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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 10, 1897)
HE OMAHA DAILY BEE. ESTAKLISIIED JUNE 10 , 1871. OMAHA , ITttTDAY MOKNINGr , DEOEWU2R 10 , 185)7 ) TWELVJ3 17AGKES. SINGLE COPY 1T1VE CENTS. SCHOOL BOARD FINANCES Improvement in Prospect Very Encouraging to the Members. CHANCE TO W'P , OUT FLOATING DEBT In Hrvrmir for tlic ComliiK Your AnitnriMitlv .Sulllrloiit In Kx.- ( lie I.onilNon Unrrlcil. The official statement of the nportlonpmont of the public school tund for the lout six month * of 1S07 convoyn the very gratifying Intelligence that the Douglas county appor tionment IB $10,702 , an Increase of $1G,730.1 > 3 ever lh December apportionment of 1BDG. The local school officials expected a decided lncrc.vo : In the apportionment , and the figures reach about the amount that was anticipated. It mrniiR that , Including th j apportionment that will bo made In Juno , thn local schools will nbtnhi nearly $30,000 more from the Btnto this yrar than nan boon sccurol In previous yean. This Is caual to the deficit of the current year , with nearly $10,000 to pjiarc. With this and other BOUTCCS of Increased revenue In sight It la generally belloved that nothLg short of a criminal _ falluro to ad- cnililfitor the affairs of tho" schools In a businesslike mnnncr can prevent the Hoard ot Education fromo practically wiping nut its th'llclt next year. Thin deficit has been f,1 owlns Bleudlly year after jear. In Bplto of promises nf economy the board lias con tinued to discount tbo funds of each nuc- cccdlPK ye.tr until a shortage running up Into six figures has become such a familiar feature ot the financial traiiKactloiiK of the ) > o.inl thnt It lias cenKi-d to cause une.islneBH. The IlKiircs compllod hy Secretary Qlllin and the inemhurK of the finance committee nbout n month ago Indicated that the ehort- age on the first day of 1898 would bp about $171.000. This estimate Htlll holds uood and when the December s-iilarleH and 'bills are paid the obligations of the board will ex ceed ItH asseta hy fully $170,000. As the shortiico at the beginning of 1S97 was $150- 733.31 , It Is rpparcnt that In eplto of the piomlscN of economy that were'mado at the bcKlnnltiK of the year the board has not only made no progress towaiclo decreasing Its deficit , but has expended over $20,000 more than Its available receipts. LICENSE FUND HUNS LOW. Thin amount Is partially accounted for hy the falling oft In the number of saloon 11- ceniea which were paid In December. This money has previously been turned Into the schojl fund by the city treasurer ns eoon as It was received , and the records of the treas urer's olllco show that in some years $75- 000 hns been turned In during December. This amount would not properly bo consid ered ns part of the receipts of that year , but It his always been so accepted , thus re ducing the apparent deficit at the end of the calendar year by that amount.During the past year or two the December license re ceipts have fallen oft and up to the begin ning of the present year only $7,000 In 1897 liquor licensed had been pain In. Consequently quently If all the liquor licenses were re garded as strictly belonging to the year for which they were Issucl the present deficit would very slightly exceed that which was Inherited from last year. _ The next year Is apparently a go'.den op portunity to get rid of the financial burden Imposed on the schools. It la conceded that the afscosed valuation will bo materially In creased and the general sentiment of mem bers of the city council la In favor of a lib eral levy IB view of the desirability of keepIng - Ing up appearances during the exposition year. This year the levy of 9 mills for the school fund produced a revenue of $141OG4.15 and It Is generally believed that a levy which will produce at losat $150,000 will bo allowed for next year. It Is certain that there will be a largo Increase In the receipts from saloon llcenseo. One of .tho largest local brewers si > s that thcro will bo fifty additional licenses taken out next year , but the more general Impression Is that the In crease will bo nearer a hundred. The re ceipts from fines and licences will bo In- croised to an extent that can scarcely be approximated at this time , but It Is bc- llovcd that an additional income of $25,000 may safely bo expected from these sources. ' If the system of fines on prostitutes and houses of assignation Is resumed , as Is con sidered probable , It will add at least $15,000 to