Prairieland Talk . . .
Militia Kept Eye on Sitting Bull
By ROMA1NE SAUNDERS, Retired, Former Editor The Frontier
. MARION, IND.— Doubtless Mr. Rooney and
the members of the committee of which he is
chairman are not anticipating an invasion of the
community by a band of Oriental red savages as a
backgroud for promoting a military unit at O’Neill.
The town once had a state militia, mustered in
and authorized to function as such in a stately
setting at the town’s first opera house and roller
skating rink. The background, never admitted as
such, was some uneasiness over Sitting Bull hav
ing taken up the ghost dance
which had siginificance with the
Indians, who were looking for a
Messiah who would blot out the
paleface race and restore the In
dian hunting grounds.
Sitting Bull was some dis
tance away from us but what is
now Boyd county was part of the
Sioux reservation and at that
time there were Indian teepees
where Butte, Spencer and Lynch
mark communities on the map
and the print of moccasined feet Romalne
could still be seen along the
brink of the Elkhom south of town.
The ghost dance filled children as well as some
adults with terror. Sitting Bull and his warriors
performed their last ghost dance when an order
come from the war department to the officer in
command at Ft. Yates to “secure the person of Sit
ting Bull.”
ine cnier was snoi ouwu ai nu tcuaji up uu
the Grand river by an Indian police known as
Lt. Bull Head, who himself was shot down in the
act of killing Sitting Bull. This precipitated the
last Indian war, the battle of Wounded Knee up on
the Pine Ridge. There is in a museum in East
Greenwich, R.I., the figure of an Indian wearing
the buckskin jacket that was worn by Lt. Bull Head
when he shot the ghost dancing chief.
J. H. Meredith was the first captain of the
militia, company F, Second regiment, organized at
O’Neill; Charley Hall and Clyde King, lieutenants,
and D. H. Cronin, first sergeant. Neil Brennan, a
booster for the organization of a militia company,
was made a colonel on the staff of Governor
Crounce, who mustered in the company at O’Neill.
That group of Indian fighters were all home
town fellows, roughnecks and young bloods alike.
If O’Neill becomes the chosen spot in north Ne
braska for a defense unit, it will mean the recog
nition on the part of military men of this com
munity as a desirable place to locate what they
have in mind. Company F’s “armory” was a build
ing put up for a packing plant near the North
Western stockyards, but should the proposed mili
tary unit come to O’Neill an armory worthy of the
demands of modern times will be needed.
* * *
When a measure is submitted to become a
state law “to help in the training of retriever
dogs," most any crackpot proposition may be
expected.
* * *
Snow has placed a thin blanket across the city.
This day in late January opened welcome arms to
the shining celestial orb looking down ypon us
from the clear morning sky. Hours pass. Out of the
west clouds are blown in by a cold wind and the
day turns to gray gloom, cold and cheerless with
out, warm and inviting within. Wharton Drive is
deserted, the street from the ice and snow-bound
river west to the next turn is void of traffic and
householders remain behind closed doors. Within
the next half hour there will be the home-coming
of husbands and fathers from office and business
activities of the day; the evening meal, the TV and
radio, the afternoon paper, a book, in a home here
and there a worship hour, off to bed. The day is
done, darkness envelopes the land as industrious
patriots in a law-abiding community curl up for a
night’s repose, thinking the alarm clock will jar
them awake in the morning.
M. F. Brown, B. B. Storey, C. W. Kemp, J. J.
Parshall, J. R. Hughes, D. Robinson, E. Rinney, D.
Parshall, O. A. (“Kid”) Wade, George Parshall,
John Courtney, J. Parshall, Thomas Cody, W. A.
