STATE HIST SOC
LINCOLN. NE3R.
THE WEATHER ***
The official Weather Bureau
five-day forecast for the Sandhills Twelve Paaes
calls for continuing cool weather M
with light showers. Temperatures
are expected to remain m the low' « *1 ■ • ^
40s at night and the high 50s diT- ,n • N'S ISSU6
"The Voice of the Beef Empire" ^
Volume 79—Number 21 O'Neill, Holt County, Nebraska, Thursday, September 17, 1959 Seven Cent*
•Mrs. Sadie Dickerson, 59, will
face a Jury (rial October 26 in
the district court In Butte. Judge
Jackson will be on the bench.
Nyal Franch, 17, could face
a lesser degree of murder al
though is still charged at pres
ent with first degree.
Possible Change in
Butte Murder Charge
BUTTE Nyal Franch, the 17-year old Naper farm youth may not
have to face first degree murder charges as originally filed hy Boyd
County Attorney William Wills.
Although still formally charged with the murder of his brother,
Frank Vanderlinde who was found dead as the result of a brace and
bit wound this summer, a pre-trial development makes speculation
possible.
The new development began last week at the pre-trial hearing of
Mrs. Sadie Dickerson, also charged with first degree murder, the
mother of Vanderlinde and Franch.
At tne nearing, at which the
date of October 26 was set for
Mrs. Dickerson’s trial, a prosecu
ting attorney, J. D. Cronin of O'
Neill, hired by Boyd county to
assist William Wills to bring char
ges against the mother and son,
told District Judge Lyle Jackson
that he would not have a part
in bringing first degree murder
charges against the l>oy.
‘‘I cannot speak for the pro e
eution, of course,** Cronin said,
"but as for myself, I d >n’t be- j
lleve I can help to prosecute
firs! deg re charges in this par
tirular case.”
When asked by Judge Jackson
whether or not Cronin would be
willing to heln Boyd county to pro-!
secu'e on a les1 er charge but still
a felony, Cronin answered yes.
Cronin will still help Wills with
the first degree murder trial of
Mrs. Dickersen, however.
In other pre-trial developments,
Judge Jackson ordered a jury
list of 40 names to bo drawn af
ter announcing his ruling on a
defense motion for a change of
venue,
•Judge Jack on denied the mo
tion by def i se attorney William
Brennan. Brennan had contend
ed that newspaper and radio
coverage in the Butte area made
it impossible for a fair trial for
the |M«ir charged with murder.
Judge Jackson also made it
clear in court that he did not feel
that Boyd county should lie bur-1
dened with 60 prospective jurors.
"It would be too expensive for the
county." i See editorial entitled
Murder Case Economy on the in
side.)
The actual trial will begin Mon
day morning. Oct. 26, with the ex
amination by defense' an I prose
outing attorneys of the 40 called
jurors. This was expected by vet
eran observers to take most of
the morning.
ROCKETS WIN
The' O'Neill Rockets won over
the Lynch town team 2-1 in a
baseball game played Sunday at |
Lynch. The winning pitcher was
Larry Heiss of Page and the losing
pitcher was Joe Walsch of Lynch.
OFF-CAM PI'S CLASS
World Geography, 61a, a 2 hour i
course from the University of Ne- j
braska will meet Saturday. Sep
tember 26 at 9:00 a m at the
O'Neill Public School. There are!
no pre-requisites.
Homesteader
Dies Sept. 10;
Funeral Monday
BUTTE The funeral of Adolf
Arp, 83, a local homesteading j
farmer in the 1880’s, was held,
here Monday at the Butte Com
munity chapel.
Mr. Arp died September 10 fol
lowing a lingering illness.
He was born in Germany in 1876
and at the age of 15, he and a
younger brother came to Amer
ica. For a time he lived in Fre- j
mont and after homesteading 2 J
miles south of Butte, later moved
to a farm 4 miles southeast of
Naper.
He was married to Caroline
Ritterbush of Mills in 1904 at Butte
and to this union 10 children were
born, all of whom are living ex
cept one son, Ernest, who died in
infancy.
