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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1956)
i Half Hour Show! “Voice of The Frontier” TEN jur t : ^ed' ™ J*1, This Issue 9:30-10 A.M. — 780 k.c. Volume 75.—Number 36. O’Neill, Holt County, Nebraska, Thursday, January 5, 1956. Seven Cents Swingley EstateValae Fixed At $203,457 “ -■ ^ Mrs. M. R. Marlatt Expires at Lynch Longtime Resident of Boyd County SPENCER — Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m., Fri day, January 6, from the Metho dist church here for Mrs. M. R. Marlatt, 78, longtime resident of the Spencer and Bristow com munities. Rev. Clyde A. Wells, church pastor, will officiate. Mrs. Marlatt suffered a stroke late Friday, December 30, at her home, and was transferred by ambulance to Sacred Heart hos pital at Lynch on new year’s day. She died early Wedhesday, Jan uary 4. She was born November 11, 1877, at Blakesburg, la. Her maiden name was Gertrude Peck. She and her husband, who lived for many years southwest of Spencer, had been married 55 years. They had been living in Spencer the past four years. Survivors include: Widower — Marlin; one son, who lives in Nor folk; two daughters—Mrs. Frank Jxjoeks of Spencer and Mrs. Mel vin Hiatt of Bristow. Lincolnites Hurt in One-Car Mishap A Lincoln couple was hurt in a one-car automobile accident about 10:30 p.m., Friday on U.S. highway 281 about 14 miles north of O’Neill. Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Nelson, 2910 Dudley street, Lincoln, were in the car being driven by Mrs. Nelson. Their northbound machine went out of control when the ear left the oil mat section of the highway and entered onto the gravel. State Patrolman Robert Gude said the car overturned several times and went into the east ditch. Gude said a dip in the road at the east end of the oil mat and the speed of the car might have caused the accident. Both Nelson and his wife were taken to St. Anthony’s hospital by ambulance. Mr. Nelson suffer ed a dislocated shoulder and body scrapes. Mrs. Nelson suffered “rather deep cuts on the upper portion of the body,” the physi cian said. Both were released on Saturday. There were no highway acci dents in the O’Neill region during the long new year’s weekend, Gude reported. Holt County Sheriff Leo Tom jack said peace incidents marred the holidays. , ° Polio Isn’t Licked Campaign Theme Polio isn’t licked yet. That’s the theme for the march of dimes drive in the city of O’ Neill. The campaign began Tues day, January 3, and extends through Monday, January 30. Despite the extensive use of polio vaccine, the officials of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis state that vastly more funds are needed for care of suf ferers and for additional research. Committee heads for the cam paign in O’Neill include: Bill Miller, business solicitation; Mrs. W. D. Melena, organizational gifts; Mrs. H. D. Gildersleeve, mothers’ march; Fred Heermann, special events and • promotions; Lowell Nesbitt and Charles Rich ter, special sport events; Bill Per ry, peanuts for polio; Don Peter sen, publicity; James Lyons, school cards and sale of blue crutches. . Alan Van Vleck is city drive chairman. City Council Again Rejects Liquor Bids For the second time in two months the city council has re jected liquor license applications of Joyce Darling, doing business as the Town House, and Paul Be ha, doing business as Slat’s Sup per club. The council remained steadfast in its long-standing policy of re stricting the number of licenses in the city When a similar hearing was conducted in November there was a third application. The other was an application for a beer li cense. REMOVAL SALE McCarvilles today .(Thursday) are launching a removal sale, o Prices have been reduced on stock to make easier the firm’s forth coming rrtove into a new building. The new building, situated be tween the Knights of Columbus building and the Johnson Jewelry, is in the finishing stages. (Details on sale on page 3.) GIBSON GETS YEAR Nelson Gibson of Atkinson, who appeared Wednesday before District Judge D. R. Mounts on charges of issuing no account checks and violation of parole, was sentenced to one year in the men’s reformatory. Holt Sheriff Leo Tom jack said he would take Gibson to Lincoln in a few days. 589 New Plates Issued Todate— Holt County Treasurer J. Ed Hancock said 589 sets of 1956 li cense plates had been issued from his office until 5 p.m., Wednes day. The new plates went on sale Tuesday. The Frontier for commercial printing. Q A number of substantial be quests in addition