TJefcr. State Eislorioal Society
Vol. No. LV
PLATTS340UTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, JULY 17, 1939.
NO. 47
W. F. Evers
Heads Masonic
Home Ass'n.
Superintendent of Nebraska Masonic
Home Elected at Portland,
Oregon, Meeting Today.
From Thursday's Dnlly
This morning: at the session of the
Masonic Home Executives Association
of the United States. William F.
Evers. superintendent of the Nebras
ka Masonic Home of this city, was
named as the president of the asso
ciation for the ensuing year.
Mr. Evers has served as the vice
president of the association for the
William. F. Evers
President Masonic Home Executives
Association of United States
past year and has been very active in
the work of this important organiz
ation since his affiliation. He joined
the association at the second meeting
in 1932 at St. Louis and has since
been at each of the yearly .meetings.
For the past three years he has been
a membr of the executive committee
and was elected vice-president at Chi
cago last year.
The association represents some
forty homes of the Masons and in
cludes homes of the adults and chil
dren that are maintained by the or
der throughout the United States.
This is an honor that all of the
Plattsmouth community will be
pleased to learn, as Mr. Evers is a
native son of this city where he was
horn in 1S94 and has made this his
home barring a few years spent in
Louisiana in his youth.
On his return from the south Mr.'
Evers was engaged in carpentering
and contracting with the late A. B.
Smith for a period of years, later
being engaged in assisting in work at
the Masonic Home here during the
Miperintendency of W. S. Askwith.
With the retirement of Sam Scott
as superintendent of the Nebraska
Home In 1920, Mr. Evers was ap
pointed to the position of superin
tendent, and has since served effi
ciently and well in this post. At the
time of his selection as superintend
ent on March 18. 1920, James M. Rob
ertson of this city was the president
of the Home association and in recog
nition of the fine services of Mr.
Evers recommended that he be named
to head the active management of
the Home.
At the time that Mr. Evers was
caMtrd to the superintendency of the
Home the plant covered some three
acres, the White residence and the
addition to the west and north com
prising the structure to house the
aged members of the order. In 1926
the large and modern infirmary
building was erected and placed in
cervice, adding greatly to the capacity
of the home and its ability to admin
ister to the needs of the aged mem
bers of the Masons and the Eastern
Star. At the present time the asso
ciation has forty acres surrounding
the buildings and makes one of the
most attractive and well kept homes
of any order in the state.
There were thirty residents of the
Home in 1920 when Mr. Evers took
charge, compared to the 100 now re
siding there.
In his care of the Home and its
residents Mr. Evers has been untiring
and his thoughtfulness and appre
ciation of the needs of the members
of the family at the Home has served
to greatly increase the advantages of
the Home which now has an enroll
ment of 100 men and women.
Plattsmouth Masonry has known
no harder worker than "Bill" Evers.
who has aided the advancement of the
local bodies In many ways aside from
his able service in the conduct of the
various branches of the order. He
has served as master of Plattsmouth
lodge No. 6, A. F. & A. M., high
priest of Nebraska chapter No. 3,
Royal Arch Masons, commander oi
Mt. Zion commandery, Knights
Templar. He is also a. member of
the Shrine at Lincoln, the Order of
the Red Cross of Constantine and an
honorary member of the Sojourners
chapter at Omaha.
Mr. Evers was married here to Miss
Pearl Schwenneker and they are the
parents of three children, William
F.. Raymond and Mary, the eldest
being a student at the University of
Nebraska while the younger children
are students of the Plattsmouth high
school.
Mr. Evers in addition to his many
other duties has been active in the
work of the First Methodist church
of this city and is now a member of
the official board of the church.
Plattsmouth
Party Returns
from the East
Miss Mathilde Soennichsen. Nephews,
Eave Extensive Motor Trip Thru
East and Lake Country.
