Uer. State Historical Society
VOL. no. im
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 1937.
NO. 59
Legion-Auxiliary
Delegates Return
from Convention
Most Pleasant Time at Scottsbluff--Verdant
Fields Produced by
Irrigation Interesting.
Prom Thursday's Daily
The three American Legion post
and six Legion Auxiliary unit rep
resentatives from this city at the
Scottsbluff convention of the two or
ganizations arrived home at an early
hour this morning after traveling the
500 or more miles between the west
ern Nebraska host city and home.
The Plattsmouth delegation is in
debted to Mrs. Clifford Jewell (ne
Jean Fitch), former resident of this
city, for her aid in getting the group
located on their arrival Sunday af
ternoon, and to Mr. and Mrs. Albert
Kaasch, who placed four rooms in
their spacious home on Overland
drive at the disposal of the nine
men and women from here. Also to
numerous other Scottsbluff folks for
favors extended. Not only did the
Kaasch family provide rooms, but
Mr. Kaasch took time from his work
as an implement dealer there, to take
several of the delegates from here on
a very interesting tour of the irri
gated district southeast of Gering. It
was a revealing sight to see these
farms whose owners do not worry
about rainfall to produce their crop,
while on a few miles further in the
foothills dry land farms were bar
ren of vegetation.
Only minor changes in the Con
stitution and By-Laws of either the
Legion or Auxiliary. The summary
of policy resolutions passed by the
Legion is found in a United Press
dispatch published elsewhere in to
day's Journal, together with accounts
of the election of officers In both
organizations. Fremont will be host
city next year.
Nehawka and Plattsmouth were
the only Cass county towns repre
sented. Although there were a num
ber of Twelfth district towns repre
sented the Plattsmouth post colors
were the only ones from this district
in the mass display on the convention
platform and carried in Tuesday af
ternoon's 3-mile-long parade. There
was also a marked shortage of drum
and bugle corps from the eastern
part of the state, the great distance
making it well nigh impossible to
transport them.
Plattsmouth Auxiliary unit was
awarded the Nell Krause gavel bell
trophy for membership increase at
time of announcing the awards
yesterday, but the Legion's splendid
Junior drum corps that has appeared
at numerous state and district con
ventions as well as at Veterans' day
programs in c6njunction with the
state fair wasn't even mentioned as
being in existence in the annual drum
corps report until attention of the
convention was directed to that fact
from the floor. "Just an oversight,"
they said.
A most enjoyable time is reported
at the convention by all the group
that attended Mr. and Mrs. H. L.
Gayer, Mr. and Mrs. E. O. Vroman,
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Webb, Mrs. Ed
Ci earner, Mrs. Otto Keck and Mrs.
Faye McClintock.
Adjutant Webb, who lived at Ger
ing in 1910, working for A. B.
Wood, publisher of the Gering Cour
ier and half owner of the Scottsbluff
Morning Star-Herald, enjoyed meet
ing many old acquaintances while
in the "Valley."
The entire Plattsmouth group aso
enjoyed visiting with Mr. and Mrs.
Harvey J. Heneger, who came down
from their home at Veteran, Wyom
ing (about 50 miles away) to attend
the convention. Mrs. Heneger was
the first president of the Plattsmouth
Auxiliary unit, serving two years,
and Mr. Heneger was Le,;ion finance
officer here several years, prior to
their removal to the west. Mr. Hene
ger, who was a "ditch rider" for a
number of years, gave up that work
nearly two years ago. and now, In
addition to looking after a combina
tion lrrigated-dry land farm, engages
in live stock buying and selling as
a profitable sideline.
ARRIVAL OF NEW SON
Mr. and Mrs. Justus J. Lillie of
Seward announce the arrival of a
son August 27 at the Methodist hoB
pital in Omaha.
ORGANIZE FOR KITTENS ALL
The kittenball fans of the com
munity will have an opportunity of
enjoying some weeks of this sport as
the King Korn Klub kittenball team
is being organized to play now until
after the Karnival in September.
The first game will be held tomor
row (Sunday) night at Athletic park
where the lights are now installed
and ready to go. The U. S. Engi
neers of Omaha are scheduled to be
the opponents of the local players.
There will be other practice games
between now and the opening of the
Karnival.
The teams which will be secured
for the three games at the Karnival
will be all Cass county groups and
it will be purely a family affair among
the Cass county folks.
A large number of old veterans of
the game are out getting warmed up
and will be ready after a few work
outs for the Karnival games.
Ad Club Has
a Discussion of
Karnival Plans
Committees Are Busy in Making
Plans for the Annnal Festival
Covers Wide Field.
