llzl-. S'.a'c Historical Society
n
OWE
VOL. NO. L
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, JUNE 25, 1934. ; f .
NO. 41
Girls Kidnaped
from Peoria, HL,
Found at Union
Two Young Women Dancers Lured:
from Home by Promise of
Woik With a Show.
From Thursday's Daily
Sheriff Homer Sylvester was at
Union this morning where he was
called by the abandonment there
of two young women of Peoria, Illi
nois, who had been left there when
they had refused to go farther with
two men and two women who had
lured them from their home Wednes
day. According to the story told by the
young women, Clara Belle Tunis, 19,
and Adeline Hallagan, IS, they had
been approached by the two men and
women with the proposition to go
with them to a Email town in Illinois
to fill a theatrical engagement. The
party had started out but instead of
Btopping in Illinois the car had been
driven on west and into Iowa.
The two men with the party had
given the girls several stories of their
destination as they drove on west,
promising to drop them off at Des
Moines and several other places in
Iowa. When the party reached
this place the men had told the
girls that they were intending to
go to Laramie, Wyoming, and urged
that the young women accompany
them to that place, but the two girls
had refused and demanded that they
be given the funds promised them
and that they be released.
When the car reached Union the
two girls had been allowed to leave
the car and reaching Union reported
the matter and Sheriff Sylvester was
notified of the kidnaping.
The' remaining members of the
party in the car had stated that they
were going on to Omaha and thence
west.
The parties were driving a 1928
Chevrolet sedan and which bore an
Indiana license number 42-571. The
Omaha police department was noti
fied and the police ordered to be on
the outlook for the party.
It is expected that a kidnaping
charge will be preferred by the au
thorities at Peoria if the auto party
is apprehended.
This afternon the parties who it
is claimed kidnaped or enticed the
girls from their home were arrested
in Omaha and will be held for the
Illinois authorities if charges are to
be filed against them.
The young women are bere await
ing word from their relatives in
Peoria as to their return to that
city.
LESLIE L. BAXTER
Leslie L. Baxter was born July !),
1909. near Murray, Nebraska, and
passed away in Long Beach, Calif.,
May 27, 1934, having reached the
age of 4 years, 10 months and IS
days. The deceased was an elder son
of Harry and Grace Baxter, former
residents of Murray, Nebr. The
mother preceded him in death 16
years ago, also a younger brother,
who died in infancy in 1915.
Those who are left to mourn his
passing, are his father, now residing
near Red Cloud, Nebr.; a sister, Vel
ma Baxter, residing with Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Vallery of Omaha, Nebr.;
the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. A. H.
Graves, Mr. and Mrs. M. G. Churchill,
Murray, Nebr.; Mr. and Mrs. D. B.
Crawford of Coleridge, Nebr.; Mr.
and Mrs. George Graves, and Edward
Graves of Peru, Nebr.; Mr. and Mrs.
J. II. Graves of this city, and many
distant relatives and friends of the
family.
Interment was in the Young cem
etery near Murray, Nebr., beside the
mother and brother of the deceased.
RECEIVES SAD NEWS
From Saturday's Dally
Last evening Fred I. Rea, manager
of the Iowa-Nebraska Light & Power
Co., received the message that his
aged mother, Mrs. Belle Rea, S3,
had suffered a stroke at the home of
her sister at Hiawatha, Kansas,
where she resided. Mr. Rea departed
as soon as possible for the Kansas
city but shortly after he left the
second message told cf the death of
the mother. No date has been an
nounced for the funeral services.
RECEIVES JAIL SENTENCE
Ed Price was arraigned Thursday
in the county court on the charge of
being implicated in the stealing of
gas by syphoning it from a car. The
young man made a plea of guilty to
the charge and was given a sentence
rf thirtv d.ivs in the countv 1ail for
the offense. Price and a companion,
Elvin Shryock were implicated in
taking the gas and the other young
man was given a similar sentence
last week.
