Nebr. State Historical Society
afk ... - -
0.
VOL. NO. II
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1035.
NO. 91
Fred H. Gorder
Has a Splendid
Official Record
With Passing of Christmas Day Will
Observe 71st Birthday Fifteen
Years on County Board.
County Commissioner Fred H. Gor
der, of Weeping Water, -was in the
city Wednesday to look after some
matters at the court house, as is his
custom in the long years of faithful
service to the people of Cass county.
Mr. Gorder is to observe the pass
ing of his seventy-first birthday on
Christmas day and also is completing
his fifteenth year as member of the
board of county commissioners of
Cass county.
Fred H. Gorder was born on a
farm near Waterloo, Wisconsin, De
cember 25. IS 64, but has spent his
lifetime in Nebraska and Cass county,
as he was brought to this county by
his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick
Gorder, when but two years of age.
The family located at Plattsmouth
and where Fred H. received his edu
cation. In 18S4, fifty one years ago,
the father, who was interested in the
implement business in Plattsmouth,
sent the Ben, Fred H.. tben nineteen,
to Weeping Water to look after the
interests of the branch store and
which under his skillful guidance
grew to be one of the important im
plement houses of the county. Mr.
Gorder later purchased the interests
c his father and continued the busi
ness for himself.
Mr. Gorder in 18 94 was elected
mayor of Weeping Water and served
in that capacity for over sixteen
years and under his administration
some of the forward strides were
made in the development of the city.
He was first elected commisioner
In 1920 and has since been con
stantly re-elected and appreciating
this confidence has given untiring
service to the people of Cass county.
HAVE CHRISTMAS TBEAT
From TouriCAr'i D.lly
The children of the Columbian
school who have been out of school
for the past two days, threatening
the enjoyment of their Christmas
observances, today enjoyed a treat
from their teachers. While the fact
that the heating plant at the school
uas out of commission would not
permit the regular programs, the
teachers decided that the holiday
should not be passed unnoticed. Miss
Margaret Iverson, MisB Ruth Tid
Lail, Miss Helen Hall and Miss Dor
othey Downey, provided treats for
the children and which were distri
buted this afternoon at 1:20 at the
school building and certainly the
thoughtfulness of the teachers was
much appreciated by the scholars and
patrons of the school.
CHRISTMAS HATCHING
The Leon L. McCarty family have
at their heme a hatching of Christ
mas chickens who have just arrived
cn the scene in face of the approach
of the :nid-winter weather. One of
the hens belonging to the McCarty
flock, decided that she wished to do
a little setting and accordingly stole
out her nest and when sufficient eggs
had accumulated she proceeded to
start in on the rearing of her brood
and Wednesday arrived In the Mc
Carty yard with a flock of fine
healthy little chicka. The sudden
chance to cold weather has made it
necessary for the care of the mother
hen and chicks in the warmth.
LITTLE BABE ILL
The little son of Mr. and Mrs.
Richard Beverage has not been well
for several days and his condition
has become such that it was found
necessary to have him taken to the
Methodist hospital at Omaha. The
babe may have to undergo an oper
ation. TO VISIT HEBE
Russell Wasley, who is teaching
and coaching at the Superior, Mon
tana, high school, is expected here
Monday to enjoy the holiday season
with the relatives an3 old friends.
Mr. Wasley has been very successful
in his work in the western school,
developing some excellent football
and basketball teams.
WILL SPEAK AT BANQUET
Robert Foster Patterson, instructor
in history at Tarkio college, Tarkio,
Missouri, has accepted the Invitation
to be the speaker at the democratic
banquet to be held in this city on
January S. Mr. Patterson is a very
able speaker on any subject that may
be assigned him and his selection as
the keynoter at the local banquet as
sures a message that will serve as
;an inspiration to the members of the
party in the coming campaign.
The committee is arranging for the
place of holding the banquet as well
as looking after the arranging for
the serving of this feast to the dem
ocrats of the county.
Local Scout
Troop Makes a
Fine Showing
Plattsmouth Troop Has Best Troop
Record in Cornhnsker Area
With 80 Before Court.