He is survived by his widow,
Caroline, 3 sons. Henry of Cottage
Grove, Ore.. Wilfred of Atkinson
and Earl of Naper; 6 daughters,
Mrs. Ben (Lucy) Herrmann of
Naper, Mrs. John (Margaret)
Sattler of Gregory, S D., Mrs.
Dari (Pearl) Anderson of Anoka,
Mrs. Curtis (Irene) Ellwanger of
Butte, Mrs. Emil (Erma) Col-'
fack of Atkinson, Mrs. Herman1
(Darlene) Tunink of Butte; 22
grandchildren, 4 great-grandchild
ren, one brother, Albert of Port
land, Ore., sister, Mrs. Paul
(Minnie) Stoltenberg of Naper.
ARM IN CAST
Little Jay Evan Stewart, the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Mickey Stewart
of O’Neill broke his arm in two
places above the wrist this week.
Jay Evan’s arm was put in a
cast after he fell off his pony.
CHIROPRACTIC MEETING
Dr. J. L. Sherbahn returned
Tuesday from a four-day State
Chiropractic convention in Grand
Island.
THIEVES BREAK IN
CHAMBERS The Shavlik hard
ware store was broken into Mon
day night and 6 guns, a power
saw and a drill was stolen
Thieves gained entrance through
a window on the east side of the
building.
Mr Shavlik said the loss was
around $250. !
O’Neill High Raffle* took permanent po*»e#sion of the Frontier
Neliffh New* trophy laat Friday niffht a* they beat Nellffh. 24-«. for
the third conHecuflvfc, year. Raffle co-captalns John Kurtz and I-arry
DonUn accept the trophy from Superintendent Milton Raark.
Teenagers
Are Fined
Driving Spree
Ends in CrasFi
Four teenage toys felt the ■ c
boring effects of our law Wed
nesday afternoon when they were
charged witli 7 individual counts
which included the possession o!
beer by a minor, the purchasin''
of beer for a minor, reckless
driving and operating a motor ve
hicle without a license.
The following boys pleaded
guilty to all counts in Holt coun
ty court < numerated after their
names.
Art Snyder, 17, the son of Mr.
and Mrs. Marcus Snyder of Ewing
111 procurement of beer for a mi
nor, fined $60 and costs; (2) pos
session of beer by a minor, fined
$30 and costs.
—Thomas Sisson, 15, the son of
Mrs. Helen Sisson of Ewing, (1)
possession of toer by a minor,
fined $30, (2) no motor vehicle
license, fined $5 and (3) reckless
driving, fined $30 and costs.
-Clifford Steskal, 16, the son of
Mr. and Mrs. John Steskal of Ew
ing, (1) possession of beer by a
minor, fined $30 and costs.
-Leon Allemang, 17, the son of
Mr. and Mrs. William Allemang
of Clearwater, tl) possession of
beer by a minor, fined $25 and
co.ts.
The boys were apprehended
by officer Eugtiie Hastrelter
of the state patrol on Septem
ber li after a spree of reckless
driving and drinking resulted
in an accident near Stuart.
Sisson, the youngest of the four,
told the court he was driving
his parent’s car when he made
a left turn off the highway in
Stuart and struck a tree.
The defendents told the judge
they had started out in Ewing,
then went to Royal where Snyder
purchased a case of beer from a
tavern, then drove to Clearwater,
then back to Holt county and
wound up in Stuart where the ac
cident occurred. When apprehend
ed, the investigating officer said
he found only lVi bottles of the
beer remaining. The boys had
their beer in an ice cooler, he
said.
'IU(lK<k LAJU19 unm'i
that young Sisson had only a
learner’s driving permit and he
ordered 5 points removed from
Sisson’s license when he Is old
enough to receive one.
No one was seriously injured
in the accident.
Courtroom testimony revealed
that young Snyder had procured
beer "10 or 11 times" and had
found an ID card with the name
Mickey Hobbs on it. Snyder said
this was the card he used to buy
the beer with.
Annual Officer
Election At St. Mary's
Election of class officers and
Cheerleaders for St. Mary’s Acad
emy was held this week.
Officers of the senior class are
Ed Verzal, president; Gale Stev
ens, vice president; Jean Sulli
van, secretary; Sharon Carr,
treasurer.
