The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current, December 14, 1931, Page PAGE SIX, Image 6

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    PAGE SIX
PLATTSUOUTH SEM WEEKIT JOUBNAL
MONDAY, DEC. 14. 1931.
Harry F. Powers
Found Guilty of
Killing Woman
'Death Penalty Made Mandatory by
Verdict of West Virginia Jury;
Shows little Concern.
ClarksburR. V. Va. Harry F.
Powers, of the West Virginia hills,
was convicted Thursday of murder
in the first degree for the slaying
of Mrs. Dorothy Pressler Lemke,
Xorthboro, Mass. The verdict car
ries a mandatory sentence of hang
ing. It took one hour and fifty min
utes for the twelve farmers and small
town business men to decide that the
man who wooed dozens of women by
mail should go to the gallows for the
first of the five killings he is accused
of perpetrating in the subterranean
death chambers of his windowless
garage at a place paradoxically call
ed quiet dell. J. Ed Law, defense
counsel, made a motion to have the
verdict set aside. Arguments for a
new trial will be heard Saturday.
The jury deliberated in a dress
ing room in the basement of the town
opera house. Above the jury in the
center of a lighted stage, sat the
man whose doom they were sealing.
If Powers had any but a passing con
cern in what was being decided
downstairs he did it perfectly. His
attorney, who had wept and clutched
a table to support himself as he beg
ged the jurors for "mercy, sympathy"
was the only one on the stage who
cisplaypd any concern.
When the jury filed back to the
stage, a hush fell over the opera
house.
"Have you arrived at a verdict?"
the court clerk asked.
"We have." said Nathan Richards,
the jury foreman.
"Hearken to your verdict," the
clerk replied, as he opened the en
velope. Powers was chewing his gum. One
hand rei-ted on the other. He tilted
back slightly in his chair. As his
fate was revealed he glanced at his
counsel, but said nothing and dis
played not a trace of reaction. A
moment later he va3 being hand
cuffed and led to the stage door.
Townspeople who had angrily shout
ed Powers" name for an hour when
a mob formed outside the jail after
Ins arrest looked more with curiosity
than anger at him as he was taken
back to his cell.
Powers was quoted as confessing
verbally to th? d oaths of Mrs. Eicher
and her children and making an oral
admission of the killing of Mrs.
Liemke. He repudiated the confession
later, however, testifying at a hear
ing on his motion for a change of
venue that officers resorted to third
deerree methods to get him "to talk."
State Journal.
LABOR FACTIONS SILENT
Chicago Railway lahor steamed
into the problem of wage reduction
beset by a leg of rumors but keep
ing its own counsel. General chair
men of the twenty-cne rail brother
noocls and unions met behind ti'C
carefully guarded doors in a Chicago
hotel. Outside the air was thick with
rumors that the men would accept
a If per cent wage cut, thrit they
would refuse, that they were anxious
to compromise. From inside came
only the official word that the wage
problem was finally being discuscc-d.
It hud taken three days to clear
the way for this discussion and the
labor representatives took every pre
caution to Fee that no Inkling of it
leaked out. Only one man, D. B.
Robertson, head of the firemen's bro
therhood and chairman of the meet
ing, was permitted to talk to news
papermen. Robertson scid the out
come of the meeting couid be noth
ing more than a policy to guide the
various local union.s when the roads
ask. as they have indicated they
would, that the men accept voluntary
wage reductions for one year.
The meeting broke up Thursday
afternoon and each of the twenty
one brotherhoods and unions held
a caucus to elect three members of
each group. These representatives
then went into conference with the
Railway Labor Executives Associa
tion to form program on wage cuts
and unemployment relief.
Robertson declared "that no an
nouncement would be made until aft
er a report is made to the 1,500 lead
ers in general session Friday.
WOMAN PASSENGER KILLED
Kewanee, 111. A woman passen
ger was fatally injured and four oth
ers were hurt, one critically, when
a Braniff Air Lines passenger plane
crashed in a farm yard near here
while attempting to land in a sleet
Ftorm on an emergency landing field
Mrs. Myrtle Meseenger of Denver,
died less than two hours after the
crash. She suffered a broken arm
an internal injuries. The other most
seriously injured was Miss Elma Dun
can of Kansas City, Mo. She was re
ported near death from internal in
juries.