Reports issued from the headquar
ters of the Cornhusker area of the
Boy Scouts of America, show that
more than 300 of the scouts were
awarded merit badges and promo
tions at the courts of honor held in
the area in 1935.
Troop 364 of Plattsmouth had the
best troop record with eighty of
their members coming before the
court of honor during the year.
Interest in scouting was shown
by the fact that there was an aver
age of 88 visitors at the courts of
honor held at Louisville, Peru, Camp
Wheeler, near this city, and two held
in Nebraska City.
Advancements made in Scouting
were as follows:
To second class 36, to first class
30, merit badges 221; palms, 2. star
14, life 6 , eagle 0. Merit badge
awards were most numerous due to
requirements before higher ranks can
be obtained, Scout officials pointed
out.
Plattsmouth was given two life
Scouts and Auburn three. Platts
mouth received four star ratings,
Peru 1, Nehawka and Auburn 2.
Troops in the district are 327 Au
burn, 333 Douglas, 353 Louisville,
345 Nebraska City, 343 Nebraska
City, 346 Nebraska City, 361 Nehaw
ka, 325 Peru, 364 Plattsmouth, 333
Syracuse.
NO NEW CCC ENROLMENTS
There will be no new CCC enrol
ments in the Btate in January. Bul
letins sent to State Relief Director
Elmore's office indicate Nebraska's
quota is oversubscribed by about 250.
The government's plan is to hew the
national enrolment from the 600,000
planned for July to 300,000.
Expecting there will be no more
than 14,000 requisitioned in the en
tire United States, the assignments
will be made to corps areas and not
to states. The seventh corps area, of
which Nebraska Is a part, has 60,000
enrolled at present and wants only
54.000, hence the seventh corps area
will be allowed no new enrolments.
LEAVE FOR CALIFORNIA
Mr. and Mrs. Frank A. Rebal and
children leave Friday for a holiday
trip to the Pacific coast, expecting
to remain until after the New Year..
They will visit with Mr. and Mrs.
Edward Rebal and family at Monte
Bello, California, as well as with
Mr. and Mjb. Fred J. Rebal at Taft,
California. While there they expect
to visit a number of the old time
friends who are now residing on the
west coast. Mr. Rebal also expects
to attend the Rose Bowl game at
Pasadena on New Year's day.
A WINTER REMINDER
From Friday Daily
The temperature this morning was
a distinct reminder that winter is
now at hand and zero weather may
be looked for at any time. The tem
perature during the night dropped
to two degrees above zero, the record
low bo far this season.
The coming of the extreme cold
weather will probably cause the clos
ing down of active work on the Mis
souri river projects in a short time
as the ice and hard working condi
tions will make it impossible to carry
on any effective work.
Completing
Indexing Records
of County Court
Assistance Available Under WPA Al
lotment Will Make Records Best
Arranged in the State.
From Thursday's Dally
The work was started this morn
ing of completing the task of in
dexing '.he probate records in the
office of the county Judge, this being
made possible by an allotment from
the WPA for the project.
This plan of indexing
was first '
started as a part of the CWA work in
this county in 1934 but was only
partly carried out when the appro
priations were stopped and the proj
ect left only partially completed.
The workers have started with the
first estate probated in Cass county,
that of Samuel Martin, in 1S54, and
has continued on down as far as pos
sible and will now be completed.
Each estate has been given a num
ber and duly indexed and filed so
that it will be possible at any time
to turn to an estate that may be de
sired and the filed records can be
readily located, while before it was
a long and difficult task to locate
records or information that might
be desired.
The work is being done by Ralph
Olson and MIsb Anna Peoples under
the supervision of Miss Minnie Hild,
deputy in the office of Judge Dux
bury and when completed will give
Cass county one of the best systems
of records in the state in any of the
county courts.
This project was to have been
started at the time that the resump
tion of the record work in the office
of the county register of deeds was
started and which has been going on
for some weeks, but was delayed un
til the final approval and allowance
for the work.