The Business Men's Ad club at
their session Wednesday had a very
large attendance and a most inter
esting discussion of the plans for
the annual fall festival the King
Korn Karnival.
The coronation ball this year will
make necessary securing of a new
place for the feature of the coronation
of the king and queen, the Legion
building having been rented for the
evening for another attraction.
Other points of the Karnival to be
discussed was that of the securing of
a movable platform that might be
moved when needed and not making
it necessary to keep it erected in one
spot for the entire Karnival.
The committee in charge is hoping
to have the Syracuse band here to
take part in one of the programs of
the four day festival as a return com
pliment for the visit of the local
drum and bugle corps to that place.
The lighting effects for the busi
ness section during the karnival was
taken up and suggestions received
that the electroliers be supplied with
larger lights and reflectors provided
to give a greater illumination to the
downtown streets.
The pre-karnival committee is one
of the busiest of the group as they
have to plan several entertainments
to take place on Wednesdays pre
ceding the opening of the karnival on
September 22. It is hoped to have
new and novel attractions for this
part of the program and which will
stimulate the interest in the karnival.
LIBRARY BROKEN INTO
From Friday's Dally
The city seems to be suffering from
an epidemic om prowlers and petty
thieving, as yesterday the fact of
the breaking into the public library
was reported to the office of Sheriff
Homer Sylvester.
The parties gained entrance to the
basement of the building by the north
windows and from the basement made
their way to the main part of the li
brary. Some small change was taken from
the librarian's desk but no other dam
age was reported.
The Bheriff and chief of police
checked the place in the hope of be
ing able to secure finger prints or
other clues.
LEAVES FOR THE WEST
Harley Streets, pitctier for the
local Merchants team of the South
east Nebraska league, " in company
with Ernest Seitz, departed Wednes
day for the Pacific northwest where
they hope to be located in the future.
Harley expects to join his brother,
Dorris Streets, who has been in the
west for the past two years while
Seitz will visit friends in that sec
tion. The departure of Streets will be
keenly felt by the baseball team as
his great mound work and heavy hit
ting formed a large part of the sue
cess of the local team for the past
season.
Murdock Couple
Joined in Wedded
at Muscatine
Miss Helen Bornemeier and Mr. Wil
liam Seikjost United in
the Iowa City.
The marriage of two of the well
known residents of the Murdock com
munity, Miss Helen Bornemeier and
Mr. William Seikost, took place Wed
nesday morning at 11 o'clock at Mus
catine, Iowa.
The bridal couple with Mr. and
Mrs. Gust Bornemeier, the latter a
sister of the bride, motored to the
Iowa city where they were all guests
of friends and where the ceremony
had been arranged to take plaoe.
The wedding ceremony took place
at the Lutheran orphanage in that
city of w hich Dr. Kime, D. D., an old
time friend of Mr. Seikost is the
superintendent.
The bride wore a striking gown
of white satin and made a lovely fig
ure of charm. The groom wore the
conventional black.
The wedding was held in the pres
ence of a hundred of the children
who reside at the orphanage and the
decorations were most attractive for
the setting of the happy event.
Following the wedding the mem
bers of the party enjoyed a sumptu
ous wedding dinner, Mr. and Mrs.
Seikjost later leaving for Eustice
where they will visit for a short
time before returning to Murdock.
They will be at home on the farm
where the groom has been farming
for some time.
The bride was born and grew to
womanhood near Murdock and was
for a number of years the manager
of the telephone exchange.
The groom has resided in the Mur
dock community for a number of
years and is one of the enterprising
farmers of that section of Cass coun
ty. WITHERED CROPS
In the most interesting drive to
and from Scottsbluff for the Legion
convention this week, the Plattd
mouth group saw a great deal of
withered corn many fields either
burned out, stunted from lack of
moisture or riddled by grasshoppers.
Almost before they had gotten out
of our own back yard, starting as
near home as western Douglas coun
ty, and continuing with slight varia
tions all the way across the state.
1937 will be just another year in
the life of many debt-ridden farm
ers who sent their seed forth, but
will reap no harvest. It is a pitiful
sight, and one cannot help but rea
lize that back of these conditions
lies the principal reason for failure
of the rest of us, who work in offices,
shops, etc., to enjoy that "returning"
but greatly delayed prosperity we
hear so much about.
Then came another picture a
vastly different one as, after hours
of travel through dust infested ter
ritory where it scarcely seemed one
would be repaid for plowing the land
(yet many were doing so because
"Hope springs eternal in the human
breast" we dropped down into the
verdant vailey of the Platte. Green
vegetation everywhere, farmers with
smiles on their faces, placid water
finding its way along the laterals
to bring to the soil that which, along
with sunshine, is needed to produce
real crops.
