about his work
with natives there. Reverend
Brown left Wednesday for Valen
tine.
Achievement Day Fixed—
Mrs. Vern Sageser, of Amelia,
has announced that achievement
day will be held in O’Neill on
November 6. Highlights of the
program will include a report on
the national meeting at Raleigh,
N.C., films on North Carolina, a
safety skit and booths on safety.
HEAR COMPLAINTS
The Holt county board of
equalization was in session
Wednesday and will convene a
gain this afternoon (Thursday).
The board heard numerous as
sessment protests during Wed
nesday’s busy session. Decisions
on Wednesday’s business may be
told this afternoon.
Marilyn Fritton, who attends
St. Catherine’s schol of nursing,
Omaha, will spend the weekend
with her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
A1 Fritton.