Pilot Jack Ayres, who was not in
jured, said he attempted to land the
plane for the night because the sleet
storm was lowering visibility and ice
was forming on the wings. The plane
was en route from Kansas City to
Chicago .
ITALIAN WILL EXPLAINS
LONG LIFE OF VILLAGERS
Croveo, Italy, Dec. 6. Ire and
envy are the arch-enemies of long
life, says the will of Mrs. Anna
Lunghe. who died at 100.
The document counsels her three
pons, all over 70, to avoid these fail
ings and to eat lots of vegetables.
Mrs. Lunghe's death was the first
in this village in several years. Vro
Teo is noted for the longevity of its
people and most of the villagers " ho
attended the funeral were near the
90th, milestone. .-.
ASKS QUICK CHANGE
IN PARK BOUNDARIES
Washington, D. C, Dec. 6. Im
mediate adjustments in the boun
daries of several national parks, es
pecially the Grand Teton in Wyom
ing, were urged today by Horace
Albright, director of the park sys
tem. He said in his annual report sub
mitted today that important lands
now held in trust for park purposes
by the Snake River Land company
should be accepted as soon as pos
sible. About 30 thousand acres are
included in the area. There has been
opposition to its transfer from cer
tain groups in Wyoming.
Lincoln Man is
Shot in Row
Over a Still
Woman Wounds One of Trio Ecm
baiding Hause; Impersonate
Cops in Gun Attack.
Lincoln. Dec. 10. Three men were
held in jail here Thursday night to
be charged with violation of the li
quor laws a-s the result of a shooting,
iii which one of the men was wound
ed, at a farmhouse east of here Thurs
day afternoon.
Police sought two other men in
connection with the case. Clifford
Robinson, Gene Spore and Andrew
Oglon were being held, pore was
v.ounded, but physicians said his
condition was not serious.
Authorities said Oglon's tlcry was
that he had been tending a still in
the farmhouse for another man.
Oglon said he had not received any
pay, and Thursday came to Lincoln
to see the owner of the equipment.
While in town, Oglon saiu, Rob
inson, Spore and a third man went
if his house, impersonated officers,
shot at the house, broke out a win
dow, and tried to gain entrance. Mrs.
Oglon finally drove the trio away by
shooting through a door and wound
ing Spore.
Robinson and the other man
brought Spore to a hospital, where he
was treated and taken to jail. Robin
son accompanied officers to the Og
lon farm, where police said they con
fiscated a still, 250 gallons of mash
and 35 gallons of whisky.
Oglon charges the three men were
sent to his home to get the still. Po
lice were seeking th ethird member
of the trio, and the man who Oglon
charges owns the brewery equipment.
Robert Van Pelt, assistant United
States district attorne yat Lincoln,
said Oglon will be charged with op
eration of a still, and that Robinson
and Spore will be charged with con
spiracy to illegally transport liquor.
Omaha Bee-N'ews.
WANT 10-HOUR DAY LIMIT
Omaha A ten hour day on all
state highway contracting jobs was
called for by Nebraska chapter. As
sociated General Contractors of Am
erica, in resolutions adopted at their
annual meeting here Friday. This was
said to be the first time the contract
ors agreed to any definite limitation
cn working time.
A committee was ordered appoint
ed by the president to represent pav
ing, bridge and grading contractors
to confer with representatives of the
department cf public works on
changes in the state highway speci
fications which might seem desirable
in light of 1931 experience.
Three directors were named: Glen
I. Voyles, Omaha, representing bridge
contractors; R. C. Yant, Omaha, pav
ing and gravel, and Robert Malone
Lincoln, grading.
Speakers at the afternoon session
included Justice Paine of the state
supreme court and T. C. Thee, assist
ant highway engineer in charge of
the central section. United States bu
reau of public roads.
L. E. Ray, Grand Island, was re
elected president and other officers
are Glen I. Voyles. Omaha, re-elect
ed first vice president; A. W. Gaines.
Omaha, second vice president; R. C.
lant, Omaha, third vice president;
George F. Abel, Lincoln, re-elected
treasurere; Wilmer G. Johnson, Wa
hoo, financial committee chairman,
and R. O. Green, Lincoln, reappoint
ed executive secretary.