the additional revnuo and this amount will probably approximate $25,000 during the exposition year. It la consequently evident that with the marked Increase In the state apportionment the- board will have fully $150.000 In extra revenues next year with which to wipe out a deficit of $170,000. It Is bellovedi that with careful management the difference of J20.000 can be saved and that the entire load can bo lifted without Injury to the schools. Will Give Thrill Wiitcr , City Engineer Hosewater has completed ar rangements for the relief of the residents In the vicinity of Tenth and Atlas streets whr are suffering from a dearth of water. The water company has agreed to allow the els- tcras to be filled from the nearest main fo : $1 a cUtcrn , and this the properly owners nre very willing to my. Chle ! Redell of the tire department will allow a line fit nose to be laid to carry the water , but ho states that this does not Indicate thai the same favor will bo extended to a long list of other prop erty owners who have similar application ? on file at his office. In these cases there are water mains running Immediately In front of tholr doors , but the orcoorty ownerr want the fire department to fill their clstornc In order to avoid the expense of maklnr ' 'uatev connections. In tun rase now under consideration , thcro are no water mains within a quarter of a mile , and the people are In genuine dlstrctc through no fault or their own CoiiiironilMi > 011 The local telegraph and A. D. T. companies have reached an understanding with the city electrician In regard to the matter ot pro tecting their wires where they enter build ings. The original order from the electri cian called fop the Insertion of protectors at nil these pclnts , which would have Involved n considerable expenditure on the part of itho comperi'los. At a conference held yester day the compinlcB agreed to overhaul their system thoroughly , and by uclng first-data Insulation and exterior construction pro- vldo against any possibility ot 'their wires coming In contact with the highly charged electric light and trolley wires and con sequently endangering adjacent buildings Into which the smaller wires passed. This was agreed to by the city electrician and the Improvements will bo made at once , I'nvlnir " Center Street. During the present comfortable weather the- Center street paving Is progressing rapidly and the contractors expect to have the street completed to the viaduct by Saturday night The street Is paved west to Thirty-fourth street and this would leave only four blocks of dirt road. There Is no question that the macadam ran bo put In from the viaduct to Thirty-sixth street this year , but there Is a considerable amount of grading to be done between Thirty-fourth and Thirty-sixth streets , and unl-ss the weather should be modwlo enough to permit the excavation the two blocks will have to bo left until raring. The macaCam surface that has been complete ) } ID almost equal to auihalt and the street willbo a veritable snap for whpclmen uext year , illolibcr MaUeo n ( iuod Hniil. BOSTON , Dec. 9-Newell Paine , proprietor of a drug store In Tremont street , was us- puulted last nleht and robbed of $1.JOO by an unknown person , who entered hit ) vtoro about 11 o'clock. The robber drew a revolver ver , with the remark : "I am a. desperate jnun and want your money , " Sir. Pulne re- 8Utcd and wag felled cuseU&a. Uu will re cover. I.WOCUINT AM ) John HOP SicurlIII * Illicrljntid 1'rl-MTVI-H 111 * ItlVOKIllfn. That well known nnd much persecuted In dividual , John Dee , has at last succeeded In convincing a jury In the district court that ho Is an Innocent man , and as a result of this John Is again enjoying his liberty , John Dee has been charged with about nil of the crimes In the category and hai been convicted times without number. The latest charge against htm. however , wan that of representing that ho was another man , thus obtaining a bunch of cattle from a South Omaha commission man , The cattle were secured last summer and were shipped out Into the western part of the state. Mr. Dee Kavo a mortgage on the cattle In se curity of the debt. A few days later the commission man ascertained that John Dee wan not the man whom he had represented hlmeolf to too. An officer was sent after Mr. Doe ami the cattle. The efforts of the officers were rewarded and Mr. Doe and the cattle were brought back to Omaha , the former being placed In jail and the latter being turned over to the rightful owner. Mr. Dee was charged