1
K-
urn
VOL. XXXIV.
PLATTSMOUTH. NEBRASKA. MONDAY, .MARC H 5, 1917.
No. Ift'i.
(I
J
FRANK S. BRINK
MAN KILLED BY
FREIGHT TRAIN
The Tragedy a Profound, Shock to En
lire Community, Where His
Friends Art Log ion.
From Friday's Daily.
.- tragedy that came as a profound
shock to the entire community oc
curred last night at 10:0 in the west
yards of the Ui.rIington in this city,
and terminated in the life of Frank
?. Rrinkman, one of th-? best known
and popular railroad men in the ser
vice of the company. Mr. Rrinkman
is a member of the night switching
force in this city and has been engag
ed in that service fur the past eigh
teen years, ami last night was enquir
ed as usual in his duties when he was
killed by being: struck by a freight
engine bound for Omaha and which
had come upon him unawares until
, too late for his escape from the track
1 on which it was approaching- The
night crew of switchmen were engag
ed in switching the local freight which ,
arrived at 10 o'clock and at the time
j j the accident occurred were preparing
to cut off the way- car from the train
in order that the switch engine might
take it. Mr. Rrinkman has looked
after the handling of this train for a
number of years and as was his cus
tom, was present last night to assist
in the switching. Conductor L. L.
McCarty of the local freight stated
that lie did not see Mr. Rrinkman in
his usual position on the west side of
the train at the time that the way
car was cut off, but thinking that per
haps Mr. Rrinkman was not working,
lie had the way car uncoupled from
the train and a.s the cars tailed ho
saw Mr. Rrinkman for the first time
standing on the west bound track
with his switch lantern in his hand
and assisted in the work of handling
the train. It was at the same time
that Mr. McCarty saw Mr. Rrinkman
on the track that he also saw the
freight train from the east approach
ing on the same track on which the
unfortunate man was standing and
before he could shout or make a move
the onrushing locomotive struck Mr.
Rrinkman, knocking .him down and
crushing him beneath the wheels,
severing the body at the waist line.
Mr. McCarthy signaled the freight
train to stop and the body of the vic
tion of the accident recovered and
and brought back to the Rurlington
station from where it was taken to
the Streight undertaking rooms. The
unfortunate man had evidently saw
the coming lo motive just a few
seconds before the accident occurred
f as one foot was over the side of the
track when he was struck but the
warning was not in time to save his
life, and his body was completely sev
ered by the merciless wheels of the
locomotive that ground him to death
beneath them. The accident occur
red at the west end of the yards, a
short distance from the water pump
ing station.
Mr. Rrinkman was one of the most
genial and popular railroad men in
the employ of the Rurlington and was
a gentleman who was universally
f esteemed by those with who he came
in contact and among his fellow
workmen there was none held higher
in their regards than the departed
friend. He was fifty-two years of age
and has resided in this community
since a boy of sixteen years of age. !
when he arrived from Pekin, Illinois,
and for the past eighteen years has
been engaged in the yard service of j
the Rurlington railroad. He leaves
to mourn his death the widow, two
sons. Charles and Henry Rrinkman
of this city, and three daughters, Mrs.
Nellie LaChappell, of Denver, Mrs.
Alica Lacy of Glenwood, and Miss
Hilda Rrinkman of this city. Mr.
Rrinkman was a member of the Ma
sonic fraternity as well as the A.
O. U. W. order.
To those who are left behind the
tragic death came as a great shock
and in their hour of grief the family
will receive the deepest smypathy of
the many friends in the loss of the
loving husband and father, who was
taken from them so suddenly and with
out an intimation that death was
soon to enter into he home.
For Sale A copper clad range, used
three weeks, and nearly new Ruck
heating stove. Inquire of II. Davison.
HOGS RUING GOOD PRICE.
From Friday s Daily.
Louis Hotfert and Mike Hoffert, two
former Cass county residents, ami
now located near Plainview, Nebras
ka, were in the city today visiting
with their old friends in this locality.
These two successful farmers have
been in Omr.ha disposing of two cars
of hogs on the South Omaha market
and which sold at $13.50 a hundred
The two gentlement are among the
leading farmers in their locality and
have been very successful since locat
ing near Plainview, and their friends
here are pleased to learn that they
have enjoyed such success since locat
ing there.