On the trip back, one of the cars
came south from Gering through
the world's greatest wheat-raising
section the Nebraska Panhandle.
There, too, nature has frowned on
the efforts of mankind to overcome
the handicaps of the last few years.
At Kimball, from whence in normal
years a million bushels of wheat are
shipped, the amount this year has
been a scant 10,000 bushels.
Yet, farmers are plowing their
fields anew getting ready for the
next year hopeful that "things will
be different."
RETURNS FROM HOSPITAL
Floyd Shanholtz, who has been
at the Clarkson hospital at Omaha,
was able to return home Thursday.
Floyd was given a minor nose oper
ation Monday and has responded very
nicely to the treatment.
TO COACH IN NEVADA
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Godwin de
parted Thursday for Fernley, Nevada,
where Mr. Godwin is to coach this
year in the high school. Fernley is a
very fine little city some thirty miles
from Reno.
Mr. Godwin coached for several
years at Lovelock, Nevada, where he
made a splendid record in producing
successful teams in both football and J
basketball.
They were given a very pleasant
surprise on Wednesday just on the
eve oi tneir departure iur me west
when Mr. and Mrs. Gene Salet of
Carson City, Nevada, stopped here for
a short visit en route home from the
east. Mr. Salet was a pupil of Mr.
Godwin at Lovelock and he is now
taking over a coaching position at
Carson City and the former teacher
and pupil will be located only some
sixty miles apart in the mountain
state.
. . . 1 A A.
Asks Damages
as Result Cycle
Auto Crash
ijien .Uanieis 01 iws City xnes Action
Against Herbert Cappen of
Weeping Water.
Glen Daniels of this city Wednes
day afternoon filed a damage suit in
the office of the clerk of the district
court for 126,046, against Herbert
Cappen of Weeping Water.
The petition states that on June 19,
1937, the plaintiff, Daniels, was oper
ating a motocycle on highway No. 75,
south of this city and at the time he
had as a passenger Zella Brizendine.
The petition also claims that the mo
torcycle was equipped-with a front
light as required by law and two re
flectors at the rear. It is alleged
that at the time of the collision with
the car of Mr. Cappen, the motor
cycle was going at the rate of fifteen
miles an hour.
It is alleged that as the cycle was
being driven south the car of Cappen,
of
aisu uaveiiug auuiu vninc uttin ui
1 . II 1. V 1-
them and struck the motorcycle,
throwing both occupants off and kill
ing Miss Brizendine and seriously in
juring the plaintiff and for which
the damages are asked.
The charges against
Cappen are
that he was driving at an excessive
rate of speed and in violation of
traffic regulations.
The firm of George T. Sullivan and
Granville P. North of Omaha, filed
the suit for Mr. Daniels.
TO HOLD MEETING HERE
On September 16th Group B or the
Nebraska Chapter of the Daughters
of the American Revolution, will hold
an all day meeting in this city, the
meeting and luncheon to be held at
the Hotel Plattsmouth, guests of Fon
tenelle chapter of this city.
There will be three chapters from
Omaha, as well as chapters from
Blair, Fremont, Nebraska City. Platts
mouth, Weeping Water and Auburn
in attendance.
There will be speakers of prom
inence to speak on matters of the
greatest interest to the society.
KILLED AT FREMONT
From Saturday's Dally
W. W. Burlage, who was the rep
resentative of the Lefebure Corpor
ation, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in this
territory, for some time, was killed
lastvSaturday, word sent here by his
former employer states.
Mr. Burlage was a frequent visitor
to this city in calling on the Journal
and the various county officers at the
court house and who regretted to
learn of his death.
He was killed in an auto accident
near Fremont.
GIVE NICE PROGRAM
From Thursday's Daily
Last evening in connection with
the merchants' regular Wednesday
night program, the exceptionally
large crowd was entertained by a
musical program given by Glen Puis
and Hector Balzedar on the banjo
and guitar. The two young men fur
nished a fine program of well select
ed numbers and which proved a de
cided hit with the audience.
Thirty-Second
Reunion of the
Wiles Family
One Hundred and Fifty Are in At
tendance at the Gathering at
Garfield Park.
Thursday Garfield park in this city
was the scene of merriment and ac-
, tivity as the thirty-second annual re
union of the Wiles family of Cass
and Mills counties was held .
The weather was excellent and en
abled large groups to come from a
distance, many being here from Mills
county, Iowa, as well as the repre
sentatives of the family from the cen
tral part of Cass county.
The park made a very fine place for
the reunion and it was voted to have
the 193S reunion here as it is a more
central point for all of the families.
