Nebraska Newspapers

    ..V
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7
YOL. NO. XIIV
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, THURSDAY, DEC . 13, 1928.
NO. 90
Auto Party Has
a Close Call from
Death Early Today
Chevrolet Sedan Driven by Hamilton
Mark Struck by West Bound
Freight Near Oreapolis
From Monday's Dally
By the narrow margin of Inches
an auto party of Flattsmoutn men
escaped death this morning at the
Oreapolis crossing or the Burlington
when their car was struck by west
bound freight No. 87 and partially
wrecked.
In the car were Hamilton Mark,
the driver, Joseph Wooster, James
Newacek and George Swatek, all em
ployed in Omaha and who left their
homes here at 6:15 to reach Omana
in time for their work.
As the car started from this city
the fog settled jdown very heavy
and over the Platte bottom was more
than usually heavy and as the party
drew near the Oreapolis crossing they
failed to see the oncoming train and
in the closed car they failed to hear
. the sound of the train until just as
they came onto the crossing, they saw
the train emerging from the heavy
fog and bearing down on them.
Seeing that it was impossible to
get over the crossing without being
struck by the train Mr. Mark retained
his presence of mind and turned the
car west and was able to get off the
track and almost in the clear of the
right of way when the train struck
them. The pilot of the locomotive
caught one of the rear fenders and
part of the back of the car, hurling
the car to one side of the right-of-way
and clear of the path of the
onrushing train.
None of the members of the party
were injured beyond the shaking up
and bruises sustained when the car
overturned and all felt very happy
that the accident was no worse and
that they had escaped Injury or per
haps death.
The members of the party called
Forest Rhodes, brother-in-law of Mr.
Mark, who drove out with two cars,
one being used by the members of the
party to continue their journey to
Omaha while the other wag used In
towing the wrecked car to this city.
The dense fog that hung over the
road and the entire lowland made
travel very difficult and obscured
the view of the tracks from the mem
bers of the train crew as well as the
auto travelers.
CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY
The twelfth birthday anniversary
of Carl Hula falling on Saturday, the
occasion was most fittingly observed
at the Hula home when a large
group of the little school friends
were invited in to spend the after
noon with the guest of honor.. The
time was spent in games of all kinds
at which much fun and enjoyment
was derived and which continued un
til the youngsters were summoned
to the dining room where dainty re
freshments featured by the birthday
cake, was served. In honor of the
occasion Carl received a number of
very attractive gifts that he will
cherish as mementoes of the many
little friends. In the serving and
little friends. In serving and enter
taining Mrs. Hula wa assisted by
Mrs. Q. K. Parmele and Mrs. C. C.
Smith. Those who enjoyed the oc
casion were: Virginia Trively. Alice
Wiles, Richard Hattfi Donald. Helen
and Ruth Warga, John Rishel, "Wave
Charlotte Smith, Milo and Velma
Chaloupka. Edwin Roman. Greta and
Madge Garnett, Howard Hirz. Donald
Cotner. Majorie Bunn, Willie and
Louis Pfitzmeyer, John Benton Liv
ingston, Grace "Welch, Velma "Wells,
Carl and Billy Hula.
EARLY MORNING FIRE
From Monday's Daily
This morning at 6:45 the. fire de
partment was called to the south
portion of the city where the resi
dence occupied by the John Sikes
family was reported on fire. The
blaze did a great deal of damage,
starting, evidently from sparks from
the chimney and burning a very
large part of the roof as well as a
great deal of the upper portion of
the house. The fire was checked be
fore the destruction of. the house
was completed, but the fire placed
the house in such shape that it was
impossible for the family to remain
in the home and they were compelled
to seek another home. The burned
house is located on Rock street near
11th and was formerly owned by the
late J. M. Young.
GOES TO HOSPITAL
From Monday's Daily
Rev. O. G. Wichmann, pastor of
the St. Paul's Evangelical church,
who was injured several days ago
when he Blipped and fell on the Icy
walk along Cine street, was compelled
to go to the Immanuel hospital at
Omaha yesterday for an examination
and treatment for the injured ankle.