Junior class officers are Tom
Higgins, president; Maria Stevens,
vice president; Jerry Jurgens
meier, secretary; and Agnes Ma
hony, treasurer
Cheerleaders for the year are
Mardell Vitt, Jean Sullivan and
Maria Stevens.
RECITAL POSTPONED
A music recital, sponsored by
the Atkinson Garden Club, plan
ned for tonight (Thursday) in At
kinson has been postponed and'
will be held at a later date.
NEGRO CHOIR
The "Wings Over Jordon” a |
Negro choir, will make a person- j
al appearance in concert Tues
day, Sept. 29, at 8 p m.
Spring in September? That’s what Mrs. John Pruss of O’Neill
has good reason to ask. One of her apple trees began to bloom for
the second time this year. The little tree, despite the warnings of
j coming frost, just got its time mixed up. Mrs. Pruss said it was
I the first time any of her trees had done this and would welcome
an explanation from plant specialists.
Local Lutherans
Prepare P-T-R
Mission Week
Christ Lutheran Church of O’
Neill is entering into its final
stages of preparation for the
Preaching-Teaching-Reaching Mis
sion to le held simultaneously
with 10 sister congregations in the
area from September 27 to Oc
tober 1.
The Evangelism Mission in each
congregation will begin with a
"mass rally" of all congregations
at 2:00 p.m., Septemlaer 27, at the
Atkinson high school auditorium
Plans indicate special music by
Sunday School children from the
participating Lutheran congrega
tions, and a "commissioning rite”
of all lay visitors for the Mission
Week.
Two lay chairmen of the local
PTR committee will address the
members of Christ Lutheran
Church this Sunday after the wor
ship service at 9 a.m., according
to William Meyer, the general
chairman. Special prayers and
sermon references are being made
in the worship services for the
Mission.
Each participating Lutheran
congregation will have its own
“Guest Missioner”, who will direct
and preach at each evening serv
ice during Mission Week. The Rev.
A. S. Gedwillo, the local pastor,
announced that the Rev. Carl J.
Gundermann of Waldorf. Minn,
will be the “Guest Missioner” in
their congregation.
The public is invited to attend
each service in their locality dur
ing the Evangelism Mission Week.
REMODEL POST OFFICE
CHAMBERS — The Post Office
here will be remodeled according
to Margaret Cooper, post mistress.
When completed the building
will be completely modern with
all new boxes and fixtures.
RETAIL SALES DOWN
Holt county's retail sales in
July did not parallel the state’s
increase of 5.6 percent over last
year at this time as a drop was
experienced here.
The sales in the county dropped
6.9 percent over July of 1958 ac
cording to the University of Ne
braska department of business re
search.
Cassidy Rites
Held Tuesday
‘"PENCJR The funeral of a long
t me res ent of the farming com
munity north of Bristow, Mrs.
Joseph C .ssidy, 71, was held Tues
i S Mary's Catholic church
in Spencer with the Rev. Robert
Steinhaui.en officiating.
Mrs. Cassidy, who moved to
California about 20 years ago,
died Tlr *day. *
Anna - M»rie Cassidy was lx>rn
Sept. 2, 1890 at Sac City. Ia., and
■lied at Mercy hospital in San
Diego S pt. 10.
She is survived by sons, Law
re e of San Diego, Lewis of Nam
I pa. Ida., Vincent of Dearborn,
Mich., and Edwin of San Diego;
1 Mrs. Charles Heller (Regina) of
San Diego and Mrs. Robert Butt
rill (Roberta) of San Fernando,
Calif.; sister, Mrs. Margaret Bar
nes of Baldwin Park, Calif.; bro
thers, Andrew Laprath of Baldwin
Park, Calif., and Herman LaPrath
of Spearfish, S. D.; 19 grandchil
dren and 4 great grandchildren.
Pallbearers were Thomas Don
1 lin, Ed Cannot, Arlen Kirk, Ger
ald Kirwin, John Langan and
I Nick Marx.
—
Two-Day Institute
For Conservation
Holt c lunty’s rural teachers will
' attend a 2-day conservation in
stitute in O'Neill Thursday and
j Friday of this week.
The program has been develop
ed by Miss French, county su
perintendent of schools in coopcr
; at ion wi'h the superviors of the
Holt Soil and Water Conserva
tion district.