COST OF LIVING
IN THE EARLY
DAYS IN IOWA
Everyone is talking about the high
cost of living. Prices on all commo
dities are soaring sky-high and there
seems to be no relief in sight. In
contrast the "good old days" seem al
most Utopian. In the library of the
State Historical society at Iowa City
there is a rare little book entitled
"A Glimpse of Iowa in 1846" where
in the write sets down for the infor
mation of prospective settlers a list
of prices prevailing in Iowa at that
early date. Loaf sugar was sixteen
cents a pound and brown sugar eight
to ten cents. Java coffee sold for
fifteen cents and tea at from "six
bits" to one dollar and a quarter a
pound. Flour brought four dollars
and a half a barrel. Good ham and
bacon could be had for eight cents
or less; twelve cents was high for
butter; the freshest eggs only cost
ten cents a dozen; the butcher was
lucky if he averaged six cents a
pound for fresh meat; while potatoes
would seem to have been scarcely
worth digging at sixteen cents a
bushel. It should be remembered,
though, that groceries in those days
seldom came in fancy packages, nor
were they delivered to the housewife.".-?
door by automobile as the result of
an order given over the telephone.
Resides, wages were low from one
dollar and a quarter to two dollars
being the range of wages for skilled
workmen in all the trades.
FUNERAL OF THE
LATE MRS. MARY
CATHERINE EBGERTON
The funeral services of the late
Mrs. Mary Catherine Edgerton were
held yesterday afternoon from the
First Methodist church and a large
number of the old friends of this well
beloved lady gathered at the house of
worship to bid a last farewell to all
that was mortal of the one they had
known so long and so well during the
rears of her residence in their midst.
The services were conducted by Rev.
T. A. Truscott pastor of the church,
and in his remark he paid a tribute to
the long and jfaithful christian life
and character of the departed, which
would remain as a priceless heritage
to the children in the memory of her
kind deeds. The pastor also spoke
of the uncertainty of human life, the
short time that the human is to live
upon the earth and the needfulness
of being ready to answer the last call
with true christian grace and with
hope and faith in the Master as the
rod and staff to assist one through
the valley of the shadow into the
light of the everlasting day. During
the services several of the old loved
hymns were given by Mrs. J. II. Don
nelly and Mrs. Annie Rritt. The
members of the V. R. C. of which de
ceased had been a member also con
ducted a short ritualistic service at
the close of the service, the mem
bers gathered around the casket
which was guarded by the four Amer
ican flags and covered by the beau-
floral rememberances of love and bade
farewell to the sister who had been
such a cherished member of the or
der during the years gone by. At
the close of the service the body was
borne to Oak Hill cemetery where it
was laid to rest in the family lot in
that city of the silent. The pall
bearers were H. M. Soennichsen, F.
E. Schlater, W. K. Fox, D. C. Mor
gan, Wm. Starkjohn, John Richardson
CLINT BILLINGS FREE
FROM THE CHARGE
OF DESERTION
From Friday's Dally.
Clint Rillings, the young man who
was arrested here last Saturday night
by Chief Rarclay for being a deserter
from the United States army, has
been released from custody by the fed
eral authorities and is now once more
free and released from all hold that
the government might have upon him
Under a recent law passed by con
gress the limit of time under which a
man could be held in time of peace
for desertion has been cut down and
this permits Rillings to go on hisvay.
The friends of the young man in this
city were very much pleased to see
him return this morning a free man
and be able to resume his duties as a
citizen. He will visit here for a short
time with the old friends and asso
ciates and then return to his home in
the west. Mr. Rillings spent his boy
hood in Plattsmouth and has since
been aiding in the care of his mother
and younger brothers, and in this de
serves, much commendation for the
spirit he has shown, and his release
from the charge of desertion which
has been hovering over him since 1913
is very pleasing to all those who knew
the young man and the family during
their residence in this city.
ANOTHER MAN PAYS
THE PENALTY FOR
FAST DRIVING
From Friday's Daily.
This morning David Dillinger was
present in Judge Archer's court to
answer to the charge of having ran
his automobile at a speed exceeding
the limit set by the state law, and for
which he was gathered in by Officer
Alvin Jones. The young man was
given a fine of $2 and costs for the
offense by Judge Archer. This is the
first case of speeding to be brought up
this season, and the police will see
hat all offenders and violators of the
speed laws on the streets of the city
are gathered in and made to answer
for their offense. The city council
has taken the matter of speeding up
several times and the police committee
of that body is active in seeing that
the law is enforced in regard to the
fast driving on the streets of the city,
so it will be well for the joy riders
to keep their weather eye out for the
minions of the law when they start
forth in the gasoline propelled vehi
cles to enjoy a ride over the city
streets. The police expect to see that
the law is enforced without fear or
favor to anyone and will from now on
see that there are no violations if they
can possibly help it. The law makes
even the path of the autoist very hard
md rough and they will have to exer
cise precaution and keep close watch
of the speedometer.