The patient has suffered a great deal
of pain from the effects of th injured
ankle and has tried ta UBe the foot
with the result that a very serious
and Inflamed condition of the ankle
developed and made necessary the
taking of the patient to the Omaha
hoBpltal..
CHARGED WITH ADULTRY
From Monday's Dally
A charge of adultry was filed in
the county court this morning by
County Attorney W. G. Kieck
against George Jacks of this city
and Mrs. Addie Spicer of Omaha
who are separately charged with the
offense of adultry with each other,
both of the parties being married
and have deserted their lawful mates.
The defendant, Mrs. Spicer, is a resi
dent of Omaha and to which city
this morning Deputy Sheriff Rex
Young and Contable Tom Svoboda
motored to bring her to this county
to answer to the charge as preferred
by the county attorney. The offense
is a very serious one and will, if
held good, force the parties to stand
trial in the district court for the of
fense.
Little Folks
to Greet Santa
Claus Saturday
Saturday Morning Will Be Gala Day
for Children from One to Four
teen Years of Age.
The visit of Santa Claus here on
next Saturday at 10:15 is being
looked forward to with interest by
the little folks of the city and Santa
has announced that his present
plans calls for a trip by sleigh here
on Saturday morning and then to
hurry away on his other visits in
the middle west.
Santa also desired to have it
broadcast that owing to the large
number of the little folks that those
from one to fourteen years of age
will be included in the group to re
ceive the greeting cards that entitles
the bearer to one of the many prizes
that have been donated to the treat.
Also there will be no tickets given
forabsentees, every child must be
present to receive the ticksts and
those who are ill can, by sending a
card to the Chamber of Commerce,
be cared for, but Santa wlil give
tickets only to those who are pres
ent and these only from one to four
teen years of age.
The plans will be announced from
day to day as the gala event ap
proaches that will bring to this city
the jolly patron of the children.
Santa has announced to the Platts-
mouth committee that he will not
be accompanied by his wife on the
trip, she being busy at the toy shop in
northland and also as the travel. is
such that does not agree with the
Mrs.
BANNING OPPOSES
FUND COMMISSION
"The biggest problem we will have
to solve in the coming session of the
legislature is the bank guaranty
law," Senator Will Banning of Union
told the Nebraska City News-Press
Saturday.
"Personally, I am not pledged to
any plan and will attack the ques
tion with an open mind. I do not
believe now, however, that the Guar
anty Fund Commission should be
continued, but that is something
which must be worked out."
Mr. Banning Is pledged to good
roads, believes in farm-to-market
highways, opposes any long stretches
of paving to help any Omaha pro
gram and says he Is still "open-
minded" on the propriety of a four-
cent gasoline tax. "I want to hear
the arguments on both sides before
making any commitments, he said.
BAD CHECK MAN ARRESTED
From Monday's Dny
This morning Deputy Sheriff Rex
Young and Constable Tom Svoboda
were out in the vicinity of Manley
where they were called to serve a
warrant on Joe Rauth, a resident of
that locality and who was charged
with a long series of offenses of mak
ing bad checks. The man has been
complained of very frequently and
as the result of his repeated offenses
that has made necessary the making
good of these checks by relatives.
The practice has resulted in the fam
ily becoming tired of standing good
in the matter and accordingly the
law was allowed to take Its course.
At the hearing today before Judge
Duxbury, in view of the long stand
ing complaints and offenses of the
defendant decided that he would be
benefited by a. stiff jolt and accord
ingly was given sixty days in jail
as the penalty.
SUFFERS INJURED HD?
From Monday's Dally
This morning Raymond Kriskey,
one of the workmen at the plant of
the Cass County Creamery & Pro
duce Co., suffered a very painful
accident while at his work. Mr. Kris
key was working on a ladder when
he fell several feet to the concrete
floor and . as he fell he lit on his
left hip, resulting in a very severe
bruising of the hip and making it
most painful. An examination failed
to disclose any fracture of the bones
altho it was thought the joint had
been injured to some extent and mak
ing it difficult for the injured young
man to get around.
Advertise in the Journal!
