ffebr. State Historical Society
FQ2PEFENSE
VS
cxvi
VOL. NO. LVin
PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 1942
NO. 56
$M BUY
KA STATtS
M g f SAVINGS
ii a r a c . a i 1 a
Six Saboteurs
Die in Electric
Chair Saturday
" I
Two of the Gestapo Trained Men
Brought to the U. S. by Nazi Subs
Miss the Chair
WASHINGTON,
Ausr.
8
I id c- f ii . i kt i.ansas, ana iroin mere ne was sent
(UP) Six of the eight Nazi'. n PaT1 . . PWnW Ar5,
wreckers who came here byoni the latter camp he was sent toimitted today that the Japanese had
U-boat under German high the Fort Benning officer's training occupied the Kai, Tanimb'ar and Aroe
Command orders to sabotage.
the American war effort were
executed today in the electric
chair at the District of Colum
bia jail.
The White House announc-
ed the execution in a state
ment which disclosed ihat two
of the Nazis were spared death
"because of their assistance to
the government of the United
States in the apprehension
and conviction of the others."
The special military commis
sion which tried the saboteurs
found all eight guilty and rec
ommended the death penalty
for all. It recommended to the
president, however, that the
sentences of Ernest Burger
and George Dasch be commut
ed. The president directed that
Berger's sentence be life im
prisonment at hard labor and
Dasch's to confinement at hard
labor for 30 years.
Those executed in an 18-year old
electric chair included. Herbert
Haupt, 21, formerly of Chicago.
Edward J. Kerling, 33, leader of
the four Nazis who landed on a
Florida beach June 17, Heinrich
Heinck. 35, Richard Quirin, 34,
Werner Thiel, 35, and Hermann
Neubauer, 32.
Brigadier General Albert L. Cox,
provost marshal of the Washington
military district .arrived at the early
hour of 630 a. m. and was accom
panied by his assistant. Rain streak
ed across the jail entrance as the
officers arrived. At 8:30 Cox, his
assistant and two other army officers
met in a corridor on the first floor.
Then they entered an elevator
which goes to the fourth floor where
the death chamber is located. The
two officers remained but Cox re
turned at 9:27 a. m.
As far as could be learned, no
one except the military had seen the
saboteurs today. They had been held
in a separate wing from which
civilian officials have been barred.
Former Resident Dies
Mrs. Joseph Roucka died at her
home in Sedalia, Missouri, at an
early hour Tuesday morning:. Mrs.
Roucka was Miss Mary Yelick be
fore her marriage to Joseph Roucka.
Mr. and Mrs. Roucka were married
on April 17, 1907, at the Holy Rosary
church in Plattsmouth. Ten child
ren were born to this union, one son
preceding the mother in death in
infancy. Mrs. Roucka leaves to
mourn her passing her husband and
nine children, Joseph, Jr., Anna,
Frank, Agnes, Helen, Mary, Ru
dolph, Robert and Charles. She was
also a sister of James Yelick of this
city.
Funeral services were held this
morning at 9:30 in Sedalia, Missouri.
Called to Colors
From Thursday's Daily
The Cass County Selective Service
Board has had three of the original
Class 1-B men called into the service
of the country and will be sent to
day for examination and service.
Those going are Cecil Charles
Fosburg, South Bend; Auburn Ray
mond Redden, Murray, and Wayne
Charles Marolf, Waverly.
Located in Texas
Private Tom Stava informed his
father that he has been located at
Camp Swift, Texas. Tom was only
recently inducted and sent to Leav
enworth. In his first letter Tom
wants known all the eletion news.
Subscribe to The Journal
Lieut. Rainey Here
Lieutenant Don Rainey, who was
graduated August 1 from the officers
training school at Fort Benning, Ga.,
in the rank of second lientenant, ar
rived Monday to spend a 15-day fur-
lough with relatives and friends.
Because of his enlistment early in
March, 1941. and after passing a rigid
examination he was given preference
in attending this school. He was first
in Camp Fun&ton and Fort Riley,
scno1 - He is to so to Camp Butler
(in North Carolina at the end of his
furlough.
Volunteers
Bring in Much
Scrap in Drive
Thnrsdsv Searrb of tli f!rTriTrinTi-
ity Reveals Some 84,000 Pounds to
Add to Previous Store.