with obtaining prop erty by reason of having- made false pre tences and on this charge was held to the district court. Wednesday In Judge Maker's court the cane of the State against John Dee was called for trial. The state proved the transfer of the cattle , the giving of the note and the mort gage and the subsequent recovery of the properly , Mr. Doe stood upon his right and maintained that he did not intend to defraud , He mild that ho bought the cattle on time and Intended to pay for them when the oh llKHtlotia becamu due. Having made this showing , the JuroiM concluded that Mr , Dee had dona nothing out of the way and con sequently returned a verdict of not guilty. All through the trial It was known that the name of the prisoner was not John Doe , However , ho would not state his real name maintaining that his name wan something that did not concern the public , adding , "a rose sini'lli Just as sweet when called by any other name. " Yesterday after the Jury returned verdict of not guilty the former prisoner left the court house and ns he was passing down the steps of the building Ualllff Nor hers called out , "Say , what Is your rea name ? " The man stopped , hesitated a moment and then waving his hand back toward the old building , replied , "Just tell them that you saw mo and tell them that my name Is John Doc. " llerlil on TrlnI for Murder. The case of the State agalnat Henry Hecht , charged with the murder of Albert Cabrcc , Is on trial in Judge Baker's court. It Is charged that during the evening of July 3 , last , at the Chicago house In South Omaha , the prisoner choked his victim until ho died. died.At At the time and place mcntlcnod a birthday party was being held and some thirty guests had been Invited. A number of kegs of beer were tapped and to these kegs the guestb of the evening frequently repaired. During the evening It Is charged that while a number of the parlies at the entertainment were sitting on a porco outside the hotel , Hecht and CMbrec became. cnnigcJ In a dis pute that finally resulted In a fight. After the fight. It Is said that the two men were in a room talking and that Hecht grabbed Cabrec by the throat and choked him and that ho was utmost dead before outsiders Inter fered. After the men were separated Cabrec was taken away , but he lived orJy about an .hour. Million die Iiijitnctloii Permanent. Judge Scott bus Issued a permanent In junction In the case of VanDchren against Douglas county , preventing the county com- mlsslcoera from expending the proceeds of the county paving bonds on * the Military road. Some time ago VanDohrcn secured a re straining order and the case came up for hearing today. The contention of the plain tiff was itlmt when the bonds were voted It was with the unlerstnndlog that the proceeds of the bonds wcro to be expended upon three reads , each road to receive one-third of the amount. 'After thai and after some paving had been done on each of the three roads , the commissioners decided to exprud the bal ance In extending the Military road. OverriilcH n Hartley Motion. In the case of the State against the bands men of Joseph S. Hartley , ex-state treasurer , Judge Dickinson yesterday overruled the motion of the defendants , wherein they asked that the state be compelled to set up the ul- leged knowledge of the alleged fact that the olllclal bend given by Hartley was taken out cf the governor's office for the purpose of se curing additional sureties and was subse quently returned. iIlAIIIHT.H I.V UXtSUAI. SIJI'IM.Y , Cotton TnllN mill Jnukx Hell Cheaper Than I'ver In Oiiinliii. 'Rabbit ' hunting In Nebraska was never better than It has been during the last few days , and judging from the number of cot- tcn tails and jacks that are arrrlvlng on this market , a very considerable proportion of the population must have been engaged In the chase. All the local dealers In game have been overrun with rabbits , ar > I It has been hardly possible to keep the supply cleaned up , In spite of the great loads that have been sent out every little while. . I'rlces have been BO low 'that ' shippers will In imny caaca receive nothing In return , the money being all absorbed by the freight or express charges. A god many cotton tails have sold by the \\iholetalc as low as 25 to 30 'cents ' per dozen and jacku at 50 to 75 cents. At such prices everyone has been buying and the whole city is living on rabbit pie. < A grcnt many foreigners buy large numbers of rab bits at limes like the present , when the price Is very low , and plcklo thorn , so they have them for use all through ie season. Strange as It may seem , the rabbit Is not the poor man's game. i.