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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1953)
* • ■ ■ ■ \ “VOICE” OF THE FRONTIER” TWELVE PAGES Mon. Wed. * Sal- ONE SECTION 9:45 A.M. — 780 k.c. i ° North-Central Nebraska’s BIG Newspaper Volume 73.—Number 23. O’Neill, Nebr., Thursday, October 8, 1953. Seven Cents Yeggs Try Shelhamer Safe but Unsuccessful Mrs. Kenneth Smith, III 10 Months, Dies Rites at Inman for Mother of 4 INMAN — Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, October 5, from the Methodist church at Inman for Mrs. Ken neth F. Smith, 41, who died Thursday afternoon, October 1, at her home east of Inman. She had been seriously ill about 10 months. Rev. Lisle Mewmaw officiated. Burial was made in the Inman cemetery with Biglin Brothers in charge. Pallbearers were Michael Gal lag.ier, Fred Moore, Donald Keyes, Clarence Hansen, Wilbur Brown and John Brunckhorst. A quintet composed of Mrs. William E. Kelley, Mrs. Ira Wat son, Mrs. Wilbur Brown, Mrs. Harvey Tompkins and Mrs. Verl David sang three hymns. Mrs. Lewis Kopecky, jr., was at the piano. Mrs. E. E. Clark, Mrs. H. E. Smith, Mrs. Arthur Tomlinson and Miss Faye Brunckhorst as sisted with the flowers. Jessie Elaine Coventry was born February 22, 1912, at Inman and was the youngest child of the late George A. and Mina J Coventry. She attended the In man public school from which she graduated with the class of 1930. On January 7, 1932, she was , married to Kenneth F. Smith at Mullen. To this marriage four children were bom. Survivors include: Widower; daughters—Miss Deritha of O’ Neill; Yvonne and Beverly, at home; son—Bert, at home; sis ters—Mrs. Sherman Grazier of Tipton, Mo., and Mrs. James Mc Mahan of Inman; brothers—Ken neth A. and James R. Coventry, both of Inman. The late Mrs. Smith was a member of Arbutus Rebekah lodge 317 at Inman and Sym phony chapter 316 of the Order o{ the Eastern Star at O’Neill. Classic Ensemble to Perform Here The famous Cavalieri-Myers Holmes music ensemble will pre sent a memorable concert here Wednesday evening, October 14, at the d’Neill public school audi torium; starting at 8:15 p.m. The trio is coming to O’Neill under the auspices of the Methodist Men’s club and net proceeds will ■go to 'the Methodist chut'CTT building fund. : Alfredo Cavalicn is a violin .virtuoso of international fame. He is Italian by birth and began violin study at the age of 9 When 15 he toured New York state. His debut in 1939 was ac claimed by critics “without par allel since Yehudi Menuhin’s de but.” Marylee Myers is a lyric col * oratura soprano. She has sung the lead in the operetta “Count •• ess Maritza,” the lead in “The Student Prince,” also “Mimi” in “La Boehme.” Miss Myers is an attractive blonde. Norma Holmes is regarded by critics, as an outstanding young American pianist. Following her Town Hall con cert in New York in March, 1952, the .Herald-Tribune said, “She established herself among the top rank of our musical young.” The Cavalieri - Myers - Holmes ensemble will also appear at Valentine and Albion while in north Nebraska. MARRIAGE LICENSE Henry B. Crume, 71, of Her rick, SJD.. and Kathryn J. Claus son, 51, of Omaha, October 7. There was an unsuccessful at tempt to crack tne safe in the office of Shelhamer Foods some time after closing hours Saturday night, but the try was unsuccess ful. R. G. Shelhamer, store owner, discovered the attempted burg lary Sunday morning when ne went to his office. The dial on the safe had been knocked off and nitroglycerine had bcc-n poured into the top preparatory to “blowing it.” The burglars fled, leaving con siderable explosive fluid on the office floor and also empty fruit juice and milk containers. The store was closed about midnight and Police Chief Walt Calkins had tried the doors on the building about 1 a.m. The police car was bogged down in mud in the alley for a short time during the early morning hours and it’s possible the burg lars were frightened away, be lieving the police were rounding up assistance. Holt County Sheriff Leo Tom iack said he believed the work was an effort of experienced safe-crackers. State safety patrol investigators came to assist. No arrests have been made, Tomjack said. Randy’s Letter Wins Pony Contest Dear Sir: We would love a pony but even a puppy would do. We are lonely as our mother works and our daddy is in heaven. —RANDY, JEANNIE AND KATHY SOCHA With that tender appeal writ ten by a 6-year-old O’Neill girl,, Randy Socha, an Ak-Sar-Ben lodeo pony