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North-Central Nebraska’s BIGGEST Newspaper
Volume 75.—Number 2. _ O Neill, Nebraska, Thursday, May 12, 1955. Seven Cents
O’Neill high royalty . . . King Owen Davis, Queen Norma Tim
merman. (Story on page 6.)—O’Neill Photo Co.
= Atkinson Voters Okay
New $155,000 School
Ewing Telephone
Operator Retires
o
M i s s Gokie Began
Career at 15
o
EWING —fcMiss Mary Gokie,
night operator at the Ewing Pub
lic Telephone Exchange for many
years, has retired, effective May
1. She will be suceeded on night
duty by her sister, Mrs. Anna Sa
vidge.
Miss Gokie’s name for 30 years
has been considered synonomous
with the telephone business at
° "wing. Irsdally, she owned a half
I' *hat was known as the
.. .^rtOoe Exchange. In
j37, sh*' disposed of her
o interest when the business was
known as the Western Telephone
° corporation. Later it became
known as Public Telephone.
Miss Gokie has served as day
operator as well as night opera
otor. She began her career at the
age of 15. Her telephone career
3 included working at Clearwater
and at the Savidge exchange.
The veteran telephone operator
0 pla'hs to devote her retirement to
her home and to her hobby—
gardening and flowers. She has
apartments in her home, always
occupied.
~~~L
ATKINSON—The voters in a
special election here Tuesday ap
proved a 155 - thousand - dollar
bond issue for the construction of
a new elementary grade school
building. The count: 322 votes
“for” the proposal; 219 “against”.
A 55 percent vote in favor of
the proposal was needed to carry
the bond issue. The unofficial
approval by the voters amounted
to 59.8 percent with four mail
votes yet to be counted. The
board of education was to canvas
the ballots Wednesday night.
Wayne Galyen, president of
the board, said it is hoped to
have the structure completed
for the start of school in the fall
of 1956. The building will con
tain six classrooms, a kinder
garten and a multipurpose
room.
Increased enrollment in the
lower elementary grades made
it necessary for the board to take
steps towards expansion of the
school facilities.
The old building contains only
five classrooms and the practice
of combining two grades in a
single room is no longer possible
in Atkinson, Galyen pointed out.
The four mail votes cannot al
ter the outcome of Tuesday’s
election
The issue failed to carry only
in the Third ward, where 136 op
posed the proposal and 100 bal
lots were marked “for” the bond
issue. In the First ward the vote
was 109-47; Second ward, 113-36.
Miss Yvonne Smith of Norfolk
spent the weekend in the K. F.
Smith home.
Jaycees to Sponsor
‘Levi Hop’ for Kids
The newly - organized Junior
Chamber of Commerce is spon
soring a community “levi hop” at
the American Legion auditorium
on Friday for all young people
ages, 10-19. Dancing will be from
8:30 until 11:30 p.m.
Dancing contests will be held
and prizes will be awarded the
winners.
The dance will be chaperoned
by the parents and the members
of the Junior Chamber of Com
merce. Only kids in levis will be
admitted, officials say.
All parents are invited and will
be admitted fnee.
■ <
Miss Gokie . . . veteran.
Boy, 10, Hit
by Car; Dies
Instantly
‘Danny’ Ryan Killed
on Elkhorn Bridge;
Rites Wednesday
A 10-year-old St. Mary’s aca
demy fourth grader, Daniel N.
(“Danny”) Ryan, son of Neil
Ryan, O’Neill hay dealer, was in
stantly killed about 3 o’clock
Sunday afternoon on the Elk
horn river bridge on US highway
281, just outside the south city
limits.
The boy was struck by a car
driven by Delane Jackson, 29, of
O’Neill. He was hit by the auto’s
radiator ornament and Dr. O. W.
French, who was summoned, said
the lad died instantly.
Young Ryan had gone to the
bridge by bicycle to fish with a
companion, Harold Parks, 11. The
Parks boy was under the bridge
and Daniel had climbed from the
ditch and was at the east railing.
A southbound auto driven by
Jackson and a northbound auto
driven by Mr. and Mrs. Wil
liam Wilson of Rapid City, S.D.,
were about an equal distance
from the bridge and according
to Holt County Coroner Wil
liam Griffin were sounding
horns and slowing their speeds
when the drivers anticipated
meeting there.
Young Ryan, Griffin said, was
crossing the bridge diagonally
from the east side to the west
side and acknowledged the car
approaching from the south. He
failed, however, to see the Jack
son machine bearing down from
the north.