Miss Mathilde Soennichsen and
nephews, John Melichor and Richard
Henry, returned home Friday from
a very extensive motor trip through
the east and which has taken them
into a large part of the summer va
cation land of that pail of the na
tion. They visited at Washington with
Clarence Gunderson, an uncle of the
two boys and with Miss Ida Gunder
son, of Los Angeles, who was there
at the time, later going with Miss
Gunderson to New York City, from
where she sailed for Europe.
The Plattsmouth party Tisited at
the World's fair at New York and
its many wonders and later motored
on to Boston, so rich in a part in the
h:story of our nation and where Mis?
Soennichsen had the opportunity of
visiting the beautiful mother church
of the Christian Science church. They
later enjoyed the scenes of the White
mountain country, one of the most
widley known pleasure sections of New
England. A visit to the city of Mon
treal, where one finds so much of
the touch of the early French set
tlers. They also stopped for a short
time at Niagara Falls, always a mec
ca for the tourists. They enjoyed
a trip across Lake Michigan that
led them into Minnesota. At Min
neapolis they were guests of friends
for a week and had the pleasure of
enjoying1 the many scenes of interest
in that section of the country. The
party reports the country in general
was very beautiful and as they drew
home the crops seemed even more
green and attractive.
LEAVE FOR NEW HOME
Mr. and Mrs. Harley Wiles and
daughter, Peggy left early Wednes-j
day morning for California where
they expect make their future j
home. While en route to the west
. . . 1 It'll . St.. ...11 , f-tn 4 t !
coast., lue v ue lamiiv "iii oiup
Twin Falls. Idaho and visit with Mr.
Wiles' uncle, David Churchill and
other relatives.
Before leaving Plattsmouth. their
home town, Mr. and Mrs. Wiles and
their daughter were feted at many
farewell parties tendered by their
friends, club members, and school as
sociates. TO VISIT AT MYRNA
From Saturday's Dally
Mr. and Mrs.-Leroy Ruse left for
Myrna, Nebraska to spend the next
few days with Mr. Ruse's parents.
Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Ruse. Following
their return to Plattsmouth next
week the Ruses plan to go to Cali
fornia to Bpend some time and per
haps make their home out on the
west coast.
VISIT IN OKLAHOMA
From Saturday Daily
Mr. and Mrs Fred Howland and
children, Billy and Betty Jean left
last evening for a two weeks vaca
tion in Oklahoma. They will visit for
some time in Tulsa with Mrs. How
land's sister. Mr. Howland is an em-
J ployee in the office of the local BREX.
Mrs. Charles
Tasler Critically
Burned Today
Using Kerosene to Replenish Fire in
4 Stove Receives Very Serious
if Not Fatal Euros.
Mrs. Charles Tasler, residing at a
dairy farm just northeast of Platts
mouth was seriously if not fatally
burned by flames from a tstove explo
sion this morning a few moments be
fore the noon hour.
Mrs. Tasler was in the kitchen
arranging to took the noon meal at
the time of the fire while her hus
band and son, Charles, Jr., were
working in the yard of the home a
3bort distance from the house.
The husband and son were startled
to hear Mrs. Tasler frantically
screaming In the house and suddenly
she ran from the kitchen door, her
waist and upper clothing in flames
and which was fast spreading. The
husband and son started to run to
ward the unfortunate woman as she
again started to run toward the
house. She was caught by the son
and the burning clothing torn from
her body but not until deep and
dangerous burns had been inflicted
on the upper part of the body and in
places where the overalls that she
was wearing had burned.
The injured woman was hurried
into the city and to the office of
Dr. O. C. Hudson, where temporary
aid was given to relieve the pain
and she vas then hurried oil Into
Omaha to the Kani hospital where
she was treated.
It is supposed that the explosion
occurred when Mrs. Tasler had
sought to revive the fire in the wood
burning cook stove with kerosene and
which had suddenly exploded and
covered the woman with the blaze
that ignited her light clothing.
The fire, through the quick and
hard work of the neighbors and the
Plattsmouth fire department, was
checked, with only a comparatively
small loss, the damage being con
fined to the kitchen of the home to
a large extent.