WAS THOUGHT
"BOMB CONTRAPTION"
Last week one day Wm. DelesDer-
nier made a discovery. At his barn
he found a pair of shoes, in one was a
bottle with some liquid in it, in the
other a package. He began to suspect
that it was a "bomb outfit" and made
the report to Justice Neihart. lie
told Rill to produce the "goods."
With the assistance of Ted Jeary they
cautiously brought the shoes to A.
W. Neihart. A chemical test was
made of the bottle and the package.
It was found that the bottle contained
turpentine and the package, Epsom
salts. Rill is not yet sure whether
the analysis is correct but he feels
safe since the stuff was removed. The
shoes were on display at the justice
! court for several days. The joke
must have been on Rill even if the
package was labelled nitro glycerin.
Just what the nature of the joke is
has not been figured out. Elmwood
Leader-Echo.
TO RESIDE IN THIS CITY.
TVrm Vriilnv's T"n llv-
John L. Mayfield and family, who
have been making their home at Crof
ton, Neb., for the past few years, have
once more decided to locate in Platts
mouth and will make this citv their
home in the future. Mr. Mayfield will
be employed as telegraph operator at
the Rurlington station, which position
he formerly held when a resident of
, this city. The many friends of the
turn here to reside.
STREET SWEEPER
IS DOING SOME
GOOD WORK
From Saturday's Daily.
Main street has been greatly im
proved by the use of the street sweep
er which Commissioner Mike Lutz
had at work at an early hour this
morning. This is the first time for
several weeks that it was posible to
use the sweeper and a great deal of
debris had accumulated on the street
that needed the attention of the street
clearning department. The work was
attempted yesterday morning but ow
ing to the high wind and the dust
it was abandoned until early this
morning when the work was under
taken and completed before shoppers
and pedestrians were out on the
street and it made it much more con
venient for everyone. The general
program of street work has been cur
tailed to a great extent during the
winter months but the time is draw
ing near when the city will have to
resume . the general overhauling of
the streets that are not paved and put
them in shape for the summer months.
The paving and curbing and gutter
ing of the streets has done away with
a great deal of the street work and
cut "down the expense to the city as
well as given much better streets and
it is to be hoped that other of the
residence street can be curbed and
guttered which is the real dope for
the hilly streets of this city.
FOUR GAMES OF
BASKET BALL AT
THE ROLLER RINK
From Saturday's Daily.
The lovers of basket ball were given
their fill last evening at the roller
skating rink, when four games were
played between the different classes
of the city schools and the Platts
mouth High school and the Weeping
Water High school. The game created
a great deal of enthusiasm among the
spectators and the different teams re
ceived generous applause for their
work. The second team of the high
school and the Independents of the
Central building staged a most inter
esting game, in which the second team
won, by the score of 30 to 18. In the
game between the two Eighth grade
teams, the pupils of Miss Anna Heisel
won over the boys from the room of
Elmer Frans, by the score of 18 to 12,
and the contest throughout was one
filled with great interest and much
good playing on the part of the boys.
The game between the senior and
junior girls' teams proved one of the
features of the evening, and resulted
in a victory for the seniors, by a score
of 8 to 7. This game was warmly
contested throughout and both teams
put up a fast and furious battle.
In the game between the local high
school and Weeping Water High the
visitors were trimmed to the score of
25 to 7, and were outclassed by the
fast work of the boys of the Platts
mouth school.
MARRIED AT HIGH NOON.
A pretty home wedding occurred
a$ the home of Mr. and Mrs. S. W.
Rail in the east part of town Wed
nesday at high noon when their
daughter, Edna, was united in mar
riage to Mr. Samuel Leard. Rev. H.
D. Green, of Omaha, performed the
ceremony. The groom has been em
ployed at the Richey sand pits for
the past three years and is a young
man of good habits The Courier
joins with, the many friends of the
young couple in wishing them happi
ness. Louisville Courier.
Wall Paper, Paints, Glass, Picture
Framing. Frank Gobelman.
THE FUNERAL
OF FRANK 8,
RPINffM&tJ
Laying Aw ay of One of Our Rest Citi
zens Attended by a Large Con
course of Sympathetic
Friend?;.