POLICE COURT DOINGS
From Saturday' DaJiy
This morning John Norton, giving
his residence at Omaha, was pres
ent before Judge Charles L. Graves
to explain his condition last evening
when he was arrested on a charge of
intoxication. The man was found
lying in an alley near Washington
avenue, semi - conscious and his
groans finally attracted the attention
of residents in that section. An in
vestigation disclosed that the man
had his face skinned and beaten up
and was decidedly under the influ
ence of drink. While he was being
escorted to the city jail by Officer
Roy Stewart, he fell near the Stand
ard Oil Co. station and suffered a cut
to his lip that resulred several
stitches to close. This morning Judge I borB assembled by Capt. Fellman in
Graves gave him a fine of JIG andthe reading room where the boys
costs. In statements to the court the
man claimed to have come here with
a friend who had disappeared and
he had recollection of falling and in
jurin ghlmself but how he came to
be In the alley he could not explain.
Robert Dickey was also a caller at
the court of Judge Graves and drew
a fine of 325 and costs on the charge
of intoxication, which will be worked
out by the defendant.
TO SPEAK AT BANQUET
Raymond C. Cook, deputy grand
custodian of the A. F. & A. M. of
Nebraska, has been invited to make
the main address at the banquet to be
held this evening at Omaha by the
Omaha chapter of the Order of De-
Molay
Thir will h n rlnnn nf flftv vnn n v
men Initiated during the evening,
one of the largest classes that has K Jones. Mrs. Kamey was Dornjat hlm piynn waB attempting to
been taken Into the order in several his city fifty-three years ago and j telepnone police when Mills attack
months. spent her girlhood days in this com-led hlm agaln firlng nis last 8not at
Mr. Cook was the first master coun- munity and where she still has many hlm and then startjng to beat him up
cillor of Casa chapter of the De-friend" among the old residents. Mrs.!wlth the revolTer Dutt denouncing
Molay of this city and has retained ' Julia Thomas, of Omaha, a cousin of tlm
a great deal of interest in the work
of this youth fraternity.
MARRIED AT CITY ttatt.
From Saturday's Dalty:
This morning at the city hall oc
curred the marriage of Miss Alice E.
Slaven and Mr. Elmer R. Mengler,
both of Omaha. The marriage lines
were read by Judge C. L. Graves and
the ceremony witnessed by Mrs. J. D.
Miller and Robert J. Mangier of Om
aha. They were accompanied by a
number of friends.
EAGLE LADY DIES
Mrs. Caroline Spahnle, 74, who
had been a resident of this state
Corty-five years, died at her home at
Eagle at 8:30 p. m., Tuesday. Na
tive of Baden, Germany, she had
lived in Otoe county on a farm for
thirty years prior to moving to
Eagle eighteen years ago. She had
spent two years earlier in Daven
port, la. She was active in the Meth-
iodist church at Eagle.
Surviving are three fons, John, Joe
and Fred Rudolph; four daughters,
Mrs. Theresa Burdlck, Mrs. Frieda
wall, Mrs. Irma Walsh and Mrs. Elsie
xjmland, all of Eagle; eighteen grand -
children and five great grandchil
dren.
Farmers are
Urged to Hear
Radio Talk
Special Message of Interest to All
Farmers Tuesday, Dec. 24,
at 10:43 a. m.
A Christmas message bringing gcod
cheer and hope to every farmer in
nrrclrn ntirt n Imn IT". r crotr a trnv '
be heard at 10:45 a. m.-December
24tk
' . ..,,
A nropr&m under wnlca thousands'
of farm families are benefiting is to
be explained In full detail. The way
back after years of hardship on the
farm, occasioned by drouth, du3t,
floods and successive crop failures
will be pointed out in this Christmas
message.
L. A. White, state director of the
Resettlement Administration for Ne
braska, will outline the program of
that agency In its effort to aid needy
farm families and to assist farmers
back to a self-sustaining basis by
means of budgeted farm 'management
loan plans.
"Thousands of families have been
given financial assistance under Re
settlement," said Mr. White. "There
are many other thousands eligible
for such aid. In this fifteen minute
discussion I will make it clear as to
how farm families can get back on
their feet."
Mr. Jean H. Spangler, local rep
resentative of the Resettlement Ad-
ministration, ureses all Mrsong in
. . .,,.
