Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 28, 1958)
At the hospital, Irene ami Tony Mmlloff . . . their loss is only partially covered by insurance,—The Frontier Photo. Man, Two Sons Killed in Crash Widow I s F o r m e r O’Neillite The husband of a former O’ Neillite and two of the couple’s three sons were killed Saturday morning, August 23, near Peshas tin, Wash., in a mountain road ac cident. Dead are M. L. Moody, 35, and his sons, Quentin Duane, 10, and Ronald Dean, 8 Injured and hos pitalized with bruises and shock was five-year-old Donald Maurice. Mr. Moody was the husband of the former Madeline Cavanugh, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Cavanugh, sr., of Kalis City, for merly of O’Neill. Relatives here Wednesday had not yet heard the details of the triple tragedy Mr. Moody had begun harvest ing his crop of pears last week. He had readied his season’s first load of pears for the ware house and was setting out accom panied by his three sons, who fre qently made the trip with him. The terrain is mountainous and the roads have numerous curves. Moody was driving a tractor which was pulling a pear-laden i trailer. A large truck bore down | and a crash ensued. Th« nf thp trnpt tnld ! authorities his brakes failed on the incline The truck crashed in to the tractor outfit. Little Donald Maurice never lost consciousness. Survivors include Mrs. Moody and Donald Maurice. Mr. Moody is also survived by his parents, sev eral brothers and sisters, most of whom live in California. Mrs M<xxly is a sister of Mrs. Henry Kufahl of O'Neill; Mrs. Richard (Dicki Perry of Fre mont, formerly of O’Neill; Mrs. Gary Leach of Atkinson; Duane, who is in Japan; Quentin and Mar vin. both of Falls City. The parents of the widow, also Quentin and Marvin, left early Sunday from Fremont by train to attend funeral services which were to have been held Wednesday morning. The Moodys were married in Arizona. He had operated an apple orchard in recent years and re cently switched to pears. Hruska Will Speak Here September 5 U.S. Sen. Roman Hruska will be principal speaker at a $5 per plate dinner to be held Friday, September 5, at the Town House under the auspices of the Holt county central committee. An nouncement was made Wednesday by Mrs. Guy Cble of O’Neill, Holt GOP chairman. Gov. Victor Anderson and Con gressman A. L. Miller, both seek ing reelection, also are being in vited. It is possible that U.S. Sen. Carl Curtis will also be present. Mrs. Cole is in charge of reser vations Enrolls at St. Thomas — Charles (“Chuck”) Froelich, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Froelich, will leave Tuesday, September 2, for St. Thomas Military academy at St. Paul, Minn. Chuck will be a junior. John Xaehtman. James Van Every, Henry Storjohaiin, Walter O’Malley ... a day of reminisc ing.—Tiie Frontier 1‘hoto. Whole Family in On Transatlantic Call An Africa-bound missionary from O’Neill, who has spent the past 15 months in Brussels, Bel gium, preparatory to going to a Belgian Congo mission out post, Sunday afternoon chat ted by transatlantic telephone with her parents, grandparents, brother, sister and brother-in law. The hookup was arranged by Mrs. J. C. Parker, who is the grandmother of Miss Lorraine Ernst, the missionary. Miss Ernst was to leave Brus sels by air Tuesday for Rethy, Belgian Congo. Participating in the unique call were Miss Ernst's grandfather, Mr. Parker, who was a patient at the time at St. Anthony’s hos pital; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Homer Ernst; her brother, Rich ard; her sister, Muriel, and Mur iel’s husband, Clarence Tieszen of Elkhorn. The Tieszens were spending the weekend here. The Nebraska parties were at the Northwestern Bell telephone office here with the exception of Mr. Parker, who spoke from the hospital. Each party had use of a telephone and and each heard all of the con versations. Mrs. Parker said the qual ity of the conversation was ’’much like a local call.” The call was in progress within a few minutes after being placed at 4 p.m. O'Neill time. 11 p.m., HritgghlK ti mo (iilllgun t<> School — Mr, and Mrs. Ben Gilligan took their son, Tim, to Kemper Mili tary school at Booneville, Mo. This will be Tim’s first year at Kemper. His father also attend ed Kemper and was graduated there. The Gilligans left here Saturday and returned Tuesday. John T. McAllister Expires in Hospital ATKINSON John Thoms Mc Allister, 62, who since childhood had never enjoyed robust health, died Saturday morning, August 23, in Atkinson Memorial has pital. He was born at O’Neill April 14. 