Henry J. Allen
Main Speaker at
Happy Hundred
Members of Directorate of Platts
mouth Bridge Co., Bridge Con
sructors and Visitors Here
Prom Wednesday's Daily-
One of the largest of the Happy
Hundred suppers in point of attend
ance that has been held in the city
was that Btaged last night at the
American Legion community build
ing and which brought an array of
guests from the nearby communities
to break bread with the Plattsmouth
men and to enjoy the very entertain
ing message of the evening.
The ladies of the American Legion
Auxiliary served the supper and in
their usual pleasing way made the
occasion one of added pleasure and
the tempting menu left nothing to
be desired by the most discriminat
ing.
The tables were arranged in the
Christmas reds and greens, red can
dles and streamers of green with
silvered festoons placed along the
tables. The speakers table was also
graced by a minatare Christmas tree
that added a pleasing touch to the
6cene.
The supper party was handled by
Searl Davis in his usually clever
manner and who brought to 'the at-
tion of the main body of the men
the guests of the evening.
In the newcomers to the city C. H.
Jensen, manager of the Lincoln
Telephone Co., Rev. H. L. Grass-
mueck, pastor of the First Christian
church and K. G. Dalton, store keep
er of the BREX were introduced.
From out in the county among our
neighbors were Frank P. Sheldon,
merchant and D. C. West, banker of
Nehawka, Senator W. B. Banning
and P. F. Rhin of Union, Elmer Hall
strom, Avoca banker.
John R. Hughes of Bellevue head
ed the delegation from that place
and with the local and Cass county
people received a hearty greeting
While at almost every meeting of
the Happy Hundred and Chamber
of Commerce there has been talk of
the Missouri " river bridge at this
place, there was present last even
ing the men who put the proposition
over and the men that are going to
make the bridge a reality. The of
ficers and directors of the Platts
mouth Bridge Co., comprising H. A.
Schneider, R. A. Laussler, John W.
Towle. Judge James T. Begley and
Carl Vogel were present, one mem
ber being unable to be here for the
occasion and these men that have
made possible the bridge received a
great hand.
John W. Towle of the bridge com
pany was called upon for a few re
marks and in his opening told of the
fact of members of his family being
pioneers here, the Dorrington bro
thers having been his uncles and who
resided here in the early seventies.
Mr. Towle told of the organization
of the company in the fall of 1927.
of the assembling in the company of
specialists in various lines that would
aid In the bridge program. He urged
the boosting of the Harding high
way that might reach from this city
west to Lincoln and then on to Grand
Island, of the shortening of the dis
tance to the great live stock markets
of Omaha. He also pointed out the
fact that the financing of the com
pany had been made so that the peo
ples of the two states would not find
a great sum of stock facing them
when the time for the taking over
the bridge arrived.
While the applause for the heads
of the bridge company died away,
Mr. Davis Introduced E. T.' Coleman,
superintendent, J. J. Boyd, engineer,
W. M. Moore, auditor and Frank
Mann, assistant engineer of the
Union Bridge and Construction Co.,
who are now starting the work on
the piers of the new bridge and they
also received a real Plattsmouth
greeting.
E. J. Richey, member of the com
mittee of the Chamber of Commerce
that has had in hand the task of ar
ranging transportation for the men
across the river to their work, gave
the cheering message that Engineer
Frank T. Darrow of the Burlington
had approved the plans to allow a
footbridge to be constructed under
the railroad bridge for the men and
that General Manager Ed Flynn had
also given this his approval.
Paul Hamilton, associate publish
er of the Omaha Bee-News and Leo
Wilson, advertising manager of the
paper of which Mr. Allen is the man
aging publisher, were introduced and
greeted.
Former Governor Henry J. Allen
of Kansas, now publisher of the Bee
News, the Hearst newspaper in Oma
ha, was the main speaker and after
a very happy introduction by Mr.
Davis, complimented this city on the
attainment of the new bridge.