POUR WILL J)IE IN CHAIR
Menard. 111. Arrangements were
completed for the execution of four
men, three of them negroes, who will
go to their death in the electric chair
early Friday morning.
nenry i'annier, ntty-seven year
old farm hand, the only white man
in death row, will pay the supreme
penalty for the murder of Mr. 'and
Mrs. Herman Schuline on their farm
near Evansville July 24. The others
who will pay the death penalty arc:
Hazel Johnson, twenty-three, Deca
tur; Willie Green, thirty-one. East
St. Louis, and James Jackson, thirty-
one, bast fat. Louis. .
Johnson will die for the slayintr
of William Keller, railway officer
who occosted him and another negro
while they were stealing brass from
a locomotive. Jackson will go to the
chair for the slaying of his wife.
Green will be electrocuted for the
slaying of Max Newman, East St.
Louis grocer, in a holdup.
CONVICT ROBBER LN
HAMLET BANK HOLDUP
Lincoln, Dec. 4. Authorities here
were advised Friday of the convic
tion Thursday at Hayes Center of
Richard Brumfield, tried for partici
pating in the $132 robbery of a bank
at Hamlet in 1927.
The regular stanflarfl grade of his
tory paper 40c per ream, not a special
sale light weight article, but high
quality, marked at a close price, at
the Bates Book and Stationery Store.
Lincoln Schools
Not to be in the
State Tourney
Heavy Strain on Athletes Is Claim
Lincoln, Jackson. Havelock, Col
lege View, Bethany Out
Lincoln, Dec. 10. When the 1932
Nebraska high school basketball
championships are decided at the
University of Nebraska coliseum next
March, Capital City quintets will be
missing from the rcster of teams.
The report from official circles in
the Lincoln high achool ranks
brcught the news coaches and school
authorities after several c-onferences
have decided against entering the
tournament. This affects Lincoln
high, Jackson, Havelock, College
View and Bethany.
In explanation cf the action a
Lincoln school official asserted
coaches and school authorities felt
the string of tournaments as ar
ranged by the state association
brought no benefits to competing
schools and subjected athletes to too
great a strain following the usual
strenuous season on the court.
The announcement "by the Lincoln
school officials followed action by the
Loup Valley association which went
on record as opopsed to state tourna
ment competition in basketball.
The Nebraska High School Athletic
association has derived some of its
funds from tournament receipts and
the action by the Lincoln and Loupe
Valley groups may cause for a re
vision of its budget. Lincoln school
officials, however, declared they were
in sympathy with the association and
will pay increased assessments.
TWENTY CHOSEN FOR WESTS
GRID ALL-STAR ELEVEN
San Francisco. Dec. 10. Twelve
members of Pacific Coast college foot
ball varsities were invited Wednes
da3' by Islam Temple shrine of San
Francisco to become members of the
west team which will play here New
Year's day in the annual east-west
shrine charity game.
The twelve players, with the eight
selected by Coach Dana X. Bible of
the University of Nebraska, bring the
west team's strength to 20. A line
man and a backfield man are still to
be chosen. Shrine officials said.
These invited here were:
Neil, Stanford university, end;
Fisher. St. Mary college, guard; Hur
ley, Washington State, guard: Ehr
born. Stanford university, tr.ckle;
Edwards. Washington State, tackle;
Bican, Olympic club San Francisco),
center; Hammer, Oregon State, cen
ter: Toscnni, St. Mary college, back
field: David, Olympic club, backfield,
and Hufford, Washington university,
backfield.
Coach Bible's selected list includes:
Conrad Fisher. Oklahoma A. &. M.,
end; Basil Wilkerson, Oklahoma
City university, tackle; Charles Jus
tice, Nebraska, guard: George Kos
ter, Nebraska, guard; Weldon, Ma
son. Southern Methodist, back; Ish
mael Pilkington. Tulsa university
back; Elvin McCoy, Emporia (Ivas. )
Teachers college, back; Walter John
son. Haskell institute, back.
Bible, with Coach Percy Locey of
the Olympic club, are to coach the
west team in th game.