was awarded Sunday to the blue-eyed author and her sisters, Kathy, 5, and Jeannie, 3. The three little girls and their mother, Mrs. Dorothy Socha, who is employed in the Holt county clerk’s office, were on hand in Omaha to receive Queenie II, the western pony which was given to the winner in a letter contest being conducted by the Omaha World-Herald. It was September IB when honey-haired little Randy sat down at a desk in her home and painstakingly printed the letter. She was writing about a pony contest her mother had told her the World-Herald was conducting. The little girl's father was killed in a grain elevator accident before Jeannie was born. Randy was 3 when the acicdent occur red. The contest rules were simple: Just 25 words on why you want ed an Ak-Sar-Ben pony. Randy started her letter about 5 p.m.; ‘still was at it long after dinner. She mailed it and simply waited for the contest to end. About a week ago Mrs. Socha received a telephone call from Omaha. World-Herald Youth Ac tivities Director A1 Frisbie in formed the mother that her daughter’s letter had been select ed best by the panel of three judges. After the presentation cere monies, inquisitive, friendly little hands reached up to stroke Queenie's nose and legs. “She’s wonderful,” said Ran dy. “I’m going to feed her lots of hay!” How did she feel when she knew she had won? “I just said, ‘Oh gee’ and jumped up and down. I guess this is just about the biggest thrill in my life,” declared Randy. The girls, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Richard Fox of Emmet and Mr. and Mrs. John Miller and daughter, Marie, richly de (Continued on page 6) <S> ★ ★ ★ Academy Superior Succumbs Mother M. Erica, 57, Suffers Stroke, Dies Later i n Hospital Mother Erica, 57, the former Agnes Hughes, was stricken with a cerebral hemorrhage about 9 a.m., Tuesday at St. Mary’s acad emy a few moments alter bid ding goodbye a delegation mak ing an out-of-town trip. She was transferred by ambu lance to St. Anthony’s hospital where she died about 3 a.m., Wednesday, October 7. Mother Erica for the past two years held the office of superior at St. Mary’s academy. Solemn high funeral mass will be offered at 9 a.m., Friday, Oc tober 9, at St. Patrick’s Catholic church. Very Rev. Timothy O’ Sulivan, church pastor, will of ficiate and burial will be in Cal vary cemetery. Agnes Hughes was born June 12, 1896, at Battle Creek, the youngest daughter of Michael J. and Anna Beck Hughes. She was reared in the Battle Creek com munity and attended high school at St. Mary’s academy in O’Neill, graduating with the class of 1915. She entered the order of the Sisters of St. Francis at Stel la Niagara, N.Y., and was pro fessed March 3, 1919. Her activities and responsi bilities during her religious career were varied. For the past 23 years she has served as superior in various houses of her order, stationed variously in New York, Washington stale, Colorado and Nebraska. She was elected provincial su perior of the Denver, Colo., pro vince and held that office for 12 years, leaving Denver to come to O’Neill July 10, 1951. Mother Erica pjayed a vital role in the building of St. An thony’s hospital here, having been active m the planning as far back as 1939. As superior of the Denver province, she work ed closely with the O’Neill hos pital committee in matters of fi nance, administration and faculty and was on the scene here to aid in the hospital’s completion. She also had building experi ence elsewhere, having aided with the St. Mary’s hospital at Scottsbluff; a nurse’s home at Minot, N.D., and a chapel at the mother house in Denver. Her field was officially designated as religious administration and teaching. Survivors include: Mother — Mrs. M. J. Hughes of Norfolk; sisters—Miss Anna E. Hughes of Norfolk; Mrs. R. M. (Rose) Ark feld of Battle Creek; brother — Phil J. Hughes of Battle Creek. Her father and one sister, Mrs. F. X. (Mary’) Rudloff, preceded her in death. The following statement was issued at the academy: “A sorrowing community of Sisters of St. Francis here at O’ Neill, at the school and hospital, a student body at St. Mary’s to whom she was known as “Moth er,” and more than five thousand Sisters in her worldwide Fran ciscan congregation have suffer ed a great loss.” 4 Randy, Frisbie. Jeannie and Kathy . . . ft* girls richly dtwm the pony.