Mr. Allen in his address took up
the matter of world views of the
United States and the business de
velopment of America and of the ad
vance of American lines of trade in
the world. The speaker first touch
ed on the observations made while a
member of the faculty of the float
ing university last year in its visit
over the world, the showing of the
American students, selected from
among the members of various uni
versities with, those of Japan where
the college student is especially se
lected for this line of educational
work and where but one in thou
sands is able to attain the college
work. Mr. Allen told also of the view
in the far cast of the American peo
ple and their business expansion
viewing the tremendous growth of
the trade of the United States as a
march of imperialism, this view be
ing held in many places in Japan
India and all of the countries where
native and foreign governing nations
regarded as a gesture of power the
growing expansion of trade and
where American cars, tires, tractors
farming implements arcd goods were
fiinding the favor of the people. This
viewpoint was shown in the inter
view with the governor-general of
Singapore, who pointed out the Brit
ish control of Hong Kong, where
trade interests had finally led to the
physical government of that seaport
being vested in the British. He also
touched on the Philippines, the edu
cational program there, the fact that
the natives at large were still unable
to be self-governing and urged that
the policy of training be continued
until freedom might be granted
them. Mr. Allen also told of the ef
forts of the colonial officers of the
British empire to give benefit to the
natives in their governing. In his
closing remarks Mr. Allen stated
that he hoped for the continuous ele
vation of American business, whose
mass production could be made of
the greatest advantage not only to
the United States but as well to our
neighboring nations where the peace
ful, honorable and justifiable expan
sion of American goods and trade
would bring the fullest benefits.
The invocation was offered by Rev.
H. G. McClusky and the benediction
by Rev. H. L. Grassmueck. ;
First National
Bank Declares
2nd Dividend
Fifteen Per Cent Is Declared to the
Depositors by Receiver H. J.
Spurway Checks Here
From Tuesday's Dally-- . ,
The First National Bank of this
city, which closed its doors on Dec
ember 13th 1926. and which has
since been under the receivership of
the U. S. treasury department, is
declaring the second dividend of fif
teen per cent which H. J. Spurway.
the receivor has worked out and the
checks for which have arrived from
Washington and will now be distri
buted to the depositors in the failed
bank.
The first dividend of twenty per
cent was declared by Receiver Fred
Buersetta in 1927 and since his re
moval to Washington the bank has
been assigned to the group of banks
under the receivership of H. J. Supr
way of Shenandoah, Iowa, who has
administered the affairs of the bank
in excellent shape and with the re
sult that he has secured the second
division of the funds in the bank and
which has been realized from the
careful handling of the assets of the
failed bank. The dividend has been
delayed to some extent by litigation
in which the bank was a party and
the desire of the receiver to make
as large a dividend as possible.
The amount of money that will be
paid out to the depositors in the sec
ond dividend will be approximately
$37,500 and will prove a great boon
to those who have had their funds
and resources 'tied up in the bank
and now find that they have this
pleasant Christmas present declared
by Mr. Spurway.
AN APPRECIATION
For the splendid services rendered
by the members of the Plattsmouth
volunteer fire department at the fire
at our bank Sunday, we wish to ex
press our deepest appreciation. The
fine work of the firemen held the fire
down to a. very small damage and
without their services the building
would undoubtedly have been des
troyed. We wish also to thank all
the citizens and friends that assisted
n anv way during this try time and
assure them that their acts will be
remembered most gratefully. The
Plattsmouth State Bank.
SANTA CLAUS AND SICK KIDDIES
A number of children in our city
are confined at home with sickness
and will not be able to come down
to see Santa next Saturday. Here
tofore we have sent them a little
treat by a sister or brother, but this
time we are going to do it different.
We are going to ask that the names
and address of all such children oe
sent to Santa, co Chamber of Com
merce and Santa will leave something
for them to be delivered at their sick
bed. Send their names in by Friday
sure.
VERY HAPPY EVENT
From Tuesdays Daily
Last evening the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Mules Allen was gladdened by
the arrival of a fine little daughter
who has come to share the happi
ness of the home and making a most
pleasing remembrance of the Christ
mas season to the parents. The moth
er and little one are doing nicely
and the event has brought much hap
piness to all of the. family circle.
iFire Causes
Damage to Platts
State Bank
Building Occupied by Bank and Of
fices of Professional Men Badly
Damaged Yesterday.
