Nebr. State Historical Society
lattemoutb
3ourna
VOL. no. xivn
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA. MONDAY. AUG. 31. 1931.
NC. 61
2 be
Old Time Resi
dent Here is In-
ii il I imaaIh
Ul CU T LinCOUl
Michae1 Schirk. 75 Burlington Vet
eran. Struck by Car Has a
Fractured Skull.
.Micna-i s-nirK, . d. veteran oi tne.0maha to reach this city at 9:5S.
Burlington railroad, former Platts-i
mouth re.-idtnt, was seriously if not
fatally injured on Wednesday night
while returning to his home after a
rjp in company with his wife to
Chadron. Mr. Schirk had arrived by
train and was en route home when
crossing the street was struck by a
car at 70th street and Haveloek ave
nue, hurled to the pavement and suf
fered a fractured skull as well as a
fractured left collar bone.
The driver of the car. K. E. Worm
houdt of Des Moines. Iowa, stated
that he saw the aged man crossing
the street and trying to avoid him
had turned to the tight and the car
gone over the curbing but the rear
of the car struck Mr. Schirk and
knocked him down.
Mr. Schirk came to this country
when a young man. he having been
a native of Germany and on reaching
this country came to Plattsmouth
where he was engaged for some time
in the grocery business with H. M.
Soennichsen under the firm of Soen
nichsen & Schirk. being located in
the building where the Knights of
Columbus hall is now standing. He
was also an employe of the Burling
ton here and later moved to Have
lock where for the past forty years
he has been living and engaged in
the machinest work in the locomo
tive shops of the Burlington there.
Mr. Schirk was also president of
the Burlington Veterans association
for a number of years.
The old time friends here will re
gret to learn of the accident and the
serious condition of the patient, who
at the last reports was still uncon
scious. HONORS MATRON AT HOME
The ladies of Grace Episcopal
church of Tecumseh gave a farewell
party to Mrs. L. S. Chittenden, her
daughter, Mrs. Mary Barnes, and
Mrs. Barnes daughter, Mis Blanche
I'arnes. at the home of C D. Barnes.
Tuesday afternoon. A delicious 1
o'clock luncheon was served and en
joyed, and the ladies spent the af
ternoon in a social way. Mrs. Chit
tenden was presented with a nice
eift. and the ladies, who are to lo
cate at Plattsmouth not later than
the first of the coming week, were
assured of the deep regret of the com
pany over their leaving this com
munity, where they have lived so
long". All have been connected with
Grace church for years, have been
untiring workers in the church and
with the ladies' auxiliary societies,
and their presence and efforts will
be missed by the church. Mrs. Barnes
is a matron in the Masonic Home at
Plattsmouth. and Miss Barnes will
go to Omaha shortly, where she will
enter the University hospital for
nurse training.
DEATH OF OLD RESIDENT
Ameridth Clement Whitehead was
born in Greensburg. Indiana, in De
catur county cm Dec. 2. 1S63 and died
in Rosalie. Aug. 10th. aged 67 years,
8 months and 8 days.
At the age of 21 years he was
united in marriaee to Sarah Adella
White and to this union two chil
dren were born. Ora Ardra still liv
ing and George Lee. who died in in
fancy. They moved from Indiana to
Nebraska in the year of 1S88.
Mr. White head was for many
years a resident of Cass county, liv
ing in the vicinity of Nehawka and
T : . . j 1. . , c 1 : - i ,i :,i .
c jiiun duu iu news ui nis ueuui win j
Dring a great regret to tne old
friends here.
PROVES A REAL WOODMAN
From Friday's Pany
This morning the last traces of
the old maple tree that has stood for
so many yefcrs on Fourth street just
west of the court hcuse was removed.
Henry Donat. who was the chief art
ist in cutting the tree down, remov
ing the large stump of the tree and
laying a brick walk over the site of
the once large tree. Those who have
tree moving jobs should give Captain
Donat a ring as he- is getting to be
a veteran in this line.
