State Railway
•
Board Defends
Phone Schedule
Northwestern Bell Asks In
junction Against Rates,
Some of Which Are Al
leged to Be too Low.
Mem ben of the Nebraska railway
commission came to Omaha yesterday
to defend their order fixing rates, ef
fective January 1, upon the North
western Bell Telephone company. The
company has asked the federal court
for an injunction to prevent the en
forecmnt of the rates, some of which
the company considers too low.
Hugh LaMasters, attorney for the
commission, «ns prepared to argue
the jurisdictional question, the coin- |
mission alleging the Company hag an
adequate remedy at law by an appeal |
to the state courts. EarJ Cline, spe
cial counsel for Attorney General Da
vis, Is to discuss legal quest ons of
another nature. Railway Commis
sioner IT (}. Taylor Is to diRcuss the
facts In tile case.
1‘repares Affidavit.
u- •». Powell, special accountant
for the commission, has prepared an
affidavit in which he attacks financial
statements filed by It. I*. Baird, audi
tor for the plaintiff comimny. Mr.
Powell says In his affidavit that the
comptroller of the American Tele
phone' and Telegraph company re
fused -to allow him to examine that
corppany s hooks for the purpose of
ascertaining the cost to the company
Of services said to have been fur
nished to the Northwestern Bell for
the year 1921,
Mr, Powell says the old Bell com
pany hud nn annual return of from
4.7 to 5.43 per cent from 1913 to 1917.
It is alleged by Mr. Powell that the
Northwestern company had an an
nual income of 6.45 jn 1922, if (he
results of the company's exchange
and toll properties in Nebraska are
taken as a basis of computation, plus
the estimated Increase In exchange
and toll revenue mention in Mr.
Pratt's affidavit, plus the toll revenue
that would have accrued to the state
of Nebraska had the same basis of
apportionment been used by the com
pany in distributing gross toll collec
tions received In the state for the first
19 months of 1922 as was used by the
company during the year 1921,
Decrease in Wages.
Mr. Powell also alleges that the
results of the operation of the com
pany's plant In Nebraska for the first
nine months of 1922 as compared with
the year 1921, on an average per
month basisshow nn increase of 3
per cent in total telephone revcnqes
and a decrease of 17 per cent in Oper
ators' wages.
It Is declared by Mr. Powell that
the hook cost of installing the ma
chine switching central office equip
ment In the Omaha general office
building as of November 30, 1922, was
$2,396(816,73; that the cost of the
manual central office apparatus dis
THE Ford Transfer
Sc Storage Com
pany has found the
Goodyear All
Weather Tread Solid
Truck Tire to be
tough, resilient and a *
sure gripper in heavy
or icy going.
Goodyear Truck Tiro
art told and terrictd by
tht local Goodyear
Truck Tiro Strricr
Station Dealer.
GOODYEAR
I
RUSCH TIRE SERVICE
AT 062V 2205-7 Farnam St.
Babies’ Cries for Santa Too Much:
Mother of Five Tries to End Life
Mrs. Minnie Miller, Deserted, Gives Up Fight When
She Cannot Grant Children Wishes
on Christmas.
Feeding and clothing five small
children, deserted by their father,
was a difficult task, but their mother,
Mrs. Minnie Miller, 1836 South Twen
tieth street, didn't mind it.
She was willing to work all day and
part of the night, ready to make any
! sacrifice that a mother stands ready
l to make.
But Christmas eve and Chri tmas
day approached. There would be five
children's stocking to fill and Santa
Claus to play.
With childish glee the children, the
oldest 12, and the youngest S, told |
their mother each night before they ,
went to bed what they expected from I
Santa Claus.
Talks to Santa.
Down at one of tho department
stores little Clinton, 3, met Santa per
sonally and talked to him, too. "I
want a sled, and a pony and lots of
candy," he said.
The other children, Leo, 12; Mil
dred, 10; Laura, 9, and Alfred, 8.
I placed by the machine switchins
equipment up to und Including No
vember 30, 1922, was $548,295.09; that
! the increased number of subscribers
: stations served by the change on No
j vember 30, 1922, over November 30
I 1921, was 482.
Supports Affidavit.