The dinner as the noon hour was
the chief feature of the occasion and
all were seated at the long table sym
bolizing the family tie as all broke
bread togther. There was a splendid
! feast arranged by the ladies of the
I group and which was enjoyed to the
utmost.
Tne business session was held after
!tne dinner and the following officers
Jwere named for the year:
President
:. L. Wiles.
Vice-President L. L. Wiles.
Treasurer Howard E. Wiles.
Secretary J. I. Hall.
The oldest member of the family
present was George Wiles of Weep
ing Water, one of the last of the rep
resentatives of the older branches of
the family.
The records of James Hall, veteran
secretary of the family records, show
ed that in the year there had been
six deaths, in the family, three mar
riages artd'seven births recorded.
The remainder of the afternoon
was devoted to a program that was
very cleverly arranged by Mrs. Her
man Meisinger, with members of the
family group taking part. The pro
gram was much enjoyed and Mrs.
Meisinger deserves much credit for
the splendid results she attained.
NETSTERS AT SHENANDOAH
Friday evening a group of the local
tennis players journeyed over to Shen-
andoah, Iowa, where they met a group
rt iVta crcint1nnQllv fact IpnillQ nrt-
ists of southwestern Iowa.
The Iowa players showed an S to 4
margin over the Plattsmouth visitors
at the close of the games.
The Shenandoah club has five large
courts electric lighted and which was
a place of real activity until the last
match was played at 10:00.
Tidball was winner over Carter,
6-3, 6-1 in singles while Tidball and
Lars Larson won from Carter and
Jeary, 6-3, 4-6, 9-7 in a hard fought
game.
Ray Larson won from Brown,
Shenandoah city champion by the
score of 6-3, 12-10, both players
fighting hard through the match.
Ray Larson and Giles won in
donbles from Tyner and Rotthen 6-3
with just one game played.
George Sayles lost to Anderson, one
of the outstanding players of the
Iowa team, 6-4, 6-3, while in the
doubles Anderson and Majors won
from Sayes and Root, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
WILL RESIDE HERE
Mr. and Mrs. Leland Laase, who
have been at Sioux City, Iowa, for
the past two weeks, returned Wed
nesday evening and will now take
up their residence here.
Mr. Laase is to continue his work
in the vocational department of the
city schools which he has been look
ing after for the past two years, for
the present at least and they will
make their home here.
Mrs. Laase was the former "Miss
Plattsmouth," Genevieve Bloom.
ATTEND ROTARY MEETING
From Friday's Daily
George K. Hetrick, Frank A. Cloidt
and Searl S. Davis, members of the
local Rotary club, who have been va
cationing and unable to attend their
local meeting, last evening drove to
Glenwood to make up their attend
ance. They report a very fine meet
ing with the friends from across the
river.
ATTENDING CRETE CAMP
Warren Reed and John Gayer of
this city are enjoying the ten-day
period at Camp Strader at Crete, Ne- j
braska. This camp period has the
attraction of having Glenn Cunning
ham, noted track star and Ed Weir of
the University of Nebraska coaching
staff, as members of the camp in
structors. The boys will have the op
portunity of special instruction in
track, fotball and basketball from
the two noted athletes.
STUDENTS REGISTER
Monday and Wednesday, J. R.
Reeder, with the help of Marjorie
Fitch and Rosemary Cloidt register
ed 289 students at the Plattsmouth
high school. There were 92 fresh
men; 72 sophomores, 68, Juniors, and
57 seniors. There w ill be more regis-j
tering between now and the first day j
of school.
Party of Mid
shipmen Pay a
Visit to City
Six Nebraska Young Men, on Vaca
tion Leave Arrive for Short Stay
at the Starkjohn Home.
Friday afternoon a party of six
young midshipmen from the U. S.
naval academy at Annapolis, Mary
land, arrived in the city' for a short
stay at the Henry Starkjohn home
while en route to their various homes
over the state.
The party comprised Karl Stefan,
of Bellevue. James Milligan of Ord,
Frank Lomax of Broken Bow, Clark
Fuller of Sidney, James Ginn, of May
ard. Russell Hedgcock. of Morseland.
They, left Annapolis at 9 o'clock
Thursday morning and arrived in
Plattsmouth at 5 o'clock Fridav eve-ithe
ning. :
The party traveled 1184 miles in
reaching here and drove in relays to
make a real record in getting back
home to Nebraska.
Mr. Stefan 1s a nephew of Mrs.
Starkjohn and in honor of the visit-11?
ing party a fine dinner was enjoyed
at the Starkjohn home before the
various members of the group start
ed for their homes, some having to
travel to the extreme western part of
the state.