Both the Wilsons and Mr.
Jackson told Holt County Sheriff
Leo Tomjack they were certain
the boy was never aware of the
Jackson car. Young Parks was
under the bridge and heard only
the horns and screaching tires.
Griffin said there would be no
coroner’s inquest.
A rosary was offered Tuesday
evening at Biglin’s chapel. Funer
al services were conducted at 9
a.m., Wednesday, May 11, from
St. Patrick’s Catholic church. A
large crowd attended the services.
Very Rev. Timothy O’Sullivan of
ficiated and burial was in Cal
vary cemetery.
Pallbearers were John Pruss,
William Pruss, James Sullivan,
Randy Lyons, Charles Corkle and
James Wilson, all friends of Dan
iel’s age.
The late Daniel Neil Ryan was
born at O’Neill April 13, 1945, a
son of Neil B., and Julia Ann
Beelaert Ryan.
He spent bis life here, was a
member of St. Patrick’s church
and Cub Scout pack 2
Survivors include: Father —
Neil; brother—A3/c James of
Port Austin, Mich.; sisters—Mary
of O’Neill and Judy of Alliance.
Among the relatives from a dis
tance here for the funeral were:
Mrs. Loretta Doyle of Chicago,
111.; Robert Ryan of Skoie, 111.;
Joseph Ryan of Neena, Wise.; Dr.
and Mrs. A1 Goddmg and family
of Alliance, and Miss Judy Ryan,
who had been attending school in
Alliance.
Plan Picnic—
The Elkhorn project club met
Tuesday evening at the home of
Mrs. D. N. Loy. A covered dish
supper was served by the mem
bers preceding a short business
meetting. This was the club’s
last meeting until fall. A picnic
will be held Tuesday, June 14.
Jaycee Officers Map Activities
umcers ana members of the board of di
rectors of the newly-formed Junior Chamber of
Commerce have met twice this past week to map
activities for the group. Seated (left-to-right):
Delbert Robertson, treasurer’ Dwayne Borg,
president; Larry Schaffer, director; Ed Murphy,
secretary; standing—Allan Van Vleck, director;
Cecil Baker, first vice-president; Dr. H. D. Gilder
sleeve, director; George Janousek, second vice
president, and Robert Cole, director. Fifty at
tended last Thursday’s Jaycee meeting during
which board members were elected. The officers
were chosen two weeks ago.—The Frontier Photo.
‘Danny’ Ryan . . . ill-fated
fishing trip, (story at left).
Stapowich Says
'Rain Is Coming’
Omaha Weatherman
Visitor Here
Rain will be forthcoming with
in the next few days.
Those were the considered
words of Edward Stapowich,
Omaha weather bureau chief,
who stopped off briefly on Wed
nesday in O’Neill.
Stapowich based his observance
on the fact southwestern Color
ado has been getting considerable
rainfall and the “rivers of dry
air” in that vicinity have been in
terrupted. “This will bring about
cooler temperatures in the sand
hills area and in a few days will
produce rainfall,” he added.
Stapowich has arranged
i to supply the “Voice of The
Frontier” listeners with an O’
Neill and vicinity and sandhills
region weather forecasts, be
ginning Saturday.
The veteran Omaha weather
man, who is often chided by
newspaper and radio reporters,
says he is proud of the bureau’s
record at Omaha and claims the
personnel there “bat about .900”
on the forecasting.
Prolonged dryness and lack of
moisture has handed a severe
setback to pastures and field
work.
A light frost was reported Sun
day morning in the Deliot neigh
borhood.
Week’s weather summary:
Hi Low
May 5 . 80 41
May 6 . 85 57
May 7 . 75 51
May 8 . 69 32
May 9 . 69 59
May 10 . 77 34
May 11 . 79 47
Chambers Alumni
Plans 3d Banquet
CHAMBERS — Officers and
committees of the Chambers
Alummi association have held
several meetings to plan for the
third annual reunion and ban
quet to be held here Tuesday,
May 31.
The tickets are in the hands of
the ticket committee, which in
cludes Glenn Adams, Mrs. Stan
ley Elkins, Boyd Ressel, Mrs.
Willard Thomson Mrs. Forest
Sammons, Mrs. Eugene Hoerle,
James Platt, Mrs. Glenn Taylor
and William Ritterbush.