Experts in their respective
fields will speak on Thursday and
a tour of conservation sites will
be held Friday.
i A lunch will be held Friday
noon at the Methodist church base
jment. Don Muhm, farm editor of
the Omaha World Herald will be
j guest speaker.
SMh ANNIVERSARY
Mr. and Mrs. Glen Butterfield of
Atkinson will celebrate their 50th
wedding anniversary at the Pres
byterian church Sunday. Open
house will be held from 2 to 5
p.m. The couple request no gifts.
All relatives and friends are in
vited.
16-Year Old Teenager dies;
Result of July 25 Accident
STUART The Charles Sehaff
family are mourning this week for
heir 16 year-old daughter, Ixiis,
who died Sunday as a result of
in automobile accident on the
Utskirts of Ewing the evening
>f July 25.
The girl was perilously near
death for the past 7 weeks in an
Omaha hospital with severe in
ternal injuries despite a long oj>
eration. Two O'Neill physicians
and the entire staff of St. An
tony's hospital in O’Neill fought
long and courageous hours for
the girl's life before she was tak
en to St. Joseph's hospital in Om
aha.
Funeral services Tuesday for
Lois saddened Stuart residents;
the girl was well liked and will
be remembered here for her
sparkling personality and good
will. She would have been a sen
ior at Stuart high school this
term.
The funeral was held at St. Bon
'face Catholic church Tuesday of
ficiated by the Rev. A. J. Pas
chang. A rosary was said for
her at the Seger Funeral Home
in Atkinson.
Luis was born Oct. 10, 1942, in
Stuart. She lived there all her life.
She is survived by her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Schaaf, 3
Tsters, Caroline of Omaha, Shii>
ley Ann and Diane, both of Stu
art. a brother, Ronald and grand
parents, Mr. and Mrs Ben Kaup
of Stuart.
Six young men were chosen as
pallbearers, Larry Clements, Jer
ry Taylor, Tom Brewster, Lar
ry Addison, Doug Cobb and Mick
Murphy.
Council Calls
For Sewer Bid
The city council threw the doors
open to contractors In the bidding
of a storm sewer at a special
meeting Tuesday.
Sealed bids will be received by
Dale French, city clerk, until
October 6 for the furnishing of
all labor, materials equip
ment.
Kirkham, Michael t <o
ciates in Omaha estir' .. J the
cost to the city at $20,125.
Plans and specifications and
contract documents may be ex
amined at the office of the city
clerk.
Ag Census Begins
In County Soon;
Residents Tested
Preparations arc being made in
Holt and surrounding counties to
make the regular 5-year agricul
tural census according to Oren E.
Cunningham of Grand Island.
Cunningham, who was in the
O’Neill area this week, said the
census of all farmers will begin
in a few weeks. Several local
people were given government
prepared crew leader tests to later
select enumerators for the census.
Local people taking the tests
were Frank C. Froelich of O’
Neill, Mae S. Hanel, Atkinson,
Mr. and Mrs Donald DeGroff of
Atkinson and Mrs. Gwendelyn
Cronk of Page.
The results of the census are
strictly confidential and are used
only by the Bureau of Census and
Secretary of Commerce to make
an advisory publication for the
use of congress.
Cunningham said every farmer
will be contacted by the govern
ment trained enumerators.
PTA RESULTS
Bob Pappenheimer, chairman of
the membership drive of the Par
ent-Teachers Association has turn
ed in excellent results.
He reported 80 members, com
pared with 61 for last year. The
drive is not yet over.
Enthused Atkinson Chamber Learns
71,000 Acres of Holt County land
Adaptable for Canal Irrigation
An interesting nucllei of local
mn listened with fascination in
Atkin-on lest week to an irrigation
plan that would literally change
the agricultural face of Holt coun
ty
The impact of what was learned
at the canal irrigation meeting
sponsored by the Atkinson Cham
ber of Commerce, was evident
upon the small crowd that attend
ed.
Interested fanners and ranch
ers were told that it was possible
to bring 71,000 aeres of land in
this immediate area under a pro
posed O’Neill Irrigation Canal dis
trict.
A potential dam site located on
the Niobrara river near Norden
would be capable of serving water
to the entire O’Neill and Atkin
son area.
