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TCL. XXXIV.
PLATTSMO UTH, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1916.
No. Ifi2.
ptettamoutb
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AUTO ACCIDENT
WEST OF T(
Ihnd-On Collision in Which Several
V re Injured. Hut None
Seriouslv.
Fr'.m Ti'i-'il.iv's I:iily.
Quite a serious automobile acci-U-ru
occurred some four miles west
this city on the Cedar Creek road
last evening shortly before 8 o'clock
and which resulted in the injury of
vera! persons. An automobile
; riven by Ed Tritsch was coming
wet at the time that the car of Will
Hirz was coming from the direction
of IMattsmouth arid the two cars col
lided n-ar the farm home om Adam
Stof'nr with very serious results to
ti e occupants of both machines. The
exact facts of the cause of the colli
sion seem to be rather vague as the
parties in both cars were not aware
of the danger of their meeting until
the two machines creashed head on
into each other and inflicted the in
juries to the occupants. Mr. Tritsch
lu.d with him in his machine his wife
ar.d daughter. Adelia, and their hired
man and of these Mr. Tritsch was
l lie only one to receive serious in
juries. His forehead was cut quite
deeply, having apparently struck the
wind shield while he received a very
severe cut beneath the chin which it
is thought was caused by his strik-ir'-i
the, steering wheel when the cars
came together. In the Ford driven
by Mr. Ilirz were Mrs. Hirz and
children and Albert Egenberger and
this being the lighter car of the two
the occupants suffered the more from
tin- collision. Mrs. Ilirz received a
severe scalp wound that required sev
eral stitches to close and Mr. Hirz
was cut in several places on the face
and head as well as being badly
bruised up. Albert Egenberger was
the victim of a badly bruised knee
cap that is very painful. Mrs.
Tritsch and little daughter were
badly shaken up and bruised but it
is not thought that their injuries are
sc-rious beyond a severe nervous
-hock. As soon as the accident oc
curred medical assistance was sum
i!.o:ied from IMattsmouth and the in
jured persons given treatment.
Mr. Tritsch and family had been
visiting at the home of Will Tritsch
and Mr. Ilirz and family had been, in
Plattsmouth spending Christmas and
when the rain came up they had both
pic paied to go home, hoping to reach
there before the roads would become
muddy and slippery. The occupants
of both cars could see that they were
going to pass as the lights were going
on both machines and how they came
to crash into each other seems to be
uncertain as all are very much
shocked from the effects of the acci
dent. The car of Mr. Tritsch was
going quite slowly at the time of
the accident it is stated. Both autos
were badly damaged by the collusion
and the Ford especially was battered
up.
MAYOR "JIM" GETS AN
AUTO FOR CHRISTMAS
Omaha, Dec. 25. Mayor James C.
Dahlman was last night presented
with an automobile as a Christmas
piesent. The machine was purchased
with funds donated by the mayor's
friends. Recentlv criticism of the use
of the mavor's automobile for Mr.
Pahlrr.an's personal service resulted i
in a court order restraining the use
of the machine for any but official
purposes. At once the mayor's friends
started a subscription and sufficient
money was raised to buy him an auto
mobile and leave a substantial bal
ance, with which he was advised to
"lay in a supply of gasoline."
WILL REMOVE TO TEXAS.
S. Larson of Weeping Water came
up to this city last evening to attend
to some important business matters
and visit friends for a short time.
While here Mr. Larson gave this office
a very pleasant call. Mr. Larson and
family will depart for Texas next
week, where the family will make
their home in the future. They ex
pect to locate near Port Arthur, in J
Chambers county. We wish Mr. Lar
son prosperity and much happiness in
the new hrnne.
WN
MISSOURI RIVER BRIDGE
CHANGED IN FEW HOURS
Omaha, Neb., Dec. 25. One of the
most unique engineering feats of mod
ern railroading was successfully con
summated here Saturday when the
superstructure of the old Union Pa
cific bridge was moved bodily from
the piers and the new superstructure,
weighing 6,500 tons, was moved into
place. The old bridge was moved
north to temporary piers and the new
i bridge rolled into its place. Traffic
j over the bridge was stopped only a few
hours. The actual moving of the new
superstructure a distance of some
thirty feet was accomplished in ten
minutes by the use of donkey engines
and immense block and tackles.