DEPARTS FOR THE EAST
From Friday's Dally
This morning Miss Esther Olson
and brother, Ralph Olson, departed
for the east where Miss Olson goes
to take up her teaching work at
Bernardston. Mass.. while Ralph
will spend a short time in the east
and possibly may locate there. The
expect to visit at Washington for a
few days before goir.g on to New
England.
RETURNS FROM OUTING
Miss Grace Nolting has returned
home from a two week's trip out in
the state, accompaning Mrs. Frances
Barton to Clay Center, visiting with
Dr. and Mrs. W. R. Blume at Minden
and also with her aunt and uncle.
Rev. and Mrs. J. J. Timken at
Beatrice.
BOX CAR BLOCKS TRACK
From Thursday's Daily
This morning a box car on one of
the east bound Burlington freights
had a iournal burn out while the car
was ta the lo(al ards and as the
result the car was damaged and made
i necessary a c rane to remove the car
from the main line. The line was
blocked for several hours and made
necessary the sending of No. 6 east
over the Council Bluffs line. Traffic
was resume-! however in time to al-
Robert Mann
Receives Award
at Co Ri T. C.
Basic Student from This City to Show
Most Progress James Begley
Best Bandsman of Camp.
The awards of the Citizen's Mili
tary Training camp at Fort Crook
were presented Thursday afternoon
at the Fort at the conclusion of the
final review and parade of the stu
dent batallion before the officers of
the camp and an audience of several
thousand relatives and friends.
In the awards two of the Platts
mouth students were given recogni
tion. James F. Begley being given
the camp prize for the best band
man of the student organization.
This young man has been outstand
ing in his musical work in the schools
here both in the band and as a vocal
ist, that he has been recognized by
the C. M. T. C. camp officers is most
pleasing to the many friends of
James. The award was a gold medal
presented by the seventh area army
corps.
The $10 gold piece offered as the
award of the Patriotic Council of
this city, was conferred on Robert
M. Mann of this city, he being
chosen as the basic student who has
showed the most marked improve
ment in his work at the camp, the
choice being made by the officers of
the C. M. T. C. He is a member of
Co. D and has been promoted to cor
poral of his squad in the company.
The award of the local prize was
made by Mrs. E. H. Wescott. presi
dent of the local Patriotic Council
and also state regent of the Daugh
ters of the American Revolution.
This being the closing feature of
the camp, the relatives and friends
of the students who were at the
ceremony, who desired, enjoyed sup
per at the camp with the students as
the guests of the camp.
LOCAL PEOPLE ARRESTED
From Saturday's I"alry
Herbert Swanson, arrested by Om
aha police for Blair authorities, is in
Washington county jail facing
charges a.- the owner of a still found
on a farm near Blair.
Swanson's arrest here followed a
raid on a still buried below a brooder
house on the old Wood's Fur farm
near Blair. John Guthrie, whose
home is thought to be in Iowa, was
working the farm for Swanson. while
Ralph Jacks and Morris Lloyd, both
of Plaftsmouth. operated the still,
according to the Washington sher
iff's office.
They will be arraigned Monday
before County Judge I. C. Eller.
The raid on the farm still followed
a search for chicken thieves, during
which searchers sm lied mash
About
three thousand gallons of mash, a
gallon of liquor, and a 75-gallon still
were taken in the raid. Swanson is
alleged to rent the farm and own
the still. World-Herald.
RETURNS FROM HOSPITAL
from Paturdav- rallv
Cecil Comstock. son of Mr. and
Mrs. J. C. Comstock. who has been
at Omaha for the past two weeks
recuperating following his operation,
returned home last evening. Th
operation has proven very successful
and Cecil is doing nicely altho he is
still quite weak and will have to re
main at home resting for several
days at least. The young man ex
pects to be in good shape for the
opening of the school year on Sep
tember 8th and to take up his studies
as usual. The many friends of the
young man are very much pleased
to see him back home again.
HAS REAL GRAPES
Attorney A. L. Tidd. who in his
hours away from the practice of his
profession delights in the cultivation
ol flowers and fruits, brought to the
Journal office today, a fine array of
grapes that were produced on the
vines at his home. The collection
embraced the purple, white and red
varieties and were as excellent as
any that we have seen this season.