1896, the son of Robert J. and Margaret Ernst McAllister. He was reared in Holt county and spent most of his life in the At kinson community. He never mar ried. Funeral services were conduct ed at 10 am.. Tuesday, August 26, at St. Joseph's Catholic church. Rev. Robert Morrocco of ficiated. Burial was in Woodlawn cemetery near the grave of his mother. Pallbearers were C. J. Brooke, John Warner, Weaver Bausch, Frank Wetter, Claude Johnson and Harry Heeb. Survivors include; Brothers — William of Atkinson and James of Tucson, Ariz.: sisters Mrs. Paul (Gladys) Adams of Phoenix, Ariz.; Mrs. Ester Mellor of At kinson; Mrs. Orville (Cedar) Thorson of O’Neill; Mrs. Lyle (Merle) Freed of Phoenix; Mrs. Albert (Leona) James of Burwell; Mrs. Avery (Maxinei Corpestein of Phoenix, and Mrs. Donna Nu gent of Tucson. TWELVE PAGES ■ VOICE OF THE FRONTIER” * MON'. < WED. SAT. , -t-, . , 9:30 to 9:55 A. M *n ‘ ^18 ISSUe North-Central Nebraska’s BIGGEST Newspaper Volume 78.—Number 18. O Neill, Holt County, Nebraska, Thursday, August 28, 1958. Seven Cents. House Disintegrates in Mystery Blast Mrs. Van Humphrey, Long III, Succumbs Funeral to Be Held Friday at 2 ATKINSON Mrs. Van Humph I rey, 7fi, who had been ill more than five years, died at 3:45 p m. Wednesday, August 27, at her home here. She had been hospit alized on several occasions during | recent years. Funeral services will be con ! ducted at 2 pm.. Friday, August 29, at First Methodist church j here with Rev. Charles Gates, | church pastor officiating. Burial j will be in Woodlawn cemetery under direction of the Seger fun I oral home. Bessie Klotzbach, daughter of Emory and Sarah Klotzbach, was born August 12, 1882, in Iowa. She was reared in Iowa and Mis souri and as a young woman mov j ed to Holt county. She met Mr. Humphrey at At kinson and they wore married January 3, 1906, in Sioux City. The couple began housekeeping on a farm nine miles northeast of Atkinson, where they lived four years. Mr. Humphrey became a rural mail carrier in 1910 and the fam ily moved into town. Mr. Hum phrey retired in 1941. The late Mrs. Humphrey was a member of the Methodist church and Royal Neighbors of America lodge. Survivors include: Widower — Van; sons—Lewis of Atkinson, Clayton of Dallas, Tex., and Thaine of Rawlins, Wyo.; daugh ters Mrs. Ralton (Floy) Jarvis of Boulder, Colo., and Mrs. Clyde I A nnnta 1 Dnforonrv f rVtprvIninnn j 111.; 17 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; sister—Mrs. Jen | nie Landon of Torronce, Calif. Ray Aldridge, 74, Dies in Vancouver —t ATKINSON — Ray Aldridge | 74, who was born and reared in I the Celia community north of here, died Friday, August 22, in a Vancouver, Wash., hospital. Hr had been ill about a week. Death was attributed to a series of heart attacks. The late Mr. Aldridge, son of Seth and Victoria Aldridge, was born February 6, 1884 at Celia. He was reared by his parents or a place located a short distance east from what is now known as the Connie Frickel farm home. In 1909 he married Isabelle Me Kathnie in O’Neill. They made their home at what is now the Con | nie Frickel home. The couple became the parents of six children. All were near him at the time of his death except j one daughter, Mrs. Lloyd Evans of ! Atkinson. Mr. Aldridge left the Celia neighborhood about 16 years ago. | After selling the home place to Frickel, he moved to Washington j state where Mr. Aldridge worked in paper mills for a time. He also lived in California for a time and then returned to Vancouver. Survivors include: Daughters- - Mrs. Lloyd (Edrie) Evans of At kinson and Mrs. Jack < Margaret t Bartlett of Boulder, Colo.; sons— Donald of Twain, Calif.; Allen of j Watertown, S.D.; Ted and Ben both of Vancouver; 15 grandchild ren; one great-grandchild; sis ter—Mrs. May Keeler of Rapid City, S.D. Mrs Keeler was also near Mr. Aldridge at the time of his death. Funeral services were to have been conducted Monday, August 25, at Vancouver. Burial was at Vancouver. Tony Mudloff Escapes in Early Morning Blitz That Baffles PAGE — The 15-thousand-dollar question prevailing here is what caused the 2:30 a.m. Friday, Aug gust 22, explosion that blitzed the Tony Mudloff