Prairieland Falk—
Brothers in Livery Business
Hy KOMAINE SAl’N’DEKS, 4110 South Slat St., Lincoln 6, Nebr.
LINCOLN—Who walks the street* of O’Neill to
day who recalls the days when the three deYarman
brothers operated a livery and feed business at the
checkered bam The barn stood at the comer of
what is now Fifth and Douglas sts., where today
stands a gasoline station with cars rolling in and
'there coming from the guy at the steering wheel,
"Fill er up'.
There comes to me from
West Orange, N. J , a letter
written by a daughter of Mr. and
Mrs Jim deYarman. Mrs.
Blanche Summers. She writes
out of an inspiration that came
to her from reading a story in
Prairieland Talk. So another
native of this historic commu
nity has cast anchor in a dis
tant state, but still reads The
Frontier.
Did I know the deYar
man's? Sure why not, Henry Romolno
came periodically "to collect Saunders
a livery bill, be lieing the bookkeeper and collector
of the firm; Jim kept an eye on the teams and
rigs and Ben sat on a sulky seat driving a trotting
horse The barn was built in 1884 or '85, the pro
perty of Jim Weekes, father of the late John Weekes
of the O'Neill National Bank
The deYarmans came to town from out north
and took over the barn and business which they
continued until fire wiped out the barn and business j
in the late 1890’s or the early years in 1900. The
Frontier was for a time producea in a building just
across the street to the north of the checkered barn.
I was then the typographical artist. When he thought j
he had a choice bit of news Jim came over from
the barn to tell Clyde King about it, and then it ap
peared in "no Man’s Column" in Clyde’s own way
of telling things.
• * *
She heard the verdict read, bowed her head
and wept, fiullty, life In prison. A 15-year-old girl
the first In Nebraska If not In the nation to bo
convicted on a charge of murder. Poor girl. What
was It that started a mere child on a life of crime!
. . *
Monday, the household wash day of the Ameri
can housewife. Today washing is a pleasure to what
it once was. Toss the clothes into the machine and
they come out laundered and dry. Our mothers, our
grandmothers, toiled on wash day at the tub rubbing
and scrubbing over washboard, wrung the things
out by hand and hung them on a rope "clothesline”
in the back yard of her home in a little village known
ns O'Neill. Then a festive cowboy galloping along
who might take a shot at that line of drying clothes,
the bullet cutting the rope clothesline and that pio
neer mother's washing falling to the ground. It was
just that, that involved Billy Wrede and Sheriff Bar
ney Ceams in a quarrel, the sheriff shot and killed.
All on board a Great Lakes steamer hut two
were drowned in what the Associated Press calls the
"angry waters" of I^ake Michigan. We knew that wa
ter is wet, could be hot or cold, floated calm in its
refreshing current or rolled in breakers upon the
sands of the shores. But here comes a pencil pusher
with a new adjective describing water as "angry".
I have stood upon the shore of that inland sea, looked
into its clear depth and it brought a smile of pleasure, ;
not a frown of anger. But maybe sometimes the plac
id waters of that great lake are stirred to anger
when storms rush across from distant shores or gets
mad because of what human hands dump into its
otherwise undefiled waters. These 33 lake sailors
that went to a watery grave were not the first nor
will they l*> the last of human kind to come to an
end in that inland sea's "angry" waters.
A college down at Crete that has graduated stu
dents for many years had run low on funds. The
board of directors held out expectant hands and a
few hundred over $25,(XX) came rolling in It was
when you and Prairieland Talker were kids a group
of men singers from Doane college at Crete toured
north Nebraska, visited O'Neill and entertained us
at a concert. Those rich male voices have long since
ceased to lie heard in song, hut the money raising
campaigns still go on.
« * »
Yes, his friends Imped Governor Anderson
would retire gracefully and seat Ids elected succes
sor with a smile. Yet, If the final counting of the
vote east at the recent state election was “sloppy”
let's wipe tip tin- “slop" and find out what a re
count will show.
* * *
Have you traveled the hignway of time to come
now where the gathering shadows of life’s sunset
linger just above your own horizon? Then you know'
you have been a teacher as well as a learner. Life's
lessons are learned day by day; someone looks to you
along the way.