VISITS AT SAN FRANCISCO
Word was received here by Platts
mouth frieEds of Miss Amelia Mar
tens, teacher in the Central build
ing, to the effect that she is enjoying
her vacation immensely in California
where she has been for the past two
weeks. Miss Martens is spending the
greater part of her outing with her
sister. Miss Henrietta Martens, who
is a nurse at the Southern Pacific
hospital in San Francisco. Miss Mar
tens is also enjoying the San Fran
cisco world's fair.
SUFFERS SEVERE INJURY
Mrs. J. W. Banning of Alvo met
with a peculiar accident one evening
last week while at work in her yard.
Several boys were playing ball across
the street when a batted ball came
across the street striking her in the
chest, causing a fractured rib and
severe bruises which required the
services of Dr. O. E. Liston to dress
the injuries.
The many friends of Mrs. Banning
over the county are wishing her a
rapid recovery.
CALLED ON SAD MISSION
From Friday Daily
This afternoon Mr. and Mrs. Ivan
Taylor departed for Three Rivers,
Michigan, where they were called by
the death of a sister of Mrs. Taylor,
Mrs. E. B. Buckley. Mrs Buckley
was here just a few months ago for
a visit and the news of her death
came as a very great shock to the
family here.
VISIT AT HOSPITAL
George Conls and Henry Timm ot
this city were at Omaha Friday after
noon where they spent a few hours
and also visited with Carl Kunsman
at the St. Catherine's hospital. They
found Mr. Kunsman very much better
and showing excellent improvement
from his recent hernia operation. It
is hoped he may soon be able to
return home.
Home made Ice cream and cake,
at Christian church, Wednesday, July
19th. Price 15c, serving 2:30 to 9
p. m. ltw-3td
VISITS IN COLORADO
Florence Fischer, of near Murray,
who has been in Colorado for the
past two weeks, had the opportunity
of viewing many very beautiful sights
in the Rockies and the interesting
cities of that part of the west. She
visited at Colorado Springs, Bear
Creek canyon, also at the grave of
William F. Cody, "Lufralo Bill."
which from its mountain site com
mands a view of the land where once
be had roamed. She also visited at
! tr An n n rl it c In Tfn i T ml
Rocks. While at Colorado Springs
she enjoyed a fishing experience in
th3 fine mountain streams and where
she caught ten trout. Miss Fischer
reports that clothing In that part of
Colorado is three times as high as
that in this city.
Death of Life
Long Resident of
Union Community
Mrs. Ida Roddy, 66. Passes Away
After Illness of Six Months
From Throat Ailment.
Mrs. Ida Roddy, CC. a life long
resident of Wyoming and Union com
munities died on Thursday evening
at her home in Union where she hs
been gravely ill for the past six
months from a throat ailment.
She was a daughter of the late
Mr. and Mrs. Ben P. Davis, pioneers
of northern Otoe and southern Cass
county, and was bom in the family
home south of Union on September
24. 1872 and has since spent her
lifetime in and near Union.
On April 5. 1894 she was married
to John B. Roddy at the home of
her parents.
Surviving Mrs. Roddy are five chil
dren, Mrs. Stewart Earls. Snohomish,
Washington, E. P. Roddy, Beatrice.
Mrs. A. F. Shelby," Nebraska City.
Margaret at home and Eugene, re
siding at Union. One son, Bernard,
was killed in action in the World
war and another son. J. B. Roddy,
died at Union in 1921.
A sister, Mrs. L. J. Hall of
Snohomish, a sister, Mrs. G. A. Stites.
of Omaha, as well as two brothers,
W. C. and R. E. Davis of Otoe coun
ty, survive her passing.
FRANK BUKACEK INJURED
From Saturday's Dally
Frank Bukacek, who resides on
the old Bukacek homestead north
west of Plattsmouth. suffered a se
vere gash on top of his head yester
day afternoon when the gearB of a
pump, which he and two other men
were pulling, fell and struck him
on the head. John Zatopek and Fred
Oldenhausen assisted him on the well
project and following the accident
he was taken to the office of Dr.