From Monday's Daily
Fire breaking out in the basement
of the building of the Plattsmouth
State bank at Fifth and Main 6treet
Sunday morning, caused damages to
the building and its contents esti
mated from $1,500 to $3,000. The
start of the fire is supposed to have
come from the oil furnace in the
basement that caused debris and
paper in the basement to catch fire
and soon spread very rapidly.
The blaze gaining a good start in
the furnace room swept up the stair
way to the main floor of the build
ing and attacked the partition be
tween the private consulting room
of the bank, just over the furnace
room, and the wash rooms of the
bank, the partition being complete
ly destroyed and threatening to gain
such headway that it would spread
into the large air space between the
ceiling of the main floor room and
the floors of the second floor rooms,
but the blaze was checked before it
reached this portion of the building
and where it would almost certainly
wiped out the entire structure.
The fire caused dense clouds of
smoke to roll from the basement
through the building and the sec
ond floor of the building occupied
by the law offices of W. A. Robert
son and J. A. Capwell and the offices
of Dr. R. P. Westover, suffered very
much from the effects of the smoke
that was heavy and thick in this
section of the building for several
hours. The building was partially
cleared of smoke when the firemen
by means of ladders were able to
reach the second story windows and
break in the glass and gain entrance.
open the windows and permitting
the smoke to escape, doing this as
soon as possible after the danger of
the spread of the fire had been check
cd. -
The-u.a4iv banking room --of the
building suffered most from the ef
fects of the water that was neces
sary in fighting the fire in the rear
of the building, a great deal of wa
ter pouring into the main part of
the building and where volunteer
workers assisted in getting the wa
ter out into the 6treet, the. water
standing several inches deep on the
floor of the banking room at one
time.
There was no damage to the
vaults or sections used in the bank
ing business and the bank was oper
ating as usual this morning with the
necessary inconvenience of the dam
age to the structure from the fire,
smoke and water.
With the dense clouds of smoke
that filled the building of the bank.
a greater or less amount of the
smoke seeped through the east wall
into the building owned by Joseph
Fetzer, the upper floor of this build
ing once occupied by Mr. Fetzer as
living rooms, being filled with the
smoke while a small amount of smoke
crept into the main room on the first
floor occupied by the Fetzer Shoe Co.
with their retail store, but this will
do little damage as the building was
cleared of smoke as soon as possible.
The firemen woTked heroically in
the efforts to check the fire and kept
it well confined to the small area in
the basement and rear room of the
bank, as the fire had a good start
when first discovered and was one
hard to fight. The members of the
department felt the need of Bmoke
masks during the fire as they had
the greatest of difficulty in reaching
the second floor of the building where
the smolce was the most dense.
FLU EPIDEMIC GROWS
From Tuesday's Dally
The visitation of the epidemic of
the flu or grippe in this community
seems to be growing in pace with
that over all sections of the country
and many of the residents are con
fined to their home and the students
in the schools also coming in the
scope of the illness. The damp
weather of the past few days has
seemingly brought on an Increasing
amount of the illness and almost
every home In the city has some
sufferer from the prevailing epi
demic. The flu has not reached the dan
gerous stage of ten years ago when
the malady took a greater toll than
the war.
BTJSHNELL-FIDLE3
Miss Edsa Bushnell, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Bushnell. and
Jesse Fidler, of South Bend, wers
quietly married in Council Bluffs on
Saturday, December 1st. They were
accompanied to Council Bluffs by Mr.
and Mrs. Ed. Copsey, who witnessed
the ceremony. They will make their
home in South Bend, where Mr. Fid
ler is engineer on the drag line in
the sand pits. The bride is well
known in Ashland, especially among
the young people, as she attended the
Ashland school and graduated with
the class of 1926.
- Ashland Gazette. ;
CLEANING UP FIRE DAMAGE
From Tuesday's 15 ally
The occupants of the second floor
of the Plattsmouth State bank build
ing are now engaged In the task of
cleaning up the offices where the
heavy smoke from the fire of Sunday
morning settled a creosote deposit on
all of the furniture walls and other
articles that were exposed to the
smoke and Attorneys William A.