Gordon Wendler of the Ains
worth district of the Missouri Val
ley Reclamation Barin was pre
sent at the meeting with four as
sistants to outline a plan that
could, if local men can be found
to push the project, do the follow
ing things right here near Atkin
son. O'Neill, Emmet and Oppor
tunity :
—A total of 71,000 acres could
1>e irrigated;
—It was estimated that 140 new
families coujd settle on irrigated
land that otherwise would be semi
arid;
—It is estimated that a cost of
between 56 and 511 per acre, per
year, to the farmer would put his
land under canal irrigation.
Leo Adams, of the Atkinson
Chamber, a pusher of the project
in tliis area, pointed out the “uo
solute necessity” of getting more
farmers and businessmen interes
ted in the project if it is to be
done.
“This project is the coming
thing,” Adams said. “It will be
here in 10 years if we can get
the thing started.”
Wendler, of the Ainsworth irri
gation project, outlined several
steps that would be necessary be
fore the O'Neill project could be
started:
1 - Organize a Niobrara river
reclamation district with officers.
2— Organize an O’Neill irriga
tion district with officers.
3— Do the same in Atkinson.
4— Fix a levy to defray expenses
for promoting and advertising.
5— Plan for contacts with Con
gressional leaders.
“If we are going to get this it
will take a lot of hard work,” Ad
ams said. "The thing is shot full
of politics but if you can see
through it, it can be one of the
finest things that ever happened
to the O’Neill and Atkinson ar
eas,” he said.
He explained that it would take
from 6 to 10 years to complete
the canal and that the federal
government would defray the en
tire cost of construction.
A concise expression of the
working and history of the pro
posed project was given at the At
kinson meeting. All necessary
tests have already been taken in,
the area, Adams said.
"I can's tell you how important!
it is for every businessman and |
community leader in the Atkinson
and O'Neill area to get behind this j
plan,” Adams added.
LOIS 8CHAAF
. . . Stuart mourns
Robert Martin
Given 3 Years
On 10 Counts
The vicc-persident of the defunct
Bartlett State Bank will serve
three years in prison, Chief Fed
eral district Judge Richard E.
Robinson ruled Thursday.
Judge Robinson levied the
sentence against Robert Mer
lyn Martin, 34, who had plead
ed no defense to five counts
of embezzlement and five counts
of making false entries.
The judge gave a 3-year sen
tence on each charge. Both may
be served at the same time.
Martin’s attorney, B. J. Cunning
ham, jr., Grand Island, asked for
leniency. He said his client mar
ried "the president’s daughter”
and went to work in the hank
against his own will. Married life
for the Martins "was not the best”
and was financially difficult, he
said.
Martin was making 250 dollars
i month at the time the crimes
1 incurred he said.
He asserted his client, n for
mer army pilot, had ‘learned
his lesson” and had been prom
ised a flying job if he were to
receive probation. Martin has
repaid seven thousand dollars
of (lie embezzlements charged
against him, he declared.
Judge Robinson said it was al
ways unpleasant to deprive any
person of his liberty, hut he could
not escape the duty in this case.
The charges against Martin said
he embezzled more than 19 thou
sand dollars.
Still to be heard is the case
against Clifford Leroy Bishop,
president of the bank, and Mar
tin’s father-in-law.
Bank examiners have said shor
tages totaling more than 173 thou
sand dollars were discovered af
ter the bank was closed last May.
First Session For
Carnegie Course Is
Here Next Week
The first session of the famed
Dale Carnegie course will be Wed
nesday, Sept. 23, at 7:30 p.m. at
the Holt county court house an
nex.
The course will be taught by
Donald A. Dahlberg of Omaha;
a former radio and television
sales expert. The course includes
the teaching of methods of effec
tive speaking, human relations
and memory training.
Dahlberg first became associat
ed with the Dale Carnegie cour
ses in 1948 and has been teach
ing since that time.
The local chapter of the O’
Neill Lions is sponsoring the 14
session course. Wednesday even
ings at a time to be specified la
ter will be set aside for the pro
grams.
The course is designed for men
and women in all walks of life.