Cummings, Hugh O’Neill, Thomas Richardson,
Fallesen Chelsea, Mike Colleman, William E. White
—the last five named, all from Holt county, out
on a mission to see that “Kid” Wade escaped from
the clutches of a possible lynching party. The
night of February 5, 1884, this group of 20 men
registered at the Long Pine House. Eighteen of
them were concerned with the breaking up of a
band of horse thieves in the Niobrara river coun
try, of which young Wade and Doc Middleton were
the oustanding ones. O’Neill and Colleman had
sworn out a warrant for the arrest of Wade, who
had been promised a fair trial in Holt county but
instead had been turned over to a delegation from
Brown county, of which Rock was then a part.
Sheriff Ed Hershiser of Holt county was given the
warrant for Wade’s arrest and went out after him.
During the afternoon of February 6 Hershiser ar
rived at Long Pine. The Brown county delegation
turned Wade over to Hershiser, who, with his
prisoner and one of the Parshalls, drove to Bas
sett where they stopped for the night of February
6. The morning of February 7 young Wade was
found dead, strung up on a whistling post just east
of Bassett. The vigilanters had come at midnight
to the hotel in Bassett and had taken over the
custody of Wade. Ed never became reconciled
* * *
A gale passing over Philadelphia, Pa., at 392
miles an hour was reported recently. It was four
miles up overhead, which accounts for that his
toric city not being blown out into the Atlantic
ocean.
* * *
Now in her 71st year, Eleanor Roosevelt has
been one of the country’s best-known women, in
terested in education, social and industrial life,
politics and promulgating some things that were
better left out of the record. She had the unusual
privilege of retaining her maiden family name
when she became the wife of Franklin D. Roose
velt, who was her fifth cousin, and she a Roosevelt
in her own right. She was a niece of Col. Teddy
Roosevelt of Rough Rider fame, who, when pres
ident, acted as bestman at her marriage when he
was serving as president of our country. . . By Jan
uary 24 the Indiana state legislature had before it
413 bills to be acted upon. . . A 13-year-old Nash
ville, Tenn., girl, her husband a 21-year-old con
struction worker, has become the mother of a baby
girl.
* * *
She paraded up and down in front of her hus
band, showing off her new gown. “Well, how do I
look?” she asked him. Her husband hesitated be
fore speaking, then murmured: “I know it sounds
unkind, dear, but you are getting fat.” “In the
best places they say ‘plump,’ ” she snapped. “Well,
then,” he retorted, “in the best places you’re get
tin plump!” A domestic picture from far-off
Montreal, Can., given out by a newspaper guy.
* * *
Introduced on the screen as the one who
knew it all, and accompanied by violent head and
feature punctuation, the speaker expounded his
wisdom of the Orient, but we don’t know any
more about it than we did before. Unless it is
that China is pushing Russia out of the picture
and when the powder pile blows up, it will come
from the Far East.
* * *
Most people can give good excuses for failing
to do what they don’t want to do.
* * *
Young people do not have to copy the examples
of their parents, fortunately.
* * *
Most citizens favor laws which give them an
advantage in business.
Editorial ...
Alcohol Reforms Too Realistic
Alcoholism is becoming a growing menace in
all parts of the world, but it has gained the head
lines most recently in France. There, Ex-Premier
Mendes-France attempted to cut down on the man
ufacture and sale of hard liquor in an effort to
decrease the very considerable loss to the economy
resulting from alcoholism.
The idea, apparently, was too realistic because
it contributed to his recent downfall as the head
of the French government.
It has been estimated that alcoholism costs
France as much as $1,500,000,000 a year, in days
lost from work alone. The French, for centuries ad
dicted to wine, are presumably taking to hard li
quors in somewhat the same fashion.
Alcoholism is a most deceptive disease, but
definitely a disease, and modernday psychiatrists
tell us that it usually requires a number of years
to mold an alcoholic. Once an individual succumbs
to the disease, he is usually unable to pull free from
its clutches without outside help.
In every town and city there are those—many
of them casting themselves in high society—who
are actually alcoholics and who refuse to admit it.
They pose a problem, for they are unable to ade
quately control their behavior according to accept
ed standards, and the many problems they cause
society are not confined to outsiders but affect mem
bers of their families most of all.