THREE LETTER MEN
ON AUBURN SQUAD
Auburn, Neb., Dec. 10. Three
letter men are members of Coach
Ralph B. Higgins Auburn High
school basket ball squad. They are
Captain Lanning Andrews, guard
Herman Jurgenmeier, center, and
Edward Abington, forward. A squad
of 46 is in suit, and other promising
prospects include Wheeler, Umland
Bohl. Perdue, Ruddy, Maag. Ely
Bradner. Sailors, Brown, Chambers
and Jenkins. Schedule:
Jan 5 Nebraska City at Auburn
8 Tecumseh at Auburn. 12 Hum
boldt at Auburn. 15 Plattsmouth at
Plattsmouth. 19 Falls City at Au
burn. 22 Pawnee City at Pawnee
City. 26 Tecumseh at Tecumseh
29 Peru Prep at Auburn.
Feb. 5 Syracuse at Auburn. 12
Pawnee City at Auburn. 16 Peru
Prep at Peru. 10 Falls City at Falls
City. 23 Nebraska City at Nebras
ka City. 26 Humboldt at Hum
boldt.
BUTLER MADE AN ADMIRAL
Omaha General Smedley D. But
ler, retired marine corps commander,
who has been crusading from the lec
ture platform for stronger military
forces, is now an admiral. '
General Butler Saturday was made
an admiral in the Nebraska navy
The commission was signed by Lieu
tenant Governor Metcalfe of Omaha,
acting in the absence of Governor
Bryan who was in Denver at the
Nebraska-Colorado Aggies football
game.
There are upwards of 1,000 ad
mirals enlisted in the Sebraska state
navy but no common .seaman and no
ships to command. The commission
for General Butler was forwarded to
Florida, where the former marine
chief is resting.
GANDHI ARRIVES AT GENEVA
Geneva Mahatma Gandhi arriv
ed from Paris Sunday to be the guest
of Romain Rolland, his biographer.
until Friday at Villeneuve on Lake
Geneva. On the train journey crowds
assembled around the windows of his
compartment at every station and
some succeeded in shaking hands
with him. He was anxious to deny a
published report that he had said
the Indian people would resort to
violence if they lost patience with
Great Britain. "I would give my life
to prevent violence," he said. "I sup
pose they would have no alternative
but civil disobedience, which is the
antithesis of violence.'- i
SURVEY RIVER AT DECATUS
Decatur, Dec. 10. Eighteen gov
ernment engineers are completing a
preliminary survey prior to making
the Missouri river navigable at De
catur. The engineers have been at
work here two weeks.
The present plans are to begin the
actual work on the bank on either
side at this point early in the spring
and seven or eight miles will be made
navigable here before work ceases.
Once the banks are made perman
ent a bridge at this point or between
Onawa, la., and Decatur will follow,
as all preliminary negotiations for
the span have been completed.
Fourteen are
Convicted in Con
spiracy Case
Eleven Others Are Freed of Charges
Involving Big Liquor Ring
in the Middlewest
Peoria A federal court jury late
Friday convicted fourteen of the
twenty-five defendants charged vith
operation of a huge liquor syndicate
thru Illinois, Iowa, and other middle
west states. The other eleven defen
dants included Ted Newberry, Ca
pone gangster from Chicago, and Illi
nois Highway Patrolman Kampster.
The jury, after deliberating for
twenty-nine hours over the 500,000
words of evidence introduced during
the three weeks' trial, divided the
convictions into three groups. Nine
defendants including Mike Blumberg,
rum dealer from Clinton, la., were
found guilty of conspiracy; three of
manufacturnig liquor; and two on all
five counts of the indictment against
them.
Counsel for those convicted im
mediately made motions for new
trials. Judge Fitzhenry announced
he would rule on them Saturday
morning. Meanwhile, the fourteen
found guilty were allowed their free
dom on their original bonds. The
jury's verdict for the defendants fol
lows: Guilty on all five counts: Nick
Coin and Edward Lathrop, both of
Davenport, la.
Guilty of manufacturing: Harol-i
Reed, East Moline, 111.; Mike Redo
vich and Sam Sideras, Moline, 111.
Guilty of conspiracy: Plumberk,
Jack Wall, Davenport; Sam Karas.
Silvis, III.; Dominic Leonnetti, Des
Moines; James Andrews, East Mo
line; Jack Coin, Rock Island; Isa
dore Lucchessi, Davenport; James
Stathis, Silvis, and Mike Polios, East
Moline.
