Nebraska Newspapers

    vs
r
he Omaha
unday ' Bee
PART ONE
NEWS SECTION
PAGES I TO 8
WEATHER FORECAST.
For Nebraska Fair Sunday,
For lows Fair Sunday.
For wealher report sea fag 1
VOI j. XXXVIII NO. 31
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING,
FEBIIUARV, 28,
... '
1909 SIX SECTIONS THIRTY-SIX PAGES.
SINGLE COrr FIVE CENTS.
TEX MEN WANT
MAYOR'S OFFICE
Lineup for Primary Shows Tine
Bunch of Starters in the
Big Race.
DEMOCRATS HAVE LITTLE CHOICE
Only Berryman and Dahlman to
Select From.
REPUBLICANS HAVE SEVEN NAMES
Two Are Jokes and Three of Other
Fire Outsiders.
ZIMMAN MARKED TO BE BEATEN
( orpnrttlom Will Vnlte Crack
t'-oanrllma aad Hare Plana for
Campaign oa This Lin
Already Laid.
OalTDISATXSI TOM XATOBU.TI.
Bepabllean Democrat
' Baker, Benjamia B. Berryman, Bd 9.
'!. John V. Sthlmti, James 0.
Briggs, Arthur X.
T.iomt, Barry A, Socialist
ifaimsr, Henry B. Vaughn, O. O.
kimmu, Harry B. .
Tlil la the lineup for mayor on the two
Idea of tha (political fence aa tlnally
drawn by the closing of tha tlma for
filing There -has been a great deal of
preliminary skirmishing for position, out
of which these entries haw grown:
On the democratic aide Mayor Dahl
man's quest for ranomlnatlon has been a
standing candidacy, the opposition search
ing far and wide for a roan to go up
against him. For awhile It was thought
that Comptroller Lobeck would shy his
; raster, but when he .flunked the antl
Pahlmanites undertook to rally around
; Building Inspector Wtthnell, but he also
1 Instated on clinging close to his meal
I ticket. Par O'Brien did some loud talk
: fng about his ability to outclass the cow
toy and then failed to come to Ihe scratch.
From him the stalwarts turned to Coro
ner Heafey and finally landed on Kd
Berryman a a last resort.
Oa the Republican Side.
On the republican side the first entries
of Arthur H. Brlggs and Harry Frost
seemed to strike the rank and file as
jokes for advertising purposes only. Cap
tain H. E. Palmer went Into the fame In
response to a numerously signed petition
circulated by Jim Allan and M. IiOgasa,
' and lied with an acceptance bearing tha
am data as the petition. Hv J- Penfold
was expected to line up by the petition
route, but evidently reconsidered his reso
lution. The Fontanellns, returning to their
old system of endorsements before the
filing list was completed, sent A com
mittee out on tha skirmish line to pick
up a ' candidate. The first choice was
Charles I Saunders, the second John P.
Preen, the thhrd W. Bltighara. . Jthe
fourth ' G. W. Wattles, and theft by a
coalition with the Central club, they cams
nark to Breen, who had Insisted all the
time that he preferred running for his
old place of city attorney. Another name
vsqulKntly mentioned was Benjanfln 8.
XinJter, and more frequently still that of
Harry B. Ztniman, who served as mayor
for the unexpired term of Mayor Moores
after the latter's death.
Corporations Are Concerned,
Incidentally, the Interests Ukely to be
rnncerned with the Issues of the city cam
paign have had a hand In the maneuvering.
The introduction of the occupation tax or
dinances has forced all of the franolilse
corporations Into a compact for mutual de
fense, and they have In particular marked
Councilman Zlmman, who Introduced them,
for their eppoaltlon. These corporations
reoognlse no party lines In local politics
and the edict of their conferences has been
"Anything to beat Zlmman." If Zlmman
runs they have arranged for the Dally
News to . belabor him In season and out
and to throw all kinds of fits over the fact
that be represents the Third ward In the
council, to which Tom Dennlson, the "bogle,
man 'of the News, is supposed to wield
his Influence. The World-Herald Is counted
on not only to oppose Zlmman without any
special Inoenttve, but also to swallow .any
kind of a, democratic ticket that may be
pulled out1 of the primary, Including the
dlstateful mayor Jim.