For this rmembrance Mr. Tidd has
the deep appreciation of the Journal.
RETURNS FROM HOSPITAL
From Friday's Dally
Mrs. James T. Begley. who has
been at the Clarkson hospital at Om
aha for the past several days, taking
treatment, returned home this morn
ing. The many friends are pleased
to learn that she is able to be back
home and has shown much improve
ment from the treatment.
Wiles Family
Gather Here for
Annual Reunion
Gioups cf Members from Iowa, Ne
braska and Missouri Form the
Large Fart of Reunion.
Thursday there gathered here
members of the Wiles family, one of
the largest family groups in the
county, for the annual reunion., des
pite the fact that lowering clouds in
the morning threatened the disturb
ance of the plans of the reunion.
This family has large numbers in
Iowa. Nebraska and Missouri and
the different branches of the family
were to be seen in the groups of the
members as they assembled at Gar
field park for the happy occasion.
The occasion brought the oppor
tunity of the members of the family
meeting the relatives from distant
points and a large number were here
from Mills county. Iowa, where the
family had been early settlers before
the first of the family crossed the
Missouri river to settle in Cass coun
ty. The homestead that was prempted
by the first of the family, Thomas
Wiles, is located a few miles west
of this city and is owned by the
grandson of the first settler, C. L.
Wiles operating the farm and here
the twenty-fifth reunion was held
last year.
In keeping with the custom of the
leunions. at the noon hour one large
table was spread andall of the mem
bers of the family gathered to break
bread and carry the family spirit in
the one large group. At the dinner
the invocation was offered by Charles
Leslie Wiles, of Glenwood, the old
est member of the family present.
The business session of the asso
ciation was presided over by Presi
dent Ray M. Wiles of Plattsmouth.
and the following officers were
named for the ensuing year:
President T. Frank Wiles. Om
aha. Vice-President Marion S. Wiles,
Glenwood.
Secretary I. J. Hall. Plattsmouth.
Treasurer Stephen Glenn Wiles.
Plattsmouth.
It was voted to hold the twenty
seventh reunion in 1932 at Glen
wood. in which locality there are a
large number of the family living.
The minutes of the reunion of
last year showed there had been six
teen births, nine girls and seven
boys, five marriages and ten deaths.
This year at the reunion there was
reported eleven births, seven girls
and four boys, two marriages and
four deaths.
The afternoon was occupied by the
program which was quite lengthy
and filled with many interesting
talks by the members of the group
as well as musical offerings of all
kinds that made the day one of the
greatest interest.
Rev. Charles A. Finch, of Kirks
ville. Missouri, made a very fine talk
on the reunion of the Wiles family
held at Mample Run. Preston county.
West Virginia, in which the names
of the members were remarked on
as carrying the family christian
names that were also borne by the
Nebraska and Iowa groups.
There were 200 present and the
one coming the greatest distance was
Rev. Charles A. Murray, of Okla
homa, who came 44" miles, and Rev.
Finch who had come 265 miles. E.
L. Wiles of Central City, with his
wife and daughters were aVso pres
ent, they having jointed the group,
learning that the family here has
the common ancestry with them in
North Carolina in the revolutionary
days.
CHOIR ENJOYS PARTY
From Saturday s rar)y
Last evening the members of the
Methodist choir enjoyed a very
pleasant social hour following the
regular rehearsal. The occasion had
been arranged by Mrs. R. B. Hayes
and assisted by several of the mar
ried ladies of the choir in honor of
the younger ladies who are soon to
leave to take up their school work
for the fall and winter. The time
was spent very pleasantly and the
dainty refreshments that were ar
ranged made it a most enjoyable
occasion for all participating.
ARRIVAL OF NEW SON
From Thursday's Datly
Last evening at the St. Catherine's
hospital at Omaha a fine nine pound
son was born to Dr. and Mrs. Charles
M. Gradoville of this city. The moth
er and little one are doing nicely
and the occasion has brought much
happiness to the members of the fam
ily circle. The many friends will join
in their well wishes for the future
welfare and success of the little man
who has come to Join the household.