If Judge Fitzhenry denies the new
trial motions Saturday, it is possible
he may pronounce sentence immed
iately afterward. Marks Alexander,
assistant district attorney, said he
was "satisfied with the verdict." The
defendants acquitted, in addition to
Kempster and Newberry are Emory
Keith, Davenport; Ralph Knight,
Muscatine; Miss Florence Ozias, the
only woman defendant, and Mike
Talarico of Davenport: Louis Sprid
gin. East Moline; Frank L. Smith,
Rock Island; James Hilas, Silvis, and
Henry Puscas, Rock Island. State
Journal.
FOUR HORSEMEN TEAM BEATEN
Philadelphia. Dec. 6. A team of
New Yorkers in the national bridge
tournament Saturday night nosed
out the "Four Horsemen to win the
national contract team champion
ship, last event on the week's pro
gram. The event is composed of Com
mander Winfield Liggett, jr., Mrs.
Elizabeth B. Banfield, Mrs. Norman
Newman and George Unger.
They won 46 of 76 matches, one
more than the "Four Horsemen"
P. Hal Sims, of Deal, N. J.; Willard
S. Karn, Oswald Jacoby and David
Burnstine, all of New York.
Four Clevelanders were third by
half a point. They were Edward C.
Wolfe, Henry P. Jaeger, Omar Muel
ler and Sam Guggenheim.
The victory of the winning team
was considered a triumph for the
"official" system which they use.
Commander Liggett is chairman of
the advisory council of the official
system.
HOOVER WELL GUARDED
ON VISIT TO CAPITOL
Washington, D. C, Dec. C. Pres
ident Hoover went to the Tipitol to
day, but once there he didn't g.- in.
It was a surprise visit hwich came
in the course of an extended tour of
inspection of new federal construc
tion projects, many of which he him
self sponsored.
The chief executive game no ap
parent notice to the extra precautions
taken to guard him. He has received
many demands from the unemployed
demonstrators who converged upon
Washington today. Not only did
metropolitan police and an automo
bile loaded with secret service men
follow him closely, but more than a
score of extra policemen surrounded
the White house.
ISSUE IS OVERSUBSCRIBED
Washington The 1300 million
dollar security sale announced Mon
day by the treasury was oversubscrib
ed $484,068,900. The books were
closed Friday. Secretary Mellon an
nounced that the fourth .billion dol
lar offering of government securities
has brought subscriptions totalling
$1,784,068,900. The 3 1-2 percent
one year treasury notes were sought
for a total of $703,703,400 and the
3 percent, nine months certificates
riroved the most popular bringing
twice the amount asked for a total
of $619,715,500.
Mjre complete details with an
nouncement of the amount finally al
lotted are to be made after final re
ports are received from the federal
reserve banks. . , , m
nro irnx mx ffi 7vi m m m m jrs.:
All This IM!
Values to $22.50 Values to $30.00
BOTH REGULAR AND HALF SIZES
n .r i p ci ci
oeauurui rur oets,
Fabrics, Guaranteed
Splendidly Tailored to Fit Without Alterations
DRESSES
More f ban HCO
VALUES TO $10 in lovely Canton C
Crepes, Sheer Woolens. Cordu
roys. 8unday Nite Afternoon
Street and Sport Frocks. Draped
sleeves, puffed sleeves, bias cut
skirts.
IT
pen EvecaniagG till CEirSstmas
Qf SaSft Winter
and
Tk.1 v i i
amari new including-
50
Linings Built and Palmer Coats
AU Tlaio
I IIMi till 1 1'
1 1:
in. m
JrV V $k
1 - ;. X'"
m
TT(
off the Seasons Newest Dresses
It?
Cass County's Largest Exclusive Ladies Store
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA
fa
AH TMs Week!
s
H
. . w-t t
tsetty Kose. rasnion e
rA
2
Veeli!
IS
y,-ii'Si,'VM
f..-A.'.ViS-?jfe
wmm
mmmfmK
ii
t V
SIZES 1 to 20. 38 to 44 In Black,
Sailor Blue, Persian Green and
Spanish Tile. All the new want
ed colors. For a real bargain, do
not nenlect this opoortunity to
buy $10 values at $3.95.
n
0