to a 10-thou sand-dollar gift to the Atkinson library are revealed in the will of the late Mrs. Mary M. Swingley, who died in August, 1954, at Leaf River, 111. The bequest to the library was made public three weeks ago. The Swingley will has been filed in the office of Holt County Judge Louis W. Reimer. The estate was valued at $203, 457.27, consisting of stocks, bonds, real estate and personal goods. Among institutions sharing in the will besides the library, are the Community church and chapel at Leaf River, $5,000; Lightsville cemetery at Leaf River, $1,500. Among Hplt county individuals sharing in the estate are: Emma Wewel of Atkinson, housekeeper and companion, who was given the Swingley home in Atkinson, furniture, personal items, automobile, $5,000 and a trust fund of $15,000. The will stipulated the trust was to paid out at $100 per month as income for Emma Wewel. The will further provided that if Emma Wewel pre-deceased the donor, the prop erty, money and trust fund would have to be given to Atkinson Me morial hospital. The will further set forth that any of the trust fund left after the death of Em ma Wewel will be given to the Atkinson library. District Judge and Mrs. D. R. Mounts of O’Neill were awarded $1,000. Holt county received $2,028 in inheritance tax from the estate. C. D. Bertolet of Leaf River Mrs. Swingley’s brother, is the executor. Mrs. Swingley was the widow of the late Fred H. Swingley, who was an officer of the First Na tional bank in Atkinson for 42 years. Mrs. Swingley was a book keeper at the bank many years and later was a member of the board of directors and a stock holder. Mr. Bertolet and numerous out-of-state relatives and friends were also included as benefi ciaries. Not for several years has a Holt countyan left so much money for institutions. Oliver Cromwell Heart Victim Oliver (“Scrappy”) Cromwell, j almost 50, a 28-year veteran em- | ployee of the O’Neill Photo com- j pany, died Wednesday, January 4, of a heart attack in Leola, S.D., v/hile taking pictures. Survivors include: Widow — Maxine; son—Gene of Yankton, 5. D.; sisters—Mrs. Marvin John son of O’Neill and Mrs. Albert Miller of Emmet. WEATHER SUMMARY Hi Lo December 29 .23 3 December 30 .38 7 December 31 .42 8 January 1 .35 23 January 2 .45 22 January 3 .45 22 January 4 .48 25 Mr. and Mrs. Clay Johnson, jr., and son, Harold, were new year’s evening dinner guests at the Dwayne Philbrick home. Pair Keeps Busy on 1,410- A Ranch ATKINSON—Sons and daugh ters of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. (“Char ley”) Mitchell surprised their par ents Sunday, January 1, on the occasion of their parents’ 55th wedding anniversary. The couple’s farm home, located a half-mile south of the Niobrara river near the state highway 11 bridge, was filled to overflowing with 21 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Mr. Mitchell, who will be 85 on May 30, was born near Shelby ville, Ind. His mother was of Irish origin and her name was Dugan. His father was a “Virginia Dutch man.” “I’m a Hoosier right from the start,” boasts Mr. Mitchell. He was 13-years-old when he accompanied his parents to Ne braska by train. He lived near Oakland seven or eight years and then moved to Stanton. It was seven miles north of Stanton in a “Swede settlement” where he met Bertha Willey, who was bom and reared in Stanton county. Her people later moved to Ve nus (Knox county) and on Janu ary 1, 1901, C. E. Mitchell and Bertha Willey were married by Rock Stevens at Venus. Mr. Mitchell jokingly remem bers that Stevens was wearing fancy boots on the day of the wedding. Their wedding day 55 years ago rivaled new year’s day of 1956 as far as good weather was concern ed. “There was no snow on the ground and the day was warm,” Mrs. Mitchell recalled. The couple lived near Middle branch on a farm on the Holt Knox county line between 1901 and 1907. The Willey family had moved onto a ranch north of At kinson and in 1907 the young Mitchells moved onto the same place, where they have continued to reside for 48 years. The place has been enlarged down through the years and now sprawls over 1,410 acres. In addition, Mr. Mitchell op erates 400 acres of state-owned school land. Both enjoy good health and en tertain no thoughts about leaving the homeplace. Mrs. Mitchell will be 73 on May 8. Mr. Mitchell looks after the cat tle and daily mounts a horse to tend them—that is until last week when his 21-year-old favorite saddle horse disappeared. Mr. Mitchell, who retains a sharp wit and keen sense of hu mor despite his advanced age and the