Cass county to tune in on Station,
WOW at 10:45
cember 24 th.
a. m..Tuaday, De-
SPEAZS AT WEEPING WATER
Dr. H. O. McClusky was invited
to speak to the boys of the CCC camp
at Weeping Wuter Thursday evening.
He spoke to them on the topic "What
Life Means to Us." There were 193
gave the closest attention.
The camp is very beautifully de
corated in the Christmas trees with
lights and colored lamps. Supper was
served In quick, and quiet fashion;
when each one is through he scrapes
his own disheB in the garbage re
tainer, and carries them to the dish
washers who clean them In boiling
water.
Capt. Fellman has his time filled
by the problems and questions of the
193 boys which would tax the finest
mother in the world. He does a tact
ful Job of it. Mr. Ellis has charge
of the agricultural work and Mr.
Smith the educational.
VISITS IN CITY
Mrs. Alma Chandler Ramey, of
Oklahoma City. Oklahoma, is here
visiting at the home of her aunt, Mrs.
Mra. Ramey, came down to enjoy the
visit here with the members of the
family.
STUDENTS RETURN HOME
The Plattsmouth students at Tar
kio college, Tarkio, Mo., returned
home Friday to enjoy Christmas vaca
tion here with the relatives and
friends In this city and vicinity. The
group comprised Dorothea Siemoneit,
Lois Meade, Cecil and James Corn-
stock, George Adam, 8tuart Porter ,
and Kenneth Armstrong. I
Garage Man
Has Experience
with Kidnapers
John Hamilton, Night Man' at Chev-
relet Garage Held Up, Forced
to Drive Bandit to Omaha.
From Frldays Dally
John Hamilton, night attendant
at the Cass County Motor Co., gar-
I age on
Washington avenue, shortly
after midnight was kidnaped and
i taken on a wild ride to Omaha under
the gun of an apparent dope crazed
man, giving the name of John Mills,
ex-convict from the Illinois peniten
tiary at Joliet, Illinois.
Hamilton was called from the New
Way castle shortly after ii:.dnight by
a man who stated that his car was
broken down some two and a half
miles north of this city and he wish
ed assistance in getting the car in
which his wife had remained, brought
on to this city.
Hamilton had taken the wrecker
and driven to the lunch place where
the man had stated that he preferred
to have a car taken out so that his
wife might ride back to this city. On
Uton tad enallv Placed tDe cker
back in the garage and here was
where the stick up occurred a3 the
stranger requestea tnat a ;: naasier
Chevrolet sedan be taken on the trip
and to enforce obedience to the order
a revolver was shoved in the ribs of
the attendant and he was ordered to
get under the wheel and get going.
The stranger had got cut of the car
with Hamilton to allow him to lock
the garage and then the order to
drive to Omaha was given.
The car was driven around some
time and finally approached a Shell
gas station thought to be near 15th
and Dodga streets as lar as-could be
determined and here the stranger
had compelled Hamilton to alight
with him and the car was ordered
refueled and when this was done,
Mills had stuck up the attendant of
the oil station and removed ?18 from
the cash register, keeping the two
men menaced by the gun. The man
claiming to be Mills had threatened
to kill the gas station attendant and
it was only at the insistence and
pleas of Hamilton that he spared the
aged operator. The Btation man, how-
" v
ever was compelled to accompany the
bandit and Hamilton. Driving north
on ICth street the car had reached
a dark street near the outskirts when
Hamilton and the station attendant
had been ordered out of the car, the
bandit shaking hands with them and
then speeding away i the stolen car.
Hamilton was able to reach police
some twenty minutes after his re-
lease and members of the police and j
detective force sent to the scene.
Hamilton gave his story to the po
lice and later he was brought on
back to Plattsmouth.
On the w;ay to Omaha the man who
claimed to be Mills had talked freely
to Hamilton of himself, that he had
just been released ten days ago from
the IlllnciB Btate prison at Joliet, re
turning to Omaha. He recounted how
a few hours earlier in the evening he
had beat up Joe Flynn, 2 621 Harney
street at an apartment house in Om
aha. Mrs. Mills, who had quarreled
with her husband Monday had re
turned to their apartment to Becure
her clothing and had asked Flynn, a
relative of a friend to accompany her.