Heaviest Rain
of Season Visits
This Section
Storm Breaking About Midnight Is
General Over This Section and
Brings Much Relief .
This section of Nebraska as well
as western Icwa was visited by one
of the best rains of the season vary
ing from almost two inches to a
half inch in other sections
The storm was accompanied by
considerable thunder and lightning
and some wind but no damage was
reported from the wind.
In this city the gauges showed .57
of an inch of rainfall, the heaviest
that has been recorded for many
months during tthe prolonged drouth.
The rain comes as a great help to
the corn crop and all vegetation and
will go far toward boosting the corn
which is now in the process of be
ing worked over or laid by.
4-H CLUB MEETING
A most unusual and entertaining
meeting of the Sunnyside Girls Room
Club was held June 19 at the pleas
ant" country home of Grace Louise
Wiles.
The main feature of the afternoon
was in Miss Baldwin's explanation
of the work expected of the girls for
this year. Miss Baldwin also ex
plained in a very entertaining man
ner how to arrange a study center
for the girls room. Miss Baldwin is
very busy in her work of County
Home Extension Agent and the girls
feel very grateful to her for giving
so freely of her time.
Another interesting feature of the
afternoon was in having a number
of the mothers and sisters of the
girls present. The visitors were Mrs.
C. L. Wiles, Mrs. Casey, Mrs. Guy
Wiles, Mrs. L. O. Llinor and Con
stance Rea.
During the business meeting three
girls were voted in as new members.
The new members are Eleanor Mi
nor, Virginia Trively and Grace
Welch. The Club is glad to welcome
these new members and are certain i
that they will prove an asset.
To fitfully and delightfully bring
the afternoon to a close, delightful
refreshments were served by Mrs.
Guy Wiles.
HAVE CLOSE GAME
From Thursday's Dai'.y
The kittenball fans last evening
who were present at the second game
of the evening had a real treat when
the Nebraska City team played the
Chevrolets, the local team winning
C to 5 in a thrilling seventh inning
battle.
The score was tied up in the last
inning when the visitors weakened
and when the locals came to bat they
were able to fill the sacks when Spi
dell was walked to first to load the
bags. John Svoboda hit a short in
field fly that looked to be in the
bag for the last out when the first
sacker of the Oteans allowed the ball
to escape him, allowing the runner
on third to score for the needed run.
The BREX with several assistants
staged a game in the early portion
of the evening that resulted in the
BREX regulars winning by the score
of 11 to 6.
VISIT EH MISSOURI
Dr. and Mrs. H. G. McClusky, Miss
Pearle Staats, Caroline and Estelle
Eaird, departed Wednesday for St.
Joseph, Missouri, where they will
spend a few days and then go on to
Kansas City where they will spend
a short time with friends.
Dr. McClusky and party expect to
return home Saturday and in time
for the regular services at the First
Presbyterian church.
Garden Club
Holds a Very
Fine Meeting
Interesting Program Is Presented at
the Auditorium of the Cen
tral Building.
From Friday's Daily
The Plattsmouth Garden club had
a very interesting sessicn last eve
ning at the auditorium of the Cen
tral high school and which was
largely r.tteuded.
The committees were appointed to
serve until election cf the officers
in January.
The reports were given ar.d plans
for the future work of the club dis-
cussed by the membership.
Roy Olson, chairman cf the Fourth
ward club is giving to ths public li
brary the very valuable book, "Gar
den Making and Keeping" by Double
day. As rapidly as possible it is
planned to place books of this kind
in the public library for reference
work.
In the discussion of plantiu
of
seeds it developed that some annuals
may be planted at this time and
produce blooms before frost, zen
nias, larkspurs, and bachelor buttons,
are of this class. This is the season
of the year to plant perennials for
next year's bloom.
The city beautiful committee, com
posed cf A. L. Tidd. Julius A. Pitz,
and Mrs. Lillian Freeman, are plan
ning immediate work in the beauti
fication cf one centrally located spot
in the city.
A trip to the Florence Perennial
gardens is contemplated in the near
future.