RIVER SHOWS A RAISE
Frank Detlef. the night watchman
at the Burlington bridge reports a
raise of one foot and a tenth in the
past three days in the Missouri river
which has in the past two months
been at a new record low stage. This
summer the Missouri has been the
lowest that it has for the past fifty
years. The present raise is thought
due to the rains in the north along
the tributaries of the Missouri.
RETURN FROM OUTING
From Friday's Daily
Last evening Mr. and Mrs. Don
Seivers and family returned home
from a very pleasant auto trip back
to Illinois, spending the greater part
of their time at Kankakee, where
they were guests of Mr. and Mrs.
Garold Holcomb. Th- Holcomb fam-
lilv are nicely located in the Illinois
citjr ami Mr. Holcomb has charge of.
the water plant of that city, a large
and modern plant, they liking th-.
new home very much. Mr. and Mrs.
Seivers also stopped tor a short visit
at Pekin and Peoria. Illinois, with
relatives and friente before resuming
their journey on home.
Lost Child
Causes Stir on
South Side
Little Lad of Three Found at Phil
Hirz Home and Police Make
Search for Parents.
Not a little excitement was occa
sioned in the south part of the city
Wednesday afternoon when a small
boy of three years of age came to
the Phillip Hirz home in the south
part of the city and the little one
was unable to give his name or that
ot the parents.
The members of the Hirz family
made a canvass of that section of
the city in the vicinity of their home.
Ninth and Gold street, but without
success and the services of Chief of
Police Jess Elliott was called in to
assist in trying to locate the home
of the child.
After some search in the city it
was finally discovered that the boy
was a sou of Mr. and Mrs. George
Winters, residing in apartments at
the residence of Dr. F. L. Cummins.
Ninth and Pearl streets, some five
blocks away from the Hirz home. The
little one had wandered away from
the home and his absence was not
noticed for som "finie and while he
was being sought the chief restored
the wanderer to his home.
Cook Family
Has a Fine Trip
Thru Northwest
Visit Through National Parks From
Black Hills to Pacific Coast
on Anto Tour
From Saturday's DaTTy
Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Cook and Mr.
and Mrs. Raymond Cook, have just
returned from a most pleasant auto
trip of 5.600 miles through the north
west, taking in their route all of the
national parks and places of the
greatest scenic beauty from Nebraska
to the Northwest.
Leaving here the party motored
through the Black Hills and then
across the Big Horn to the basin
where they spent a short time at
the home of Samuel Gapen. at Hyatt
ville, Wyoming. The party also drove
through the mountains to Cody and
thence through the Yellowstone Na
tional park, looking over the great
natural beauty places of the park
altho the park trip was marred some
by the fact that the smoke from the
forest fires made it far from pleasant.
In the park the rangers were round
ing up the bears and other animals
and driving them to points near the
camps. From Wyoming the auto
party proceeded through the Mon
tana parks and forests to Spokane
and then on to Eacoma. At Tacoma
the parly were guests of Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Cook and family and
here Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Cook spent
some time while Mr. and Mrs. Ray
mond Cook continued on by boat to
Vancouver. British Columbia. They
found the Cook family doing nicely
and the visit of the parents was very
much enjoyed by all of the family
party with outings and trips through
the many places of interest in that
section. On the return the auto
party followed the Columbian river
highway through the northwest to
Cheyenne. Wyoming. The party had
one real thrill in the trip through
Idaho where they stopped at the
town of Payette, over night and the
next day, some eight hours after the
Cook party left, the town was burned
up by the forest fires sweeping down
the mountains. After reaching Chey
enne, the party motored to E- 5
Park and Denver for a visit before
returning home. They have felt the
trip was one long to be remembered
but are happy to be home and back
in the comforts of old Nebraska.
SHOWING IMPROVEMENT
From Saturday's Dany
The many friends of John Wick
man, Sr., will be pleased to learn
that Mr. Wickman is doing very
nicely at the Immanuel hospital at
Omaha where he was operated on a
week ago. The patient is almost over
the effects of the operation but will
remain at the hospital where he will
be given X-ray treatments for sonic
time in the hope of eliminating the
tumor that has bothered Mr. Wick
man for months.