L. S. Pucelik where the injuries were
dressed. His condition is said to be
excellent.
RETURN FROM OUTING
Joseph F. Hadraba. local druggist,
with Edward and Frances, and Mr.
and Mrs. Ted Hadraba. have return
ed home from a pleasant two weeks
spent in the northern portion of Min
nesota. The party had a delightful
time in the cool of the lake country
and enjoyed some excellent fishing
during their stay. So well pleased
with the climate was the party that
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Hadraba are plan
ning .on another trip there this sum
mer before their vacation draws to a
close.
FISH HAUL GOOD
Cj-ril Kalina, Fay Spidell and John
Kalasek, were out Friday after their
work at the shops and remaining for
the night in fishing in the Platte
river. The fishing party was very
successful in securing twelve four
pound cats and which will provide a
fine meal for the families of the
fishermen.
VISITS AT KAFFENBERGER HOME
Mrs. Joe Rhodes of Auburn. Ne
braska has been in Plattsmouth since
Wednesday as a guest of Mr, and Mrs.
Fritz Kaffenberger and family. Mrs.
Rhoades is a close friend of the Kaf
fenberger family and anticipates
leaving for home Sunday.
Phone) Printing orders to No. 6.
Kansas Auto
Party Wrecked
South of Murray
Ea Route From Desota, Kansas, Party
Has Tire Blow Out and Car Over
turns, Injuring Occupants.
From Friday's Daily
This morning shortly before 11
o'clock a vacation party of Kansas
residents were wrecked on highway
So. 75, south of this city, the car In
which the group of eight were riding
overturning after the blowout of a
front tire.
The party comprising three ladies,
a youth and five small children had
left their home in Kansas, Thursday
for Omaha "to enjoy the first vacation
that they had in several years" as
one of the ladies stated, and were en
route to Omaha where they had plan
ned to visit Mrs. Philen, a sister of
the ladies.
The party which comprised Mrs.
Harold Piper of Desota, Mrs. Lloyd
Helms and babe of Merlam. Kansas.
and Mrs. Clayton Helms and chil
dren. Clayton. Jr., Donald. Virginia
and Marylin. the latter an infant,
also of Desota. had been having a
very fine trip until the party reach
ed some two miles south of Murray
where the crash recurred.
Clayton Helms. 17, was driving,
just taking the wheel from his aunt,
Mrs. Piper, as the car came into the
straight away road north of Union.
As they approached the scene of the
accident, they had seen an oil trans
port ahead and just as they started
to pass the transport, one of the
front tires blew out and the car
started swaying the occupants state,
finally crashing over and over sev
eral times and plowing into the ditch
on the west side of the highway near
the A. T. Hansen farm.
The news of the accident was tele
phoned here and at . once the ' lied
Cross first aid workers. Ed and Carl
Ofe, raced to the scene and Dr.
R. P. Westover and Dr. W. S. Eaton
responded to the call as did the am
bulances of the Sattler and Horton
funeral homes.
On reaching the scene it was
found that all of the party was more
or less bruised and Mrs. Piper seem
ed to have suffered a back or neck
injury and she was hurried on into
Omaha with Mrs. Lloyd Helms and
the smaller children as well as Clay
ton Helms, driver of the car. Mrs.
Clayton Helms. Sr., and Virginia
with the babe Marylin, were
taken to the Hansen home and later
were taken on into Omaha to the
Philen home.
The Injured parties were taken to
the Clarkson hospital to have a more
thorough examination of their in
juries made.
Dale Helms, one of the younger
members of the party was thought to
have suffered possible Internal in
juries and is the most serious of the
party.
The car was very badly damaged
rroni the repeated turning over along
the highway.