farm home, locat ed a half-mile north of Page and three miles east. Fire ensued and reduced the once-com fort able farm dwelling and all the con tents to ashes and debris. Mr, Mudloff, 45, was the only member of the family on the place at the time. Mrs. Mudloff and daughter. Brenda, had gone to Omaha the day lief ore to get another daughter, Leona, who was to return home for a vaca tion from college. Mr. Mudloff was dazed by the blast and was kept at St. An thony’s hosptal until Sunday. He suffered one broken rib, facial scratches and bruses, an arm hurt and he wears a big knob on the back of his head. Page Fire Chief I. O. Wood, who was dumbfounded by the mysterious blast and devastating fire, immediately summoned the state fire marshal, who had in vestigators on the scene several hours after the incident and again on Tuesday. Mudloff Thursday evening had Carnations Pinned on 01 d Settlers S a u n d ers Reminisces at Picnic Romaine Saunders, 87. author of The Frontier's editorial page feature entitled Prairieland Talk. Monday reminisced and told an ecdotps ot pioneer life at the an nual Holt county old settler's Hc nic held at the Elmer Devall grove. (Text of the talk appears on page 4.) George Mellor was master-of ceremonies and introduced Mar garetha Kaczor, who presented a reading, "The Road to Long Ago". Mrs. Paul Nelson and Mrs. Axel Borg were heard in a vocal duet, "Silver Threads Among the Gold". Carnations were pinned on old settlers including State Sen. Frank Nelson, Henry Storjohann, John W. Nachtman, Jake Long, Steve Hicks, L. G. Gillespie, Levi Hull, Will Devall, James Van Every, Mrs. Irwin Simonson, Mrs. Delia Harrison, all of Holt county, and Mr. Saunders and Mrs. Dude Har rison, both of Lincoln. Members of the Holt County Ranchers and Rancherettes 4-H club presented a skit. Taking part were Linda Woidneck, Ricky De vall, Norma Jean Walters, Diane Devall, Larry Nelson, Georgia Mellor, Wayne Rouse, Sharon An son, Cathie Devall and Sue Nel son. Nachtman, Van Every, Stor johann and Walter O'Malley laud ed Mr. Saunder’s talk. Jake D>ng, who is 91, was “admitted"' (born) the same year Nebraska was admitted into the Union. He was born in Mills county, Iowa, had came to Holt at the age of 16; living here continousuly execept for 10 years. Frank Fundus, who was bom on the old Joe Axtell place six miles northeast of Dustin, told "Voice of The Frontier” listeners about the dissolution of the Dustin Hall association. Fundus has been treasurer since 1939. The hall years ago was transformed into a combination store and postoffice. The pos toff ice was discontinued about a year ago. Henry Stah lecker of Naper has purchased the landdmark ad the accocsiation s assets will be liquidated next tt.pi u 1, he said. Two long distance vistors at the picnic were Mrs. Mary McManus Strickland of San Francisco, Calif , and Mrs. Elsie McManus Van Sickle of Alsask. Sack., Can. Spencer Midgets defeated O - Neill. 7-6. Mick Miller, who suf fered a broken jaw recently, re turned to the O’Neill lineup. Mar cellus and Tom Wiseman pitched j for the losers. 32 SEEK JOB Thirty-two persons have ap plied for the position of custodian at the Holt county courthouse an nex. The post has been vacant since the death of John J. Un derwood. The Holt county super visors in session Friday may name a successor. Back from Scotland — Mrs. Jim Maly and two children have returned from Scotland w'here they had spent the summer with Mrs. Maly’s relatives. Mrs. Maly is a native of Scotland and met her husband there when he was in service. PICNIC HEED EMMET — The annual Holt county Knights of Columbus pic nic was held Sunday afternoon at the Pat Corrigan grove south of Emmet. finished work in the hayfield ahout 7:30, did chores, and about 9 o'clock loaded a few sheep into a pickup truck preparatory to taking them to the Sioux City market in the early hours Friday morning. Mudloff told "Voice of The Frontier” (WJAG, 780 kc) list eners Saturday morning that he parked the pickup in the front yard and went into the house to rest in a chair. As nearly as he can remember, Mudloff report ed, he never went outside after that, but he did not rule out the possibility he might have been outside and the explosion took place as he reentered. "Next thing I remember I was trying to push away timber and debris. I tried several times to free myself from timber and fin ally