The melancholy days have come, denuded tree,
faded flower, hare vine clinging to the garden wall,
long nights, brief daylight, sun, moon and stars no
longer visible, only an, overcast sky above the city
and out across the farflung landscape a bit of snow,
a sprinkle of rain and on we go in silent wonder in
to the icy embrace of another winter. In fancy again
I go down to Hagerty’s lake and buckle on the skates,
launch out over the ice to cut circles, slip and slide
and whirl and glide. Billy, Jack, Ann and Sue are
there on the ice too. But as I feel the heat that comes
from the furnace I loll hack in an easy chair and
think this is the place for an old man and not down
at Hagerty’s lake cutting capers on the ice.
• • •
Best gift suggestion I know is a subscription to
north-central Nebraska’s BIG family journal—THE
FRONTIER! Only two-fifty per annum in the state;
three bucks elsewhere. Gift cards, too!
/
Editorial—
Loyd Free; What About Leon?
Loyd Grandsinger, the 25-year-old part Sioux,
has been freed by a jury. Back in 1954 on the same
charge he was convicted of murder and handed a
death sentence.
The Grandsinger case will be of widespread le
gal interest because of precedence in several ways.
The second trial, which ended Thanksgiving
eve at Rushville, involved the use by defense attor
neys of rare provisions in Nebraska law. It involv
ed a man, who sat four years in the shadow of
death, suddenly adjudged "not guilty". And the fi
nal outcome raises an interesting moral question,
If not a legal one, in regard to Loyd’s brother, Leon.
The elder Leon is now serving a 10-year sen
tence in the Nebraska penitentiary for conviction
on a charge of manslaughter. Leon had pleaded
guilty to the charge a charge growing out of the
same incident for which Loyd was tried, convicted
and later acquitted.
Loyd’s original trial took place at Valentine
Grandsinger was convicted and sentenced to die.
Then came appeals, ultimately to the U. S. circuit
court of appeals, which affirmed a Nebraska feder
al district court order for a new trial. The federal
courts said there had been errors in the original
trial. The Grandsinger case was remanded to Ne
braska for retrial.
Because of difficulty in impaneling another
jury at Valentine, the November, 1958, trial was
moved to Rushville.
Grandsinger came in for a lot of moral—and
financial—support from outside his home bailiwick.
Time favored him. The murder of State Highway
Patrolman Melvin Hansen had occurred four years
before. Hansen’s widow had remarried. Racial dis
crimination stories had become a national issue.
The Cherry county attorney, ix>an l,. uonono, was
roundly defeated in the November election. As a
prosecutor his enthusiasm for punishing Grandsing
er might have lacked sharpness. A special prosecu
tor—Tom Kelley—was imported from Omaha. Was
his heart in the job?
Some will view the case as ultimate triumph of
justice and will regard it as a testimonial to Ameri
can judicial processes. Others will view it as a tra
vesty or a mockery of law and order.
While a jury may settle the question so far as
the law is concerned, the jury can not settle the case
as far as the minds and opinions of the general pub
lic are concerned. The Cherry county sheriff, Bill
Freeman, still insists Grandsinger is guilty of Han
sen's murder.
Now about Leon:
He pleaded guilty to a manslaughter charge
out of the same incident for which Loyd was tried and
later acquitted. The facts of the case show
that Leon had even a smaller part in the death of
the state trooper for which both brothers were tried
While the two brothers were being apprehend
ed by officers, Patrolman Hansen was shot and kil
led near a roadblock. The evidence disclosed that
Leon, during the time of the shooting, was nowhere
near the scene of the affair. He had been taken in
to custody by officers while his brother, Loyd, man
aged to escape by fleeing. Some time during the
search for Loyd the patrolman was fatally shot.
If Loyd is guilty of no crime, as the Rushville
jury decided, how can Leon be kept in prison when
he had even a smaller part in the case?
It’ll take some soul-searching to find any moral
justification for such a situation.
The Frontier will pass no judgement on the
jury's verdict, but there is no justice now in keep
ing Leon behind bars. Further, does Leon have
grounds for false imprisonment and will the 1959
session of the Nebraska legislature hear a bill pro
viding for damages for Leon?
On the other hand. Leon admitted guilt to avoid
a charge of first-degree murder and possibly to
avoid a fate that was handed Loyd by the Valentine
jury. Did the outlook appear so grim for Leon on
the heels of the Hansen incident that he took the ad
mission of manslaughter as a way out.
The Ogalalla Sioux tribe went into Ceremonies
for benefit of newspaper and television cameras and
received Loyd, a one-sixteenth Sioux, with open
arms and powpow. This demonstration could have
J been rigged by professionals.