OMAHA PARTIES IN CRASH
Last evening a car crash occurred
at the Tritsch corner west of this
city on the Cedar Creek road. The
party was composed of Omaha people
connected with the stock exchange
commission houses and the Stockman-
Journal who were driving down for
a picnic party along the Platte river.
They were going west on the Cedar
Creek road and missed the turn, the
:ar crashing over into a nearby field
and. bruising up the occupants of the
car. The members of the party were
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Marvin, Mrs. M. E.
Johnson and Kirby H. Kettoe, all of
Omaha.
The Sattler and Horton ambulant??
were called and the parties taken on
Into Omaha to be cared for. The
Marvins and Mrs. Johnson were taken
to the St. Catherine's hospital and Mr.
Kettoe to the Methodist hospital. '
REJOICE IN NEW SON
The home of Mr. and. Mrs. Robert
D. Fitch, Jr., was made very happy
on Thursday when a fine nine pound
son came to share the happiness of
the home in the future. The mother
and young son, Who are at the Kani
hospital at Omaha, are doing very
nicely. It is expected that the young
man will carry the christian name of
his grandfather and father, Robert.
COUNTY COURT HAS BUSY TIME
The probate court was busy Friday
in hearings on a number of estates
that occupied the greater part ol
the day.
The last will and testament of
Elmer H. Boyles. of Elmwood, was
offered for probate and S. C. Boyles,
of Alvo, a brother was named in the
will as the executor.
Hearing on the final settlement of
the estate of Peter Klyver, deceased,
of Alvo, was heard and the reports
of the accounts of Elmer Klyver,
executor of the estate, received.
Final settlement was had in the
estate of John W. Barrow, deceased
of Greenwood, and the accounts of
Mrs. Maude Barrow, widow, and
executor, received.
Hearing and report on the guard
ianship of Elizabeth J. Bartlett was
held. A. C. Reid of Elmwood. is the
guardian.
Supreme Court
Rules on Matter
of Majority Vote
In Case From Thurston County Court
Holds That Farm Bureau Appro
priation Failed to Carry.
The supreme court this week passed
on a matter of a great deal of inter
est in several counties of the state
where the matter of appropriation for
the farm bureau was under consid
eration. In an opinion by Chief Justice
Simmons, the supreme court Tuesday
upheld the contention of the Thurs
ton county board that the proposal to
vote $2,000 of public moneys for sup
port of the farm bureau did not carry
at the election last November. The
matter came before the court iu a
request for a declaratory judgment,
the issue being whethetlhe proposal,
to be adopted, must have a majority
of the votes cast at the election in
the county or only a majority of
those voting on it.
The highest number of votes cast
at the election was 4,003, and the
vote on the proposal was 1,465 for
and 1,119 against. Judge Simmons
reviewed the history of this type of
legislation over the years, many
changes having been effected In it,
and after digesting previous court
opinions holds that the law as it ex
isted last November called for a ma
jority of all the votes cast at the
election.
The last legislature, in order to
clear up any ambiguity, amended the
law so that a majority of those vot
ing on the proposal carries adoption.
This will not help Thurston county,
however, as it loses the appropriation
voted.
In the Thurston county case the
proponents sought to have voted a
request to the county board to make
an appropriation for the amount to
maintain a farm bureau, as the coun
ty In the past had not maintained the
bureau by appropriation.
The situation between that of
Thurston county and in Cass county
where a similar vote situation arose,
was that in Cass county the appro
priation had been made over a 20
year period and the proposition was
submitted by those who opposed the
appropriation of $2,800. Here the
opponents of the appropriation fail
ed to receive a majority against the
appropriation, while the vote to con
tinue the appropriation had a plur
ality but lacked a majority of the
total vote. A court ruling on this
phase of the case is being sought.
DEATH OF CHARLES PHILPOT
The death of Charles Philpot, 92,
one of the old and highly respected
residents of Cass county, took place
Thursday night at his home at Weep
ing Water, death coming as the result
of the long years of life and gradual
ly failing health.