The drive made by the business
and professional men of the com
munity for scrap metal, Thursday,
resulted in another good haul to
add to the growing total for the
county.
There were not as many on the
drive as on the previous Thursday
but those out made up in their fast
and effective work in the round up
over the city and in the farming
sections.
The total of the poundage as
checked at the office of the Richey
Lumber Co., where the metal was
weighed showed that 84,000 pounds
was the total for the day.
The drive for scrap will officially
close Saturday night but it is ex
pected that the residents will con
tinue their individual contributions
when possible to see that a steady
flow of metal is kept rolling in
to help in the war activities.
Legion Names
Delegates to
State Meeting
Commander Rice, Judge A. H.
Duxbury, John E- Turner and
R. T- Cuthrell Are Selected
The Hugh J. Kearns post of the
American Legion held their regular
August meeting last cjveiiing at
their building on Vine street, and
had as their guests for the occasion
members of the Plattsmouth fire
department.
The chief business of the ebening
was that of the election oi tne
delegates to the state convention of
the Nebraska Legion to be held in
Omaha the latter part of the month.
The delegates selected comprised:
Commander Frank M. Rice, Judge A.
H. Duxbury, County Treasurer John
E. Turner, and R. T. Cuthrell. The
alternates were E. O. Vroman, Louis
Baumgart, George Conis and Dr. P.
T. Heineman.
The members had the pleasure of
having with them at the meeting,
E. A. Nutzman, of Nehawka, past
state commander, who is always a
most welcome guest of the Platts
mouth service men.
Bion A. Hoffman, local civilian de
fense council representative, was a
caller at the meeting and gave a
short talk on the importance of the
defense work and the urgent need
of enrollment of the citizenry into
this form of the national defense.
Following the business session
the members enjoyed the rest of the
evening socially with their friends,
the firemen, visiting and cards serv
ing as the diversion. The commit
tee in charge had prepared a very
delightful lunch that was served at
an appropriate hour to make a
most pleasing close of a good time.
STAND BEHIND THE BOYS
Are you going ; to play into the
hands of the enemy and not do your
part In the protection of our civilians
and property? LetL's all stand be
hind the boys in the' armed forces
and do our part in home defense.
Register now for some kind of de
fense work.
Japanese Take
Over Islands
Near Australia
Small Islands Occupied are 225
Miles From the Island Continent
No Sign of Air Fields Found
General MacArthur's Headquar
ters, Australia, August 7, (UP)
A SDokesman for Gen. MacArthur ad-
islands within 225 miles of Australia
and 100 miles of northwestern New
Guinea.
It was believed that allied recon
naissance reported in MacArthur's
communique covered the island
groups and that plane crews had re
ported there was no sign that the
Japanese had yet established air
fields in their new invasion zone.
MacArthur reported that allied
medium bombing planes had made a
successful attack on the big Japa-
nese bases in the Salamaua-Lae area
of the north New Guinea coast
j without meeting challenging enemy
planes. Ail planes returned saie.
The commifhique said also that
the situation in the Buna-Gona area,
150 miles from Salamaua, had be
come static. Only light ground
forces were engaged in reconnais
sance, it was said.
Kaiser May Win
Right to Build
Flying Boats
Proposition for Construction of
Seventy Ton Flying Boats for
Transports Favored
WASHINGTON, Aug. 7,. (UP)
Henry J. Kaiser, pioneer mass pro- (
ducer of liberty ships, apparently had !
won his fight today for a contract'
to construct huge 70-ton flying
boats to speed men and war ma
terials to world battle fronts.
A spokesman at the war produc
tion board said agreements may be
reached with Kaiser n the next
day or two" to build flying boats of
the Mars type. There was no indi
cation where the planes would be
built, b,ut Kaiser has proposed turn
ing his Oregon shipyard into a mass
production line for the cargo carry
ing planes with a possible construc
tion rate of 5,000 a year.
First word Of the cargo plane
program came yesterday when WPB
Chairman Donald M. Nelson conferred
with President Roosevelt and said
afterward that the plans would be
worked out "in a short time." The
WPB spokesman said that "Mr,
Nelson is anxious to get Mr. Kaiser
into business."
RATION BOARD ANNOUNCES
NEW RULINGS ON SUGAR
It is now possible for family units
to obtain an additional allotment of
sugar for canning fruit for home
consumption provided they have fruit
for canning which requires sugar in
excess of the amount previously allot
ted, on a basis of four (4) quarts for
on e(l) pound of sugar.