Will federal courts, which got into Loyd’s case
! on appeals, now move against him in connection
| with the Wewela, S. D., postoffice burglarly case in
which Loyd is suspect?
As we said at the outset, the Grandsinger case
will be of widespread legal interest in several ways.
Too Much Sitting Around
It’s common knowledge that physical fitness
doesn't happen to be the long suit of the average
American these days. There’s too much sitting
around, for one thing, and not enough walking, old
fashioned though it may be. That’s why automobiles
are bumper to bumper on so many streets and
parking places often are next to impossible to find.
Everyone’s doing it.
A recent statement by an official of the Presi
dent’s Council on Youth Fitness, however, leads us
to believe that the situation may be worse than we
had suspected. He says:
‘‘Spectatoritis is the nation’s number 1 fitness
problem. I was at a (armed service) recruiting sta
tion recently, and the doctors there told me they’ve
detected a new ailment—heel fractures among sol
liers learning to march. They haven't used their legs
enough to be ready for the exercise they get in ba
sic training. We do too much sitting and looking
when we should be out doing.”
At this rate, the human legs eventually may be
come useless flappers like the wings of penguins—
gone that way through disuse.
, -
Nothing Wrong with Recount
The Nebraska republicans have decided to put
up the dough for a recount of the ballots in connec
tion with the November 4 general election which
left the governor and state treasurer races neck-and
neck. Democrats Ralph Brooks and Richard Larsen
are apparent winners by margins of a fraction of
j one percent.
The GOP chieftians obviously feel their gamble
is better than 50-50 else they wouldn't shoot for the
recount.
There is nothing whatsoever wrong about going
for the recount Demo and labor leaders have brand
ed it unsportsmanlike.
As long as the recounting mechanism is a part
of Nebraska law, why not exercise it once in awhile?
The secret ballot is a complicated and almost
sacred proposition, and a recount can serve only to
heighten interest and assure all parties that the
people have spoken.
Unsportsmanlike? Hogwash!
e Frontier
Box 330 — O’Neill, Nebr.
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
Entered at the postoffice in O’Neill, Holt coun
ty, Nebraska, as second-class mail matter under the j
Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. This newspaper is S
a member of the Nebraska Press Association, Nation
al 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 upon request. All subscriptions
payable in advance.
When You & 1 Were Youn*. . .
Grimes Campaign
Costs Cigars, Apples
Nilson Spent Not
One Cent
541 Years Ago
Campaign expenses in Holt coun
ty were not very high during the!
last election They were as follows:
J A. Donohoe, $142.48 (he was elec
ted state senator from this dis
trict!; F W. Philips, $55 (he was!
defeated for the senate): H. A
Allen. $99 ihe was elected as a;
representative); Willie Calkins,;
35 cents (he was Mr Allen’s run
ning mate and was defeated); H
R Henry, $12.35 (he was elected
representative); T. J. Wilburn, $30
'he was defeated by H. A Allen); |
Otto Nilson was elected supervisor
of the First district without the ex
penditure of a cent: ,T. A. Golden,
likewise, no expenses, rejected in
the Third district; J D. Grimes,
the only supervisor who acknow
ledges having spent any money
(he swears it cost him two boxes
of cigars worth $4 and a half-bu
shel of apples worth 75 cents); I
Conrad Kramer, no expenses elec
ted in the Seventh district); Coun
ty Attorney Whelan, $92 (to se
cure his re-election'; Lew Chap
man, $6 50 (was defeated) . . .
Married: Edward J. Killmurray
and Miss Rosalie Locker, both of
Atkinson, and Await Spangler and
Miss Myrtle Bowden, both of
Agee. . . The Farmers’ Bank at
Page was robbed of a 1 tout $100
The thieves dynamited the safe
five different times.
20 Years Ago
Miss Ruth Leach, daujfhter of j
Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Leach and a
student at Wesleyan university in
Lincoln, was selected to Phi Kappa
Phi, an honorary scholastic socie
ty. Miss Leach received the high
est average of any student during
her four years. A former O'
Neill girl, Sadye Skirving Simpson
of Leavenworth. Wash., wrote a
long and interesting letter to all
her friends from her West coast
home. She visited O'Neill in 1936
and expresses her gratitude for
the hospitality shown her. She
writes of her country and many of
the interesting sights. . . Mrs
Margaret Blasius of Hollywood,
Calif., was a guest of Mrs. Mamie
Zastrow for a week.