Rodeo Boosters
Plan Trips—
Members of the newly-formed
Junior Chamber of Commerce, the
Chamber of Commerce and the
O’Neill Saddle club are planning
a series of booster trips to
boost the rodeo days to
be held June 12 and 13.
The first trip leaving O’Neill at
6 p.m., on Saturday, June 4, will
visit Ewing, Clearwater, Neligh,
Plamview, Creighton, Verdigre,
Niobrara and Orchard.
The second trip planned for
Wednesday, June 8, meeting at 6
o’clock and dividing into two
groups. One will visit Atkinson,
Stuart, Bassett and Ainsworth.
The other boosters will journey
to Spencer, Butte, Fairfax, S.D.,
Bonesteel, S.D., and Burke, S.D.
Negro Choir Unable
to Keep Appointment—
The “Wings Over Jordan” Am
erican Negro choir, scheduled to
appear in a concert here Friday
night under the auspices of the
Methodist church, was obliged to
cancel all engagements this week.
Several members of the choir
contracted influenza. A new date
will be fixed, according to Rev.
W. B. Smith, church pastor.
2 VEHICLES COLLIDE
PAGE—An auto driven by
Marian L. Heiss of Page, backing
away from the main street curb,
collided with a pickup truck
driven by Charles L. Summers of
Page. The mishap occured at
4;30 p.m., Tuesday. No one was
hurt. The Heiss machine is own
ed by Ivan Heiss. Property dam
age was small, according to dep
uty Holt County Sheriff James
Mullen.
SAILS FROM AUSTRIA
EWING—Mrs Eva Kaczor has
fecevied word from her son,
Army Cpl. Tony Kaczor, stating
■he has sailed from Europe for
the United States and expects to
to be home about May 20. He
has been stationed in Austria.
Charley Hamilton Helped Tame Outlaws . . .
Former Holt Sheriff Is 105
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS
Former Editor, The Frontier
A former Holt county sheriff
who substituted goodwill for the
Smith & Wesson revolver dur
ing a dark and critical era in
frontier history on Tuesday, May
10, celebrated his 105th birthday
anniversary. Charles W. Hamil
ton quietly noted the anniver
sary at the home of his son-in
law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs.
Rafe King, at Port Angeles,
Wash.
Mr. Hamilton took over the
reins of law enforcement in
January, 1895, at a time when
cattle rustling and hog thievery
were rampant and renegades
were having the run of the
country. The political unrest,
industrial headaches, hot winds,
empty breadbaskets and empty
purses had sounded the death
knell for all political office-hold
ers in the Holt county courthouse.
Hank McEvony had hung
up his six-uhooter and tramp
ed out of the sheriff’s office. He
had followed Ed Hershiser in
to the job.
When Mr. Hamilton moved
his family from. Stuart and took
over, he had the unpleasant
job of checking lawlessness in a
day and generation emerging
from the vigilanters and Kid
Wade period. The year 1894 had
witnessed the hanging of the
father and son Hill combination
also the December 31 hanging of
County Treasurer Barrett Scott.
One day Sheriff Hamilton
sent deputy sheriff, “Buck
(One-Shot) Charley” O’Neill into
Wheeler to apprehend a dan
gerous rustler. The criminal had
a 40-mile head start when on a
cold wintry morning, O’Neill
mounted a fiery mustang and
headed for the south country
under Hamilton’s orders to
“bring him in”.
Jo&n C. Mahrer court repor
ter Jiere recorded the flight
and pursuit of the criminal in
prose and oldtimers like Walt
er O’Malley and H D. Grady
ear r<*cite some of the lines.
A day or two later, “Buck
(One-Shot) Charley” came in
from the south country with the
rustler in chains. The criminal
capitulated in a remote corner
of the sandhills rather than
shoot it out with O’Neill.
In later life, Mr. Hamilton has
reflected upon his career as a
champion of goodwill and firm
ness in helping to tame the West.
“I only used the Smith &
Wesson once,” he remembers,
“and I’ve always been glad of
the fact I missed!”
Sheriff Hamilton, like the late
Pete Duffy, would rather unlock
the jail cell and set the prisoner
free than turn the key to lockup
a horse thief.
Hamilton served four terms
and did a creditable job. More
than a half-century ago he went
to West coast and has been mak
ing his home with his son-in-law
and daughter. Mr. King, the
son-in-law, is a son of Mr. and
Mrs. J. J. King and brother of
Clyde King who was editor of
The Frontier in the stirring days
prior to and during Mr. Hamil
ton’s tenure in the sheriff’s of
fice.