It has been given out that any amount of
corporation money would be forthcoming
for the purpose of keeping Zlmman out of
the mayor's chair and. It necesssry, to fi
nance the campaign of a third candidate
should he win the republican- nomination
at the primaries. Any of he other repub
lican aspirants for mayor .will be leas ob
jectionable to them, and If one should be
nTlnated on whom they could depend
more than they oould on Dahlman, they
(Continued on Second Page.)
Italians Who Caused Race
Riot at Uehling Arrested
FREMONT. Neb.. Feb. ST. (Special Tele
gTam.) Oeorge Cosainan and Nick Out
lorn a. believed to be the two Italians who
slu t up a Saloon at Uehling last ntht. In
juring three men, were arrested early this
morning at Scrlbner by Marshal Siensel,
and are now In the county Jail hare.
Their description had been telephoned
to the surrounding towns and the Sortlmer
marshal got them aa soon as they ar
rived. Both br marks of a pretty Uvely
and bloody sciap. though neither are
seriously woundad.i UalWna has a bullet
wound about two Inches long passing en
tirely through the muscles of the base of
tha shoulder blade and buckshot boles
In his trousers. Cue man has a flesh
wound on liu right side caused by buck
shot, which were deflected by something
In his pockets. There are holes through
fie htpa of his trousers. Neither will
talk. They account for the wounds and
shot holes by claiming that there was a
frrap In their car and they concluded It
was not safe to stay there longer. They
were tracked from the ear through the
mud and snow f- a distance of about
a mile and a half, irhere they struck ths
direct road f jr Scrlbner. Several parties
who were in the saloon when tbs shooting
occurred cams to Fremont 00 the after
noon train from Uehling and positively
Identified them la the JaU as the parties
who cam Into tha saloon aad began the
1 hooting. They wilt here a preliminary
I hearing on tha charge of aaaault with
i imi ta kill aad wound earl nut week.
Mark Coad Loses
Large Sum to
Gang of Crooks
Reported to Have Contributed Thirty
Eight Thousand Dollars to
Their Harvest.
Mark Coad, the aged capitalist of Omaha.
Fremont and Wyoming. Is reported to have
lost 138,000 to the gang of swindlers that
reaped a harvest In Council Bluffs last
year, the head of which is said to have
been arrested In the person of J. C. May
bray at Utile Rock the other day.
Mr. Coad to not In Omaha at present and
cannot, therefore, be communicated with
as to the details, ot his loss. He Is In
Wyoming looking after hie ranch and his
brother, J. F. C'oadXto whom he Is b -
lleved to have confided his secret. Is In
Mexico on business.
In Omaha members cf the Coad fnmlly
say they know nothing about the losses,
except what they "have heard." They do
not know whether efforts will be made to
recover or not.
"It Is entirely In the hands of Mark Coad,"
said J. F. Coad, jr., a nephew, of the Park
ers National bank, South Omaha. ' "We
have heard nothing from him. If he has
told anyone In the family of his losses, he
probably told my father."
While Mark Coad makes his home In
Fremont, he has recently been at the ranch
In Wyoming, aiid junior members of the
family say they know nothing of his deal
ings with the Council Bluffs gang.
Mayor Dahlman says he and Maybray
rode the range together from 188-1 to 18M
and he had not seen Maybrny for years
until last summer, when Mnybray told him
he was In the lumber business In Council
Bluffs.
"He was at crack shot and may be yet,"
said the mayor. "That is my lip to the
officers who have him In charge."
The Rlvard, a high-class family hotel at
1810-12 Farnam street, was where a great
many of the swindling plots were hatched.
Six of the crew dwelt there for several
months last year. On of these, Lawrence,
was ostenelbly a grain man, but never
showed a vast knowledge of the grain busi
ness. Another, Scott, who has not been
arrested or previously named, purported to
be a Jockey, but now that It Is all over,
those that knew him then eajr that he
could have been no rider of the gee-gees,
for he was far too heavy.
Bacon was the name of another of tho
gang who lived at the Rlvard. Like all
the others, he had his mall sent to a Doug
las street saloon.
Preachers Get'
Senator's Money
Dozen Lutheran Ministers on List as
" '- Beneficiaries of Stephenson
. ; Primary Fund.