In order to obtain this additional
allotment it is necessary to furnish
the Ration Board with the required
information in affidavit form.
For the convenience of the resi
dents of Cass county the following
will assist the Ration Board in hand
ling these applications:
Elmer Hallstrom, Avoca
P. F. Rihn, Union
Glen Rutledge, Nehawka
First Nat'l Bank. Weeping Water
Nebr. St. Bank, Weeping Water
American Exc. Bahk, Elrnwood
Bank of Eagle, Eagle
Bennet's Store, Alvo
Greenwood Coop. Ass'n, Greenwood
Murdock. Coop. Ass'n, Murdock
Manley State Bank, Manley
Home State Bank, Louisville
Brubacher's Store, Murray
These people will also assist the
residents of this county in their var
ious communities in obtaining their
War Ration, books, who at the time
of registration had excess sugar and
were not entitled to a War Ration
book. -
Bomb the Japs with Junk!
ENJOYS STAY AT WABASH
Mrs. John V. Svoboda and daugh
ter, Margaret Ann and Ramon Kou
bek, have returned home from the
vicinity of Wabash where they have
spent several days. They were
guests at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Mark Hohman on the farm and had
a very pleasant time. Mr. Svoboda
motored down to bring the family
home. '
Judge Duxbury
Commands Local
Defense Group
Appointed by Elmer Halls trom,
Cass County Chairman; Prepare
for Active Work
County Judge A. H. Duxbury has
I been appointed as the commander of
the Plattsmouth Citizen's Defense
Corps by Elmer Hallstrom, county de
fense, chairman. The local corps will
carry out community defense work as
outlined by the office of civilian de
fense in Washington with Mr. Dux
bury at the-head of the organization.
Mr. Duxbury has been associated
with the American Legion and in the
work of the American Red Cross in
executive capacities for a number of
years and he is well qualified to carry
out the work for which he has been
newly appointed. It is with gratitude
that his co-oworkers in the local
corps have learned of his acceptance
of the commanding office in the local
organization.
Appointment of the heads of the
various divisions of the corps will be
completed within the next few days.
Special training of these groups will
begin next week under the direction
Bion Hoffman who attended the
defense training school held recent
ly in Lincoln under the direction of
the American Legun.
Doud Grocery and
Meat Market is
Swept by Fire
Fire of Unknown Origin Breaks
Out Shortly After 11 Last Night
Equipment Destroyed
Fire of an unknown origin that
broke out in the west room of the
Doud grocery and meat market at
6th and Pearl street, last night,
caused a loss of several thousand
dollars to the owner of the store,
Ralph Doud.
The fire took place while the
rain and electrical storm was raging
and the first intimation of the
blaze was when the sharp odor of
the smoke could be noticed on Sixth
street, soon followed by the billow
ing clouds of the white smoke roll
ing from the building.
The fireman made a quick re
sponse to the alarm ana Dy tneir
efforts were able to hold the fire
to the one room in the Eagles build
ing, which, however, was badly gut
ted and especially in the section
where the fire had apparently
started.
The equipment of the meat de
partment was wrecked and" damaged
and the stock of groceries that were
not consumed stand smoke blacken
ed in the shelves around the store.
Tire smoke in the building was in
tense and hampered the work of the
firemen until it was possible to
raise windows on the second floor
to allow the escape of the smoke.
The flames from the store on the
lower floor of the building in one
spot burned through the ceiling of
the room and into the floor of the
large lodge room on the second
floor.
Goes to Florida
Charles Warner, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Wallace Warner of this city,
who is in the air service of the
U. S. Army, has been transferred
to J acksonville, Florida, word re
ceived here states- He was first in
training: at thanute Field,' Illinois,
later going to .Georgia where he re
ceived additional training and is
now at the training school at Jack
sonville.
United States
Forces Attack
in Solomon Islands
The Navy Department Has An
nounced an Attack Has Been
Made In Force
WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, (UP)
United States naval and other forces
has attacked Japanese installations J
in the Solomon Islands in force,
the navy department announced to
day. A communique said the at
tacks were made against the south
eastern portion of the islands and
were continuing.