Considering the fact that there are many mil
, lions of people in the United States who do not par
take of any alcoholic beverage, many millions who
use it only once in a while, and many more mil
lions, perhaps, the marjority, who use it in sensible
moderation, it is little short of amazing how heavy
drinking is emphasized in the theater and movie
industries. The same problem exists in France,
in this regard, as in the United States, and the
entertainment industries perhaps bear the greatest
responsibility of all in this problem.
Though it is most difficult to do, we urge all
youngsters to disregard the sly propaganda of the
day, to make up their own minds about the smart
ness of alcohol, and other habit-forming traits.
A Noteworthy Anniversary
We salute the Boy Scouts of America on its
45th birthday anniversary, now being observed
during Boy Scout week, February 6 to 12.
Since its founding in 1910 the organization
has enriched the lives of over 22,750,000 boys and
adult leaders. Truly scouting represents a living
cross-section of American life.
Boys of every race, religion and economic
background are attached to scouting. Today we
find 2,700,000 boys in its ranks. Add to that im
pressive figure the 960,000 adults of good charac
ter who give generously of their time and talents
to serve as leaders of units, merit badge counsel
ors and in many other capacities. There is hardly
an American family that has not felt its influence.
Dr. Arthur A. Schuck, the chief scout execu
tive, a leader in the organization since 1913, feels
that it is of vital importance to train the boys of
today to be ready for positions of leadership as they
grow to manhood.
“Strong character, particpating citizenship and
physical fitness,” he says, “are needs of our boys
and young men who are served by the program of
scouting in cooperation with the home, the school,
the church, and all other community institutions,
actively interested in training our future citizens.”
Every member of the nation’s 95,000 scouting
units is indeed “having some kind of experience
that is adding to his equipment to meet the prob
lems of adult life.”
It is that training that we heartily endorse on
this noteworthy birthday.
Most parents take credit for the good points
of their children but wonder where the perverse
symptoms originated.
Never brag about something you expect to do,
wait until it is accomplished and then let others
pass judgment on it.
The person who drinks his first cocktail never
sees himself as a probable alcoholic, but it has
happened before.
No human beings agree upon the meaning of
happiness.
The best way to earn a rest is to complete
your work.
Selfishness is the main cause of bad manners.
Front®
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
Editorial & Business Offices: 122 South Fourth St.
Address correspondence: Box 330, O’Neill, Nebr.
Established in 1880 — Published Each Thursday
Entered at the postoffice in O’Neill, Holt coun
ty, Nebraska, as second-class mail matter under
the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. This news
paper is a member of the Nebraska Press Associa
tion, National Editorial Association and the Audit
Bureau of Circulations.
Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska, $2.50 per
year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per year;
rates abroad provided on request All subscriptions
are paid-in-advance.
Audited (ABC) Circulation—2,335 (Mar. 31, 1954)
When You and I Were Young . . .
Scoundrels Take
Half Hog from Keys
Rosebud Winners in
No Hurry
50 Years Ago
Frank Leahy and Henry Ritts
transferred residential property.
. . . People of this community,
who drew a number in the Rose
bud lottery, are congratulating
themselves on not having to move
onto their claims during this frig
id weather. The time of taking up
residence of those who filed
prior to November 1 has been ex
tended to May 1. . . Invitations
are being sent by the Knights of
Columbus for the ball they are
giving on Washington’s birthday
anniversary. . . Scientists say that
the spots on Old Scl are the reason
for the mercury continuing to
hang below zero. . . Scoundrels in
two weeks time have meandered
off with half of a dressed hog and
a fine young porker from the
flour and feed store of Con Keys.
20 Years Ago
S. J. Weeks was reelected in
Omaha to the board of the Occi
dental Building and Loan associa
tion. . . An epidemic of smallpox
exists in the city. of O’Neill. All
cases are to be reported to the
board of health or Dr. L. A. Car
ter. . . At a meeting of the old
age pension commission the com
mission fixed the monthly pen
sion at $2. . . O’Neill high cagers
lost to Butte, 31-30, in a game
at the Boyd county auditorium.