14) Years Ago
Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Gillespie
celebrated their 46th wedding an
niversary at a family dinner at
the home of their son and his wife,
Mr. and Mrs. W. B. Gillespie. . .
Marie Schnieder was one of eight
4-H youths in the nation to win a
trip to the national 4-H club con
gress in Chicago, 111. . . Deaths:
William Martin, 70, assistant
postmaster; Elsworth J. Mack,
—86, a well-known retired banker;
Miss Carol Simonson, 45, of Coun
cil Bluffs, la., a native of Holt
county; William Clark, 69. a prom
inent Page farmer - merchant;
Thomas T Hartigan, 70. of Inman
. . , The Frontier announced that
it would begin broadcasting over
WJAG, thrice weekly. The pro
gram would be known as "The
Voice of The Frontier". Lyle Ohr
mund of Page, assisted by Bill
Beha, would announce. Johnnie
and Jeannie Mullen are to lie guest
vocalists.
One Year Ago
Dedication ceremonies were held
at the new district 231 school out
of Atkinson. State Commissioner
of Education Freeman B. Decker
and an assistant were present . .
A goal of $5,(XX) was set for twin
boosters to aid TV reception,
A new eight-lane bowling alley is
to be located in the Hunt building
in West O’Neill.
Frank M. Flannigan
Dies at Los Angeles
STUART Frank M Flannigan.
60, former resident of Stuart, died
Monday. November 24, in l>os An
geles. Calif., following lingering
illness.
Funeral services were conduct
ed Wednesday, November 26, at
Los Angeles and burial was there
Born in Minneapolis, Minn., he
lived at Stuart for a time and mar
ried Matilda Batenhorst of Stuart
Survivors include: Widow; sons
Thomas, Terrance and Frank,
jr.; daughter Ann Marie; broth
ers James C. and Albert, both
of Los Angeles; sisters Mary and
Katherine, both of Tucson, Ariz.
His parents and three brothers
John, Michael and Gibbons, pre
ceded him in death.
Roberts Returns from
Western Pacific—
SPENCER William L. Roberts,
personnelman second-class, USN,
son of Mrs, Hester S. Roberts of
Spencer and husband of the for
mer Miss Beverly J. Ruble of
Sioux Falls, S. D., returned to
I>ong Beach. Calif., Thursday, No
vember 20, aboard the destroyer
USS Mansfield after a seven
month tour of duty with the U. S.
Seventh fleet in the Western Pa
cific.
The Mansfield took part in "Op
eration Hardtack" in July at the
atomic proving grounds surround
ing the Marshall Island of Eni
wetok.
Sullivan Finishes
Recruit Training—
Daniel J. Sullivan, apprentice
petty officer second-class, USN.
son of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil V. Ank
ney of O’Neill recently was grad
uated from recruit training at the
Naval Training Center at San
Diego, Calif.
Apprentice petty officers are
chosen from the ranks of the sea
man recruits to assist company
commanders.
Burwell Weather
Station Curtailed?
O ’ N e i 11 ’s Shortwave
Station Is Factor
A representative of the United |
States weather latreau has made
a visit to Burwell to study wheth
er the Burwell synoptic weather
station should be continued, cur- :
tailed or discontinued.
B. A. Young of Kansas City, Mo.,
appeared before, the Wrangler j
club and conducted a question
and-ansvver session.
The Burwell synoptic station
was established in 1957 anil the I
cost of maintenance is approx i- j
mately two-t housand-dollars per j
year. Young spoke highly of the
work Bill Becker, Burwell observer.
"We have evaluated the quality of
his work the highest of any obser
ver in our Kansas City jurisdic- -
tion," Young said.
Young indicated the Burwell re
ports might be reduced to onee
daily.
Burwell s historical w e a t h e r I
records go hack to the pioneer
days. Later the synoptic station
was established to help perpetu
ate the weather studies of the
area.
Burwell was also valuable be
cause soealled "mainline" air- |
craft could divert around storm
centers and Burnell's information
enabled pilots to choose north
bypasses of the main route.
Establishment of an omni-range
station at O'Neill which has ra
dio facilities has diminished
somewhat the value of weather
data from Burwell. O'Neill's omni
station went on the air this sum
mer.
Lt is hoped in the near future
the O'Neill station will be manned
instead of being operated by re
mote control by civil air person
nel from Grand Island
Airmen inquiring by shortwave
at O'Neill's omni for weather in
formation are answered by Grand
Island personnel. Grand Island and
Norfolk weather radar installa
tions have fairly accurate pictures
of weather conditions in the area.