\ll attempts to In duce the poor of the cities In this country and England to. buy nibblta on the ground that they wcro cheap and wholesome have failed. Australia could supply the poor of all LonJon and then have plenty of rabbits to epare , but the poor despise the rabbit. At the same time bo Is welcomed to the table of the wealthy nnd Is esteemed as a very toothsome morsel. Ffilenil Court .Volt'M. In the federal court the trial of the case of Loren W. True against John C. Drexel , Involving the possession of a stock of milli nery goods which came Into the latter's pos. Rrsslon while sheriff , has been continued until - . til next term. The trial was begun yester day. day.A A verdict of $4,100 lias been rendered by a jury In favor of the plaintiff In the case of the Montlcello bank of Montlccllo , la. , against Charles Hostwlck. The latter , a local broker , sold a note for the amount to the bank , which purported to be signed by six Iowa farmers , The signature ! were forgeries. The case of John Lute , administrator of the estate of Ferdinand 'Itelkart , against the Union Pacific ! ! ! 'bo ' put on trial next. This h a suit for $5,000 damages for the killing of Ilolkart while bo was employed as a sec tion 'hand ' near 1'axton on December 31 , 1S95. The case as removed from the district court of Keith county , A motion has been filed In the federal court by the township of Orattan , In Holt county , anklng that $ lf > 94 that has been turned Into court by tbo Holt county treasurer to be applied en a judgment seureJ agalubt tbo county by Henry Percy Chlltou be held , pending an appeal to the circuit court of ap peals. Tbo judgment amounts to $2,745 , Honor mi Aiiierluiiu Axtroiionirr , SAN FUANCISCO , Dec. 9-Prof. Perrlne , one of the members of the Lick Qbjcrva- tory staff , Ima receive ! a letter from the French Academy of Science , announcing tlmt his work In astronomy has been con- aldcrctl of such value UK to merit the IK- atowixl on him of one of the annual prizes. The award will bo made at a nubile meet- Inu lu 1'urLu In tuo latter i > art o this ) . array.TOYS Dur whole score filled with Christmas gifts now A transformation scene worth seeing the entire first floor in Christmas array. A , II , O Ftiriillurc , C.Oc. Torncilo Hunt , ROo. n minified lutrr- locklliK Checker * , ISc. llrnn-nlo Danil Mno 1'lnxir.c. . , Ilunnin mil , 2oc. DlacUbonril , 2,1e. ; . ( A , II , O Illooku , iloc. KlcUlnir Mule Hniilc. Uouble-O Stellar IIoiiiluovH , Co n box UruiiiH nt - < > o , SOc nnd 11-ln Yellow IClil nnd Gout , Sic. FOR fl'ool Client , full of ToolH , $1.1(7. [ , Gravel Train , OSc. UullUluur IJIuckH , iau. I Hard Wood Cllnprr Hleii , full ronnil ctccl gprliiK Hied , ,17 Lnrirc Iron SiilUeyLie. . inched Ions , -iBcj Frame Clipper , handsomely dec orated , tit 7Co. / A. , II , O flue Xlcltt'l IlniiKc with Ii'urulChair SCc ' " i ture , 55c. . Tender nud : t I.urjri' PnmiciiKcr Carn Over 4 icot Ions , OSc. AND Ox Team , Darkey Urlver , . very lurite. toy , OCc. IIoolc nnd. Ladder * nt 45c , GOc , l)8c. ! lLL STOLE THE \VIDO\VS \ \ HOARD Money Baricd in a Collar Dag Up and Carried Av/ay. UNKNOWN 1HIEF MAKES A RICH HAUL Mr . Mary KpiierHou Itcdirim from n Cull to Kind Her lloime Looted of $1OOO In Gold Coin. The house of Mrs. Mary Eopcrson , C02 Hickory street , was entered some time be tween the hours of 0 a. in. and 2 i > . 111. Wednes day and robbed of a largo sum of money , estimated by the owner at from $2,000 to $2,400. There la oo clue as yet to the per pctrator of the deed , but a young man who lived with Mrs. Epperson for many years and who was well acquainted with her finan cial condition Is suspcced. The house , owned and occupied by Mrs. Epperson , la located on a high bank at tbo northwest corner of Sixth and Hickory streets. It Is Isolated from all neighboring buildings. Wednesday morning about 9 o'clock Mrs. Epperson , uno is a widow and has lived alone for over a year , Incked the doors of her house and went to visit a friend at Tenth and Hickory streets. She took din ner at this plae and did not return to her c.ttago until about 2 o'clock. On arriving there eho went to the cellar and discovered that tbo earth bad been disturbed where her treasure \\as burled and a number of flower pots which she nad placed over It had been moved. In removing the debris Mrs. Eoper- ton came upon the plocet of an earthen jar which had contained