Robertson and City Attorney Capwell
are becoming acquainted with "Lux,"
"Ivory" soap and "Dutch Cleanser"
as they battle with the removal ot
the deposits of the sticky condensed
smoke. These useful household ar
ticles were formerly known only to
the lawyers by reading about them
in the advertisements, but they are
rapidly learning to know the true
value of the cleaning preparations.
Dr. R. P. Weetover is also battling
with the big cleanup and between
calls is trying to get the offices shined
up in their former beauty and charm.
The upper floor has a strong and
very penetrating odor of smoke that
only time can eradicate.
Auburn Man 111
with Flu Has an
Auto Accident
Death Was First Thought Due to
Accident But Developed He Was
Victim of the Flu.
From Wednae day's Dally
Mystery surrounding the death of
Rollo Whitwell, 26, of Auburn, who
said he was struck by an automobile
south of Nebraska City on Sunday,
December 2, has been cleared. The
Nebraska City News-Press has learn
ed that the young man had been ill
prior to the accident and that his
death has been attributed to influ
enza.
Driver of the automobile which
struck Whitwell was Victor Wehr
bein, of near Murray. The accident
occurred south of Murray, and not
south of Nebraska City, Wehrbein
said. Whitwell, in a delirious condi
tion, had told relatives that he was
his south of Nebraska City.
Whitwell arrived at his Anburn
home in a dazed condition Decem
ber 2. His face and "head were bruis
ed and he was injured about one
ankle. His condition became grad
ually worse. On the following day
he became seriously ill. Early the
next day he died.
Was Nephew of Fred Hawxby.
Following the young man's death.
his relatives came to Nebraska City
to learn more about the circum
stances attending the accident. No
one in or near the city knew any
thing about it. Whitwell said he had
been treated in the office of a local
physician, but a check of local medi
cal offices revealed that he had not.
Attorney Fred G. Hawxby. of Au
burn, uncle of the young man, began
an early investigation of the case.
He finally learned thtat Dr. George
Gilmore, of Murray, had treated
Whitwell. He learned, also, that
Wehrbein drove the car which struck,
Whitwell. !
According to Dr. Gilmore, Injuries
sustained in the accident by Whit-
well were not of sucn nature as to
cause death. Later, Dr. Edgar Cline.J
of Auburn, corroborated this, and in
fluenza appears on Whitwell's death
certificate.
Bright Lights Blamed.
Version of the accident related by
1r:.t. VT'VKln - .loll,, n TlThtt-
V itlll VTCJ1I UC1U 19 DJUIUSI t-v, ,.... i
well's story except as to location. A
tire on Whitwell's car became flat'
and Whitwell started out afoot on
the road to get some tire tools.
Bright lights of another car, Wehr
bein said, blinded him and his ma
chine struck Whitwell aa Wehrbein's
car came up and over a hill.
After being taken to the office of
Dr. Gilmore in Murray, Whitwell ac-j
companied Mr. and Mrs. Wehrbein to
the home of their parents near Mur
ray, and later drove his car to his
home in Auburn. . .
W. C YOUNG VERY LOW
From Wedaaadar'a Dally
W. C. Tonne Is confined to his
horn on North Ninth Btreet. as his
health has been in poor shape for
the past few years, out nas oeen rail
ing fast for the last two weeks.
It is reported that he did not rest
very good last night or during the
dav either. But we are honine that
he may soon recuperate and be oni
the high way to recovery. )
The family was called home last
evening to the bedside of their fata-,
er, including his daughter, Mrs.
Arthur Bush and enry Young of Bur
lington, Colo. ,
TAKEN TO HOSPITAL
From V6aeadays Daftv
Last evening Roy Gerking, one of
the well known young farmers of
near Murray was taken to the hos
pital at Omaha, where he will under
go treatment there for blood poison
ing. Mr.' Gerking in hid work around
the farm a few days igo had the
misfortune to serateh his hand, at
first it being thougnt nothing that
was serious but has since developed
into blood poison of a serious nature
and affecting the entire arm of the
patient. . . .