Streeter's Nephew
On TV Program
Edward Murray, managing ed
itor of the Los Angeles Mirror
and nephew of Mrs. Dean Streeter
and Mrs. Clyde Streeter, sr., both
of this city, participated in a tele
vision program honoring the Phil
ippine’s General Romulo.
Murray, who spent the past sum
mer in Russia, was among a
group of newsmen appearing with
Romulo on Ralph Edwards’ "This
Is Your Life” show Wednesday
evening.
Romulo is a former president
of the United Nations.
Booster Extended
An extended grace period for
the operation of television boos
ters, the type maintained by O’
Neill, was given by the communi
cations commission.
The decision by the commission
extends the grace period for con
tinued operation until December
31. . "• *'/)>
MBS. Jill. IA SCHAAF
. . . tiles Tuesday
Julia Schaaf
Of Atkinson
Dies Tuesday
The funeral of Mrs. Julia Schaaf
will lie held at 10 a m. Friday at
St. Joseph’s Catholic church in At
kinson, the Rev. It. J. Parr of
ficiating.
Mrs. Schaaf, who lias lived in
Atkinson and Stuart most of her
life, died suddenly Tuesday a)
her home.
Her husband preceded tirr »
death in February of 1951. One
child, Viola Hayes, died January
; 16, 1954.
Mrs. Schaaf was born April 24,
1892 in Stuart, the daughter
Mr. and Mrs. John Bouska. She
was a life-long resident of Hot
county with the exception uf J
years in South Dakota.
A rosary will he said lonigtn
(Thursday) at 8 p.m. at the Soger
funeral home chapel in Atkinson.
She is survived by three sisters
and two brothers, all of Atkin
son, Mrs. George (Mary) Schaat
Mrs. Clair (Ann) Brook and Mr*
Lawrence (Marcella) Hayes, bro
thers, Joseph and Edward Bous
ka.
Pallbearers, all nephews, are
Donald Bouska, Ronald Bouska.
Larry Hayes, Richard Brook, Don
ald Schaaf and Marcellus Schaat
New Extension
Officers Named
Mrs. J. L. Pruden of Ewing was
elected chairman of the Hod
county extension council at an
annual meeting at the court ham
annex this week.
Mrs. Joe Rocke of Atkinson wiD
be the vice-chairman, and Mrs
Edgar Stauffer of Page the sen
retary-treasurer.
The following women were elect
ed to chairmanships: Mrs. Nta*
bert Clark of O’Neill, reading;
Mrs. Donald Nissen, Page, health-,
Mrs. George Mellor, Speneat,
music; Mrs. Harold Mlinar, O'
Neill, 4-H; Mrs. G. H. Grimes.
Chambers, past county chairman.
Mrs. A. T. Crumly, Page, retiring
county chairman and Mrs. Lloyd
Gleed, Chambers, family life.
The following women are pruap
chairmen: Mrs. Dale Stauffer.
Page, Mrs. Don Cleveland. O'
Neill, Mrs. George Keidel, Stuart
Mrs. Fred Roberts, Atkinson, Mr*
G. H. Grimes, Chambers and Mrs.
Gene Zimmerman, Ewing.
Inman's Festival Set
For September 26
The ninth annual fall festiv*
and community sale at Inmae
will be held Saturday, Sept M
and will begin with a parade at
10 a.m.
The parade will assemble at Ok
south end of main street at 9:3>
a.m. Prizes will be given. Ftm
specific information on the stir
and the day, see the advertising
on the inside pages.
A hand concert will be held at
10:45 a.m. Other highlights of
this year’s program will be Ok
WSCS bazaar, novelty races. Ok*
election of a grandmother queea.
a smorgasbord, concession stands
and free movies.
'Extra Point' Drive
Begins September 19
Fred Appleby, chairman of Ok
University of Nebraska Eitw
Point Club announced the bega*
ning of a membership drive Seu
tember 19.
Memberships at $1 per penoa
will be sold by Lowell Nesbitt,
Kenny Curren, Fritz Yantzie, Af
len "Shorty” Miles, Allen Ja»
kowiak and Fred Appleby.
While primarily intended to
help football at the Univerddg.
the funds (scholarship) are aaai
to expand the entire athletic mm
gram A goal of 118,000 has bmm
set for the state. 1i*