Friends on prairieland as well
as those who did not vote for
Charley Hamilton, should many
linger, are surprised and grati
fied to learn that Mr. Hamilton
has survived the wreck of time
for 105 years.
Ben Gilligan spent the weekend
in Nebraska City visiting his
mother, Mrs. Maude Gilligan.
Sheriff Hamilton . . . glad he missed.
Group Plans Sales at
Atkinson, O’Neill
The Holt County Aberdeen-An
gus Breeders’ Association held a
special meeting Monday. May 9,
at the E. L. Miner home. The
group made plans for the “Black
Friday” sale at Atkinson on Oc
tober 14 and plans for the O’Neill
sale October 21. The O’Neill sale
is being added to the schedule. A
judging contest will be held at
both places and prizes in the
form of purchase certificates of
$125, $100 and $75 will be award
ed to those winning first, second
and third prizes, respectivelly.
E. L. Miner was elected dele
gate to the national convention to
be held June 30 at Stillwater,
Okla. The Holt association is
planning to attend the state
field day June 8 at the Charles
Beerman home in Sioux City.
SMA Class of 1950
to Reunite Sunday
The annual* St. Mary’s alummi
banquet will be held at 6 o’clock
in the gym of the academy on
Sunday, May 15. The alummi
will attend the 9 o’clock mass
at St. Patrick’s Catholic church
that morning.
The golden jubilee graduating
class of 1950 will hold its fifth
year reunion at the banquet.
Gold Star Mothers
Are Honored—
CHAMBERS—A program and
tea honoring gold star mothers
was sponsored Friday evening by
the American Legion auxiliary.
Honored were Mrs. George Cam
eron, Mrs. Ted Tomjack, Mrs.
Ruben Peltzer, Mrs. Anna Albers,
Mrs. Gordon Harley, Mrs. Jack
Alderson and Mrs. Merle Fagan.
Guests Here —
Mr. and Mrs. John H. Galla
gher and daughters of Gothen
burg were Sunday guests at the
home of his mother, Mrs. John C.
Gallagher.
Capacity Crowd
Sees Song - Play
Lighting, Props Are
Outstanding
Mrs. Ralph E. Gerber of Lex
ington, formerly of O’Neill, ac
companied Mrs. Harry Petersen’s
kindergarten class Friday eve
ning in a capacity audience pre
sentation of “The Land of Make
Believe”. Mrs. Gerber is the
composer and author of the work
and this is her third song-play
of this type.
Sally Herley, as the fairy queen
Linda Heflin as Mother Goose,
and Cherlyn Van Vleck as the
old woman had the leading roles.
Other parts of woodland pixies,
shoe children and Mother Goose
children were played by Bennie
Clark, Danny Holsclaw, Dicky
Lieb, Carroll Peacock, Dale
Skulborstad, Russell Strong,
Eddie Lee Grenier, Benny Ray
Wetzler, Karen Allendorfe ,
Sheryl Bartos, Gary Colfack,
Perry Gydeson, Sheryl Harley,
Linda Sue Hunt, Jean Johnson,
Eddie Kirkpatrick, Beth Kramer,
Michael Landis, Bunny Long
necker, Patty Lorenz, Laveda
Philbrick, Kathy Renoldson,
Rita Steele, Ruth Ann Watson,
Rosemary Urban, Harland Wilk
inson and Terry Jo Wilson.
The junior band, directed by
Charles Houser, played selections
at the beginning of the program
and at intermission.
The black lighting gave a pro
fessional look to the expertly
provided flourescent scenery.
Shortly Steele and James Hols
claw created the props for this
premiere showing. Other parents
and friends asisted.
Diplomas were presented to
the kindergarten pupils who
received their awards in caps and
gowns.
This is a scene from the song-play, “The Land of Make Believe” . , . (left-to-right): Dawnrae Rob
inson (Mrs. Jack Sprat); R. V. Johnson III (Jack Sprat); Eddy Lee Grenier (Simple Simon); Dawn
Calkins (Mother Hubbard); Charisse Knight (Miss Muffett, seated); Helene Cohn (Mistress
Mary); Benny Rojr Wetzler (Pieman); Sally Herley (Fairy Queen); Linda Heflin (Mother
Goose); James Reimer (Muffin Man); Susan Ford (Bo-Peep); Clyde Neal (Boy Blue); seated in
foreground—Sharon Jackson (Jill); Jack Bailey (Jack).—O’Neill Photo Co.