10 Years Ago
The Boy Scouts of O’Neill will
be guests of the Commercial club
at a meeting to be held in the
dining room of the Golden hotel.
... A new minister is to be or
dained at the Conley and Cham
bers Lutheran churches. . . The
American Legion and Legion aux
iliary held a joint meeting at the
Legion hall in Chambers. . . Five
more schools have been enrolled
in the Junior Red Cross, accord
ing to an announcement by Elja
McCullough. . . Lt. Madeline Ul
lom of the army nurse corps has
been liberated by U.S. forces on
Luzon. She had been a captive of
the Japs.
One Year Ago
Mr. and Mrs. Herb Jansen of
O’Neill and Mr. and Mrs. Clar
ence Stewart of Page celebrated
their golden wedding anniver
saries; Mr. and Mrs. Luther Jack
son of Atkinson celebrated their
60th wedding anniversary. . . Al
ice Young and Gary Holcomb will
represent O’Neill at Atkinson at
the district 4-H timely topics
speech meet. . . Mrs. Leona Hynes
and Mrs. M. A. Schelkopf have
announced the purchase of the
style shop formerly operated by
Mrs. Anna McCartney. . . Mrs.
Belle Summers, better known as
“Grandma” Summers, observed
her 94th birthday anniversary.
Scouts Help in 45th
Birthday Observance
Some 3,635,000 boys and lead
ers, of whom there are 300 in this
area (north-central district, Cov
ered Wagon council), are helping
celebrate their 45th anniversary
during Scout week, February 6
12.
Highlights of this year’s activi
ties will include a district-wide
Cub Scout kite contest to be held
in April, also an area-wide Cedars
Outpost camp to be held in Valen
tine June 19-25.
REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS
WD—Eula M. Larson Anderson
to Lizzie Grim & Elmer Grim 2
1-55 $900- Lots 13 & 14 Blk 22
Pioneer Townsite Co Add- Ewing
WD—Delbert V. Robertson to
Donna J Van Vleck & hus 1-20
55 $1- Lot 3 Blk C- Fahy’s 2nd
Add
WD—Elva A Leidy to Vernon
Lorenz 1-24-55 $1500- Lots 18-19
& 20- Blk L- Fahy’s Park Add
O’Neill
WD— W H David to Wade J
Davis & wf 10-15-54 $33,530- Wy.
12- SWy4 1-25-12
WD—Frank J Wear to Ralph
Garwood 3-8-54 $55,203.75- Sy>
swy4- NEy4swy4 34- sy>swy4
35-25-14 & land in Garfield Coun
ty
P" —
Attends Meter
Class at ‘U’—
Donald Kellner of O’Neill was
among the more than 80 Nebras
kans concerned with testing and
installing electric meters in the
utility field who attended the
four - day second annual electric
meter short course at the Uni
versity of Nebraska.
Kellner is a meter superintend
ent with the Consumers Public
Power district at O’Neill.
New Library Books
at Ewing Noted
EWING — New books to be
found at the Ewing public libra
ry are: For boys and girls— “A
Child’s Book of Trees” by Swen
son; “Pennyweather Luck” by
Hubbard; “Clarinda” by Dun
combe; ‘‘Summer at Yellow Sing
ers” by Bailey; “Stolen Slim
mer” by Barrett; “The Golden
Arrowhead” by Capron; “Christ
mas Is Shaped Like Stars” by
Frost.
For adults: “Winter Selections
of the Readers Digest”; “My Heart
an Altar” by Covert; “The Fami
ly Nobody Wanted” by Doss;
“Goodbye, My Lady” by Street;
“The Terrific Timothy’s” by
Drake; “Lobo Brand” by Friend;
“Powder Valley Holdup” and
“Riders of Outlaw Trail” by Field;
“Wide Loop” by Nye; “Riders of
Buffalo Grass” by Lomax; “The
Bandits of Hell’s Bend” by Bur
roughs; “Gunsmoke Over Sabado”
by Evan; “A Gunman Rode
North” by Hopson, and, non-fic
tion, “Hammond’s New World
Atlas.”