The next meeting will be the third
Thursday of July.
The committees of the club will
i
be published at a later date.
FUNERAL OF LESLIE BAXTER
The funeral of Leslie Baxter, 23,
who died at Long Beach several
weeks ago, was held Wednesday aft
ernoon at the Horton funeral home
at Seventh anel Vine streets.
There were a large number of the
relatives and boyhood friends of the
young man in attendance at the
services.
The services were conducted by
Rev. O. B. Chastain, pastor of the
First Christian church of this city,
who brought words of comfort to
the members of the- bereaved family
circle and the eld time friends.
During the service Mrs. Hal Gar
nett and Frank A. Cloidt gave a duet
number, "Beautiful Isle of Some
where" and Mr. Cloidt a solo, "No
Night There," Mrs. O. C. Hudson
being the accompanist.
The interment was at the Young
cemetery south of this city in the
community wnere the young man
spent his childhood and where other
members of his family are at rest.
GRETCHEN STEGES MARRIED
The announcement has been re
ceived here by friends, of the mar
riage on June 14th at Columbus, Ne
braska, of Miss Gretchen Steger to
Mr. Dewey Musser, of Rising City.
The marriage ceremony was per
formed by the father of the bride,
Rev. J. H. Steger.
The Steger family were residents
bere for a great many years. Rev.
J. H. Steger having been the pastor
of the St. Paul's church prior to
going to Columbus to take a charge
in that city.
The bride is the eldest daughter
of Rev. and Mrs. Steger and received
a part of her education here, later
graduating from the Columbus
schools. She has been teaching at
Rising 'City for the past year.
The groom is one of the active
young business leaders of his home
community and is one of the highly
esteemed young men of Rising City,
where he has made his home since
boyhood.
CARD OF THANKS
With the feeling of deepest grati
tude and appreciation, I wish to
most sincerely thank all cf the kind
friends, neighbors and associates for
their kindly deeds and words of sym
pathy at the time of bereavement
in the death of my dear husband.
Mrs. Agnes Bach.
ENTERTAIN FOR GUESTS
Mrs. E. W. Cook, assisted by Mrs.
Frank Hawksworth, entertained very
delightfully Thursday afternoon, the
event being a 1 o'clock luncheon.
The luncheon was in honor of Mrs.
j Charles H. King and daughter, Miss
Marion, cf Los Angeles.
Thost participating i:i the pleasant
event were Miss Olive Jor.es, Mrs. L.
O. Minor and daughter. Eleanor, Mrs.
T. II. Pollock, Mrs. Virgil Perry and
daughter, Elizabeth.
Burglars Visit
Murdock Hard
ware Store
Secure Large Number o2 Articles
From the A J. Tool Store and
Make Their Escape.
The village cf Murdoch was again
visited by burglars Thursday night
when they broke into the hardware
tore of A. J. Tool, the robbery be
ing discovered this morning when
the store was opened for business.
The robbers proceeded to take a
large amount of goods from the store,
the loot consisting of flashlights,
razors, shot guns and other articles
that could not be fully checked in
the short time.
Deputy Sheriff Tom Walling was
sent to the scene as soon as the re
port was received here in order to
check up the various points in the
case.
Murdock has had a great many
robberies in the past and almost all
cf the business houses have suflered
from the looting of the bcrglars in
the past years.
RETURNS FROM CONFERENCE
A group of some seven of the
members of the local Episcopal church
were at Crete this week to attend
the conference being held at Doane
college at Crete. Those from this city
at the conference were Blanche
Barnes, Jessie Robertson, Marian
Tritsch, William McMaken, Fred
Fricke and Jack Barton. Canon
Fetter was also in attendance at the
meetings.
The conference as-under the di
rection of Eishop Ernest Vj Shayler,
bishop of Nebraska and the speak
ers included church leaders from St.
Louis and Minneapolis.
The program of the day included
four study periods each morning as
well as a fine program of sports and
other activities to serve as the en
tertainment of the party.