IN COMPETITION WITH
"SEPTEMBER MORN"
From Tuesday's Daily.
Julius A. Pitts of Plattsmouth, one
of the commissioners of Cass county,
who has been in attendance at the
state convention of County commis
sioners, supervisors and clerks here
this week, awoke Wednesday morning
in his room at the hotel to find that
his clothing with the exception of his
pocks and hat had been stolen. He
was certainly in a delicate situation.
Imagine yourself going out to hunt
clothing dressed, or rather undressed,
in a pair of socks and a hat. One so
dressed would certainly present a
picture that might well be entered
in the art show in competition with
"September Morn."
Mr. Pitts, who is a great big man
and as jovial as he is big, somehow
secured a pair of trousers and a coat,
the trcusers it is said being built for
a men several sizes smaller than
hlm?elf; and proceeded to make a
seaveh. He had a dark suspicion,
and after continuing his search dis
covered . the articles of apparel that
adorned his person the previous eve
ning hocked at the Alliance hotel bar
for $1.75, which sum he had to dig up
before he could receive them.
While not making any direct
claims Mr. Pitts is of the firm opin
ion that B. A. Rosencrans, also of
Plattsmouth, and deputy county clerk,
knew considerable of the deal, and he
figured it out this way: Rosencrans
on arriving in Alliance wore a gen
uine farmer's cap one that pulls
down over the ears to keep those pro
truding extremeties warm. The
Plattsmouth delegation, which, in ad
dition to Messrs Pitts and Rosencrans,
consisted of Commissioners C. E.
Heebner and Henry Smoke, and Road
Commissioner C. F. Vallery, had been
"kidding" Rosencrans all the way to
Alliance. Finally they put up a deal
on him. One of the bunch offered him
a dollar for his hat, and he took up
the offer, when Mr. Pitts suggested
that he auction off the cap. It brought
forty-five cents. It was then that
Rosencrans swore and it was this that
caused Pitt's suspicion. Alliance Her
ald. ENGINEER YOUNG'S FEAT IN
ESCAPING FROM COLLISION
Burlington enginemen are discus
sing the remarkable job of "unload
in" performed by Engineer Art
Young of Lincoln when he got off his
engine pulling No. 15, a Burlington
passenger train, just before that
train struck a switch engine in the
Gibson yards Saturday morning. Mr,
Young got off his engine and cleared
the wreckage without serious hurts
or bruises while the train was run
ning between forty and fifty miles
per hour. His fireman, on the other
side of the engine, struck a rail ly-
I log oesiae me iracK ana sustained a
1 spvpro Kut Tmt corimic Hrnieo nn Yiia
side. Mr. Young's escape from seri
ous injury is regarded as almost mi
raculous. Lincoln Journal.
LITTLE DAUGHTER QUITE ILL.
Marion, the little daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. C. G. Fricke, is quite ill at
her home in this city and for the past
several days her condition has been
very serious. The little one seemed
threatened with pneumonia and has
had constant attention to try and
avoid a siege of the dreaded disease,
She is reported somewhat better this
morning.
CHRISTMAS WAS
MUCH ENJOYED
Many People in the City From Sur
rounding Towns and Country
Tom and Jerry Greatly in
Evidence.
From Tuesday's Daily.