Other Ewing News
Mr. and Mrs. Claus Sievers of
Wyoming were present at the
open-house honoring Miss Hazel
Ruby, sister of Mrs. Sievers. Miss
Ruby is retiring as postal clerk
after 37 years of service in the
Ewing postoffice.
Mrs. James Ruby and children
of Norfolk spent the weekend
with relatives in Ewing and vicin
ity. They attended the open
house at the Ewing Methodist
church in honor of their aunt,
Miss Hazel Ruby.
The six members of the Clear
water Pinochle club, who were
winners in a series of games, were
guests of the losers on % Monday
evening, Jauary 31, at a 6 o’clock
diner at the Hi-Way cafe at
Clearwater. They were Mr. and
Mrs. Gail Boies, and Frank Bohn,
all of Ewing, Mr. and Mrs. Walter
Patras and Mrs. Roy Stevens of
Clearwater. The hosts were Mr.
and Mrs. Art Jaeke and Roy Ste
vens, all of Clearater, Mr. and
Mrs. Pat Knapp and Mrs. Frank
Bohn, all of Ewing. After the din
ner all were invited to the Walter
Patras home for an evening of
pinochle.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Hill and
children recently moved to the
Mrs. Caroline Sanders ranch south
of Ewing. The Hill family lived
in the Venus community before
moving to Ewing. Mr. Hill is the
son of Mrs. Martha Hill, who owns
and operates Hill’s store.
Mrs. Richard Edwards enter
tained the following ladies at a
coffee hour on Friday afternoon:
Mrs. Thomas Eacker and daugh
ter, Mary Lynn, Mrs. Archie Tut
tle, Mrs. Clifford Hahlbeck and
son, Maurice.
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Edwards
celebrated a wedding anniversary
on Wednesday, February 2. The
family enjoyed a 6 o’clock dinner
at the Highway cafe at Clearwa
ter; then went to Orchard to spend
the evening with Mr. and Mrs.
Merle Shilousky and family.
Mrs. James Mlnarik and Don
na, Msr. Dwight Schroeder and
Peggy, Mrs. Anita Lee and Virtus,
Mr. and Mrs. Willie Shrader and
son, Mrs. Kittie Fry, Mrs. Richard
Edwards and daughters and Mrs.
Archie Tuttle were Neligh visit
ors Tuesday, February 1.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Larsen,
who have been visiting relatives
in Iowa, arrived in Ewing last
Thursday and stopped to spend a
few days at the home of his
brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and
Mrs. Benjamin Larsen, before
continuing on the way to their
home at Alzada, Mont.
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Larsen
had as their guests from Tues
day, February 1, until Thursday
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Harrington of
Fremont.
Lester Bergstrom went to
Chambers on Friday evening
where he attended the family
night of the Farmers and Ranch
ers Co-Operative association.
" - ;
Rozetta McDonald,
Jerry Miller Wed
EWING—Baskets of gold chry
santhemums, green fernery and
candelabra formed he background
at tne Ewing Methodist church
on Sunday, January 30, when
Miss Rozetta McDonald, daugh
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Watson Mc
Donald of Ewing, became the
bride of Jerry Miller, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Floyd Miller of Clear
water.
Rev. E. L. Brigden officiated in
the double-ring 3 o’clock cere
mony.
The bride, given in marriage
by her father, appeared in a
floor-length gown of white Chan
tilly lace and nylon tulle over
satin, fashioned with a fitted
bodice, long sleeves tapering at
the wrist, and a Peter Pan collar.
The skirt was highlighted with
tiers of inserted French lace. Her
three-tier fingertip veil was held
by a fitted crown of seed pearls.
Her jewelry included a double
strand of pearls, a gift from the
bridegroom. She carried a bou
quet of red roses.