There were 117 in attendance at
the conference from the various
churches in the diocease.
HAS INTERESTING TRIP
Joe Brandt, candidate for the re
publican nomination for regr.sier of
deeds, was in the city today for a
few hours and while here was a caller
at the Journal. Mr. Brandt has just
received a letter from his son, Ray
mond, who is in service on the U. S.
S. Marblehead, one of the fast scout
cruisers of the United States navy.
Raymond had be?en stationed at Bre
merton, Washington, when the crui
ser was ordered with other vessels
of the Pacific lleet to the Atlantic
coast. He made the trip through the
Panama canal with the fleet, the en
tire fleet clearing the canal in forty
eight hours.
The Marblehead i3 now stationed
at Rockford, Maine, but expects to
join the rest of the fleet at New York
where the major portion of the fleet
is located at present.
TO RETURN GIRLS
The parents of Miss Clara Belle
Tunis, of Peoria, Illinois, one of the
young women who was brought to
Nebraska from her home against her
will, arrived here last evening. The
parents are to take the daughter and
her companion, Adelaide Hallagan,
back to their home in Illinois.
The parents with Sheriff Sylvester
were in Omaha today to view the
party who had kidnaped the young
women and who are new held in the
Omaha city jail.
It is expected that a charge of vio
lation of the Mann act will be filed
and the men turned over to the fed
eral authorities for their action in
the matter.
Banning Starts
on an Active
Campaign
Democratic Candidate for Governor
Announces His Own Platform
Travel by Auto.
W. B. Banning of Union, one of
a prospective field of half a dozen
democratic candidates for governor,
stopped at the capitol Thursday and
disclosed that he will start next week
with a trip thru the southern part
j oi me state, soutn ci ine finite
1 river.
He said he expects to make the
trip in a car with a driver and a
publicity man to give him aid in
spreading the gospel of democracy
as outlined in new planks of his own
platfcrm which he appends to printed
matter which extols his permits as
a commercial orchardist and a man
of long experience in public life as
a member of the legislature, which
first hand konwledge of the prob
lems cf the farmer and country bank
er, lumber and grain business.
Banning has a plank calling for
a non-partison board, to serve with
out pay to plan for the state depart
ment of roads and irrigation. His
platform declares for the following:
For placing code departments as
far as possible under constitutional
officers.
For reorganization of the state
sheriff's department as a clearing
house for all county sheriffs and to
cooperate in the detecting of crime
and the enforcement of laws.
For reduction in the expenses of
the state, efficiency, honesty and
service in state affairs.
For a ncn-partison planning board
in the department of roads and irri
gation, some to meet quarterly and
to serve without pay except expenses.
Reorganization of the banking de
partment, and providing for examin
ation and regulation of all going
banks, and place control of bank re
ceiverships back to local courts, and
local deposittors commitee, subject
to examination by banking depart
ment. For setting a minimum and maxi
mum salary for county officers, same
to be set by county board.
EAGLES TAKE EASY GAME
The Eagles' kittenball team, one
of the strong organizations in the
local league, last evening took an
easy victory from the American
Legion team by the score of 10 to 2.
Charles Miller hurled a strong game
for the Eagles and received fine
support at the bat from his team
mates through the game.
The box score was as follows:
Eagles
ab n it ro a e
Cotner, ss 4 0 0 1 2 1
Sprecher, 2b 4 2 1 2 1 1
Shubeck, rs-rf 4 2 0 1 1 0
Thimgan, rs-lb 4 2 1 3 0 1
McCarty, lb 4 2 1 6 0 2
Lamberson, c 422410
Clark, 3b 4 0 14 10
Brittain, cf 2 110 0 0
Taylor, If 3 0 1 0 0 0
Miller, p 3 0 0 0 1 1
Fullerton, 1 0 0 0 0 0
Whiteman, 1 0 0 0 0 0
38 11 S 21 7 6
Legion
AB Ii II ro A E
Hilt, ss 4 112 5 2
Niel. 2b 3 0 2 4 0 0
Bragg, lb 3 0 0 6 0 3
Westover, If 3 0 110 0
Rhodes. 3b 3 0 0 3 4 0
McGuire, c 3 0 1 0 0 1
Marshall, rs 3 115 0 2
Nord, cf 3 0 0 0 0 0
Kalacek, rf 2 0 0 0 0 0
Herold, p 3 0 0 0 0 0
Taylor 1 0 0 0 0 0
31 2 6 21 9 8
Umpires, Handley, Shellenbarger,
Taylor Struckout by Herold, 0; Mil
ler, 3: Bases on balls off Herold, 2.