Railway Commissioner T-. A.
j Browne has prepared an affidavit
j supportinf another one signed by Mr.
I Powell. Mr..Browne states that lie is
| co-operating with the depreciation de
partment of tile Interstate Commerce
j commission and that he is certain the
latter body lias no rule directing tele
phone corhpanies regarding the
amount of reserve which shall be
charged to operating revenue.
.Strategic Position.
Commissioner Browne, says in an
other affidavit that there has been an
advance in the market price of quoted
securities and that this has been no
ticeable with public utilities. He says
the Northwestern company, as a sub
rldlarjt of the American Telephone
company lias occupied a strategic ihi
sition in the money market and has
been securing funds from the public
at a constantly lessening rale of in
terest. He gives examples of the float
ing of bond Issues by telephone coni
panics, the rate of interest in 1922
in some cases being only 5 per cent.
He says the Lincoln Telephone com
pany. a competitor, has throughout
the disturbed financial period sold 7
per cent bonds ar par in sufficient
amounts to care for its needs. Many
municipalities issued paving bonds at
7 per cent iri 1929 and are now re
funding these at E 1-2 per cent.
Scores of Police Hunt
Band of Denver Robbers
(Continued From rage One.)
transoms above the main entrance to
the mint and in the windows of the
second story of the biulding. The
granite walls of the building likewise
are chipped where the bullets struck.
Buildings across the street show the,
intensity of the fire of the guards.
Windows in various stores and apart
ment houses over the stores were
riddled and many narrow escapes from
bullets on the part of roomers were
reported to police headquarters.
Miss Catherine Feist, an employe
of a. restaurant directly across the
street, declared that she was attract
ed to the door by the shooting, and is
emphatic in her declaration that in
addition to the bandits who leaped
out of the car, she saw two men hid
ing behind telephone poles nearby,
who apparently were members of the
gang.
Youth Witnesses Robery.
Paul Clar, 17, gave a thrilling ac
count of the engagement. He declared
he was standing directly across the
street from the mint when the ban
dit car, heavily curtained, drew up.
Ho said: “Three of the men, all car
rying shotguns, jumped out and rush
ed up to the guard standing nearest
the reserve bank truck. X couldn’t
hear what they said, but they appar
ently were telling him to open the
wagon. He shook his head and then
one of the bandits struck him a terrif
ic blow. I don’t know whether it
was with his fist or a gun. As the
guard staggered under the blow, a
shot rang out and he crumpled to the
pavement.
"At the sound of the shots a num
ber of guards came running out of
the mint and started firing. They
were shooting at the bandits, who be
gan shooting back. One of the ban
for Christmas
IL. E. Waterman Company, 191 Broadway, N. Y. I
- - aaCa,° |
, also expected to be pleasantly sur
prised on Christmas morning.
It was too much for the mother.
She began to tire of the struggle ami
shrank from the thought of Christ
mas morning, when the children
would be forced to the conclusion,
through necessity, that "Santa Claus
did not come to our house."
Decides to End it All.
Surrounded by her children, she de
cided to end it all.
She took poison. Neighbors who
heard her screams called police. Po
lice Surgeon Grier, who attended her,
says that her condition is not dan
gerous.
Little Clinton pulled at the coafc
tail of the police surgeon and cried.
"Don't hit my mamhia. She's a good
mamma.”
Thomus Miller, the husband, de
serted his family about four months
ago, according to neighbors. They
say he is now working in Council
Bluffs.
dits remained in the car, hunched
down behind the wheel.
"When there was a lull in the fir
ing I saw the bandits jumping for
their ear. One of them sprang on
the running board on the opposite
side from the mint and crouched
down. Another one jumped in beside
the driver. Just as he did so a shot
from one of the guards struck him in
the face. X saw the blood rush out
and the bandit slump down in his
seat. The fourth of the gang jumped
in the rt?ar seat and tlie machine bore
up East Colfax,”
During the afternoon a suspect was
taken into custody by the police, but
after a questioning of. more than an
hour, he was released.
Shotgun Only Clew.
The only tangible clew that tlie po
lice have on which to work is a bloody
sawed-off shotgun which was picked
up in the street about a half block
from the mint, where it had been
dropped from the fleeing bandits' cur.