—World-Herald Photo. * * t Mother Erica . . . builder. (Story at left) Well-Known O’Neill Businessman Dies Chr:s Yantzi, 56, 111 Several Years A well-known O’Neill resident who had been a postoffice em ployee for 30 years and in busi ness the past four years died at 6:45 a.m., Saturday, October 3, at his home here. Dead is Christian Ernst Yant zi, known by his friends as Chris Yantzi. He had been in ill health about five years and had been hospital ized on several occasions. He retired from the postoffica staff four years ago and estab lished a combination credit bu reau'loan-insurance business in the Golden hotel building. Two days before his death the firm was sold to Kieth Abart. Funeral services were con ducted at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Oc tober 6, from the First Presby terian church with Rev. Sam uel Lee, church pastor, officiat ing. Burial was in Prospect Hill cemetery under the direction of Biglin Brothers. Pallbearers were Dewig lit Harder, L. F. Beckenhauer, John Osenbaugh, C. E. Jones, H. L Lindberg, H. E. Kruse, C. W Porter and John Harbottle, all fellow members of Garfield AF&AM lodge. Honorary pall bearers were James W. Rooney, Stanley Soukup, Homer Ernst and Clarence Ernst. The late Mr. Yantzi was born February 4, 18S7, at Fulda, Minn., a son of Joseph U. and Kathryn Ernst Yantzi. He came to Holt county with his parents as a small infant and was reared in O’Neill. He was united in marriage to Edna Barnard, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Barnard, on October 23, 1924. at Yank ton, S.D. Both Mr. and Mrs. Yantzi worked side-by-side at the postoffice for many yeirs. Survivors include: Widow; adopted daughter—Mrs. Robert (Margaret Jean) Ashforth of Bos ton, Mass.; sisters—Mrs. C. A, (Mattie) Ives of Bend, Ore., and Mrs. W. L. (Mary) Shoemaker of Stanton. Mr. Yantzi became a member of the Presbyterian church at an early age. He was active in church work until ill health con fined him to his home. He had also been a church officer. He was a member of the Ma sonic lodge, American Legion and a director of the Nebraska State Credit Bureau board. The late Mr. Yantzi served in World War I. Mrs. A. E. Spittler Dies Wednesday EWING—Mrs. Alfred E. Spitt ler, 66, died at 11:30 a.m., Wed nesday, October 7, at her home :n Ewing. She had been ill about two months. Funeral services will be con ducted at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, October 10, from St. Peter’s Catholic church in Ewing with Rev. Peter Burke officiating. Burial will be in St. Peter’s cem etery under the direction of Big lin Brothers. The late Mrs. Spittler, whose maiden name was Sophia Saran Sanders, -was born January 31, 1887, on a farm north of Atkin son. Her parents were,Martin T and Mary T. Vanderberg Sand ers. At Ewing on May 25, 1910, she married Arthur Edward Spittler of Ewing. They became the parents of four children. Survivors include: Widower: sons—Leo M. of Orinda, Calif.; Jerome of O’Neill and Gerard of Ewing; sisters — Mrs. Robert (Theresa) Krachie of Ewing, Mrs. Louis (Emma) Kovar of Hartford, Conn., and Mrs. Lyle (Alice) Dierks of Ewing; broth ers—Yvo E. Sanders and Dr. O. M. Sanders, both of Omaha. One daughter, Adelaide Roth erham, is deceased. The late Mrs. Spittler was a member of St. Peter’* church and ‘the Christian Mothers. . These dirt encrusted bones little resemble the head of a rhinoceros which roamed in the vicinity northwest of Royal eight or 10 million years ago, but curators of the University of Ne braska early Wednesday positively identified ★ ★ ★ ★ k the prehistoric bones. Arrow points to jaw. Teeth are in perfect preservation except they are black and do not show in photo. — The Frontier Photo. ★ ★ ★ ★ Prehistoric Bones Unearthed By a Staff Writer ORCHARD—A team of Uni versity of Nebraska archaeolo gists Wednesday morning un earthed a fossil bed northeast of Orchard, or about eight miles northwest of Royal between Roy al and Verdigre. The head of a rhinoceros, which is believed to have roam ed in the area between eight and 10 million years ago, wras found near the top of the sheer wall of a gulley on the Melvin Colson place. The bones are being recovered by Henry Rider, curator of tne University of Nebraska Morrill hall museum, and Lloyd Taner, assistant curator. Wednesday morning they were doing some excavating in a precarious place on the hill and were applvmg turpentine to an exposed jaw bone and teeth. The discovery is regarded. Rider said, as an unusual ar Pancake Committees Prepare for Big Event Mary Ellen Phalin Expires Suddenly Longtime Resid e n t, 81, Dies at Home Funeral services will be con ducted at 