Buys l>rug Store
in Nebraska—
John Osenbaugh of Burnell has
purchased a drug store at Osceola
from Sam Crouse, who has boon
in the drog business for 50 years.
Mr. Osenbaugh, son of Mr. and
Mrs. John D. Osenbaugh, is a
graduate of O'Neill high school
and the University of Nebraska.
He is married to the former Marj
orie Ralya, who was a resident of
O’Neill. They are the parents of
five children.
As soon as housing is arranged
they will move to Osecola. The
Osenbaughs have been residents
in Burwell for over six years.
cofeSESfw
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Powerful antenna for
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JO Si DALE WILSON, Owners — O’NEILL, NEBR.
McKim Unsuccessful
in Congress Bid
Mr. arul Mrs. George McKim
ami daughter. Miss Barbara, ol
Albuquerque, N. M.t departed
Saturday after having spent a week
here with Mrs. MeKim’s sister.
Miss Ruth Harnish, and with other
relatives.
Mrs. McKim is the former Della
Harnish.
Mr. McKim, also formerly of
O'Neill, is in the realty business
at Albuquerque and was a repub
lican candidate for congress from
New Mexico in the recent election
New Mexico seats two congress
men, both of whom are elected
at-large. Mr. McKim was defeat
ed by a democrat. New Mexico
elected two demo congressmen
anil a demo governor in a sweep,
he said.
First Fur, Train,
Air Ride Told—
PAGE Mrs A. T. Cruml.v
demonstrated "the making of cor
sages" Tuesday. November 25,
when Mrs. lairon/ Riege was hos
tess to the mem I vers of the Golden
Rule Extension club for their No
vember lesson. Mrs. Roland Nissen
was a guest.
Eleven memliers answered roll
call "my first train, car or air
plane ride".
Mrs. Ivan Heiss was the winner
in the guessing game contest.
A Ixi.x will he placed at the De
eentber Hi meeting at the home of
Mrs Don Nissen to Ik* sent to the
Nebraska Children's home at
Omaha. Each member will bring
an item of clothing.
There will be a grab-hag ex
change of gifts ai the Christmas
meeting. A covered dish meal will
he served at noon.
Mrs. Ray Snell, president, pre
sided over the business meeting.
Mr. and Mrs. George Moll were
hosts at a family Thanksgiving
dinner. Those present were Mrs.
Ethel Frisch and sons, Mr. and
Mrs. Richard Clyde and family
and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Ennen
and family.
Visit In Omaha—
| Mr and Mrs Karl Hunt and
| family spent Thanksgiving with
her mother. Mrs K. W lVvereux
| of Omaha.
ROYAL THEATER
O’NEIL L
Tliurs. |)ee. I
MMIOTT \XI> COST El 1,0 MEET
II hi I Wl* 111 III
A full hour of laughs and thrills.
Family night.
Frl. Sal. Dec. 3-«
lUg Double Itill
Walt Disney's
WHITE WII.DEKNKss
From the top of the world a
new world of wonders! The fabu
lous story of the land of the mid
night sun and its legendary crea
tures. Some savage, some hilar
ious but all exulting. A true-life
adventure feature.
— ALSO —
WOLF llOti
Animal vengenance sweeps the
untamed north! A Regal scope pic
ture starring Jim Davis, Allison
Hayes, featuring Tony Brown. Aus
tin Willis, Juan Root B. Braith
waite, and introducing "Prince"
as the dog.
Sun. Mon. Tues. Dee. 7-8-9
lie's even laughier than in "No
Time for Sergeants "! Andy Grif
fith goofin'-up the Coast Guard as
ONIONHEAD
Co-starring Felicia Karr, also
co-starring Walter Matthau, Krin
O'Brien. Ray Danton, James Gre
gory. Joey Bishop, Roscoe Karris.
Even howlier than the howling
best seller! Call out the riot squad!
Andy as a sea-going eixik who puts
the whole coast guard in a stew!
Matinee Saturday Si Sunday 2:30.
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and
Friday and Saturday admission—
Adults 60c; Children under 12,
12c, Free If accompanied by par
ent. Wed.-Thurs. Family nlte,
family admitted for two adult
tickets.
.
Ipenneyis:
MORE Christmas bargains go on sale
tomorrow in Penney’s
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More than a slip, Penney's An
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