The gun was loaded.
Chief of X’olice Williams announced
tonight that clews that might, result
! in the capture of the bandits probably
would be secured by means of finger
prints found on the shotgun.
Chief Williams announced that po
lice were guarding all roads leading
out of tlie city, but that lie believed
the bandits were still in hiding in
Denver. Orders issued to policemen
by Chief Williams said:
“Btop every car on every road out
of Denver and make evcrj* man ac
count for hfms. If—and shAit it you
find the robbers
“Tlie funds stolen in today's rob
bery were not the property of the
Denver mint.” declared It. J. Grant,
director of the mint, in a statement
issued late tips afternoon, in which
he gave it as his opinion that two of
the bandits were wounded.
“It has been customary for us to
keep money at the mbit merely as
an accommodation for the federal re
serve lank, our vault being better
suited for storage of tlie funds,” Air.
Grant said in his statement.
Pickrell Seeks Permit
for New Electric Line
TAncoln, Dec. 18.'—(Special.)—Ap
plication No. 5,000 was filed Monday
with the state railway commission.
It was an application by the village
of Pickrell for leave to construct a
transmission line for electric current
from Pickrell to Peatrlce. The num
ber of applications has ranged from
267 In 1911 to 401 in 1917.
Killed by Automobile.
Norfolk, Neb., Deo. 18.—(Special
Telegram^)—Herman Tappert, head of
a local messenger service, died here
after being run down by an auto
mobile driven by a local man. Tap
pert's wife and two children live In
Detroit, Mlrh.
Foreign residents of the City of
Mexico are taught Spanish free by
the department of public instruction.
An Ideal
Christmas Present
an “ELDREDGE” j
Two-8pool Sewing Machine
V
$29.75 and Up
Sold on Easy Terms
Value-Giving Bargains
I —In—
Used Sewing Machines
“Howe” Machine .$2.50
! “Davis” Machine.$5*00
“Household” Machine. .$7.50
; “New Home” Machine
at .$9.00
1 “New Windsor” Machine
« $12.50
“Goodrich” Machine. $15.00
“Singer” Machine... $18.00
Sold on Easy Terms.
| Trade Your Old Sewing Ma
chine for a New “Eldredge”
; Two-Spool.
jfh'liowen (b.
The Value-Giving Store
Hoiterd St. Between 15th nnri ISth
U. S. Grand Jury
Accuses 20 in
Creamery Deal
&
• 1
Indictments Charge Use of
Mails to Defraud in Pro
motion of Waterloo
Creamery Co.
| Twenty persons alleged to have
I been active in the promotion of the
Waterloo Creamery company, now in
the hands of a receiver, were indicted
yesterday afternoon by the federal
| grand jury.
Fourteen counts of the indictment
j charge them with specific violations
: of section 215 of the federal penal
code and another count charges them
with a conspiracy to-violate this sec
tion. Section 215 has to do with using
the mails to defraud.
Those indicted are I.croy Corliss,
president of the company, Burt B.
Corliss, vice president; Hubert P. Uy
ner, former treasurer; Iva M. King,
former secretary; Joshua B. Fickes, a
local dentist: Oscar Wenstrand of Red
Oak, la.; Charles W. Burkland, Suth
erland, Neb.; Edward M. Schaefer.
Omaha: Georgs Cherry, Sartoria,
Nell.; Stephen S. Van Horn, Fremont:
Harry Slack, Chesanir.g, Mich.; Theo
dore Krueger, West Point, Neb.; F. g.
Tyler. Owosso, Mich.; William H. Wil
bur, Omaha; Henry Ruttger, Omaha,
R. Allen Grim, Omaha; Dr. Edward A.
Salisbury, Omaha; William F. Stoct
zel, Omaha: E. G. Bandy, Omaha; F.
VV. Schalett, Omaha.
Indicted Last Spying.
Most of the defendants were In
dieted by a district court grand jury
last spring.
Numerous original letters are con
tabled in the bulky indictment, pur
porting to be letters sent out by some
of the defendants in selling stock !
