The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current, November 23, 1905, Image 3

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GREATCOAT
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" "-
GEORGE PITMAN ACQUITTED
The Case Elicited Considerable Interest
and Went to Jury Late Last Night.
MANY WITNESSES WERE IN ATTENDANCE
The Excellent Character of the Young Man
Endorsed by His Neighbors.
(Jetiiye 1'itman is Innocent of statu
tory rape, as charged in the complaint
against the young man. That Is what
the jury sakl late last evening, after
deliberating less than twenty minutes.
leoti:e Pitman is a young man about
eighteen years of age, and is a son of
C. W. Pitman, who lives near Weep
ing Water, and the famiiy is consid
ered among the best in Cass county.
The young man had always borne the
very best reputation up to the date
that this charge was brought against
him. and it startled the neighljorhood
when he was arresttd last spring.
With some it was then considered a
trumped-up charge in order to extort
a sum of money rrom the young man's
father, who is well-to-do.
No matter how much truth there
may be. either pro or con, in the case
the young man has been honorably
acquitted by a jury of our common
countrymen, and this will perhaps be
the last or the matter. The case occu
pied all of yesterday and until late in
the evening.
While there was considerable sym
pathy expressed tor the young girl,
who is yet in short dresses and claims
and looks to be less than l:: years of
age. it is believed that her father is to
blame for bringing the matter into
court and thus place a blot upon her
character which time cannot erase.
This was done in face of the fact that
some of the best people in Cass county
were ready to swear to the excellent
character of young Pitman, who bad
lived in the neighborhood all his life.
This case drew a large audience, and
the interest taken in it by the old
baldheads about town was truly amus
ing, many of them not even taking
the time to go borne to dinner.
SPECIAL
AMERICAN
INDESTRUCTABLE
DISC RECORDS
lei inches
onlv '.
THIS
LARGE
TALKING
MACHINE
with a large
cabinet and I
a -J4-in Bras' !
Bell Horn. 1 5
dozen liMn. I
Columbia re- J
cords and .100 J
needles, all J
complete for 2
$30.00:
Phil Sauter, ;
Platt-nuutli Nfl t
PHONOGRAPHS
"S -S Ml, II
AMERICAN jzi-jAjcUA
; INDESTRUCTABLE rJ9'
: DISC RECORDS jgi
10i inches -rTc.
only '.
i A
in rQ
Do. O. n
Overcoat . ,
Headquarters
for Men, Boys
and Children
A Word DSfAC
About I llUvbiii
Considering Quality,
you will find this the
place for tliose with
conservative purses
t ho place vou jet the
quality at the I'KICK.
( )ur advance in liusi
ii ess is attriliuted to
but one tiling
Modern Business Methods,
Quick Sales, Small Profits
0
"e like to show our iroods
C O MnE I N!
Do. o. ft
" "
Lived In a Well for Three Months.
The Weeping Water Herald of this
week tells the following story, which
touches on the amazing vitality of a
common little dog:
"Three monthsagoA. I. Rockwell's
family missed their canine. He was
not so valuable, but was a household
favorite. Last Sunday the children
were playing in the timber west of
their house, and found an old unused
well, and in the bottom discovered the
missing dog. They were not long in
bringing it to the surface, and his
dogship was about the rockiest speci
men ever seen. Just a pile of bones
with skin over them. Doggy was too
weak to even bark, but was alive and
bids fair to soon gather strength
enough to perform his usual duties.
How the clog subsisted so long is a
mystery, as the- bottom of the well
was dry, and nothing was in t ere to
eat but the bones of a calf.''
Lecture.
James Stander. delegate to the
World's Fourth Sunday School con
vention at Jerusalem, will give a talk
on "Egypt, the Pyramids and Sunday
School WTork at Cairo," in the M. E.
church of South Bend, Sunday evening,
November 2iith, beginning at 7:.'J0.
t'nder the auspices of the Sunday
school. Everybody is cordially invited.
Admission free. Turn out and hear
the story on the lliver Nile country.