Death Calls a
Long Time Resi
dent of City
i
i
Peter Edward Ruffner, Lone Time
Political Leader of County
i Dies at Omaha Hospital
From Wednesday s Dally
This morning at 9:20 at the Nich
olas Senn hospital at Omaha accurred
the death of Peter Edward Ruffner,
pioneer resident of Cass county and
lifetime leader in the democratic
party of this country and city.
Mr. Ruffner was taken to the hos
pital several days ago and his condi
tion was recognized as being vry
serious, has advanced age of eighty
two years and his malady beng such
as to make his recovery a matter of
the gravest doubt. In the last two
days he has failed very rapidly and
yesterday sank into a coma from
which he never aroused and in which
he passed to the great beyond.
P. E. Ruffner came to Plattsmouth
in the year 1S63. a young man from
his native state of Virginia and line
Bince that time been a resident of
this city and vicinity and a very ac
tive man in the business and political
life of the community. When Mr.
Ruffner came to this city as a young
man he entered the employe of the
firm of Staud & Anderson, then lo
cated near where the present Burl
ington freight house Ftands and in
this pioneer outfitting store he epent
several years. Later Mr. Ruffner and
the late Jacob Vallery, Jr., formed
a partnership in the general merchan
dise business in the early seventies
and assisted in this firm for some
years, later Mr. Ruffner retiring and
starting in business for himself in
the hardware and implement busi
ness. Mr. Ruffner was married in this
city to Miss Agnes Black, daughter
of Dr. John Black, pioneer physician
and banker, the wife preceeding Mr.
Ruffner in death several years ago.
There is surviving the passing of
Mr. Ruffner four sons. Will Ruffner
of Tacoma. Washington, Sperry Ruff
ner of Omaha. E. G. Ruffner of near
Mynard and Horace Ruffner of Oma
ha. One daughter, Mrs. Roy Dodge,
preceded the parents in death.
Bringing with him to Nebraska
the traditions and political inspira
tion of the Jeffersonian democracy
he has been a strong and loyal fol
lower of the democratic party and on
many occasions was the guiding hand
in the political campaigns of Cass
county and Nebraska. No task was
too severe for this grand old demo
crat to come and serve as leader or
in the ranks for the principles that
he had espoused since childhood and
many of those who alive achieved
public office in the county and state
in the past years have owed it to the
untiring efforts to this loyal demo
crat. DEATH OF HELEN PERRY
From Wednesday's Daily
Last night at 10 o'clock at the
Methodist hospital at Omaha occurred
the death of Helen Perry, who has
been very critically 111 at the hoB
pital for the past two weeks and
hopes of her recovery were abandoned
several days ago as the patient con
tinued to grow worse and the case
proved very bafling to the attend
ing physicians.
Helen Perry was born in Platts
mouth on June 9th, 1917, and has
made her home here fince birth, be
ing cared for by her grandparents,
the late Mr. and Mrs. E. B. Perry
until their death and has since made
her home with her aunt and uncle.
Miss Grace Perry and Jese Perry.
The little girl has been apparently
in the best of health up until a few
days ago when she was taken ill and
at the start of the case her condition
was not regarded as serious but the
fact that the nature of the illness
could not be determined made her
case one hard to care for.
The deceased girl is survived by
three aunts and two uncles. Mrs.
Herbert Sherwood, Mrs. Albert Funk.
Miss Grace Perry and Jesse P and
Hallie B. Perry, all of this city.
The father preceded her in death
a month ago at St. Joseph, Missouri.
TELEGRAM FROM SANTA
The following telegram hap Just
been received from Santa Claus:
En route North Platte,
Neb., Dec. 12th.
Mr. E. A. Wurl.
Chairman Retail Section,
Chamber of Commerce,
Plattsmouth, Neb.
Just to let you know I am on the
way and coming as fast as my rein
deers can go. The ground is covered
with snow out this way but seems to
be getting thinner as I travel east.
I think I shall have to leave the
reindeers at Omaha as they show
signB of being somewhat tired out.
Have a good team of horses ready
for me at Omaha. I hope you have
passed the word along that I am
coming. Unless I strike a . blizzard,
will sure pall into town next Satur
day morning, the 15th, probably a
few minutes after 10 o'clock. Shall
be glad to see you all again.
Cheerily yours,
SANTA.