\ ariotts false representations are j
charged to have been made to prospec- j
five purchasers such as that the stock
was worth $137.50 for each $100 share
that the company had $2,000,000 as
sets over its liabilities; that it owned
and operated numerous dividend-pay
ing subsidiaries; that It had an earned 1
surplus; that buying its preferred !
stock was Just like going into a build- j
ing and loan association.
t untempt I roceedings Instituted.
I The resolution is cited hy which
the, directors asked stockholders for a
10 per cent contribution after the
company had gone into the hands of
a receiver. For this contempt pro
ceedings were instituted against some
o! the defendants.
Bond was fixed at $5,000 for each
defendant by Judge Woodrough.
Thirty-seven men also were indict
ed yesterday by tho federal grand
jury on charges of conspiracy to de
fraud the United States government.
The S7 were all included in another
Indictment returned by the grand Jury
last Friday.
It is alleged in the new indictment
that the defendants worked among 1
themselves to falsify the alleged sur
pius of the I.ion Bonding and Surety
company so that It could get a license
to give bonds running to the govern
ment. Ofticers of the company are al
leged to have traded notes to various
banks for certificates of deposit tem
porarily in order to show a surplus.
Named in Indictment.
The defendants in this indictment
were not required to give bond in nd
| dition to the $5,000 each Dttt UD when
they were indicted last Friday. Those
named in the new indictment are as
1 follows:
Edwin It. Gurney, Fred Volpp, Phil
’ ip H. Kohl, Frank it. Knapp, Daniel
Hanley, H. Clifford Leigh, Henry O.
I Beatty, Dan F. Brown, F. Bertram
! Alldredge, J. Clarence Leonard, J.
Harvey Wheeler. Charles C. Brant,
Edward P. McDonald, Edward M.
Martin, Stanley C. Stookey, Henry W.
! Schoettger, August A. Hayek, Harry
E. Dunlap, Vaughn G. Williams, John
j Tully, Fred W. Buis, Fred Wupper,
J Emil E. Wolf, Caleb E. Negus, Thom
i as J. Kastle, Joljn J. Thiel, John A.
i Hauser, John E. Bates, J. Mark
! Shulenherger, Dennis W. Killeen,
j Louis E. Cosad. Louis P. Sornson,
' Luke Mundy. Howard W. Crandall,
■h i: 11 Kniggatt and Arthur H. Baty.
Man Quits Husking
to Bilk Realtors*
_
In Omaha Jail Now—-Police
Say He Admits Check
Fraud.
I
—
John Nelson. 37, Missoula. Mont.,
quit husking corn In Minnesota a
wceknitgo ami came to Omaha to de
fraud real estate dealers, he is al
leged to have stated In a signed con
fesslon to police. He was bound over
to district court under $500 on charges
of obtaining money under false pre
tenses.
He is alleged to have presented evi
dance of $9,500 In the United States
National bank In Vancouver, B. C„
which does not exist, according to the
Omaha banks, and after dickering
with a real estate firm here for some
suburban tract, would give a $500
check as first payment.
But he would request that this
check he held until his draft for the
imaginary $9,000 should go through,
and then rash a small check for $100
or so, for spending money. It was al
leged.
He was arrested through the ef
forts of Leo Hozell, secretary of the
Omaha Real Kstaie board, who
Earned Omahh and Bluffs realtors
against him.
State Board Canvasses
‘Vote at Last Election
Lincoln, Dec. 18.—The state can
vassing board today canvassed the
vote in the last general election
Those present were Acting Governor
l’ A. Barrows, Secretary of State I).
M. Amsberry, State Auditor G. W.
Marsh and State Treasurer Dan Crop
sey.
A proclamation declaring the two ref
erendum laws carried at the last elec
tion existing laws was withheld pend
ing the return of Governor McKelvie
from a speechmaklng tour outside the
state.
Lieutenant Governor’s Suit
Against State Dismissed
Lincoln, Dec. 18.—Lieut. Gov. Pel
ham A. Barrows lost his suit to re
cover more than $900 from the state
for services alleged to have been per
formed as acting governor during ab
sences of Governor McKelvie from the
stale, when District Court Judge W.
K. Stewart today dismissed the claim
which Mr. Harrows filed against the
state audittor.