9 a.m., today (Thurs day) for Mrs. Mary Elien Phalin, 11, widow of the late Frank Pha lin. The rites will be held m St. Patrick’s Catholic church and burial will be in Calvary ceme tery under the direction of Big lin Brothers. Pallbearers will be M. H. Hor n-key, H. E. Coyne, P. C. Dono hoe, Leo Mullen, Jack Arbuthnot, Fred Saunto, Louis Zastrow and Bennett Gilligan. The late Mrs. Phalin died suddenly at 10 a.m.. Monday, October 5, at her home here. For a number of years she and her brother, Dr. W. F. Finley, made their home together and she had not been ill. The late Mrs. Phalin, whose maiden name was Mary Ellen Finley, was born September 8, 1872, at Rising Sun, Wise., a daughter of Timothy and Johan na Roach Finley. On January 12, 1900, she mar ried Frank Phalin at Rising Sun. The couple came to O’Neill in 1903 from Soldier’s Grove, Wise. They became the parents of five children—one son, Larry, having died in 1944. Her husband died in 1943. Mr. Phalin was a pioneer O'Neill businessman, having operated a barber shop for i many years. The late Mrs. Phalin was a member of St. Patrick’s church and the Altar society. Survivors include: Sons—John of Los Angeles, Calif., and Ger ald of Sioux Falls, S.D.; daugh ters—Mrs. Otto (Mary) Reising and Mrs. Gilbert (Loretto) Laue, both of Gary, Ind.; brothers — James Finley of Gays Mills, Wise.; Dr. W. F. Finley of O’ Neill; Lawrence Finley of La crosse, Wise.; sisters—Mrs. Hugn (Rose) Francis of Milner, N.D.. the Misses Theresa and Laura Finley, both of Oak Park, 111. WE BEG YOUR PARDON The justice court report last is sue stated James Early was fiend $15 and costs September SO on a charge of speeding filed by State Patrolman Robert Gude. The Frontier erred. The name should have been James Easly, not James Early. PERMITS ISSUED The city council in session Tuesday evening issued the fol lowing building permits: Harold Strong, dwelling; Gilbert Strong, dwelling; Lohaus Motor Co., storage building near garage; Bert DeGroff, dwelling. Arrangements are virtually completed for O’Neill’s second ..nnual Pillsbury pancake day to be held Wednesday, October 21, under the auspices of the Cham ber of Commerce. The general committee is headed by Henry Lofflin, who is assisted by Wendell Nelson, Mar vin Johnson and Melvin Ruzieka. Serving will begin at 1 o’clock in the afternoon and continue until 7 in the evening on the main floor of the Knights of Co lumbus building, corner of Third and Douglas streets. Last year the pancake feed was staged un der tents erected on North Fourth street. Because of weather uncertainties, Chamber President G. C. DeBacker said it was de cided to hold the feed indoors. Serving will be done in three shifts with the following com mittee chairmen: First shift (1 to 3): Cooking and serving—H. J. Lohuas; table waiters and cleaners—Joe Stutz, dishwashers and wipers — G. C. DeBacker; supplies—Elgin Ray. Second shift (3 to 5): Cooking and serving — John H. McCar ville; table waiters and cleaners —Darrel Slaymaker; dishwashers and wipers—Cecil W. Baker. Third shift (5 to closing): Cooking and serving — Dale Foree; table waiters and cleaners —Don Petersen; dishwashers and wipers—John C. Watson. Other committees i n c 1 u d e : Supplies — Elgin Ray and Leo Moore; entertainment — D. E. Nelson and J. B. Grady; adver tising — Wendell Nelson, G. E. Miles and Cal Stewart; coffee and hot water — E. O. Carlson and Dean Jeffrey; errand detail —Laurence Haynes, George Pet erson and Paul Shierk; setup and cleanup— William Moriarity and Frank McKenny (in coop eration with other committee chairmen); milk, aprons, caps, towels—Bill Perry. Each Chamber firm will pur chase one case of Pillsbury pan chaeological find. He identified ihe bones, including the teeth, as those of the Pleistocene age. Discovery of the fossil field is a story in itself. James Peterson, Royal farmer and scoutmaster, makes a hobby of collecting relics. Colson, who has owned the half-section farm for about six years, frequently picked u p bones about the place, especially in the gulleys. About six weeks ago, Mr. Col son engaged Peterson’s teenage son, Donald, to drill some rye Mr. Peterson and his son, who reside several miles away, took time out to scout one of the gul leys and that’s when they began to unearth the prehistoric ani mal’s head. They advised the university people about the find, a date was set for the field party to visit Royal, and late Tuesday and early Wednesday the efforts ne gan to pay off. Colson is now confident