The Christmas season in this city
was observed in a quiet manner by
the residents and for the occasion a
large number of relatives from out
of the city gathered at the homes to
join in the celebration that is held so
dear to all the world. The churches
of the city held services in honor of
the birth of the King of Kings that
were beautiful and impressive and
the services were largely attended,
both on Sunday and on Christmas
day. At the St. John's and Holy
Rosary Catholic churches, the usual
Christmas high mass was celebrated
at 5:30 in the morning and both
churches were thronged with wor
shippers to pay their tribute of de
votion to the new born Savior. Mass
was celebrated by the Rev. Father
M. A. Shine and Father John Ylcek.
At the St. Luke's Episcopal church
the choral celebration of the Holy
Euchrist was held at 11:30 Sunday
evening and the greater part of the
parishioners were in attendance to
take part in the services. The mass
was sung by the vested choir in a
very beautiful manner and was one
of the most impressive that has been
held in the city. On Christmas day
the Holy Eucharst was administered
to the members of the church at 9:00
o'clock without the choral celebra
tion. The services at the Methodist,
Presbyterian and Christian churches
held on Sunday were all in the
Christmas spirit and the message of
the King was presented at each serv
ice and the attendance was quite
large and the special music prepared
for the occasion was made a feature
of the services and assisted in con
veying the message of the time which
the ministers offered fro mthe pulpit.
The home gatherings were numer
ous and were very happy occasions
for all those participating as the par
ents and children met together and
assisted in promoting the blessings of
peace on earth.
THE FUNERAL OF MR.
JOHN F. BAUMEISTER
From Tuesday's Daily.
The funeral of John Frederick Bau
meister, for many years a resident
of Plattsmouth, was held this morn
ing at 9:30 from the Burlington sta
tion in this city and the body laid to
rest in Oak Hill cemetery beside that
of the wife, who passed away twenty
eight years ago. Mr. Baumeister had
for the past twenty years been resid
ing at St. Francis, Kan., where he
died on Sunday, and the body was
brought back to the old home for in
terment. Mr. Baumeister was born
March 12, 1835, in Hamilton county,
Ohio, where he resided until 1868,
when he came to Nebraska and located
at Plattsmouth. Here he engaged in
business and for several years owned
a feed store in the building that was
located on the site of the present
Elks' club. In 1889 he removed to
Kansas, where he had since made his
home. He leaves two sons out of a
family of five children to mourn his
death, John and Walter Baumeister,
residing at Havelock and St. Francis,
Kan. The deceased had been affected
with heart trouble for some time and
this was the cause of the death. He
was past 81 years of age at the time
of death. Mr. Baumeister will be
well remembered by the older resi
dents of the city as a gentleman of
high standing in the community and
one universally respected by those
who had the pleasure of knowing him.
The funeral services at the cemetery
were conducted by Rev. J. H. Steger
of St. Paul's church. Mr. Baumeister
was a brother-in-law of Mrs. Martha
Baumeister and an uncle of Andrew
and Louis Kroehler, Mrs. Harry New
man and Mrs. John Rutherford of this
city.
C. S. Wortman of Claremore, Okla.,
was in the city yesterday for a short
time looking after some matters in
the county court in regard to the
settlement of the estate of his father,
MRS. C. E. WIIITIKER MEETS
WITH A SERIOUS ACCIDENT
From Tuesday's' Daily.
Mrs. C. E. Whitiker met with a
painful accident Sunday evening at
her home and which resulted in the
fracture of the right arm. Mrs.
Whitaker was standing on a chair
attempting to remove some articles
from the kitchen cupboard and while
in this position fell backwards from
the chair, striking on a small stool
which was standing nearby and then
striking the floor with considerable
force that resulted in the fracturing
of the right arm. Medical assistance
was at once summoned and the pa
tient made as comfortable as pos
sible under the circumstances.
VICTIMS OF BURLING
TON WRECK SATURDAY
From Tuesday's Daily.
The Plattsmouth victims of the Bur
lington wreck on Saturday morning
seem to be progressing nicely and it
is now thought that there will be no
serious outcome for any of those who
were unfortunate enough to be in the
acident. E. P. Stewart, who received
the most severe injuries of anyone on
the train, is still at the hospital in
South Omaha and is now feeling
somewhat improved, although still un
able to leave the hospital. Mr. Stew
art was struck in the nose by a section
of the broken glass from the car win
dow and the flesh was cut quite deep
ly, the gash made by the glass ex
tending up to the forehead and mak
ing a very nasty wound. The left leg
of Mr. Stewart, was also bruised up
in bad shape and it, be some time
before he is able to use the limb. His
face is also cut in several places from
the small particles of flying glass.