the manly acid then she knew her snug little fortune bad been stolen. Dunning out of tbo house she told tbo family of 0. i : . motherhood at 1620 South Tenth street of her lois and then fainted. The police were notlfloJ and several de tectives went through tbo < house In an effort to locate any clews whereby tbo thieves might bo traced. The money , which was nearly all In f 10 and } 20 gold pieces , nad been placed > n > a small brown jar and after ward deposited at tho" bottom of a hole about a foot lu depth. The hole was made In a bench of earth on the cast Bldo of the house abotjt four feet above the floor and beyond the walls of the collar , which arc of cement. In order to destroy all 'traces of tbo place of concealment a couple otj/bpards Jiad been placed over the bolo aml iipon them a line of ( lower pots bad be on deposited. In digging over the earth aroVipd the llttje ex cavation Detective Dunn fdund a couple of i $10 Rold pieces which wojrje , overlooked by tbo thief In his hurry. SUSPEOH5 ED Mrs. Epperson fays thjai 'the moaey had 1 been received by her abx > nt ! fwo years ago from the settlement of a relative's estate In Illinois. She placed the inoiiey In the Mer chants' National Uick for a time , but dur- Isg the silver agitation 'of ( ho late national campaign drew It out ami hd | It. It was al | tbo money she had In the viorld. As to the pcrscovho took the money ! ilrn. Epperson Is convinced that It mu t l.'ivo boon done by a > oung man mined Ed Mllllgan , Mrs. Ep person says he was tatfcra Irito the family by her husband about twenty years ago. He was never adopted , but \vae considered as one of the fam'ly. ' In 1S93 , shortly before the death of Mr. Eppcracn , Mllllgsa stole $20 from a claet and tcforo detected left for Seattle. We ill. .He was later brought backhand , as Mr. Ep- perr.cn was on his deathbed' wa forgiven. About a > ear later Milligan once more showed wild teadenclea crid endorsed notes with the elg.aturo of Mrs. Epperson and eecured In the. nclghborhooi of $500 from the various banfca. He ' the ? left and has not been seen pinco by 'Mrf ' , Epperson. Last spring 11)3 widow iieard that Milligan waa once more In the city. He failed to call on he. * , and about a week liiter an Iron eafo which Mrs. Epperson b-id-to'a rear bed room was broken open. The robber , however , was scared sway before his Job bad been com pleted and toine Jewelry and other articles of value were left behind , Tbe case was given to tbo police , but 'no arrests were made. , , J ' Mr * . Epperson , says she has been very watchful of her treasure' and went" down Into tbo cellar to eee If It wsa oife shortly before ho left the bouse Wednesday morn- Ing. The incney ( iad not at that time been tampered wltb. Whoever < ook It she It convinced was well acquainted with the house , and also saw her depart In the jnorn- Ing. | Mr , Sidney Epperson , the butbana ot the woman robbed , was an old resident of Omaha and was at one. t'lmo wealthy. Mrs. Epper- Bcn boa resided In Omaha for over thirty years. CII.VHCK THE : KIUIS ui > TO UOHIIHHS. TlekefH Stolen from ElllM Ikliiiul Turn Up. NEW YORK Dec. 9. Facts come to light I that suggest tbo possibility that the mjBtcri- OUB fire which destroyed the Immigrant bulld- 1 Ings on Ellis Island a'few months ago wag Blurted by thieves , who had carefully planned I a $10,000,000 rotbery. Ten of the trunk Hue ? leading to the west unite In maintaining a I railroad olflce on the Island , and at all times there are quantities of tickets there. Genera ) , .Ticket Agent Robertson of the New York , J Ontario & Western soys that on the night of the lire a conservative estimate would place tbo face value of the tickets In the Ellis Island of fice at $10,000,000. A few days ago a ticket . Issued by the New' York , Ontario & Western reading from Chicago to Kansas City was re-1 ' celved from a jiassenger and aflerwijrds i found to be one of the tickets supposed to | have- been burned. Now the railroad omclals are asking how many other tlclccis of the $10000000 worth are In existence. It Is deemed not Impossi ble that the entire number was stolen end held until conductors should forget the warn ing. liidependi-iiee Hull. Secretary Wakcfleld has sent to the < Hty ou- thorltleB of Philadelphia the blue prints and I estimate of cst of constructed of a repro duction of old Independence hall on the cx- i.iwltlon ground * . According to this estimate the structure will cost somewhere between $10,000 and $18,000. The Philadelphia au thorities have been