hardship he has endured over the years, is a determined demo crat and wryly predicts a change in presidents in 1956. He said he voted for the first time in 1892. The short-statured northern Holt rancher steadfast ly worked for the presidential election of one of his idols, Wil liam Jennings Bryan, “but it did n’t do any good.” Bryan failed three times. Three of the Mitchells’ 11 chil dren are deceased: Ethel, Hazel and William. The latter died last year. Their living children are: Mrs. Fred (Lulu) Dunn of Atkinson, Adrain of Atkinson, Mrs. WiViam (Vera) Coburn of O’Neill (Phoe nix community), Mrs. Evan (Blanche) Lewis ojf Spencer, Har ry of Atkinson, W. E. (“Bud”) of Redbird, Mrs. William (Besiel Crawford of Atkinson, and John, who resides on the same place near the parents. Mr. Mitchell has a brother, Har ry, who lives at Matoon, 111.; Mrs. Mitchell has two brothers, Othel Willey of Columbus and Otto Wil ley of Everett, Wash., and one sis ter, Mrs. Maude Manning of Turn er. A tape-recorded interview with Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell was heard on Monday’s “Voice of The Fi on tier” program (WJAG, 780 k.c.) Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Mitchell , . . parents of 11 children, 48 years on same place.—The Frontier Photo. Dismissal Likely in Tax Case County’s Demurrer Is Upheld by Court; Appeal Is Possible An application for a temporary injunction against the Holt county equalization board, protesting real estate taxes and valuation in creases, is expected to be tossed out or appealed within the next few days. Plaintiffs in the protest action are Fred Boettcher, Daphine Kretchman, Alfred James, Louis Lauridsen, W. P. Elley, Jesse Clark, Joe Dobrovolny, Albert Lemmer, Rudy Dvorak, Harold Shaw, Henry Dobrovolny, Blaine Garwood, E. E. Gotschall, Anton Dobrovolny and others. Francis D. Lee of Atkinson is attorney for the plaintiffs, most of whom reside south and south west of Atkinson. On October 31, the Boettcher group filed a petition praying for a temporary injunction against the county in the collection of all real estate taxes based upon the increases in valuations made by the county board, E. T. Wilkins & Associates and a county reap praisal committee. These groups had fixed rural real estate values for 1955. The petitioners asked the court for relief “for themselves and for all others similarly sit uated.’’ Subsequently, Holt County At torney William W. Griffin filed a demurrer in behalf of the county board, claiming the plaintiffs had no cause of action or right to re lief. The defendants claimed they had not violated any procedural law and that they had acted prop erly and in good faith in accord ance with the statutes. On December 1 the attorneys argued the matter before District Judge Lyle Jackson of Neligh, who was invited into the action when District Judge D. R. Mounts of O’Neill disqualified himself. Judge Jackson sustained the demurrer, held that the plain (Continued on page 10) ---^ —a..-.-..'- , 4 Douglas Lynn (left) and Daniel Leon, identical twin sons of Mr. and Mrs. Heinrich Frahm ©1 Amelia, arrived Tuesday morning in Atkinson Memorial hospital—the first-born in Holt county in tlie new year.—The Frontier Photo. Frahm Twins Derby Winners For the first time in the 10-year history of the Holt county first baby derby a multiple birth fac tored in determining the outcome. Twin boys born early Tuesday, January 3, in Atkinson Memorial hospital become the 1956 co champions. Parents are Mr. and Mrs. Heinrich Frahm of Amelia. Dr. James Ramsay of Atkinson was the physician. Douglas Lynn, weighing 5 pounds HVz ounces, arrived at 10 a.m.. and Daniel Leon entered this world at 10:15, weighing 5 pounds 12 ounces. At 10:30 a.m., Doctor Ram say advised The Frontier of the arrival of the twin contenders for the title, and the word was flashed to the world at 10:45 by the “Voice of The Frontier” (WJAG, 780 k.c.) Nineteen O’Neill merchants have set aside a host of gifts for the derby champion. By virtue of the dual birth, some of the O’Neill merchants participating in the shower hastily sent in word that duplicate awards will be made in some instances in which duplica tion is suitable. No provisions in contest rules had been made for a twin situa tion. But the widespread rejoicing for the Frahms prompted the First Baby Editor to make a check of medical circles in the county. The official winner was to have been proclaimed in the January 12 is sue. “Chances are 999-to-l that Douglas Lynn and Daniel Leon are the co-champions,” the First Baby Editor declared. Doug