Covered Dish
Luncheon for
New President
Mrs. Lottie Rosencrans to be Honor
Gnest at Joint Legion and Le
gion Auxiliary Function
From Friday's realty
A seven o'clock covered dish lunch
eon, honoring Mrs. Lottie Rosencrans.
new state president of the American
Legion Auxiliary, was planned last
night at a meeting of the executive
committee of the local unit, which
was also attended by Commander and
Adjutant of the Legion post.
This social function will be held on
Thursday evening. Septemlfer 3rd. at
the Legion community building, and
as stated above, will start promptly
at 7 o'clock with the serving of the
luncheon.
The dinner will be followed by an
evening of entertainment and socia
bility including dancing and various
card zames. All Auxiliary members,
their husbands and families, and all
legion members, their wives and fam
ilies are to be extended telephone and
post card invitation. Each family at
tending will be urged to bring a cov
ered dish and to avoid a sameness in
this type of refreshments the parties
calling will offer general suggestions,
such as salads, meats, fruit, etc. The
exact contents will be left to the par
ties themselves, however. In addition
to the covered dish, each family is to
bring sufficient sandwiches for its
own needs. The Legion Auxiliary is
to furnish coffee, sugar and cream and
tbe Legion will provide ice cream. A
number will be asked to bake cakes
instead of contributing a covered dish
for the affair. In this manner it is
hoped to provide an evenly balanced
dinner, and all the dishes will be
spread upon a long table around
which those present will be seated as
a large family group, with the new
president occupying a position at the
head of the table.
Members of the Legion post and
Auxiliary unit at Xehawka. where
Mrs. Rosencrans formerly resided are
to be extended analogous invitations
td those sent members of these two
"organizations herf-.
The children as well as their par
ents are to be "in" on the party, and
special entertainment to keep them
occupied and less boisterous will be
provided. Details of this and the gen
eral program of entertainment in
which the more talented youngsters
will participate are to be worked out
by special committees to be appointed
by Mrs. Hettie Larson. Auxiliary
president.
RASEBALL AT PICNIC
As one of the features of the Am
erican Legion public picnic to be
held on Sunday. September 6th at
Naeves park at La Platte, will be
the baseball game staged by the
Plattsmouth Merchants and the fast
Manley team. This feature will prove
a very pleasant part of the picnic
for the large crowds that are expect
ed to be in attendance. While the
game will be free, a collection will
be taken to defray the expenses of
the teams that have so kindly vol
unteered their services to help make
th Legion event a great success. Man
ager Ted Harms of the Manley team
and Manager Richard Herold of the
Merchants are both planning on
making this a real contest.
LOCATED IN NEBRASKA CITY
Frank Creeley. who for some
months operated the New Way Cas
tle, hamburger establishment in this
city, has now located at Nebraska
City where he is to open today the
Star billiard room at 707 Central
avenue. Mr. Creeley was formerly a
resident of Nebraska City some
twelve years ago where he was man
ager of the Empress theatre of that
place. Since disposing of his inter
ests in Plattsmouth he has been en
gaged in looking for a new location
and has decided to engage in the
conduct of the billiard room. Ran
dall Oldham of this city will assist
Mr. Creeley in the new enterprise.
OPENS NEW STORE
From Saturday's Daily
W. A. Swatek. of the Bestor &
Swatek Co., departed this morning
for Louisville where the opening is
being held today of the new store
of the hardware company. Mr.
Swatek is looking after the conduct
of the store at the present time and
will be assisted by Marion Ossenkop,
one of the well known and popular
young men of Louisville.
WILL TAKE UP CLERK WORK
Wilbur Hall, who has been en
gaged with the Black & White gro
cery for the past few years, has now
taken up a new line of work and is
to be a clerk in the store department
of the BREX shops, taking the place
that was formerly held by Charles
Nowacek, Mr. Nowacek going to the
office of Superintendent W. T Dis
tell in a clerical position.