Simultaneously it was announc
ed that United States naval forces
bombarded enemy ships and shore
establishments at Kiska in the Aleu
tians. A naval spokesman said the
term "in force" indicated the attack
on the Solomons was of substantial
dimensions. It was assumed both
service and aerial forces were in
volved in the attack. The specific is
lands attacked were not known here.
Only the barest details, likewise,
were available on the attack on
Kiska where Japanese forces suc
ceeded in landing about the time
of the battle of Midway.
Local Lady Has
Interesting
Market Trio
Miss Mathilde Soennichsen Returns
From Fall Market at Chicago;
Large City War Conscious
Mathilde Soennichsen returned
Fsida yevening fsom Chicago where
she attended the fall market week.
Her profitable trip gave her mucn j
information on present marketing
conditions.
Miss Soennichsen noticed that train
travel has been stepped up consid
erable. She stated that all the trains
were crowded with soldiers and
sailors.
The population of this second larg
est city in the United States is war
conscious Miss Soennichsen observed.
She saw activity centered around
war stamp selling booths on State
street. Many of the buildings she
was in had safety zones to be used
by persons in case of air raids.
Receive Happy Greeting
From Friday's Daily
Last evening the Edward Donat
family of this city received a very
pleasant greeting from the west
coast when the members of the fam
ily who are located in and near Los
Angeles, sent a telephone message
to Mr. and Mrs. Donat and the mem
bers of the family here. The local
group had assembled at the home
in the west part of the city and the
Californians at the Joe Faith home.
Mrs. Faith has just returned home
from a hospital where she had un
dergone a serious operation and it
was to bring the good news of her
recovery that the call was made,
All of the members of the group
Mr. and Mrs. Faith, Mr. and Mrs.
Forest Rhodes, Mrs. Hamilton Mark
and daughters and sons-in-law all
gave a short greeting.
Shows Improvement
Fr"m FrMv's Daily
Henry Timm is reported as show
ing improvement at the St. Joseph
hospital where he has been for the
past several days undergoing treat
ment. Mr. Timm will probably re
main at the hospital for some time,
however. He has a room with
Walter. Minniear at the hospital
that makes the time pass much more
pleasantly.
Purchases New Home
The residence property of Frank
Enearl, located just east of the
American Legion building, has been
sold by the owner to William Nelson
of this city. Mr. Nelson recently
sold his home to Mrs- S. A. Wiles,
and as he is now at the Martin plant
at Fort Crook and the family is
expecting to continue to make this
city their home, they have secured
this attractive residence.
IT CAN HAPPEN HERE
Are YOU one of those people
who are hiding their heads in the
sand like the ostrich? Are you
saying, "It can't happen here." Do
you- honestly believe that' it is im
possible for us to suffer the deadly
onslpught of enemy bombs?
REMEMBER we are not forti
fied there are seven important de
fense plants in Nebraska it would
be logical for the enemy to strike
here to cut east-west and north
south communications lines a
strike here would be disastrous
to the morale of the entire coun
try. Let's be ready for the enemy.
Register now and come to the
defense meeting tonight.
Cass County
Scrap Heap is
2,528,600 Now
Plattsmouth Leads in the Reports
Of the County Headquarters On
The Scrap Drive
Reports from the office of Chair
man Willard Waldo ef the Cass
County scrap metal drive, indicate
that this county is showing real
driving power and 2,528,600 pounds
of the scrap has been reported at
the county headquarters, with each
day bringing in additional figures
as the towns and the farms bring
forth more material for swatting
ine japs ana isazi.
In the listing of the towns and
their result Mr.. Waldo has the fol
lowing figures as to the number
of pounds that have been reported
in:
Plattsmouth 694,000
Louisville 356,000
Weeping Water 197,000
Elrnwood 109,000
South Bend 93,000
I Manley 48,000
Nehawka
Avoca ; ,
29,000
26,000
Cass County
Scrap Average
93.71 Per Capita
Hooker County Shows Largest
Average Per Capita in the Pound
age of Scrap
By United Press
Hooker county, which for several
days has been locked with Grant
county in a no-holds-barred strug
gle for first place, yesterday surged
into the top position with a per
capita poundage of 199.05 in the
state-wide scrap collection contest.
Grant, by failing to report any
addition to its 176.06 pound average,
was shoved down two places when
Phelps county, which has been mak
ing another of the state's outstand
ing drives, zoomed its per capita
score to 181.25. Coming up strong
was Thomas county which ad
vanced to fourth place with 174.98
pounds per person.