Miss Fay Cobb is suffering from
quite, a severe scalp wound and is still
at the hospital in Omaha, but is show
ing some improvement. The other
parties on the train who were suffer
ing from minor injuries have all re
turned to their homes in this city and
are resting up from the shock, and
their injuries seem to be doing nicely.
Miss Claire Bookmeyer, who was on
the train, was shaken up very badly
and bruised and is suffering somewhat
from the shock of the wreck. J. W.
Burnie is doing nicely from his in
juries, which consist of cuts about the
head and face and his case is not
thought serious. Mr. and Mrs. C. A.
Welsh are both feeling the effects of
the accident but are fast improving
from the shock. There was hardly a
person on the train that did not suffer
to a greater or less degree from the
mixup in the way of being bruised up
from the force of the impact of the
collision. It is very fortunate for
everyone that the wreck was not more
serious and that someone did not re
ceive very severe injuries in the
mixup.
THE PRINTERMAN HAS
TROUBLES OF HIS OWN
Pity the troubles of the poor print-
erman! Those who have tears to
shed, prepare to shed them now. A
year ago he was paying from 2.50
to $2.60 per hundred pounds for
print paper. Today he is lucky if
he can get it at all at $6.75 or $7.00
per hundred pounds. A year ago he
could buy good news ink for 10 cents
a pound; now he is paying 15 to 18
cents a pound and news ink is a
big item thank you. Recently The
Democrat job department took an
order for a job that required purple
ink. There was no purple ink in
stock, so the business manager
ordered two pounds. A year ago he
could get it for $1.50 a pound. The
ink house said it would ship the order
provided the one ordering fully un
derstood that the ink once $1.50 a
pound is now $15 a pound. The job
was printed in black.
Colored inks have gone up from 50
to 1,500 per cent. News print has
gone up 250 per cent. News ink has
gone up 50 per cent and roller com
position has gone up 100 per cent.
If you love us, come in and pay
your back subscription and a year
or two in advance! York Democrat.
CREAM, 37c, at Dawson's store,
Plattsmouth. 9-19-d&wtf
THE MURDER OF
THE BECKERS
Story of One of the Most Horrible
Crimes Ever Committed in the
State of Illinois.
From Wednesdav's Daily.
The story of the murder of John P.
Becker and wife two weeks ago at
their home in Mason City 111., fur
nishes one of the most horrible crimes
of its kind in the history of the state
of Illinois, it is stated by those who
have visited the scene of the crime
and learned of the details of the trag
edy that removed these two helpless
old people in such a brutal manner.
The relatives who are at Mason City
to attend the funeral, state that the
feeling in that section over the mur
der is quite intense and every effort
is being made to land the murderers
where they belong behind the bars.
The facts developed in the case in
dicate that the crime was committed
about 8 o'clock in the evening, and the
old people, who were 85 and 83 years
of age, had evidently been sitting in
the dining room of their home pre
paring to retire for the night and were
hot down in this room as the traces
of where the bodies had been dragged
into the adjoining room were quite
clearly visible and in the bed room the
final work of the fiends in human form
had been carried out and the aged
couple treated in a most barbarous
manner, that certainly deserves pun
ishment as terrible as the crime. Mrs.