Miss Virginia McDonald, sis
ter of the bride, was maid-of
honor. She wore a waltz-length
gown of copper nylon net over
taffeta and carried a colonial
bouquet of gold chrysanthemums
with gold satin streamers.
Mrs. Wilbur Spangler played
the prelude, wedding march and
recessional. Mrs. Wayne Fry and
Miss Marcia Gibson sang “I
Love You Truly” and ‘‘True Love
Goes On and On.”
Tne bridegroom wore his navy
uniform. He was attended by
Lonny Miller, his brother, and
Richard McDonald, brother of
the bride. They wore business
suits with white carnation bou
tonnieres, as did the fathers of
the bride and bridegroom.
Merle Angus and Merle Fil
singer were ushers and candle
lighters.
The bride’s mother wore a na
vy crepe dress trimmed with
white satin. Her corsage was of
white carnations. The bride
groom’s mother wore a navy faille
dress. Her corsage was of white
carnations also.
Following the ceremony, a re
ception was held in the church
parlors. The wedding party and
immediate family of the bride
and bridegroom were seated at
the bride’s table. It was covered
with white linen centered with a
bouquet of mixed flowers. The
three-tier wedding cake topped
with a miniature bride and
bridegroom was cut and served
by Miss Jeanne Welke, a close
friend of the bride. Methodist la
dies assisted with the serving. |
Mrs. Hazel Kimes and Mrs. Merle
Filsinger poured. Mrs. Charles
Scott and Mrs. Raymond Peterson
were in charge of the gifts.
For going way, the bride wore a
turquoise suit with black acces
sories.
After a short wedding trip, Mr.
and Mrs. Miller will return and
visit relatives here. In early Feb
ruary they will leave for Long
Beach, Calif., to make their home
where Mr. Miller is stationed
with the navy.
Out-of-town guests were from
Lincoln, Grand Island, Norfolk,
O’Neill, Stuart, Atkinson, Spen
cer, Neligh, Clearwater, Cham
bers, Springfield, Mo., and points
in Kansas.
Arrive from Capital—
Miss Mae D. Hammond of
Washington, D. C., arrived Mon
day to spend several days visiting
relatives.
Saturday supper guests of Mr.
and Mrs. F. S. Brittell were Mr.
and Mrs. Claude Dailey and Don
ald. _
PUBLIC SALE
The following personal property will be offered at public auc
tion in Ewing, Nebr., one block west of the school and one block
north, on—
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12
— 2 P.M. —
2—Beds with Wood Cook Stove
Mattress Wood Heater
Davenport Oil Stove
Library Table Dishes
Table^ Cooking Utensils
9—Chairs 0il Barrel- 1 00'8aL
Rocker with 50-gals, fuel
Kitchen Cabinet anc^ P‘Pe
Cupboard Other Items too
Coronado Numerous to
Refrigerator Mention
TERMS: Cash
ELMER E. SMITH, Owner
CoL Buv Wanser, Auctioneer-Clerk
«
Money to Loan
— on —
AUTOMOBILES
TRUCKS
TRACTORS
EQUIPMENT
• FURNITURE
Central Finance
Corp.
C. E. Jones. Manager
O'Neill i Nebraska
_l■ o
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' 1 — ■ ■■«
NORTH - CENTRAL NEBR.
HEREFORD ASSOCIATION’S
SPRING
BULL SALE
Bassett, Nebraska
Saturday, Febr. 26
42 HEREFORD 42
BULLS
Watch Next Week’s Issue For
List of Consignors
YOU’RE INVITED—TO ENTER MRS. AMERICA CONTEST
You could be the Mrs. America of 1955. Participate in local
district prizes and more than $15,000 in national prizes.
It is a contest for homemakers . . . not beauty queens. Entry
blanks are available at most all gas dealers or your Kansas*
Nebraska store. Get yours today. Entry deadline is March 5,
1955.
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Phone 562__316 E. Fremont, O’Neill
I