The funeral services were held
on Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock at
the First Congregational church in
Weeping Water. Interment was at
Oak Ridge cemetery at that place.
HERE FROM DES MOINES
Dr. and Mrs. W. .V. Ryan have as
their jruest this week Mrs. J. W.
Ryan ot Des Moines. Iowa. She came
Monday and is expecting to stay
the remainder of the week visiting
with the eon and daughter-in-law.
Two Injured
in a Head End
Crash Today
Thomas R. Marsland, Davenport, la.,
and Fay Kested of Manley Taken
to Hospital Severely Injured
Fay Kested, one of the victims in
the auto wreck south of this city
Thursday died Friday in an Omaha
hospital where he was taken for
treatment and care. Mr. Kested,
whose car crashed headon with that
of Thomas Marsland of Davenport,
Iowa, was caught by the steering
wheel and post and was thought to
have possible internal injuries when
taken to the hospital.
From Thursday' DaTJy
Thomas R. Marsland. 35. COS Har
rison street, Davenport. Iowa, and
Fay Kested, 29.. of Manley, are in
Omaha hospitals as the result of a
heau-on collision of their cars on
highway No. 75. four miles south of
th's city near th Roy O. Cole farm,
shortly after 1 :20 this morning.
Ktr.ted was coining from the north
nid ironi the tire marks on the high
way had app?"eiitly had his car over
on the left bund side of the road in
ihe path of tii.j Dodge coupe, driven
by Marsland. Apparently Marsland
had driven partially on the shoulder
of the highway when the crash oc
curred. Kested was driving a 1934 Ford
sedan and which like the Marsland
car was very badly damaged and the
front of both cars crashed in by the
force of the impact.
The two Injured men. neither of
whom was able to tell the facts of
the accident were taken to Omaha
in the Sattler and Horton ambulances
as the two men were both apparent
ly very seriously if not critically in-
lured.
Each of the men were alone In
their cars at the time of the accident.
Marsland had received severe lacer-
dtions of the head and fare, as well
as suffering from the shock of the ac
cident and regained consciousness an
the Clarkson hospital was reached.
both men being taken there to be
rared for. Kested had suffered a frac
tured left leg, a rib injury and was
also very severely cut and lacerated
fn the left arm. He also was uncon
scious at the time the rescuers reach
ed the scene. Dr. R. P. Westover was
at the scene of the accident to give
Hid to the injured and the first aid
crew of Ed Ofe and Richard Edward
also responded and assisted in get
ting the injured on the way to the
hospital.
Sheriff Joe Mrasek and member!
of the highway patrol were soon on
the scene and assisted in getting the
Injured men on their way to the
hospital and In keeping the highway
traffic moving as a large number of
cars soon assembled at the scene.
The car of Marsland was taken
to the Ford garage and the Kested
car to the Ray Bryant parage to be
cared for.
HERE ON VACATION
Miss Helen Warga, assistant
cashier at the Robert's Dairy In Oma
ha and daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Joseph C. Warga in this city, has
spent her second week's vacation of
the summer season in this city thl
week. Miss Warga, who was granted
a two weeks' vacation by the com
pany, spent her first week (June
12 to 17) in Mt. Vernon. Iowa,
where she attended the convention
of the Y. W. C. A. in Cornell College.
Miss Warga was one out of the many
delegates chosen to represent the or
ganization. Miss Warga will resume
her regular cashier duties In Omaha
Monday, July 17.
CAR GOES INTO DITCH
From Saturday's Dally
While Mrs. Harry Nielsen and
daughter and son, Maxine and Rus
sell, with their guest, Douglas Niel
sen of St. Paul, Nebraska, were com
ing from their home west of the city
this morning, the car In which they
were riding was overturned into a
ditch on the Cedar Creek road Jut
west of the Tone Janda farm. For
tunately none of the occupants was
seriously Injured and the car was able
to be taken out on Its own power.
All of the party are reported as reel
ing easily today beyond a Berere
shaking up.