MADISON, Wis.. Feb. J7.-Intereet In the
senatorial primary Investigation today
focusod In a collection of a doaon sup
posedly Lutheran ministers whose names
were brought Into prominence as having
received small amounts, ranging from $7.&0
to $30, from the Stephenson funds. Another
check for $400 was noted as made payable
to Rev. J. J. Ryan, presumably of the
Roman Catholic faith.
Teacher Dies
in Snow Storm
Body of Miss Fellows Found Near
Lodge Pole, Two Hundred Yards
from Boarding House.
LODGE POLE, Neb., Feb. 27. (Special
Telegram.) Lust In the storm of last Mon
day, Miss Viola Fellows, a school teacher
nine miles southwest of here, perished
not more than 3Q0 yards from her boarding
place. Her body was found where
she had fallen after beoomlng exhausted.
She was teaching school In the Vaclk
district.
BISHOP BONACUM AT ROME
Llaroln Prelate Received la Aadleaee
by Pope aad Tenders Relief
Faad.
ROME. Feb. f7. Bishop Bonacum of Lin
coln, Neb., was received In private audi
ence by the pope today, and presented ta
the holy fsther an offering for relief of the
earthquake sufferers In Calabria. The pope
expressed his warm thanks for this dona
tion and conversed with the bishop cor
dially for half an hour.
The vlotlms of tha shooting are:
George Helneinan, city marshal, shot la
arm and thigh with shot gun.
George Btamm, bartender in Baker's
raloon; shot in right arm with shot gun
Charlea Kmig, shot in leg wlUi W-caliber
revolver.
The trouble started shortly before I
o'clock. A half dosen foreign laborers were
In Baker's saloon when one of thrm be
came Involved In a dispute with the bar
tender and the others took part In ths row.
AU were ejected from tl)e saloon. A few
minutes later one ot them returned with
a double barreled shot gun snd revolver
and opening the door began shooting prom
iscuously. After the shooting the men ran to the
boxcar, where the laborers ""were housed
by the railroad companies, and threatened
their pursuers with nuns. Justice Martin
Christensen took charge of the hunt and
posted guards about S o'clock around ths
ear. This morning ths car was searched
and about twenty occupants lined up, but
tha men were not found.
It . Is now believed they escaped from
the car before the guard was posted aad
walked across country to Scrlbner. which
Is fourteen miles swsy. The other Italians
returned to work this morning snd there
was no hostile demonstration against thnnj.
f the men shot last night Charles
Eknlg was injured the worst, having a bul
let wound In tha flashy part of each lag.
From tha number of shots fired by the
Italians and ths bartender aad Oscar Und
it Is a wondar several man war not
killed.
GREEK CITI7: -
WORK ANl-vAYS
Beginning of Settlement in Omaha
and South Omaha -Dates Back
About Six Years.
ARE IN BUSINESS EXTENSIVELY
Of Two Thousand in Vicinity Most
Are Permanent Residents.
MANY ARE HERE IN WINTER ONLY
Keen Ambition to Own Stores Ruling
Trait of the Race.
WORK HARD AND LIVE FRUGALLY
Fair Proportion Have Taken Kteps to
Become KataraJIsed C'ltlaeaa and
a Few Have Married
American Girls.
Race madness of one kind or another has
been breaking out at so many places In
the country that the ebullition at South
Omaha last Sunday evening can hardly be
regarded as an extraordinary affair, ex
cept for Its suddenness. California and
British Columbia have had explosions of
Japophnbla and Hlnduphobla. and China
phobia, too. All of these outbursts have
been charsotertlstlcally denominated under
the comphohenslve head orlentophobla, or
the white man's fight for the right of oc
cidental precedence and control. Negro
phobia la common to many parts of the
country and spasmodlo eruptions are re
ported here and there almost every week,
arising In every case 'almost from racial
antipathy, which sleeps so lightly that a
touch arouses lt
Greeks snd kindred races have not been
free. at any time since they began, coming
to this country In large numbers, .from at
tacks by banded men of other races; but
the attacking bands have never really had
any more definite organization than they
had at South Omaha. They have simply
been mobs, moved bj temporary emotion
based on smaller f larger causes.4 And
they have usually, died out as quickly as
they arose. The ultimate result has never
been to the lasting disadvantage of the at
tacked parties.
Laborers Called to Work.
In this connection It may he noted as a
redeeming Incident of the South Omaha
affair that the Idle Greek laborers who
were wintering In these two cities have
been called to outside work earlier than
they otherwise might have been by the
railroads particularly. This week several
hundred, have been taken west, or have
gone of their own volition, to places where
there Is a demand for common , labor by
gangs: that can live-la bearding oars.