and Dan have a “big” sis ter. Her name is Patricia Lee, 3. “The twins are identical,” ac cording to the mother, “and they seem to be wonderful!” The babies weren’t named im mediately, but hospital attend ants had them labeled with “A” and “B” bracelets. Mrs. Frahm’s maiden name was Agnes Forbes, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Forbes of Rose, near Bassett. Twins have not been uncommon for both the Frahm and Forbes sides of the famliy. Mrs. Frahm has an aunt and uncle who are twins. The father of the co champs himself is a twin (he has a twin sister). Pete Frahm of Amelia, the grandfather, was at the hospital when The Frontier’s special events unit arrived. He said twins had been common in the family for many generations. “My father was a twin ... I Death Claims Third Member of Family The third member of A. L. (“Pat”) Patton’s family to die within six weeks expired Satur day, December 31, in Longview, Tex. Mrs. C. E. Ross, who had suf fered a lingering illness, was buried Tuesday, January 3, at Longview. She was Mr. Patton’s sister. His father died November 18 and his mother died December 15, both at Pittsburg, Kans. Mrs. Ross’s survivors include: Widower; son, 20; three sisters and one brother. Mr. Patton was unable to at tend his sister’s funeral. have two daughters who became mothers of twins,” he added. Firms cooperating in the show er include Gambles, Biglin’s, Mid west Furniture, Merri Dr. Pepper Botling Co., J. M. McDonald Co., Coyne’s Hardware, Moore-Noble Lumber & Coal Co., O’Neill Photo Co., McCarvilles, Shelhamer Foods, McIntosh Jewelry, Gilli gan’s Rexall Store, New Outlaw, “Scovie’s” Western Auto Store, M&M Bakery and Cafe, Elkhom Flower Shop, Apparel Shop, Meadow Gold (Beatrice Foods), and The Frontier. Lautenschlager, 78, Burial at Orchard ORCHARD—Mrs. Floa Laut enschlager, 78, a former resident of Orchard, died Wednesday eve ning, December 28, in a Sioux City hospital. Funeral services were conduct ed Saturday afternoon, Decem ber 31, from the United Brethren church in Orchard and burial was near the grave of her husband. She moved to Sioux City from Orchard eight years ago. Survivors include: Daughter— Mrs. Amy True of Medford, Ore.; sons — Lyle of Sioux City and John of Liberal, Kans.; two sis ters; three brothers; a number of grandchildren. BOARD TO REORGANIZE Holt county board of supervis ors will meet on Tuesday, Janu ary 10, to reorganize for the new year. Burial Here Miss Helen Gallagher, 46 (above), twin daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. James P. Gallagher of O’Neill, died un expectedly Tuesday, December 27. She was stricken with a heart attack while visiting her brother, Dr. Frank Gallagher, in LaCrosse, Wise. Survivors in clude her brother and a twin sister, Miss Hilda, an O’Neill public school teacher. ---—. . ...-... ‘City of 3,500 Friendly People’ Gets New Signs Three huge signboards are be ing erected at three highway entrances to the city, according to Mayor Alva Marcellus. The signs proclaim: “Welcome to O’Neill ... the city of 3 500 friendly people.” On the reverse side persons leaving the city will read: “Thank-you . . . come again.” Mayor Marcellus said the signs have been financed from a fund collected for this purpose by the Junior Chamber of Com merce and supplemented by a cash outlay by the Chamber of Commerce. Grubb Signs provid ed the artwork. The mayor said the signs would be erected in order to be seen by motorists entering from the east on U.S. highways 20 and 275; from the north and west on highways 20 and 281, and from the south on 281. Mrs, Amelia Werner Rites at Atkinson Resident of Holt 65 Years EMMET—Mrs. Amelia Werner, 72, a resident of Holt county for 65 years, died Thursday morning, December 29, at her farm home eight miles southeast of Atkinson. Funeral services were conduct ed Saturday, December 31, from the St. John’s Lutheran church in Atkinson. Rev. E. W. Dannitschek officiated Burial was in Wood lawn cemetery. Pallbearers were John Conard, Herman Grothe, Joseph Welsh, Orville Hitchcock, Leon Beckwith and William Grothe. Mrs. Werner was the former Amelia Meyer. She was bom January 11, 1883, at Carroll, la. On May 15, 1901, she married Henry J. Werner at O’Neill. They lived all their married life on a farm west of Emmet. Survivors include: Daughters— Mrs. Cecil (Mabel) Bogue of At kinson and Mrs. Gifford (Lila) Caldwell of Omaha; sons— Harry of Emmet, Wayne of Spinnard, Alaska, and Kenneth of Chambers; six grandchildren. Extension Schedules 2 Meets Next Week The winter meeting of the Holt county home