bones of prehistoric camels, horses, el ephants and turtles also are co be ! found in the chain of gulleys on | the north side of a tiny spnng : fed stream that flows northwest ! through the farm. After a pre liminary study of the area, Rider and Taner agree. , The steep chalk-like cliffs are rugged and are inaccessible except to hardy souls who like to climb. Mr. Colson runs cattle in the valley at the foot of the ridge of bluffs and he is hopeful curious people won’t be venturing through the gates. The farm dwelling is vacant at present and the site of the fossil bed would be difficult to find for anyone unfamiliar with the place, be cause to reach the site you must ford the stream in several places. The modern rhinoceros com monly found in Africa or India is about 10 feet long, 6Vi feet high and has a horn 1 or 2 feet long. The prehistoric animal was bigger, the museum people ex plain. Mr. Peterson has arranged to turn over his fossil collection to the university. Unearthing the bones of the rhinoceros and piecing them back together again in Morrill hall is a long, painstaking task. Such assignments usually are given to a group of students for a summer field project. It is be lieved this is the only archaeo logical find of its type anywhere in the O’Neill area. Colson, studying the fascinat ing fossil cliff on one hand and and the quiet cattle grazing in the valley below, made this ob servation: “I’m glad those 'rhinos’ aren’t around nowadays. I wouldn’t be | farming this place!” ★ ★ ★ 3d Highway Fatality in Boyd Dakotan Die* Neai Bri*tow When Cai Overturn* in Gravel BRISTOW — Robert Keckler, 69-year-old Lucas, S.D., resident, was killed at 2:20 p.m., Satur day on state highway 12, about 2.2 miles west of Bristow. It was a one-car accident. Effie Bruce, 74, also of Lucas,. a passenger in the caf, was in jured but not seriously and was taken to Sacred Heart hospital at Lynch. Keckler’s car went out of con trol when it struck loose gravel and overturned. State Patrolman Robert Gude of O’Neill reported, Keckler was driving east. This was the third highway fa lality of 1953 in Boyd county. The Keckler machine plunged I over a six-foot embankment on | the south side of the highway, turned over once and landed up right. The Dakotans were enroute to Venus, in Knox county, to visit Mrs. Cecil Waldon. 1 ————— 1 Mrs. Ellen Sire v Burial at Inman Mrs. Ellen Sire, a former resi dent of the Inman community, died Saturday, October 3, in Lin coln where she had been residing a number of years. Funeral services were conduct ed at 3 o’clock Wednesday after dist church at Inman. Burial was noon, October 7, from the Metho in the Inman cemetery, directed by Biglin Brothers. Survivors include Widower— Eugene of Lincoln; sons—Waiter ol Butte and Eugene, jr., of Lin coln; daughter—Mrs. Milton Hes ter. Saddle Club Roundup Carded Five hundred dollars in cash prizes will be offered when the O’Neill Saddle club presents its second annual roundup Sunday on the club grounds east of O’ Neill. A large crowd is expected to witness the show, starting at 10 a.m., with a jack pot calf roping contest. At 12:30 p.m., there will be a parade on O’Neill’s Douglas street, including bands, Antelope County Saddle club, O’Neill Sad dle club and horse men and women from Spencer, Butte, Stu art, Amelia and Page. Also in the parade will be the Roman Packing company’s four-horse hitch, Nebraska state fair cham pions. Grand entry at the club grounds will be at 1:30 p.m. There will be flag races, relays, rescues, pole bending, surprise and potato races. At 7 p.m., will be the calf roping finals and a wild cow milking contest. The day will be climaxed with a western dance at the American Legion auditorium. WJAG to Carry Knight Interview Pfc. Glen E. Knight, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fora Knight of O’ Neill, will be heard in a tran scribed interview over radio station WJAG (780 kc) at 10:35 a.m., Friday, October 9. The interview was made with Knight recently in Munsan, Korea, in the truce talk area. Knight tells about having been at Panmunjom. Sunday guests at the John Thomas home were Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Gullickson of Cogswell, N.D. This is a view of the bluff on the Melvin Colson farm where a fossil bed has been found. Arrow paints to exact location of imgsTtlieil rhinoceros head in a precarious place on sheer J ■ cliff. The rare archaeological find was made by James Peterson and his son, Donald. — The Frontier Photo.