Tlie lieutenant governor has made !
no comment as to whether he intends
to file nn appeal.
Extra Special for
Christmas Week
0nly 5 PM°nth
Are the Special Christmas Terms
That We Have Arranged on This
Beautiful Model of the
Genuine Victrola.
Mahogany
or
Walnut
$100
i
It is the latest product of the Vic
tor Company, the most talked of
instrument in the world today and by
far the greatest value ever offered.
Special demonstration every even
ing during Christmas week. If you
cannot come in phone for a Victrola
concert in your home. Do it now!
Ml CKECS
15th and Harney AT 4561
Taxes in State
Are Excessive,
Railroads Aver
**Q.” Northwestern and Min
neapolis & Omaha Present
Evidence to Board of
Federal Judges.
Voluminous testimony by affidavits
was taken yesterday In the suits of
the Burlington, Northwestern and
Minneapolis & Omaha railroads to get
their county and state taxes reduced.
A large array of attorneys faced the
tribunal composed of Federal Judges
oodrough, Monger and Lewis.
Heal estate men testified by 138
affidavits from 54 counties in the
slate that assessed value of farm
lands in 19‘22 was 6S per cent of ac
tual value. Eleven affidavits by as
sessors and former assessors asserted
the assessed value (jt farms was 67
per cent of their market value in
1921 and 1922.
Sold at $85 an Acre.
T. A. Polleys, Northwestern tax
commissioner, submitted a tabulation
showing farm lands covered by 4,031
transfers were sold at an average of
$85 an acre and were assessed an av
erage of $45.74 an aero in 1922. Cen
sus figures of 1920 were introduced
to show the average value of certain
lands was $87.91 and that these lands
were assessed an average of only
$39.19.
Actual value of the Northwestern
property in Nebraska was given as
$32,000,000; of the Minneapolis &
Omaha ns $0,689,000, and of the Bur
lington as $108,000,000 by their repre
sentatives.
“The Northwestern is assessed 15
per cent and tho Minneapolis & Oraa
ha 41 per cent ahove their real value,”
said Wymor Dressier, attorney for
those roads.
Careful Compilation.
“We have made a careful compila
tion in the 26 counties through which
the Northwestern runs in Nebraska
and have found that farm lands are
assessed at only 53 per cent of their
real values,” ho declared.
Judge Jesse L. Hoot, attorney for
1 the Burlington, said his road is as
■eased af 25 per cent more than Its
actual value.
"There has been an intentional, sys
i lunatic and continuous undehvalua
! lion of real estate in Nebraska for
mxation purposes, except railroads,”
j he declared.
The Burlington has offered to pay
t’>5 per cent of the taxes assessed by
counties and state and all of the
taxes assessed by cities, towns and vil
lages.
To Ask Phono Kate Increase.
Hugh I.aJIaster, assistant attorney
j general, declared the Burlington's
j first petition filed with the state tax
1 department, made no complaint of
high taxes for itself, but merely al
leged that assessments on other real
estate were for less than real value.
The Northwestern Bell Telephone
company at this hearing will ask for
power to increase its rates which the
state railway commission lias denied.
Iowa Murders
Believed Solved
Man Confessed Killing Two
Sioux City Men,
Police Say.
Sioux City, la., Dec. 18.—Two Sioux
City mysterious murders, that of
Dean S. Chandler, an ex-soldier, and
John Miller, a Mornlngslde college
student, which long have baffled po
lice, are believed to have been solved.
itjartin Christopherpon, In custody
as a suspect, has confessed, according
to (he police.
Christopherson, believed by the po
lice to be mentally unbalanced, was
nrrested Saturday and held In connec
tion with two mysterious attacks on
the home of Mrs. S. P. Meigs, last
week.
While being questioned regarding
the “shooting up” of the Meigs home
Christopherson, the police say, con 1
fessed to the two murders.
Killed in Railroad Yards.
Blair, Neb., Dec. 18.—(Special.)—
Fred Oberst, 61. was killed by a North
western switch engine in the railroad
yards here, this morning. Both his
legs were cut off and one arm badly
crushed.
Needy Children
by Hundreds Are
on Wailing List
Little Tots Are Waiting for
Shoes to lie Bought by
The Omaha Bee
Fund.