Thus many crowded out of tha packing
houses for expediency's sake will find
work readily elsewhere.
Development, of the Greek colony In
Omaha and South Omaha has covered a
space of only about six years. J. Zees,
proprietor of a wholesale and retail con
fectionery stora on South Sixteenth street.
Is smong the -early arrivals from the his
toric land. He Is authority for the state
ment that there are at present or were
before the rkittng at South Omaha about
8.000 Greeks In tha two cltle. Many of
these do not make their homes here all
the year round; some of them. In fact,
only about three mon'hs In the year.
These are the railroad laborers who are
out along the lines laboring nine months
in the year.
Two classes of Greeks are found In this
vicinity as elsewhere In the country. One
class Is known as "free Greeks." These
come from the domain ruled over by King
George. The other class Is made up of
men of Greek blood who come from the
provinces under Turkish rule, such as
Macedonia, Smyrna and others. These
latter are vety much In the minority and
are generally engaged In common labor.
Greeks aa "Moner Makers.'
As money makers many of the Greeks
display surprising capacity. They work
hard at anything that offers until tbay
have accumulated a small capital. Then
they Invest In business, modestly st first
as a rule, but they do not hesitate to take
chances from wTilch men of other nations
would recoil. Having picked out a business
location that appeals to his Judgment, a
Greek will pay almost any price asked to
secure a leas, and he will go to the limit
of his resouroes and credit to fit it up In
attractive fashion. Application, persistent
and untiring, Is one great characteristic of
Greeks In business. Their employes are
generally of their own race, especially the
boys and men. There are soma American
girls employed In confectionery and sim
ilar stores owned by O reeks, however, and
It Is a fact worthy of notice that about
forty members of the Greek colony here
abouts have married America girls.
Probably 100 boys snd girls of Greek
parentage attend the publio and parochial
schools of Omaha and South Omaha. In
(Continued on Fourth Page.)
Death Robs
Republicans
of Majority
Third Death in Missouri Legislature
Since Session Began Puts Party
in Bad Position.
JEFFERSON CTTT. Mo.. Feb. fT. E. M.
Kerr, a repreaentsUvs of Hickory county
In the lower branch of the Missouri gen
eral aasembly, died today of pneumonia,
lis Ir ths third member of tha legislature
to die slnos ths present session began.
Mr. Kerr was a republican. .
The death of Mr. Kerr leaves ths repub
licans without a majority In tha house.
Seventy-two voles are required to pass
bills, and while ths rspubUcans originally
had on more than this number, they now
have one sn Tha democrats also have
had their forces reduced by death, their
original membership of sixty-nine being
decreased to sixty-eight.
Elections to fill vacanclna have been
called for March IS In Holt county and la
one Kansas City district. Ths Holt eeunty
dlstrlot is nominally republican and ths
Kansas City eoastltusncy la nermeUy
damooratta.
0 Timmm
W. VERNON BOOTH INDICTED
Head of Fish Combine Charged with
Conspiracy to Swindle Bank.
FALSE STATEMENT PRESENTED
Loan of 1300,000 Negotiated oa Basis
of Schedule Maid to Be Tea
Million Dollars Shy of
Farts.
CHICAGO. Fb. 27.-W. Vernon Booth,
president of A. Booth A Co., the so-called
fish trust, which went Into the hands of a
receiver last September, and B. H. Rob
bins, former assistant treasurer of the
company, were Indicted today. They,
with others to the grand Jury unknown,"
are charged with entering Into a conspir
acy by means of which they secured ''will
fully, maliciously, feloniously," eta., the
sum of $300,000 from tho Continental Na
tional bank of Chicago, The two men are
Jointly Indicted In one true bill, which
contains only three counts, none af them
differing substantially.