"1 Thank the Lord."
cried Hannah Plant, or Little Rock,
Ark., '"for the relief I got from Buck
lin's Arnica Salve. It cujed my fear
ful running sores, which nothing else
would heal, and from which I had
suffered for years." It is a marvel
ous healer for cuts, burns and wounds.
Guaranteed at F. !. Fricke - Co.
drug store: 25c.
Very True.
The fact that we may like or dislike
a person neither adds to, nor detracts
from their true personal worth. Our
best friends may be decidedly lacking
in those lofty and sublime traits that
we most admire, while our enemies
may possess the most noble and com
mendable qualities of manhood.
EXCHAN6E YOUR
OLD RECORDS
FOR NEW
we allow
you ."oc
iind talking inru'Mnes of all kinds. :iml :i record stock second
to none, including all the new hit-, and popular pieces, which
we exchange tor your old ones.
JEROME,
SMASHER
OF BOSSES
Personality of tlis Man Who Has
Besn Elected District At
torney of New York In
Defiance of Politi
cal Machines.
Becam; a National Figure by Darin to
Be Independent Declined Nomina
tions For Governor and Mayor
Because tic Wanted to
Raise Moral Issue.
TUB UK is a now school of politi
cians ii!i;ttl in the land. Some
will say that this is a good
thing, for whatever the new
sort is like it must he better than the
old. That does not necessarily follow,
but in u mailer of fact this latest
brand does seem to he an improve
ment. Tor one tiling it is a winner, j
and that counts for much, especially ;
in politics. For another it is young,
breezy, vigorous and original. For still
another it is independent, frank uud
honest. It talks Tight out Iu nicetm'"
and licit onlj says things, hut does
them. It tfocs after corruption and rips
up the boss. It may be spectacular,
but it is interesting. It may talk slang
sometimes, but it is clean. It strikes
the chord of righteousness iu a new
way, aud that chord never fails to re
spond. The most conspicuous examples of
this new school are, perhaps, Itoose
velt, I-a Follette, Folk, Weaver and Je
rome. It has beeu said that the last
shall be nrst. and that is so at least
in this article. Jerome just now is
very much iu the public eye because
of the fact that the people of New
York have smashed all sorts of polit
ical machines to re-elect him district
attorney. It takes a man to be elected
to office without any kiud of partisan
support, especially iu New York.
"The Man With the Ax."
Jerome Is known around Gotham as
"the man with the ax." He gaiued
that title when a justice of special ses
sions. Learning that the police were
protecting vice aud crime, he went
with the officers to serve his own war
rants aud more than ouce wielded the
ax to break down the doors of gam
bling and other disreputable houses. It
was then that he made a remark wor
thy to live, "I do not believe the Ten
Commaudments have beeu repealed."
It was his record as judge that gave
him the unanimous nomination of the
anti-Tammany forces for district at
torney. That was four years a;.). His
method of campaigning made him the
central figure of the light. Itentiug a
room downtown, he never went near
any of the political headquarters, but
arranged his own schedules aud wont
his own gait. His manner of hitting
every head he saw alarmed the politi
cians. He not only went after Croker.
the opposition boss, but lambasted
Piatt, who was supposed to be sup
porting Jerome's side. The fusion
managers begged him to moderate his
language, but he only made it stronger.
Almost every one thought his Impolitic
course would defeat him. Bets were
freely offered at 4 to 1 against him.
HIS EAST SIDE HOME IN HIS WORKSHOP
Vet li wa elected. The iieople' evi
dently believed lu a man who would
take a crack at every boss J a ight.
His new style of whirlwind caujjialgu
iug was a revelatijn and a winner.
That elect iou was for four yean, while
the rest of the ticket only went iu for
two. Wheu he took orlice he rented a
house on the eat side, as he had prom
ised to do. Uere he established a
branch otlice. where the poorer citizens
who were not able to get olf during the
day could come to him for justice at
uiiit. At lirst few uppcurcd.
The sort of olliceis with whom they
were familiar had always demanded
money lu the form of "shakedowns."
Soon they learned the true character of
this man, however, and now when the
poorer denizens of the east side want a
square deal they "appeal to Jerome."