Yesterday afternoon the friends and
associates of the late Frank S. Rrink
man gathered at the Presbyterian
church to pay their last tribute of
esteem and respect to all that was
mortal of their departed friend and
to mingle their grief with that of the
sorrowing relatives who were laying
away their loved one. The church
was well filled with the friends and
relatives and members of the Masonic
order with which Mr. Rrinkman had
been identified for the past few
years. The services) at the church
were conducted by Rev. II. G. Me
Clusky, pastor of the church, who in
his remarks paid a tribute to the
worth of Mr. Rrinkman as a man and
a fr iend to all those whom he came in
contact, and spoke of the cheery and
indly disposition that had been one
of the strong points of the life of the
departed. The pastor spoke to the
family words of eomfoie and hope of
the future that promised another
meeting with their beloved one in the
better world.
During the services several of the
old and well loved hymns were given
bv the members of the Masonic
luartet. Messrs E. II. and C. C.
Wescott, L. O. Minor and W. G.
Brooks, and this quartet also assisted
in the services at the cemetery. Af
ter the, close of the services at the
hu'.ch the bodv was borne to Oak
Hill cemetery w'here it was consigned
to the silent dust, the members of
the Masonic order conducting their
ritualistic services as their fraternal
rothcr was laid to his last lomr
deep.
The floral rememberances were pro
fuse and very beautiful and expressed
the feeling of grief and sorrow that
the passing of this good man had
brought to the entire community.
The loss of 31 r. Rrinkman is one
that is felt keenly by all who had
the pleasure of knowing him as he
was one of those whose lives brought
sunshine to his friends in his associa
tion with them and his kindly greet
ing will be mised by these friends
in the days to come. Few men pos
sessed more friends than did the de
parted and these share with the sor
rowing wife and children the loss
that has befallen them in the untime-
v death of the husband and father.
THE COMPLAINT OF
WIFE ABANDONMENT'
DIDMT STICK
Saturday afternoon the hearing of
the complaint of the state of Ne
braska against Jesse Vallery, charged
with wife abandonment, came up for
trial in the court of Judge Allen J.
Reeson and was quite warmly contest
ed by the plaintiff and defendant, and
served to attract a great deal of
attention from the persons who were
in the court house at the time. The
defendant claimed as a defense that
! the plaintiff had ordered him to leave
the house and not return, and that he
had done so, and also denied that he
had failed to privide for her, and that
at the time it is alleged that he had
left home, there had been ample pro
visions in the house. The state dc
vloped in their side of the case that
Mrs. Vallery had been kept at the
county farm a part of the time, and
also, that the defendant had been
away from home for several months
at a time. The court after hearing
the testimony of both the complaining
witness and the defendant in the case
decided tiiat the issues were in favor
of the defendant, Mr. Vallery, and ac
cordingly he was released from the
charges preferred against him.
Ren Land came in this morning
from his farm home near Mynard and
departed on the early Rurlington train
for Omaha to visit with his wife at
the hospital, and if possible, will bring
her bock home with him.
ANOTHER NEW KNIGHT.
From Saturday's Daily.
Ed Tiitsch, one of the prosperous
farmers of this locality, has just be
come the owner of a fine new Willys-
Knight tourrng car that he has se
emed through John Rauer, the local
agent, and will be able this season
to enjoy a great many pleasant trips
in the fine new machine, which is one
of the new style "eights" and equipped
in the latest and most improved man
ne
THE LATE MRS.
MARY CATHER
INE EDGERTON
From Saturday's Daily.
Mary Catherine McDaniel was born
May 4, 1844, in Ruchanan county, Mis
souri, where her parents, James II.
McDaniel and wife, had been early
settlers. Here the subject of our
sketch spent her childhood days, com
ing with her parents to Plattsmouth
in June, 185.". Here the McDaniel fam
ily decided to make their future home
and settled in this locality, where the
family was reared. At Glenwood, la.,
June 20. 1S;0, Miss McDaniel was
united in the bonds of holy matrimony
to William Edgerton, and after their
marriage the young people continued
to make their home in and near this
city, where Mr. Edgerton , was en
gaged in work on the boats plying up
and down the Missouri river and in the
handling of the transfer boats. To
Mr. and Mrs; Edgerton six sons were
born, three of whom, George W. Ed
gerton of Hugo, Okla., Gilbert Edger
ton of Wichita, Kan., and J. A. Edger
ton of Plattsmouth are left to mourn
the loss, while three, Will, Charles and
John Edgerton preceded the parents
in death. At an early age Mrs. Edger
ton was converted to the church and
had been a devoted and faithful mem
ber of the Methodist church during the
greater part of her life time. For
sixty-three years a resident of this
community, she bore an important
part in the pioneer days, when it was
a test to reside in the then unsettled
west, and this noble woman bore the
hardships with fortitude that her fam
ily might enjoy the benefits of life
that it was possible to secure them.