Thayer county which held the lead
for a time dropped back to fifth
place with an unchanged per capita
standing of 160.34. Red Willow
was treading in its heels with col
lections of 1,839,726 pounds for a
per capita score of 153.94. Other
leaders and their averages are Dun
dy, 117.21; Madison, 112,74; Scotts
bluff, 94.41 and Cass, 93.71.
Yesterday's efforts added another
five and a half million pounds to
the state total, lifting it to 62,570,
609 pounds or 31,285 tons and mak
ing the Nebraska per capita average
47.55 pounds.
Scrap harvest festival days, pro
claimed by Gov. Dwight Griswold
for today and tomorrow are ex
pected to boost totals all along the
line. The final two days of the con
test for the $2,000 in prizes offered
by the World-Herald are expected
to bring a closely, contested race for
the top places in the county by
county standings.
VISITS WITH SISTER
Miss Marie Baker of Dunnegan,
Missouri, is visiting at the home
of her sister, Mrs. Cleo Capper, for a
few weeks.
GET IN THE SCRAP
Seventeen Families
Now Occupy
Oakmont Homes
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vallery Are
Among Latest to Purchase Desir
able Homes
Among the recent newcomers to
Plattsmouth's Oakmont addition are
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vallery who have
purchased one of the beautiful new
homes in this popular section. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Vallery are members of
well known local families and their
many friends will be pleased to have
them permanently established here.
Mr. Vallery has recently sold out
his farm interests and will be em
ployed in the Martin bomber plant
at Fort Crook.
With the coming of the Vallerys to
Oakmont addition there will be 17
families occupying new homes in this
serton. Thirteen of these families
have come to Plattsmouth from out
side this territory, and nine have
purchase dthe homes they now oc
cupying. Three more homes will be
completed and available this week
and construction has started on the
last five to complete the 25 orginal-
ly planned.
J. Howard Davis, the owner and
sponsor of the new addition, states
that the people of the community
have shown a very active interest in
the development. Many have assisted
j jn getting new residents located here,
and many are seen driving along the
new Oakmont Drive on these warm
summer evenings. Mr. Davis finds
that materials are much more diffi
cult to get and the government is
granting no more priorities for
houses in this area at this time.
With the coming of fall and winter
and the continued increase in em
ployment at the bomber plant the
housing problem will no doubt be-
Jcome more acute. "
Have Family Reunion
Guests at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Oscar Gapen for the past few
days were their two daughters, Mrs.
Glenn Lockhard of Sioux Falls, S. D.,
and Mrs. Otto Marek, who was ac
companied by her two sons, Jimmy
and Billy, of Detroit, Mich. Mrs.
Marek accompanied Mr. and Mrs.
Bryan Snyder from Detroit. In honor
of the event, a family picnic was
held at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Guy Wiles. Mrs. Lockhart returned to
her home on Wednesday and Mrs.
Marek and Mr. and Mrs. Snyder re
turned to Detroit yesterday. Bill
Marek is staying here until the open
ing of school in September.
LEARNS OF SISTER'S INJURY
From Friday's Daily
Edward Donat, Sr., received word
yesterday afternoon of the serious
condition of his sister and brother-in-law,
Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Janda,
of Wahoo, from severe burns sus
tained when their home was de
stroyed by fire.
The aged couple were asleep at
their home when the house was
discovered on fire Wednesday short
ly after midnight. A passing auto
ist saw the fire and honking the
horn of the car finally aroused a
boarder of the Jandas. who in turn
woke the couple and they were
able to extricate themselves from
the house. They were forced to
crawl to safely through a bedroom
window.
The trio suffered severe burns
from the fire that tas placed them
under medical care.
VISITS SOLDIER HUSBAND
Mrs. Charles Walden, who is en
joying a vacation from her duties as
clerk in the Plattsbouth State
bank, is spending the time in the
south with her husband. Corporal
Walden is now stationed at Camp
Forrest, Tennessee, where he was
transferred some weeks ago from
Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
TO VISIT IN COLORADO
Mrs. R. W. Clement of this city, la
at Colorado Springs, where she is
visiting at the home of her daugh
ter, Mrs. Henry C. McMaken and
family. Mr. McMaken, is engaged
in work at one of the largee govern
ment projects near that city,