Outside of this tenement for it is lit
tle more than that Mr. Jerome has a
summer home iu Connecticut, where
"before he took otlice most of his time
was spent. Despite his ripping way of
making campaigns and his hammer
and tongs methods of going after gam
blers and grafters, he is a very domes
tic man, quiet In manner, studious and
a gentleman loth by inheritance and
Instinct. After all. It Is these quiet,
earnest people who stir things. The
loud brawler seldom moves anything
exept the atmosphere.
Lives L'p to His Theories.
In otlice Jerome is said to be cilicicnt
and to keep bis work even with the
calendar. It is his theory to crowd
through every criminal case on the
jump, and he is the sort of man that
lives up to his theories, lie has few,
by thv? way, being too busy to think of
them.
The most sensational thing he has
done in oliice was to drive out gam
bling. That is a story in itself, an old
one, but worth retelling. The lirst ef
fort Mas u failure because of delicient
laws. Then Jerome shifted his base
of operations to Albany and had the
law amended. It took a light to do it.
but a loss of temper on the part of the
senator representing the gamblers and
an attack on the Republican leader,
Senator Haines aroused the ire of that
gentleman and caused him to push the
bill through.
After the new law was enacted an
amusing thing occurred. The Tam
many chief of police announced that
there was no gambling in New York.
Then something happened. Calling the
owners of the biggest gambling houses
into his office, Mr. Jerome quietly ex
plained to them that he had them
"dead to rights." They seemed t
agree with him. It was a question as
to whether they would close voluntari
ly or be closed. They decided to close
voluntarily. As a result two large
rooms at the district attorney's office
are packed full of gambling parapher
nalia, ami some of it overflows into
other rooms.
"When Mayor Low's term was draw
ing to a close Mr. Jerome again did a
thing which drew around his ears a
hornets nest. Everybody said ou the
quiet that it was impossible to re-elect
Low, and Jerome became convinced of
that fact. He is not the sort to say a
thing quietly which he thinks should
be said openly, so he said loud enough
for all New York to hear that he did
not think Low should be renominated.
Everybody exclaimed, "How true, but
how impolitic!" The upshot was that
Low was renominated and defeated ty
an overwhelming majority.
In 1904 Senator David B. Hill offered
Jerome the Democratic nomination for
governor, provided, of course, that he
would be a good Indian and not do
things to the machine. The district r.i
tDrney's language in declining is not
on record, but is said to have been
vigorous.
Went on the Ballot by Petition.
When the campaign of this year tip-"
preached. William Travs: Jerome
was' practically " offered the fusion
nomination for mayor, which would
probably have meant his election. He
declined. He wanted to be rc-ch'cte.l
district attorney, he xaid. and n .r.aing
else. .Moreover, he wanted to make a
tight against the bosses of both parties.
He wanted to show the people of New
York that a man could be elected with
out any machine behind him. He be
lieve) 1 it time t raise a moral Issue, tj
declare again for individual liberty.
Since no one else seemid ready to do
this, he would do it himself. He did
it. Iu the beginning e cry newspaper
iu the city practically declar.sl that he
hail cut his own political throat, that he
had prevented fusion and many other
dreadful things. Anyway, he went on
the ballot by petition. All the regular
conventions refused to nominate him.
The betting was all against him, the
odds lu the start lelng overwhelming.
It was interesting, however, to note
the way those odds came down us Je
rome wariuil up lu the campaign. He
fore it was half through they were
even. Then the Republican candidate
withdrew, and the convention of that
party substituted the name of Jerome,
although it was so late the courts
knocked out the action. From that
time forward the letting odds set iu
Jerome's favor, ami before the tight
ended they were as heavy for him as
previously they had been against him.
Jerome's issue throughout was a
declaration of Independence against
the bosses, and he could not be divert
ed from ihat line of attack. One of
the most illuminating incidents of the
campaign was furnished by the Tam
many candid ate, James W. Osborne,
formerly an assistant in the oliice. lie
spoke of the great number of opportu
nities the district attorney had for get
ting graft and remarked that "if Je
rome didn't get It he was a fool."
When the statement was shown to
Mr. Jerome he looked pensive for a
moment and said gently, "Poor Jim!"