FILES FOR STATE SENATOR
The filing was made for Henry
Cleve of Nebraska City, as a can
didate for the democratic nomination
for state senator from the second
district at Lincoln. Mr. Cleve made
his acceptance of the filing Thurs
day and is now fully in the race for
this office.
Mr. Cleve is one of the prominent
leaders in community life at Nebras
ka City and has served as a repre
sentative from Otoe county in the
state legislature and also as a mem
ber of the board of education of his
home city. Mr. Cleve Is identified
with the business life of Nebraska
City for a great many years.
CMAHA PARTIES WEDDED
Rev. C. O. Troy, pastor of the
First Methodist church, was called
upon to officiate at the marriage of
two Omaha young people. The bridal
ccuple were mutes and made neces
sary the minister having an inter
preter present to relay to the bride
and grocm the marriage lines and
their responses. Following the wed
ding ceremony the bridal party re
turned to Omaha where they are to
make their home in the future.
City Dismisses
Suit Against the
Omar Baking Co.
Dispute Over Collection of Occupa
tion Tax Will Lead to Revision
of the City Ordinance.
From Tuesday's Dally
This morning in the police court
the action of the City of Plattsmouth
against the Omar Baking Co., which
has been pending for several weeks,
was dismissed on motion of City At
torney J. A. Capwell and the defend
ants paying the costs of the action.
This was an action in which the
city sought to collect a tax from
the baking company for operating
a delivery truck in which they sold
direct to the consumers in their
homes instead of deliveries at the
stores as other companies do.
The city contended that the com
pany should pay the rate prescribed
in the city ordinance of ?5 per day
for peddling instead of the regular
$7.50 occupation tax such as the
other companies do in their deliveries
to the stores of the city.
The company resisted the claims
of the city and the representatives
of the. company, w ere ordered placed
under arrest for the refusal to pay
the daily tax and the case set for
hearing but postponed until today.
The baking company is willing to
pay the tax on a yearly basis and
it is expected that the ordinance will
be amended to fit their case.
RE-ELECT W. F. EVERS
Thomas Fletcher, of Fort Worth,
Tex., is the new president of the Ma
sonic Home executives of the United
States. He was elected at the meet
ing held at Harrisburg, Pa. His
home city will entertain the 1935
meeting.
Fletcher was elected Thursday at
the closing session of the fourth an
nual conference, other officers: Vice
president, John Redhead, Columbus,
Miss.; secretary treasurer, Fred S.
Lynn, La Grange, 111.; executive com
mittee Thaddeus Helm, Elizabeth
town; William F. Evers, Plattsmouth,
Neb.; L. M. Tesreau, Alma, Mich.;
W. W. Martin, St. Louis, Mo.; A. E.
McCorbie, Sullivan, Ind., and Edward
J. Price, Springfield, O.
ARRIVE FROM CALIFORNIA
From Tuesday's naily
Last evening Mrs. Milford B. Bates
and children, Texanna, Milford Jr.,
and Roberta arrived from Los An
geles to join Mr. Bates, who has been
here for the past several weeks. The
family are making their home with
Mrs. Robert A. Bates for the pres
ent. They are expecting to make
their home in this city in the future
and will receive a hearty welcome
from the large circle of friends of
the family in this community. Mr.
Bates will serve as the business man
ager of the Journal, assisting Mrs.