Becker's head was crushed, evidently
from the butt end of a gun the mur
derers had carried with them, the skull
was reduced to a pulp by the blow
and the nose of the unfortunate
woman had been broken. The mur
derers had evidently proceeded to kick
her as she lay dying as her chest and
ribs were broken and shattered by the
brutal blows and kicks. To make
their work complete two shots had
been fired into the body of the wife,
and from the location of the wounds
it was evident that these did not cause
her death. Mr. Becker's body was
found with seven bullet wounds in it
and it was clear that the aim of the
assassins had been more accurate in
!iis case as the wounds were in parts
of the bodv that would cause almost
instant death. Carpets and parts of
dankets had then been piled around
the bodies and a match applied to the
oil-soaked articles in an attempt to
burn the traces of the crime, but the
murderers in escaping from the house
closed up the room and the fire did not
gain sufficient headway to destroy the
bodies, although burning the lower
limbs of Mrs. Becker and one hand of
Mr. Becker quite badly. The use of
bloodhounds resulted in the arrest on
the next day of two men named Thom
as who resided on one of the Becker
farms not a great way from where
the crime was committed and these
men are now at Havana, 111., awaiting
their hearing. Members of the detec
tive force of Chicago as well as from
the Burns agency are at Mason City
to assist in running down the mur
derers. Mr. Becker, whose great wealth was
the cause of the crime, had a great
deal of money at his home at the time
of the murder and it is thought that
at least $20,000 was taken by the rob
bers and murderers in their visit. The
dead man was a heavy depositor in
the banks at Mason City and Havana
and only a short time ago lost $28000
in a bank at Pekin, and since that
time had been rather timid about
keeping his funds in the banks and
always had a large amount of cash
about the house, which furnished the
temptation for committing the murder.
MARRIED AT THE COURT HOUSE.
From Tuesday's Daily.
This morning County Judge Beeson
was called upon to unite in the bonds
of wedlock Mr. Ray Stearnes and
Miss Anna Inman, both of Glen
wood, la. The ceremony was per
formed in the usual accommodating
manner of the judge and was wit
nessed by Mrs. C. R. Stearns, mother
of the groom. Following the wed
ding the young people returned to
Glenwood.
W. S. Wetenkamp came in this
morning from his home near Mynard
to look after a few matters of busi
ness with the merchants.
HOLD FAMILY REUNION.
From Tuesday's Daily.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. J. W.
Johnson w:s the scn of a very
pleasant family reunion yesterday,
when all of their children with the
exception of one son, A. G. Johnson,
were present to enjoy the holiday with
the parents. Those who were pres
ent were: J. E. Johnson and family,
Alliance; Jay Johnson and wife of St.
Joseph, Mo.; Frank H. Johnson and
family of Weeping Water and J. W.
Chapman and family of this city.
JAMES W. NEWELL
GOES UP HIGHER
James W. Newell, who has been
connected with the auditing depart
ment of the Burlington in the general
offices of the company in Chicago for
the past several years, has just been
selected as auditor for the entire Le
high Valley railroad system with of
fices at Philadelphia. Mr. Newell will
retire from the Burlington the first
of the year to take up his new posi
tion and will have charge of the en
tire work in this line for the big east
ern road. Mr. Newell is one of the
ablest of the young men in the rail
road world and one that is constantly
advancing in rapid strides up the lad
der of success. He is a son of Judge
W. H. Newell of this city and his first
step in the railroad line was in this
city and since then he has been pro
moted until he will take over the
auditing of the big eastern road. He
has resided at Chicago since the audit
ing department was removed from
Omaha. The friends of Mr. and Mrs.
Newell in this city will be pleased to
learn of his advancement and hope
that he may attain further successes
in his chosen career. The salary in
the new position that will be filled by
Mr. Newell is set at $6,000.
THE WOODMAN CIRCLE
HAS PLEASANT MEETING
From Wednesday's Daily.
The Woodman Circle last evening
enjoyed a very pleasant meeting at
their lodge rooms which was quite
largely attended and a great deal of
interest shown in the work. Three
candidates were initiated into the
membership of the order, the work
being given by the drill team under
the direction of the captain, Mrs. M.
E. Manspeaker ltd proved very in
teresting and instructive to the mem
bers. The ladies of the lodge are
planning on very pleasant social meet
ings during the coming months and
which will be given for the first time
at the next meeting on January 9th,
at which time the newly elected offi
cers will be installed formally. The
ladies are planning to make these so
cial features most delightful ni every
way and special treats for the mem
bers will be given that cannot but add
to the interest of the lodge work.
ELMENDORF TRAVEL TALKS.
Five of our churches, the Christian,
St. Luke's, St. Paul's, M. E. and Pres
byterian, have arranged with the El
mendorf Travel Talks company to give
one of their entertainments here Jan
uary 2d at the Grand theater. In the
afternoon Mr. Elmendorf will give a
free entertainment to the children un
der 15 years of age, that attend the
Sunday schools of the above churches.