figuring on the plan of rcoroduclng the old building and housing In it the Independence bell , licit Men nnd Ited Liquor. Government disbursement of money In tho. Wlnnebago reservation Is setting the < braves on a hunt for liquor again. Yesterday Deputy United States Mar shal Allen brought In four on the charge of Introducing Intoxicants on the reserva tion , and be nas gone after another batch , Those under arrest ore Louis Hlmman , Jo Grayhalr , Pete Simpson and flulwt Twin , MURDER MYSTERIES REST I No Further Inquiry WillBa Made by the Authorities , POLICE ABANDON TWO RECENT CASES JiiuifH McliolM nnd IInil Scott Allowed to Drift Into Olillvlon Opinion of un Olllcer oil the Mutter. The police have practically given up all efforts In ferreting out the facts In con nection with the deaths of James Nichols , who Is supposed to have been murdered and thrown Into the river , and of Hud Scott , the farm hand who was found dead under very suspicious circumstances at the foot of Capitol avenue. In speaking of these cases this morning a prominent police official who , however. Is not connected with the work OD cither case , said : "I am of the opinion that there Is considerable In the Nichols case which has never been brought to light. He was known to have been pretty well fixed both as to money and clothing , yet uot a cent was ever recovered by the department nor any of the clothing tracoi down. It U a mys tery which probably only time wll | bring to the surface , as the detectives do not seem Inclined to exert themselves over It. "In the case of Dud Scott , I have all ulang beta Inclined to the opinion that ho came to blc death accidentally , although of course It la possible that bo was murdered. I do know , ban ever , that very little attention wan given the matter by tbo detectives who baO it In chaise The men who accompanied Scott all testified at tbo coroner's Inquest that tbo deceased had but Httlo money when he was last teen alive. Ho was , however , dressed in good clothes and might have been killed by men unintentionally while tr > lug to bold him up. Finding that they bad com mitted a greater crime than contemplated , it la possible Scott was thrown over the em bankment at the foot of Capitol avenue In an effort to mislead the authorities. The wounds found upon the bead were certainly of a very suspicious nature and can hardly 30 sufficiently explained away by the theory of a fall. The department at present Is doing nothing to solve the mystery surrounding the deaths of these two men. " PU.VLSIIKS A I.I ; Till : 1'AUTIES. JudKC ( iordoii IlHiiiNeu | of a Larceny from I'erxou ditto. Maud Miller and Lewis Unger , charged with the larceny of $18.75 from the person' of John Kelly , were arraigned In police court yesterday. It was shown that the three had been together In the wlno room of "Shorty" Groves' saloon o/nd also that the Miller woman was aeen to put her hand Into Kelly's pocket. The prisoners were each , bound over to the district court In bonds ot $800. $800.At At the conclusion of the bearing Frotc- cutlng Attorney Miller , at the rcijuwt of 'At torney Tuttle , who appeared for the pris oners , filed a complaint against Kelly , charg ing him with Indecent conduct by coseortlng In a wine room. He was found guilty and , w.as fined $20 and ccata by Judge Gordon. In passing upon tbo case Judge Gordon said. "I believe It Lj high time that the licen tiousness of vUllors to Omaha should re ceive a backset. It would appear from past cases that have bee > i brought before rne that these men , upco arriving In the city , make a becllne for the worst deca In the Third ward. While I do not approve of women robbing tholr visitors , at the name tlmo I believe there would be far less crime- of thU nature If men were punlibed for via. itlng such plttcc-a. " Kelly wcs unable to pay h > fine , and will therefore serveit out In the county jail , He line already hem confined there for nine * days ca a complaining witness. It } ' n CufT llntton. Oscar Hell Is under arrest qn suspicion of having robbed the restaurant owned by Mil. Ur Brothers nt 1005 Howard street a few nights aso. The plare was entered through , a kitchen window and ( ho till waa tapped for H nnd about 600 clffars taken. In lookIng - Ing over the u'oro later t > o detcctlv a pi keel up from the .ocr u pecullar-looklnK curt button , which waa known to have * been at one tlmo worn by Hell. When arreattd this mornlnjf the tnate to the button waa found upon the prisoner. He will l > charged wltlt burglary ,