Watch for the opening of The Re
liable 5c to $l.oo store. a31
PROMOTED TO SERGEANT
Robert Bestor, who is serving his
third year at the C. M. T. C. at Fort
Crook was appointed under special
orders of the camp commandant, ser
geant in Co. B. to which he has been
j assigned this year. The young man
has assisted in the drilling of the
I first year men at the camp and made'
a very excellent record in his work
that has led to his being advanced in
the non-commissioned ranks. After,
the fourth year camp Mr. Bestor will
be eligible for a service in the R. O. i
T. C.
Funeral of Mrs.
L. R. Sprecher is
Largely Attended
Services at the Sattler Funeral Home
Rrings Large Group of the
Old Friends.
Trorr Saturday's Dally
The funeral services of Mrs. L. R.
Sprecher this afternoon at the Sat
tler funeral home drew a very large
number of the friends of a lifetime
to pay their last tributes of love and
esteem to the memory of the depart
ed lady. The sudden death of Mrs.
Sprecher had brought a great shock
to the community and friends and;
the sorrow of her passing was at--;d
by the large number in at
tendance at the service.
Rev. C. O. Troy, pastor of the
First Methodist church of which the
departed lady was a member, brought
words of comfort and hope to the
members of the bereaved family aud
the friends.
The male quartet composed of
Frank A. Cloidt. George Sayles. Jr..
L. D. Hiatt and R. W. Knorr, gave
two numbers, "Beautiful Isle of
Somewhere" and "Abide With Me."
at the home and at the services later
at the grave in Oak Hill cemetery,
"Jesus Savior Pilot Me."
The pall bearers were from the
close friends of Mr. and Mrs. Sprech
er, beiug Howard Fullerton. Lou
Kenry. Henry Ofe, Jr.. Fred Sharp
nack. L. B. Rakow and Frank Top
liff. NEW ANTHRAX OUTBREAK
Reports were received Friday by
the agricultural department of the
first new case of anthrax to develop
within the week.
Death of stock on the farm of
Charles Wangler. near Wynot in
Cedar county, was found due to an
thrax infection.
Veterinarians in charge of the
campaign to curb tJae spread of the
disease said the recent rains and coed
weather had made danger of new in
fection slight. It is believed the dis
ease has probably run its course in
the state.
Strict quarantine laws are still be
ing enforced in areas where the dis
ease has been foumi. and all carcasses
of diseased animals are burned.
IMPROVES BUILDING
The building at Third and Main
street, occupied by the C. E. Hart-'
fod coal offices, has been repainted
and presents a very fine appearance.
i Mr. Hartford has a neat and attrac-,
'ivc looking building now and one ,
that adds much to the general ap-,
pcarance of that part of the city.
Chrales Fulton has done the paint
ing work on the structure.
IMPROVES FRONT
The front of the Knorr Variety
store in the Masonic building has
been given a touching up as has the
sign which extends from the front,
the sign being in red and white. The
work was done by Frank R. Gobel-;
man and certainly makes the front
look much neater with the fresh. and
bright coloring.
VISITING IN THE CITY
From Saturday's Dar.y
Miss Nellie Woodruff and niece.
Miss Genevieve Tierce, of Fairbault.
Minnesota, are in the city to enjoy ;
a visit at the Henry Herold and the
Gering homes for a abort time. Miss
Woodruff is the dietician of the Shat- 1
tock Military Academy located in her
home city.
ENJOYING OUTING
City Clerk and Mrs. Herman L.
Thomas are enjoying their annual
vacation outing and are spending the
time in a motor trip to Colorado,
visiting at Estes Park and several
other points in the mountain state.
They will visit at Denver before re
turning home.
ASKS FOR DIVORCE
In the office of the clerk of the I
district court Friday afternoon a
i petition was hied entitled u. A.
Ruthlege vs. Helen Ruthlege and in (
which the plaintiff asks for a decree
of divorce as well as custody of the
minor children.
Charles Reichart and Frank Whee
ler, two of the well known resident
of Louisville were in the city today
looking after some matters of busi
ness and visiting with friends. j
Early History
of Plattsmouth
is Recounted
n itont itT kiti:h ptti:h.
Prlneipal IMfi 1 1 niou! ti II.