The churches being allowed a liberal
per cent of all receipts and the free
talk to the children is a consideration
which should receive the support of
the church people. These Travel
Talks have been produced at an ex
pense of $2,000,000 and the very best
that is given today. The subject,
"India," is considered his best Travel
Talk, which will be given at this time.
LITTLE CARROLL QUINTON ILL.
Carroll, the little son of Sheriff and
Mrs. C. D. Quinton, has been quite ill
for the past few days suffering from
an attack of bronchial trouble, and
for several days was in a serious con
dition, but is now reported to be
slightly improved and is thought to be
on the highway to recovery, which
will be pleasing news to the many
friends of the Quinton family through
out the county.
1917 calendar pads at the Journal
office.
VIOLATED HIS
PAROLE AND IS
TO PAY PENALTY
William Owens, Who is One of the
Parties Charged With Assault on
Officer Wilson. (Joes to
the Pen.
From Wednesday's Daily.
This morning in the district court
William Owens was arraigned on the
complaint of the county attorney
charging the yrung man with the vio
lation of his parole from the district
court by being in a state of intoxica
tion yesterday. Owens was one of the
defendants in the case growing out
of the assault on Officer William Wil
son in this city on August r.th, and
had on November 15th, on pleading
guilty to the charge of assault to do
great bodily injury, been paroled dur
ing his pood behavior and r.bi-.aiiiamv
from the use of intoxicati.ig liquor.
Yesterday afternoon he had been
taken from a Burlington passenger
train at the depot here by Sheriff"
Quinton and the members of the train
crew while he wa attempting to re
turn to his home at Lal'latte, and was
in a state of intoxication. When ar
raigned in court the yourig man ac
knowledged that he had violated the
provisions of the parole bu. aVed
that he be given another opportunity
to try and abstain from the use
liquor and tearfully promised to t: y
and do better. Charles E. Martin, to
whom the young man had been pa
roled, laid the matter before the court
that he had cautioned the defendant
in regard to the violation of the pa
role, but that the boy had been reared
under circumstances that made it hard
to refrain from the use of liquor and
that he thought that the weakness
caused bv this fact had largely been
responsible for the downfall of the
young man.
Under the law Judge Degley could
exercise no option but to see that the
original sentence was enforced as he
has only the power to parole them at
the time of sentence and cannot take
up a second parole for the prisoner,
and therefore pronounced sentence
upon Owens of from one to five years
in the state penitentiary. The tour
gave the young man a lecture on the
fact that he had failed to fulfill the
provisions of the parole and had for
the second time been brought before
the court to answer to the very seri
ous charge prefetred against him.
The young man was turned over to the
custody of Sheriff Quinton to remain'
until he can be taken to Lincoln to
begin serving his sentence.
THE WRESTLING MATCH
ON SATURDAY EVENING
The wrestling match which was held
in this city Saturday night between
Frank Schmarder, the Louisville boy,
and Rudy Warner of Howells, was one
of the most interesting that has been
held in the city this year and both
contenders were fast and furious in
their work on the mat, and it required
three falls before Schmarder was
awarded the victory. In the first fall
it required twenty-four minutes for
Frank to pin the shoulders of the
Howell lad to the mat for a-throw. In
the second fall Warner was able to
put Schmarder to the mat in twenty
minutes of fast work, and in the third
and final fall Schmarder was the win
ner at the end of fifteen minutes. Each
bout was filled, with some mighty
clever work and created a p.; eat deal
of enthusiasm among the large crowd
present to enjoy the event.
In the preliminary event Lee Fick
ler of this city was the winner over
Clarence Huff of Louisville in a very
clever exhibition of mat work. In this
match Huff suffered a slight injury to
his right arm, having the tendons and
ligiments torn very painfully.
Another match will be staged hero
on January 15th, between Schmarder
and Cal Woods, who is one of tho
fastest mat artists in the northern
part of the state, and a side bet of
$100 will be placed by the two wrest
lers to add interest to the match.
Get your New Year cards at the
Journal office.