It stuck. Mr. Osborue remained
"I'oor Jim" throughout the campaign,
and he will be fortuuate to lose the ap
pellation during his life. Jerome's
campaign slogan against Murphy has
been, "Where did he get it 7" varied
sometimes by "Where did he uot get
it 7" These two he has made us fa
mous as "I'oor Jim."
A National Figure.
The
grew
thor.
moral
boss
issue started by Mr.
beyond the dreams of
Before the end it became
J erome
Its au
a great
crusade for the
control, a civic
wiping out of
reform wave
sweeping all before it. The whirlwind
campaign developed into a cyclone of
ballots by election day. The revolt
against machine methods found such
widespread response that it made of
Jerome a national figure. Seldom, if
ever, in modern political history has
there beeu so uuique a tight, one so in
volving the element of doing the right
thing regardless of consequences, one
so appealing to the imagination and the
spirit of righteousness.
William Travers Jerome was boru iu
New York April IS, 3S.1U. He comes
of a distinguished family, his father,
Lawrence IJ. Jerome, having been one
of the best known men in the New
York of an earlier day. He, too, was a
politician, but without any reform pro
clivities. Millionaire banker, promoter,
patron of sports, literature and art,
practical joker and after dinner speak
er, Lawrence It. Jerome was consid
ered a prince of good fellows. The
story of the son's christening is worth
telling. The elder Jerome was dining
downtown with William It. Travers
when a telegram was handed him au
uouueing the boy's arrival.
"W-what's the d-d-duffer's name7"
stammered Travers.
"William Travers Jerome,"' announc
ed the proud father, little knowing just
how famous that name was destined to
become. -
Another story is told of the senior
Jerome that, though old, may have
been new when he sprung it. Being in
a crowded Broadway bus, the father
took William Travers, then a boy of
ten, ou his knee. A stunning young
lady came aboard and was compelled
to stand. "Travers." reprovingly re
marked the father, "why do you not
get up and give the lady your seat 7"
There is a story told of the young
man's youth indicating that he himself
was not exactly a Sunday school boy.
His mother remoustrated with him for
playing cards, asking him if a great
deal of time were not lost In playing
the game. "Yes, mother," be smiled In
reply, "there is in shuffling and deal
ing." An uncle of the district attorney,
Leonard Jerome, was the man for
whom the famous Jerome race track
park was named.
A cousin is Lady Randolph Churchill,
of whom Gladstone once said that she
could make more votes than any cam
paign orator in England.
Greatest Fad His Machine Shop.
Wheu a young man William Travers
Jerome was very delicate, being forced
to leave college before graduation ou
account of a breakdown. He then be
gan outdoor exercises to build up his
body. He plays golf and used to be an
enthusiastic bicyclist, but now substi
tutes automobile campaigning for that
sport. Perhaps his greatest fad is his
machine shop iu the basement of his
Connecticut home, where he makes
clocks and all sorts of odd and curious
things to present to his friends.
Mr. Jerome is a confirmed smoker,
one tale crediting him with burning
twenty cigarettes a day. Another sto
ry says that he has given up cigarettes
for cigars, but that he only indulges in
a cheap brand because he does not
wish to form an expensive habit. A
third account says that he has aban
doned both cigars and cigarettes for a
pipe. At any rate, there is one thing
certain he smokes. He also causes
the other fellow to smoke. But that re
mark is too obvious.
J. A. EDGEETON.
I'KI'OKT OF Till: CONDITION
Plattsmouth State Bank
of Plat tsmout h, Nebraska.
Charier Ni.
I in i ni i ill In t he m ale of Nebraska, .it i In
rliw of business. Nov. '.. I'.'l."'.
HI MX id :
lians unit I l -.counts
I v crdrafi s. secured mill unsecured.
Stocks, securities. jiKltrnii'iits. etc,
I t;i ii U um In ii se f limit uri'. II M lire. .
t her real est lite
Current c pcuscs ami I a Ms paid
Casb Iti-iii'.
I Hie frulii Hilt lulial. slate
mill private hanks anl
bunkers I .:ir-i M
Cash :.'.'.i :u
;i;.'.f.i'i ii h
Mr
;u ii
II isi (;
:j.'.M!i hi
II.H.s tir
Total. ..