R. A. Bates, the owner of the paper.
CHARGED WITH INTOXICATION
Last evening the night police force
placed under arrest Herbert Rodd,
who has been residing at the ln
tinerent cmp ncrth of this city, whom
they claim was in a state of intoxi
cation. The young man was taken
to the city jail and held there for
the night, this morning being turned
over to Sheriff Homer Sylvester for
investigation.
VISITS AT OMAHA
Mrs. Fischer and children of near
Mynard were at Omaha Wednesday
where they met their cousin,, Francis
Fischer, who has just completed his
work at the St. Joseph college at
Westmonth, Illinois.
Story of Pioneer
Family of the
Western Country
Jacob T. Berger One of Early Resi
dents of West Story Related
ty Son, Gto. L. Berger.
George L. Berger, old time resident
of Cass county, while here- a few
days ago related the story of the set
tlement by his family in Nebraska
seventy-seven years ago.
The father of Mr. Berger was Ja
cob T. Berger, who was born in Feb
ruary 1818 in Germany, the family
living in one of the provinces near
the Rhine river. When Jacob Berger
was twenty-six years of age he bit
his native land to come to the United
States, as at that time there was a
strong liberal movement in Europe
and which resulted in persecution of
those who had espossed the liberal
cause.
Mr. Berger located in Mercer
county, Pennsylvania, where he pur
chased a 100-acre farm and carried
this on as part of his activities, also
being interested in canal digging.
In the years that followed he was
married to Miss Margaret Ann Wal
ter.bough, who was born in 1823 in
Pennsylvania.
When the reports of the gold
strikes in California in 184 9 were
received in the east, Mr. Berger with
many others started on the long
trip to the west that at that time
required months to acomplish. After
two years in the west he returned
to Pennsylvania for a short time.
In June 185C, with his eon, W. H.
Berger, Mr. Berger came to the new
territory of Nebraska and located in
this community where he was en
gaged in freighting to Denver lor
several months.
On March 31, 1837, the family dis
posed of their holdings in Pennsyl
vania and loaded on a steamboat at
Rochester, near Pittsburgh, for their
start toward the great western coun
try. They traveled down (lie Ohio
river to Cariro and thence up to the
mouth of the Missouri at St. Louirf
and then up that stream to where
the pioneer trading post of Platts
mouth had been established. It was
on April 28, 1857 almott a month
since they had left their eastern home
that the family arrived at Plr.tts
mouth. The family located on a section
and a half of land in Louisville pre
cinct which the father had secured
on his previous trip to the west. It
was in that locality that George L.
Berger was raised to manhood.
George L. Berger engaged in farm
ing in Cass county over a period of
forty-eight years, retiring in 1910
and has since enjoyed travel and
recreation. In his days on the farm
he specialized in Red Polled cattle
for over a twenty year period.
Mr. Berger moved to California in
1919 and where his wife passed
away a few years ago and he has
since moved from Orange back t'
Nebraska and makes his home at
Omaha and Elmwood, near the latter
place he still has large land Interests.
LOOK INTO OIL PROSPECTS
John Urish, one cf the well k-iown
residents of Mt. Pleasant j:c(ii:ct,
was in the city Friday to look aftr
some business and visiting with his
friends. Mr. Urish is much interested
in seeing tests made for oil in his
section of the county and h:is b'-en
able with the oid cf representative!!
of a large southern company to se
cure leases on much of the land in
that section.
Mr. Urish strongly believes that
there is oil in that aection of the
country as he has had much exper
ience in locating wells and thinks
that he can as readily locate an oil
well.
DRAWS FIFTEEN DAYS
Herbert Rudd, who was taken In
Wednesday night by the members of
the night police force, was arraigned
Thursday afternoon in county court
before Judge A. H. Duxbury on the
rharge of intoxication. The young
man made a plea of guilty to the
charge as preferred and accordingly
was given a sentence of fifteen days
ni the county jail. lie was remanded
to the custody of Sheriff Sylvester to
serve out the sentence.