Fuller, Ginn and Hedgcock are
members of the first class at Ann
apolis and fcteran, Lomax and JViiiii-1
gan are members of the third class at
the academy.
They had a fine trip that covered
practically half of the United States
and took them through many states
on speedy journey back to Nebras
ka. The midshipmen will have a short
vacation at home before reporting
back to the academy in September.
BREAK INTO SCHOOL
The high school building which in
the past has been the target of prowl
ers, was again broken into Wednes
day night.
The prowlers secured entrance by
breaking a window and then search
ed the building without success.
There is no money kept at the
school and from a financial stand
point the visitation was a failure for
the parties breaking in.
REJOICE IN NEW DAUGHTER
From Thursday Dally
This morning at 6:30 at the St.
Catherine's hospital at Omaha a fine
little daughter was born to Mr. and
Mrs. John V. Svoboda of this city.
The mother and little one are both
doing nicely and the event brings the
greatest happiness to all of the mem
bers of the family circle. Mrs. Svo
boda was formerly Miss Helen Kou
bek of this city.
HERE FROM LINCOLN
B. M. Hanson, who just recently
closed out his banking business in
Greenwood, was in the city Thurs
day afternoon to attend to some mat
ters at the court house and visiting
with friends. Since the liquidation
of his bank, -Mr. Hanson has been
located at Lincoln and Is engaged in
the real estate and insurance busi
ness at present.
Plattsmouth
Midshipman in
an Auto Crash
James M. Robertson, II Scratched
and Bruised in Crash Near v
Kentland, Indiana.
From Saturday's Daily
James M. Robertson, II, son of Mr.
and Mrs. William A. Robertson of
this city, arrived home last night suf
fering from many cuts and bruises as
the result of an auto accident that
he and party of other midshipmen
from the U. S. Naval academy at
Annapolis sustained early Friday
morning.
Mr. Robertson with five other mid
shipmen residing in the west had left
Annapolis Thursday, their car being
heavily loaded with their suitcases.
The trip had been very pleasant un
til around 5 o'clock Friday morning
when near Kentland, forty-five miles
east of Chicago. The boys were driv
ing around a curve on a hillside
when one of the front tires blew out
and the car started to swing. The
driver was unable to control the car
and it turned over, a part of the
group including Mr. Robertson, be
ing knocked unconscious in the
wreck. How many times the car was
overturned they do not know as it
was lying along the roadside badly
wrecked when they became conscious
of the wreck.
When Mr. Robertson regained his
faculties he was trying to gather up
j his belongings as the suitcases of
several of the party were forced open
in the impact and their wearing ap
parel scattered over the roadway.
Three of the party that had rid
den in the front seat were appar
ently the most seriously affected by
the wreck as when Mr. Robertson
and two of his companions came to.
other three young men were gone,
apparently being taken on by pass
ing motorists.
The wrecked party were able to
reach a town and from where they
made the rest of the journey by train.
Mr. Robertson was met at Omaha
his Parents and brought on home
to rest up from the effects of the acci
dent. Mr.
three
folks.
Robertson will be here for a
week "period with the home
RETURN FROM MOTOR TRIP
Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Wetenkamp
land daughter, Mary Catherine, have
leturned home from a very interest
ing motor trip that they enjoyed
through the south and west part of
the state.
They left here last Thursday, mak
ing the trip on highway No. 6 on the
way to the west and had a fine oppor
tunity of observing vrop conditions
on the way.
The corn west of Lincoln was burn
ed badly by the heat and dry weather
Mr. Wetenkamp states and n great
deal of of small grain was still in
shocks as they observed on the way
westward.
They enjoyed a very pleasant visit
at McCook with Mr. and Mrs. W. F.
Warga, the latter a sister of Mrs.
Wetenkamp. The Wargas like their
home in the west very much and Mr.
Warga is kept very busy at his work
for the Burlington.
The corn near Holdrege, Mr. Wet
enkamp states from his observation,
will hardly make good fodder.
On the return home the family
came over No. 30 to the east and
found that east of Kearney the condi
tions in crops were much better and
gradually improved the further east
they came.
NEW CAPS ARE HERE
The caps that will be worn by the
1937 King Korn Karnival boosters
are on hand now and the gentlemanly
salesmen will soon be passing among
the residents to dispose of the head
gear that will be the latest fashion
note until after the festival.
The plaid effect of the caps lend
a touch of Scotch to the chapeau
and a small yellow feather also adds
to the decorative effect of the cap.
C. A. Rosencrans is the chairman
of the cap committee and the head
gear is being placed in various stores
of the city for sale.