She had found her husband in the
apartment, who had commanded,
"come to me," but that she had slam
med the door. Mills had pulled the
jdoor open and knocked her down and
shot at her three times. He had then
purBued Flynn, firing several times
According to Mills he had fled from
the Bcene of the beating up and had
stolen a taxi cab from the streets and
fled to this city. The taxi cab, aban
doned, was found in this city near
the Coryell oil station, a few blocks
from the Chevrolet garage.
DEPART TOR MISSOURI
Mr. and Mrs. Josepn Ware depart
ed Wednesday for Brunswick, Mo.,
where they will spend the Christmas
holidays visiting their parents and
other relatives. I
WILL CHRISTMAS HE2E
James M. Robertson, II, midship
man at the U. S. naval academy at
Annapolis, is to have the opportunity
of enjoying the Christmas season
here with his parents, Attorney and
Mrs. W. A. Robertson and his sisters
and t -oth-er as well as the old
friends. TLc academy superintendent
has issuer : . oider that permits the
midshipmen . hose academic ranking
Is of high standing, to enjoy the
holiday until the first of the year. Mr.
Robertson is expecting to leave Sat
urday evening for Chicago where he
will meet the son and accompany
him on home, they expecting to reach
here Sunday evening.
Legion Auxiliary
Holds a Very Fine
Open Meeting
Pay Honor to Gold Star Mothers
and Past Presidents of
the Organization.
The American Legljn Auxiliary
Friday evening held an open meet
ing at the Legion building to which
the members of the Legion and
friends were invited to attend.
The meeting was to pay special
honor to the gold star mothers of
the city as well as the past presidents
of the Auxiliary who served so well
in the terms of their service.
There were to have been three of
the gold star mothers, Mrs. Michael
Kerns, Mrs. E. C. Ripple and Mrs.
Carl Kopischka to be honored, but
sickness prevented the attendance of
Mrs. Kerns and Mrs. Ripple.
The past presidents of the Aux
iliary who were in attendance were
Mrs. F. R. Gobelman, Mrs. C. A.
ai.uscu.i uuo, Jim. i . iiuiiusuu,
aha Mrs Robert Will, Mrs-Ray Lar
son, Mrs Don Seiver, Mrs. H. L.
Thomas and Mrs. Fay McClintock.
The meeting was presided over
very pleasantly by Mrs. Otto Keck,
unit president, who presented to each
of the honor guests a very beautiful
rose as a token of the esteem in
which they were held by the members
of the Auxiliary.
Judge A. H. Duxbury, who had as
sisted in the initial launching of the
Auxiliary, gave a Bhort resume of the
first days when the unit was char
tered and started on the very suc
cessful career that has followed. He
praised the work of the organization
in aiding the Legion and in foster
ing and carrying out the principles
of the veterou organisation.
There were fourteen new members
to be received and initiated in the
Auxiliary and which was very Im
pressively given by the officers, Mrs.
Frank Rice serving as sergeant at
arms. Those who were received as
members were Mrs. Henry G. Soen
nichsen. Mrs. Claude Ruse, Mrs. E. L.
McKissick, Mrs. Ralrh Hilt, Mrs.
John Ca; . Irs Tora Walling, Mrs.
Homer bji. r, Mrs. John E. Turn
er, Mrs. V. iii Wells, Mrs. Edgar
Creamer, Mrs. A. B. Maddox, Mrs.
Don Tincher, Mrs. Sadie Shaffer.
Those assisting in the initiation
were Mrs Adelaide Boynton, Mrs.
James Farnham, Mrs. Fred KerbBtcr,
Mrs. Fay McClintock and the presi
dent, Mrs. Otto A. Keck.
The evening was closed with a
short social hour and refreshments
served by the Auxiliary and which
was much appreciated by all of the
group present.
The hostesses who furnished the
refreshments for the event were Mrs. j
David Pickrell, Mrs. Max Vallery,
Mrs. E. H. Tritsch, Miss Mathilde
Soennichsen and Mrs. Mart Buttery.