succeeded. "I went toward Page in the pickup and stopped at Donald Snyder's place. Snyder went with me to town and the fire depart ment was out and ready to go.” (Mrs. Jerry Asher, who lives nearby, heard the blast. Her hus band called the fire department and was first to reach the scene). Mudloff was dazed and inco herent from shock. Later he went to the home of his brother, Dan, and washed up before awakening uaii » lamilj. I >an IOOK lony to the O’Neill hospital. Tony’s glasses were found 40 feet from where the east door of the dwelling had been before the sudden disintegration. The house measured 30 x 36 feet and was single-story with part basement. There were no gas appliances in the dwelling and the only gas of any nature in the house would have been in the tiny container on the electric re frigerator. The state fjre marshal’s office ruled out sewer gas as a possible cause when a gas detection de vice failed to show any sign in the pipes. X-ray pictures were taken of debris particles and the roped-off restricted area was combed for hours by the experts who were trying to find a lead as to the cause of the mystery blast. About six years ago an oil dril ling rig was erected on the Dick Asher place about a half-mile north. The try for oil was abor tive because of granite. There is a remote possibility a gas pocket could have developed. The house had been virtually sealed with Mrs. Mudloff and the girls gone. Tony’s flip of an electric light (Continued on page 6.) Celebration at Stuart— Retired Couple Wed 50 Years STUART The golden wedding day for Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kruger hegan with a solemn high mass at 10 a.m., in St. Boniface Catholic church here and was climaxed by a public reception between 2 and 5 o’ clock held in the Municipal au ditorium. At the noon interval a family dinner was held, attended by 40 relatives. Rev. Henry Schorn of Omaha, Mr. Kruger’s nephew, officiated at the mass. Two of the Krug ers’ daughters are nuns, mem bers of the Order of St. Fran cis, and both were present for the celebration. Mr. Kruger was born April 1, 1884, at Scribner of German parentage. At the age of 21 he came to Holt county. He lived alone on a farm southeast of Stuart for three years before his marriage to Miss Lona Kunz. The nuptials took place Sep tember 22, 1908, in the church that preceded the present edi face in St. Boniface parish. The bride was the daughter of Max and Emma Kunz. She was born March 23, 1885, at Stuart. Attendants at the wedding were John Schom of Atkinson and Miss Katherine Kunz of Stuart, both of whom were pres ent for the 50th anniversary af fair. John is Mr. Kruger’s half brother; Katherine is Mrs. Kru ger’s sister. Following their marriage the couple lived south of Stuart three years. Then they purchas ed a place southwest of Stuart where they lived until 1919. At that time they moved into Stu- j art and Mr. Kruger began a 29-year career with the Nebras- | ka state highway department. In November, 1955, he retired { from the highway maintenance , patrol work. The Krugers became the par ents of six children: Jerome of Gordon; Sr. M. Maxine of Fre mont, a teacher in a Catholic school there. Sr. M. Leocretia of Milwaukee, Wise.; a nurse; Henry F. of Atkinson; Mrs. Bernadette Baggett of Omaha, and Arby of Stuart. There are three grandchildren and two gret-grandchi Idren. Mr. Kruger has one living brother, August of Scribner, and one living half-brother, John Schorn of Atkinson. Mrs. Krug er has three living sisters: Miss Margaret Kunz and Miss Kath erine Kunz, both of Stuart, and Sr. M. Ventura of Cedar Lake, Ind.. a teacher. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kruger en joy good health although they readily admitted all the excite ment of their golden wedding day “tired us out’’. He is 74; his wife is 73. Mrs. Kruger appeared in an ice blue suit and wore a gold orchid corsage. She has silver grey hair. Mr. Kruger says he's a dem ocrat but says he has cause to question “if there’s any differ ence any more in the major po litical parties”, fxw.**-.- si— The Henry Krugers . . . their golden wedding celebration began with a solemn higli mass.—The Frontier Photo. OSBiiV&ZiI HA ^ ""M A " *<* A baffling early morning blast followed by a devastating fire reduced the Mudloff farm home to debris and ashes. This is a closeup view over what was formerly a partial basement ef the six room single story dwelling. (Another photo on page 2).