The husband passing away several
years ago, Mrs. Edgerton had devoted
herself to the care of her children
and by them was held in the deepest
affection. Mrs. Edgerton leaves four
brothers, John, Tom and Mart Mc
Daniel of this city, and W. P. McDan
iel of Omaha to mourn her loss. The
brother, Mart McDaniel, has made his
home with Mrs. Edgerton for the past
few years and was at her side when
the death messenger came to call her
home to rest.
THE ROADS IN
CONDITION FOR
TRAVELING
From Friday's Daily.
The farmers coming in the last few
days from different sections of the
country report that the roads are in
good condition for travel and that the
automobiles can be used on all the
roads without encountering the hard
ships that so often are met with dur
ing the winter season. The lack of
heavy snows has served to add te the
excellent condition of the roads, doing
away with the wet condition of the
highways that causes them to be cut
up and become filled with ruts. The
reports of the good roads comes from
all ever the country and there is hard
ly a locality that has not been repre
sented in the city in the last few
weeks and all have come by automo
bile. The work of the road overseers
in the fall in putting their roads in
good shape has enabled them to be
traveled during the winter almost as
extensively as during the spring
months and despite a very few days
this has been taken advantage of by
the auto owners of the country. It is
said that it is an ill wind that does
not blow somebody good and this
certainly is true of the past winter
months when there should have been
considerable moisture for the farmers
but in failing to receive this they have
had the advantage of good roads all
winter for their traveling.
Dawson Wili Fix It.
PERHAPS A NEW
INDUSTRY FOR
PLATTSMOUTH
Prospects Seem Fair for the Locating
of an Auto Tire Factory in
This City.
The prospects of this city securing
a new industry in a very short time
appear to be quite bright from reports
received by the officers of the Com
mercial club. One of the large tin
factories of the east has written to
the Commercial Club of this city in
regard to the possibilities of a plant
or factory for the manufacture of
automobile tires, and asking that all
possible facts in regard to the situ
ation be furnished the tire company.
This concern desires to lease u tract
of land on which it would be possible
to erect a factory building with the
privilege of purchasing the land if it
is desired later. The factory as pro
posed would employ a hundred and
thirty men in its work, and would
furnish employment to some eighty
local men as a number of the work
men would be brought with the plant
to conduct the skilled portions of the
work for a time at least, and these
would number some thirty-five men
with their families who would require
accommodations in the way of suit
able residences and this is one of the
points brought out by the tire com
pany in making their inquiries as to
the location. A factory of this kind
secured for Plattsmouth would cer
tainly be a great addition to the in
dustrial life of the community and
one that would assist very much in
the upbuilding of the city.
The members of the Commercial
Club and President Robertson of the
organization will take all steps poss
ible to induce the location of the pro
posed factory, and in their effort
they should be aided by the citizens
in general as it will mean a great deal
in the future welfare of the city.
This city offers an exceptional ad
vantage as a factory point owing to
the excellent railroad facilities both
east, west and south and in only a
short distance from Omaha, one of the
chief shipping points of the central
west. The labor situation here has
always been excellent with none of
the disturbances that sometimes is
found in the larger cities. If anyone
was seeking an ideal spot for a small
factory they certainly could not do
better than to come to this city where
:i! of the naturtl advantages can be
fourd. The development of the fac
tory situation will be awaited with in
terest by everyone and the olliccrs of
the Commercial Club will do their ut
most to see that all possible to secure
the plant is done by them.
X-RAY MACHINE
IN DR. LIVING
STON'S OFFICE
The Henry R. Gering company of
Omaha, which is one of the leading
supply houses for physicians in this
section of the west, have installed
one of the larresrt of the Campbell
X-ray machines in the office of Dr. J.
S. Livingston in this city, and it is
one that is really a marvel in its work.
The X-ray machine and the chair,
equipped for 11 manner cf electrical
treatments, is one that is used quite
extensively in the cities by physicians,
i-.nd it is as fino a machine as can be
tound in any city in the land for the
uses of its 1 ind. It is the first of its
kind in this ciry and is complete in
every detail for the handling of elec
trical ticatnurt.
VISITING FRIENDS.
From Friday's Dally.
Mr. and Mrs. II. G. Waggoner of
Elba, Neb., are enjoying a short visit
at the home of Rev. and Mrs. E. II.
Pontius, near Mynard. Mr. and Mrs.
Waggoner have been in Omaha attend
ing the auto show and where Mr.
Waggoner disposed of a car of hogs
on the stock market, and they decided
to take advantage of the occasion to
visit for a short time with their old
friends. They were visiting in Flatts.
mouth today for a few hours.
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