A mother with five small children,
deserted by the father, attempted sui
cide Sunday. Overwhelmed by toll
day and night she swallowed poison.
Her life was saved. But this Is lust
an Indication showing, the desperate
straits in which many wretchedly
poor families are.
The Free Shoe Fund of The Omaha
l!ee steps into such homes and pro
vides shoes for the little ones. Shoes
are the one article of clothing which
wear out the most rapidly and nro
hardest to replace.
There is a long waiting list of the
children of lust such homes as the
one mentioned above waiting, waiting
for the shoes whlcbj will be bought
for them when the money comes in
to tho fund.
Bach case Is carefully Investigated
by the child’s teacher, without cost
to the fund. lu fact there Is no "over
head” expense of any kind allowed In
this fund. Therefore, every cent you
give is actually used to buy shoes
for tfrrlbly poor little boys and girls.
Previously acknowledged.y.MSii.HB
K. II. W. •».(»
«*•**•» . .. 1.00
Mr*. F. II. Hn*r»ril, ltluilen. Neli . 2 mt
Elizabeth .1. Morris, IVoial lake,
Neb. it no
Doris >1, Port he. ^ ,(> r
E*ta V. Boyer oo ”
Mr*. N. A. Stauber, llrhron, Neh 2.0(1
Tblrd nud Eourtli tirades, llamp
ton. Neb. 2,oO
Seventh ami Eighth tirade*. IJtrb
flehl (Neb.) School* I SO
Total. *,157..v»
If you can bring Christmas cheer
to these needy ones, who will be mads
happy even by gifts of such necessi
ties as shoes, send what you can to
"Free Shoe Fund, The Omaha Bee,
Omaha, Nob.”
Coats in Court.
Judge Holmes In centra! polii a
court yesterday continued the order '
of Judge Patrick that officials appear- •«
ing in court must wear coats and not
appe,ar in shirt sleeves.
®onpon.^dfen^€a
From Nine to Six are Shopping Hours a!
Thompson-Bel&n’s; Not Open Evening!
If She Loves
Out-of-Doors
A warm woolly
sweater and scarf
would please her im
mensely. The sweat
ers in almost every
color are from $3.85
to $15. The scarfs
are $2.95 to $7.95.
A Hand Bag
Is one of those smart
accessories no woman
can get along with
out. Hence a gift
bag has won approval
even before it has
been received. There
is an abundance of
styles in duvetyn, vel
vet and fine leathers
for prices that are
most reasonable.
Main FI oor
Gay Beads
That lend their
brightening touch to
a dark costume are a •
char ming feminine
gift. Their colorings
are red, blu^, amber,
purple, coral, yellow
and jet.
Priced $1 to $8.
Ma in Floor
Handkerchiefs
In Holiday Array
This never failing gift
is shown in an un
usual assortment of
styles.
Hand- embroiderer^
linens in plain white,
60c each or $3.50
for six.
Spanish and French
embroideries on all
white linen, $1.25 to
$1.75.
Toilet Waters
There are toilet
waters galore to
please the most dis
criminating. For a
gift we suggest—
Mary Garden, $1.35.
Three Flowers, $1.50.
Colgate’s, $1 to $1.50.
Un Air Embaume,
(Rigaud’s), $5.98.
Djer Kiss Eau de,
$1.50.
Palmer’s priced 50c.
Main Floor
Dennison’s c a rds,
seals, gold and sil
ver tinsel cord and
red and white tis
sue paper are dis
played here.
Novelty Linen
Towels
These are charming
towels with hand
made Venetian lace
insertion at one end
and double- hem
stitching where the
colored borders o f
blue, pink or yellow
meet the white linen.
Price $3.75.
Ear Rings
She’d be delighted
with a pair or two,
because every woman
loves to follow the
manner of the mode.
They come in an in
teresting variation of
shapes and in almost
any hright coloring.
Price $1 to $2.50.
Main Floor
Silk Girdles
If her heavy winter
coat calls for a girdle,
then one of heavy silk
braid would prove to
be a very appreciable
gift. In brown, blue
and black—
Priced $2.25 to $7.00
M«in Floor