PASSING OF MRS. BALTZ VOLK
Friday afternoon Mrs. Elizabeth
Tritsch, Miss Amelia Frederich, Phil
lip and Nick Kennings, returned
home from Randolph, Nebraska,
where they have been in attendance
at the funeral of Mrs. Baltz Volk,
74. The funeral services were held
on Thursday at Randolph and the
interment made there.
Mrs. Polk was a former resident
of Cass county, the family moving to
the vicinity of Randolph in 1891 and
have cince made their home in that
section of the country. In late years
Mr. and Mrs. Volk have lived in
Randolph after retiring from active
farming. She is survived by five sons
and one daughter as well as the aged J
husband. j
City Schools
Hold Programs
for Christmas
High School, Junior High and Grade
Schools All Join in Fine
Observance.
Friday marked the dose of the
city schools until Thursday, January
2nd, with appropriate programF in
the high school, junior high and the
grades of the various schools.
The program in the high school
was held in the afternoon with Floyd
McCarty, president of the student
council, presiding over the program
which was one that all t-njoyc-d to
the utmost. The musical Gepartment
of the schools under the direction of
Mr. Hoyt Griffin, music supervitor,
presented the Chrietmas cantata in
a very artistic manner. Thits cantata
was participated In by the two rlee
clubs, the orcheetra and other musi
cal groups of the school. The fctory
carried the message of the nativitv
and the visit of the three vise men,
In a very striking way. Miss Jure
Boedeker, '25. now a student at Wil
liam Woods college, Fulton, Missouri,
gave one of her artistic piano solo
numbers. Miss Margaret Taylor. '3 4,
was heard In several vocal numbers,
Mrs. J. R. Reeder being the accom
panist. Donald Cotner, 35. also fa
vored the school with a number of
saxophone numbers with Miss Klva
Olso naa the accompanist. There was
a large number of the alumni of the
city schools in attendance at the pro
gram. Junior High Program
The junior high school program
was held Friday morning in the gym
of the high school and oUered a
.rnriort arc! rmirh frtinvoA nrz-rram
Konfilfl Lester served as ti an-
nouncer for the various events. The
girls glee club was presented in two
numbers, "The Manger" and "The
Wooden Soldiers," while the boys
group gave "Three Kings of Orient"
and "Christmas at the Door." The
classes of Mr. Rothert and Miss Hen
nings were presented in calisthenics
that was very interesting. A very
much enjoyed instrumental solo was
given by Granville Sigler and Allan
White, while a trio of girls, Dor
othy Turner, Dorothy Will and Helen
Hiatt, gave "Slumber Boat." The
singing was under the direction of
Mr. Knolle.
In the grades there were short pro
grams and treats distributed to the
youngsters of the school.
ENTERTAINS CLUB
The country home of Mrs. Walter
Tritsch was the scene of a very de
lightful social gathering Thursday
evening when she was hostess to tha
members of the J. U. G. card club.
The home was very attractively
arranged in the decorations of the
Christmas Ftason, the bright color
ing making a most cheerful and al
luring setting to the scene.
The evening was featured by a
delicious 6:30 dinner served by the
hostess to the friends and which will
long be very pleasantly remembered
by all of the guests.
The remainder of the evening was
spent in bridge and at which a great
deal of pleasure was derived.
PINOCHLE CLUB KELTS
Mrs. Lorene Urieh entertained very
j pleasantly Thursday e. ening at her
home In the south part of the city.
the members of the Fortnightly pin
ochle club being the guesta.
The home was attractively ar
ranged in the holiday colors and de
corations to add to the charm of the
scene.
In the playing Mrs. John Sanders
was the winner of the hih score
and Mrs. Herman Tiekotter, Jr., re
ceived the second prize.
At an appropriate hour a dainty
luncheon was served Ly the hoBtesa
to add to the completion of the happy
event.
HERE FROM ATCHISON
Faustine Nowacek and John Kelly,
who are students at St. Benedict's
school at Atchison, Kansas, are home
to enjoy the holiday senson with
their relatives and old friends. The
young men are attending school pre-
paratory to taking up study for the
priesthood of the Catholic church.