extension council will be held Tuesday, January 10, at 1:30 p.m., in the assembly room of the courthouse. Miss Ethel Saxton, state home agent supervisor, will be on hand to discuss the clubs program of work for the ensuing year as well as long-time projects. Training in the duties of each office will be given for presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries, read ing and music leaders of home extension clubs at the assembly room of the courthouse on Friday, January 13, beginning at 10 a.m. Schedule: Reading leader, 10 to 11 ajn.; music leaders, 11 a.m., to 12 noon; publicity chairmen, 1 to 2 p.m.; presidents, vice-presidents, and secretaries, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Local leaders who will help with this training are: Mrs. Oliver Ross of O’Neill; Mrs. Robert Mar tens of Atkinson; Mrs. John Sil verstrand of Atkinson; Mrs. Har ry Ressel of O’Neill and Mrs. Frank Eppenbaugh of O’Neill. Firemen Called to Turkey Farm A fire which is believed to have started from faulty wiring or from a heater, required ser vices of O’Neill firemen for more than an hour Wednesday morning. They were summoned to the Tri State turkey farm southwest of the city at 9:50. Two trucks an swered the alarm. The blaze started in the pump house near the grain-feed stor age elevator. Flames worked into the elevator and there was con siderable smoke. Clark Willson, manager, said workmen had been in the vicini ty 20 minutes earlier. One of the men returned to the builtup area to get a wrench and discovered the smoke. Damage is estimated between three- and four-hundred doll ars. Friday evening at 6 o’clock the firemen were summoned to the Elmer Neal residence in the north west section. Damage from a heater was slight. BROTHER DIES PAGE—Harold Patterson, bro ther of Leo Neubauer BT3, who has been critically ill at Omaha, went into a coma and died Mon day, December 26. Leo was call ed home from Formosa on ac count of his brother’s health, but returned to duty several weeks ago. 4 Burned, 2 Seriously, in House Fire Mrs.Spence, Baby Are ‘Critical’ Observer Goes Into Flaming House to * Rescue Small Boy Special to The Frontier ATKINSON—A 25-year-old At kinson mother and her 2-year-old ' daughter lie critically ill in At— » kinson Memorial hospital. Mrs. Floyd Spence and her young daughter are suffering from: third degree burns about their chests, arms and legs. They were burned in a dwelling fire about 10:30 o’clock Tuesday night. Roy Woodruff, 65, stepfather of Mr. Spence, had entered the? four-room home to get warm. Mr. Spence and a friend, Clyde Neal, 32, were working on a pickup truck a few feet from the front door. Mr. Woodruff was said to have poured kerosene into the heating stove in the living room. An ex plosion ensued. The flames burn ed four persons, two seriously. Mr. Woodruff hurried out the door with the trouser legs afire. r- - ... .. ^ Mrs. Spence and daughter „» fire victims. » Mrs. Spence grabbed her httrc daughter, Linda Lou, and madfe her way out the same entrance. lit was apparent, Neal said, they were badly burned. The burned woman exclaimed! that her 4-year-old son, Roger Lee, was left behind in a bed room. Neal huddled his face under a coat and went through the fire to rescue the boy. The lad’s cries enabled the rescuer to lo cate him readily. Neal withdrew from the burning building via the same exit. The four victims were taken to the hospital. Neal was dismissed after burns on his hands were dressed. The interior of the house was badly damaged and many per sonal effects were lost. Mr. Spence called the fire de partment and the burn vicitirras were taken to the hospital by am bulance. Woodruff was transferred Wed nesday afternoon to the Veteran?; hospital at Grand Island. Mr. Woodruff, who several years agt> lost an arm in a saw accident, is a veteran of World War I. Both of his legs, one arm and his face are burned. His burns are considered less serious than those suffered by the? young mother and her daughter. Sageser Suffers Broken Ribs— CHAMBERS — E. V. Sageser met with a slight accident Wed nesday, December 28, when hfc* car overturned on the icy road! sa few miles south of O’Neill. Mr:. Sageser received a broken rib axu3 slight damage to his car. Lt. and Mrs. J. E. Merriman and! daughter, Tracy, of Atlanta, Ga.» arrived Tuesday to spend a few days visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. L. M. Merriman. _ o Mr. and Mrs. Bert Harding of Whiting, la., came Tuesday to attend the John Claussen farm sale. Their daughter, Mrs. Jules; Waugh of Whiting, accompanied.