—The Frontier Photo. .95-In, Rainfall Received Here Moisture Welcomed in Area O'Neill early Monday received .95 of an inch welcomed rain. Beneficial showers were also re ported at Page, 1 inch; Orchard. 1.20; Plainview, 75; Osmond, 42. Burwell, Atkinson. Lynch and Creighton all reported rain in varying amounts up to an inch. Mrs. Lee Brady of Dorsey said that locality received only .20 of an inch. Maurice Graham reported 1.60 inches and Leonard Shoemak er said a substantial shower was received at his farm north o' town. hi lo pr. August 21 87 50 j August 22 69 53 .03 ■ August 23 S3 5fi August 24 77 45 August 25 79 49 .95 August 26 82 45 August 27 94 58 Total .98 Mr. and Mrs. Dean Jeffrey and family visited with friends in Tek emah Saturday and on Sunday at tended the Ringling Bros, circus in Omaha Mrs. Brown . . . her father (lied July 8. Bird Liberated by Blast Goes Visiting PAGE The parakeet cage and its occupant were blown from the Tony Mudoff dwelling in Friday's extraordinary and inexplicable explosion. The cage cleared most of the debris, the door dangled open and Mr. Parakett was gone. Saturday the parakeet turned up at the nearby Harry Tegeler farm and appeared to be no worse for the sudden liberation. Rites Held for Former Resident Mrs. Leo Brown, 45, Long 111 Funeral services for Mrs. Lm Brown, 45, the former Dorothy Thesesa Fernholz, were conducted at 10 a.m., Wednesday, August 2?. at St. Patrick's Catholic church here. Mrs. Brown died Sunday eve ning, August 24. in Our Lady o! Lourdes hospital at Norfolk follow ing a long illness. She had bee* hospitalized several months and no hope was held for her recavety because of a blood ailment Rev. Robert Dully officiated di the requiem high mass. Burial was in Calvary cemetery. Pall bearers were Joe Soukup, John Peters, Grover Shaw, Donald Clyde, Hugh Carr and Oscar Hanson. Rosary was recited Tuem day evening at Higlin’s funeral chapel. The late Mrs. Brown was tior* January 18, 1913, in the Bow Val ley community north of Hurting ton in Cedar county. Her pa rente were the late Joseph and Bemad ine Theresa Hesse. She -spent ha early childhood at llartington and at the age of nine moved with her parents to Holt county, living fur I a time near Emmet. After marriage the Browns liv ! ed at Chambers until three year* ago when they moved onto a fan* three miles east of Carrol) i*> Wayne county. They had bee* mcii iicu lit di iy a ijuai ici uj « century. Mrs. Brown was preceded is death by her parents. Her father died July 8 of this year Survivors include: Widower Leo of Carroll; sons—Donald erf O’Neill and Robert of Wayne; daughters — Mrs. Lois Brugger of Norfolk and Miss Leona of Car roll; brothers— Albert Femhotr and George Femholz, lioth of Portland, Ore.; Raymond Femholz and William Femholz, both at Winner, S.D.; Norbert Femholz ct San Jose, Calif., and John Fej» holz; sister-Mrs. Elsie Marcello* of Pico, Calif. Clyde E. Kiltz, Wife Plan Open-House CHAMBERS — Mr. and Mrs. Clyde E. Kiltz will celebrate the* 50th wedding anniversary Sunday, August 31, at their home \'k mile* northeast of Chambers. They will hold open-house from 2:30 until 5 p.m. Friends and relatives xic invited to be present. Mr. and Mrs. Kiltz were raame# August 31, 1908 at Elgin, ID, the former home of Mrs. Kiltz. They are the parents of two chil dden—Dr. Richard C. Kiltz at Everett, Wash., and Miss PhylM* J. Kiltz of Janesville, Wise., whe has just returned from Italy where she had spent the summer in study cii iiuj ALaucmy ui nunitr unucr a Fullbright grant. The Kiltzes have two grand daughters — Misses Karmen tad Katherine Ann Kiltz of Everett. Doctor Kiltz and family and Mi* Phyllis will be here for the week, also Mrs. R. F. Leitner of Elgin. 111., a sister of Mrs. Kiltz. Mr. and Mrs. Kiltz request m gifts be brought. Peter Koenig, Wife in Golden Wedding BUTTE Mr. and Mrs. Peter | Koenig of Butte Sunday, August 124, celebrated their golden wed j ding anniversary with relatives ! and friends at the American Leg. ion hall. All of the sons and daughter! and their families were presertt They are Mrs Mlinar of Stuart; Clarence Koenig of Wisner, Mrs Florence Richter of Roscoe, m, Edwin Koenig of Fairfax, S.D,' Mrs. Agnes Grow of Darby, Pa Mrs Lucille Kirwan of Longview, Wash., and Mrs. I.enore Kirwan <# Gresham, Ore. i. j | j