The early settlers in Plattsmouth
were not only concerned about the
Ii.dian situation which proved to be
more apparent than real but they
were forced to organize to protect
their claims from Claim Jumpers.
Civil law did not usually follow set
tlement immediately, so there was a
period from 1S53 to 1856 when in
the absence of constituted authority,
the settlers had to protect themselves
a an expedient born of necessity.
This circumstance gave rise to the
Claim Club Courts. These were or
ganizations of settlers banded to
gether to protect their land claims.
It was personal government by the
tettlers themselves and was aimed
specifically at the speculator and
claim jumper.
The Plattsmouth Claim Club was
organized at two meetings held in
1855, one a preliminary meeting
January 20 and the second on March
20 when the organization was per
fected. The latter meeting was held
on the farm of Mil. Card well with B.
Cole as chairman and M. G. Powers
as secretary. It adopted the name
of the "Union Association of Ne
braska Territory." The constitution
was signed by twenty-seven men.
While the land laws allowed claims
of one hundred sixty acres, the Claim
Clubs protected their members on
claims of three hundred twenty acres.
Largely of a Judicial nature, the
Union Association carried on its ac
tivites through a committee of three
elected by the Association for terms
of three months each. One of the
three was designated as "Principal"
who was a sort of chairman and
charged with the duty of attempting
settlements between disputing par
ties. Failing in this, he was to ap
point a time and place for a trial be
fore the Association. All cases were
to be tried on the evidence as pre
sented and the disputing parties
wereU liberty to choose other coun
sel than members of the committee
if they ho chose. The "Principal"
was not on-fy a prosecutor, he was
also the enforcement officer and had
power to call on the entire Associa
tion to enforce the decisions of the
court.
Every claim had to be registered
with the Recorder giving a descrip
tion of the land for which a fee of
twenty-five cents was permitted. Va
cancies on the Committee were to be
filled by the remaining members of
the Committee. In case anyone re
fused to abide by the decision in a
claim dispute, he could be forcibly
removed from the preimses. Every
member's claim was to be his own
regardless of the survey lines when
the lands were offered for sale. The
boundaries of the Union Association
embraced the entire Plattsmouth
Precinct. Other Claim Clubs were
formed at Bellevue. Rock Bluffs and
Nebraska City and they differed
somewhat in detail of arrangement
but had an identical purpose: pro
tection in their land claims.
The speculator would make at
tractive lithographs showing desir
able corner lots, public parks and
buildings and use these as selling
talk in extracting money from un
suspecting and hopeful purchasers.
The Clubs attacked this menace by
driving the speculators out. There
is some evidence that the speculators
formed their own Clubs to carry out
their designs, thus bringing two hos
tile groups into opposition with one
another. One instance is in point. A
settler paid $305.00 for the privilege
of getting a claim but the speculators
decided he did not have a claim
though his claim had been registered
at the land office The pioneers pre
pared to resist with violence and the
matter was dropped.
The Claim Jumper was even more
summarily dealt with. This frontier
menace amounted to little more than
stealing the claim of a squatter eith
er by intimidation or fraud. It is
natural that organizations like the
Claim Clubs, dispensing Justice in a
more or less quiet, firm way should
suffer from peculiar legends as to its
actions. "Over the river" came to be
the common mode of expressing
Claim Club Justice which meant that
offenders were forced to cross the
river from Plattsmouth into Iowa.
Some are certain to have never
leached the other side.
There were good Claim Club
Courts and had ones. With refer
ence to the Plattsmouth Association.
A. L. Child, for two years a member
states: "To-day, I would not hesi
tate to submit my questions in which
I had an interest to the Claim Club
Court in preference to any legal
court I have ever seen either in Ne
braska or elsewhere."
On the contrary, the Nebraska City
News relates one Cass county case
where one F. Pearman was charged
with claim jumping and ordered to
leave the county with the warning
that "no claim jumpers can have
headquarters in Cass county." Pear
n.an succeeded in getting a reply
printed three weeks later in which,
he branded Claim Club law as mob
law and stamped his treatment by
the Club as inhumane. "Its mem
bers are abominable, filthy blackguard.-
and when I use this language.
Continued on Page 5.