Mrs. Soukup
Burial Here;
Motherofl3
Native of Bohemia;
Dies Following 10
Day Hospitalization
Mrs. Agnes Soukup, 88, widow
of the late James Soukup, died
at 11:50 pun. Friday, May 6, in
St. Anthony’s hospital where
where she had been a patient 10
days. Mrs. Soukup had suffered
a heart ailment for several years.
Funeral services were conduc
ted at 9 a.m.; Tuesday, May 10,
from ,St. Patrick’s Catholic church
with Very Rev. Timothy O’Sulli
van, church pastor, officiating.
Burial was in Calvary cemetery.
A rosary rite was offered Tues
day evening at Biglin’s chapel.
Pallbearers were grandsons:
Frank Soukup, Stanley Peters,
Frank Fleming, George Soukup,
James Hrnicek and Raymond
Wagman.
The late Mrs. Soukup, whose
maiden name was Agnes Pat
1867, in Czechoslovakia. She
came to America as a young
person and on April 9, 1889, at
Wahoo married James Soukup.
They resided on a farm in
Saunders county, near Prague,
until 1920, and became the par
ents of 13 children—all of whom
_ were born in Saunders county.
Four children died in infancy.
The Soukups resided five
miles northwest of O’Neill for a
period of five years; later spent
many years on a farm four miles
l northeast of here on the Opport
unity road. The couple retired
when their youngest son, James,
entered military service during
5 World War II.
Mr. Soukup died in July,
1946, and Mrs. Soukup continu
ed to make her home on South
Fifth street.
o "*
Survivors include; Sons—Jo
seph of O’Neill; Adolph of Bris
tow; James of Harborton, Va.,
(who was unable to attend the
funeral because- of ill health);
daughters—Mrs. James (Julia)
Fleming of O’Neill; Mrs. Joseph
(Anne) Wagman of Atkinson;
Mrs. Thomas (Bessie) Vavak of
Prague; Mrs. Engelbert (Agnes)
Hrnicek of Dwight; Mrs. Joseph
(Helen) Peter of O’Neill; Mrs.
John (Frances) Peter of O’Neill;
38 grandchildren.
Among those from a distance
attending the funeral were: Mr.
and Mrs. Englebert Hrnicek of
Dwight; Mr. and Mrs. Frick
Kohl of Crete; Mr .and Mrs.
Thomas Vavak of Prague.
Earl Miller Renamed
Zone N-6 Treasurer
ATKINSON —- Slightly more
than 100 young people from this
area were guests of Immanuel
Walther league, Atkinson, for
the zone N-6 spring rally of the
Nebraska district held Sunday.
A large group of Walther
leaguers from Christ church, O’
Neill, was present. Others came
from Plainview, Bloomfield, Os
mond, Neligh, Elgin, Spencer, Ve
nus, Butte, Fairfax, S.D., and Or
chard.
The day’s activities included a
business session at which new
officers were elected for the com
ing year, and a report was heard
from Rupert Dunklau, former
president of the Nebraska dis
trict Walther league.
A banquet featured Holy Land
slides taken and arranged by
Rev. A. C. Werner of Deshler.
The host pastor, Rev. E. G. Smith,
conducted the closing vesper.
Earl Miller of O’Neill was re
elected treasurer of the zone.
Servicemen Draw
1-Year Sentences
Ernest Arehart, jr., 17, of El
gin and Robert Hunter, 18, of
Lincoln, Friday will begin serving
one-year sentences in the men’s
reformatory at Lincoln. They
were sentenced at 2 p.m., Wed
nesday by Judge D. R. Mounts
in Holt county district court.
The young servicemen from Ft.
Leonard Wood, Mo., pleaded
guilty to charges of automobile
theft. They took a machine from
the streets, at Eldon, Mo aband
oned it at Inman, and helped
themselves to an auto owned by
Raymond Luben of Inman. The
two were arrested last week at
Neilgh.
Holt County Sheriff Leo Tom
jack expects to take Arehart and
Hunter to Lincoln on Friday.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Duane Gordon Summers, 26,
and Dorothy Helen Kamphaus,
18, O’Neill, May 5.
Leslie Chisholm jr., 24, Lin
coln, and Phyllis June Seger, 22,
Omaha, May 7.
Into Fraternity—
An initiate into Phi Mu Alpha
Sinfonia, national professional
music fraternity chapter at the
University of Nebraska, is Duane
Booth of O’Neill.