. siJ'.HI 57
1.1 A III I. nils:
Capital slock paid In .'(0.0 U (XI
I'mllv ldeil imlits 4.lmLHi
Individual leMislts sub
ject to i lieck f 4.i.0'.l M
Demand cert lllca tes of
ili'ixtslt ;l:J .V
Time cerl itieutes of de
posit .T.W, .M- in.H'Ki M
I ue to national banks mim
Notes ami bills re-dlvoiiiited mink
'tills payable mine
Total ss.r.H)
STATKOI' M MIIASh , I
County of Cass. '
I. .1 . M. I toner I s. en si iter of t be a lo e named
bank, do solemnly swear I bat I lie a I o e st ale -infill
is correct and a I rue copy of (be rerl
made lo I be Mali- llanl, in." Hoard.
.1. M. l: llll'HTS.
Attist: Casiii.-r.
I. I . I A I.THI l
U . II. Ni w 1. 1. 1.. .
Subscribed and sworn lo before In i t Ms in 1 1
da v of Nov ember. r.u". M a i: Mi lieu v.
siai.i Notary I'ubll -.
.My commission e pircs November I". I'.'ll-
TAXES LIEN OF RIGHT OFWAY
So Decides the Supreme Court in a
Matter Taken Up From Cass County.
In the case of the state of Nebraska
vs. several parcels (if land and the Mis
souri Pacific railway, appealed from
Cass county, the court holds that the
statute requires the county clerk in
making up the tax list to prepare a
complete statement of all the lands
and lots in his county on which the
taxes for one or more years are delin
quent, but if this duty Is neglected by
the cierk, the lien of the taxes is not
thereby lost.
it was sought to enforce the collec
tion of taxes upon certain lots upon
which the railway company had ac
quired a right of way. The district
court held that all taxes ievied after
the railway company acquired its
right of way were void, because the
right of way should be assessed by the
state board and was not subject to
local taxation. The district court also
held that the taxes assessed before the
right of way was acquired by the rail
way company were a lien upon t he
lots and upon the riht of way of the
railway company. It directed that,
the fee of the lots should be lirst of
fered for sale, subject to the easement
of the railway company to satisfy this
lien, and that i' the fee subject to
said easement could be sold for a
sullicient amount to satisfy the tax
lien, the easement for the railway
company should not he disturbed, but
if no bid could be obtained sullicient
to satisfy the taxes, then the fee and
tbe easement of the railway company
should be offered for sale. The rail
way company appealed and complained
of so much of the decree as charges its
right of way with the lien of these
taxes. The judgment of the district
court is atlirmed by the supreme court
Some of the lots were obtained by the
railroad company upon contract and
others by condemnation proceedings.
The court holds:
"A railway company in condemn
ing land for its right of way and depot
grounds is not the agent of the state.
The state has no ownership in these
lands by virtue of condemnation pro
ceedings. "If a railway company in condemna
tion proceenings lor its right of way
and depot grounds fails to make all
parties interested in the land parties
to the proceedings or to give them no
tice of the proceedings so that their
rights may be protected, it takes the
land subject to such liens as are prior
to the rights of the parties to the pro
ceedings. "Real estate cannot be taken by
condemnation proceedings unless pay
ment therefor to the owners Is first
made or secured. All parties having
an Interest In the land are owners
within the meaning of the statute. A
lien for taxes Is such an interest in
the land."
We Must be Fair.
The arrest of John Burke of Pacific
Junction. la., Monday and the fine
imposed him for disturbing the peace
has created considerable comment,
many of our people believintr that
the wrong man was made to suffer
when the other fellow, who was
"deeper in the mud than iiurke was
in the mire" should have also been
lined. It is a bad precedent to estab
lish by authorities to arrest and throw
in jail men from tributary towns and
country who come here and let home
offenders go. Partiality thus displayed
will do more to kill a town than any
one can possibly imagine. The Jour
nal believes in punishing all evil-doers,
but it does not believe in punishing
outsiders and letting the insiders go
especially when they are more to
blame for such disturbances. Riht
is right, and should prevail in the
minds of the authorities.