News of the grand Jury's action created
a sensation In Chicago, W. Vernon Booth'
Inherited from his father what Is satd to
have been the largest fishing business in
tha world. The elder Booth was a hard
working business man who to his last day
could and would olean a fish and handle
a sailboat with any of his employes. j His
son, Willis m Vernon,' upon his accession
to power was one of the nest .known polo
players In the country and was socially
prominent not only In Chicago, but fn the
east. Under his leadership, A. Booth A
Co. branched out. Smaller concerns were
bought In and seversl years ago the com
pany had grown to proportions which at
tracted the attention of the United States
government. The firm waa brought to trial
for accepting rebates and pleaded guilty
to one count of tha Indictment. The case
Is still under consideration. Mr. Booth fre
quently Intrusted the management of the
business to his staff. He was a member
of the Chicago Athletic club, the Chicago
Yacht, the Chicago Golf, the Onwentsla
and Union League clubs and news ot the
receivership last fall was a surprise.
Big Shrinkage tn Assets.
A search for assets was instituted tvefore
master in chancery Hervey Booth, In be
half of the oreditor banks to which the
company Is alleged to owe large sums. The
liabilities weer estimated at over $6,000,000,
but the assets, at first supposed to be suf
ficient, dwindled as the investigation pro
ceeded and have unofficially been estimated
as low as $3,000,000. This Investigation has
not been concluded. Sensational testimony,
however, was adduced from F. R- Rob
bins, who was Indicted with Mr. Booth to
day. The witness told a startling story of
false statements presented to the banks
to bolster up the tottering credit of the
firm. These statements by reducing ths fig
ures showing liability, and Increasing ths
assets Mr. Robbins said, were $2,000,000
away from the true condition of affairs.
Tbs statement of July, IWh. alleged to have
been presented to the ConUnentsI National
bank forms the basis of today's indlot
ment. Mr. Robbins said that when Mr. Booth
learned that the statement had been made
to the banks and that It was false, he
insisted that the banks be promptly in
formed of actual conditions. This was done
at a secret meeting tn the Continental Na
tional bank, tha witness said. Tna wnoie
fabrlo of alleged deception waa laid bare
and the future pf the great fishing business
grown on the mercy of the bankers. For
a month the seoret was kept from ths
publio. ' '
Many Prominent Witnesses.
W. J. Clialmer. tha receiver, testified be
fore the grand Jury yesterday. . Today the
wltnestes were Ira M. Smith, former vice
president and general manager ot the conV
pary; Alexander Robertson, vice president
of the Continental National bank; N. J.
Ford, head of the credit department of
(Continued on Second Page.)
Everything on the
want ad pages from
pianos to poultry,
Speaking of pianos.
some of our big piano firms
tell about their best bargains
on the want-ad page under the
head of "Offered for Sale
Pianos." They know that want-ad readers
look for real bargains there. Often
they, or other people, have lightly
used pianos, too,, that .may be
bought for a fraction of what' a new
one would cost.
.Have you looked at the Bee
want ads yet today 1 - -
SEEKING NEW SPECIMENS
Taft Leaves
New York for
Washington
Will Be Made Farmer at Sight
His Arriral in the Capi
tal City.
on
NEW YORK, Feb. ST.-Returning
to
Washington, to await his inauguration as
president on March 4, President-elect Taft
left New York today. He was accom
panied by Mrs. Taft and boarded a train
leaving tho Pennsylvania railroad station
In Jersey City at 10:17 a. m.
Mr. and Mrs. Tsft left ths horns of
Her.ry W. Tsft In West Forty-eighth
street in an automobile, accompanied by
Timothy 1 Woodruff, chairman of ths
New York state republican committee, who
Joined them a few minutes before their
departure from tha Taft home.
On their way to the ferry the Taft party
stopped for a few minutes at tha studto of
George Burroughs Tort ay, who had
nearly completed a portrait of the preal-dent-elect.
The painting la' mads at ths
order of Mr. 1 Woodruff and Is ' a three
quarter' length portrait, similar to that of
President Roosevelt, 1 which Mr. Torrey
painted for Paul Morton. Mr. Taft prn
nounerd . JUie -portrait sat leract cry . How
ever. .Mr. Torrey, to -whom Mr. Taft has
already glvsn two sittings when In this
city In January last, will go to Washing
ton after the Inauguration to complete ths
portrait. ..-.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 27.-Havlng re
cently been made a Mason "at sight," It
Is probable that President-elect Tsft wilt
have conferred upon him soon after his
anival In this city from New York today
the honor of being elected "on sight" a
member' of the National Farmers' union,
ss waa President Roosevelt on Thursday.
The organisation has prepared a memorial
to be presented to Mr. Taft. asking hire
to use his Influence tn bringing about leg
islation to do away with "trading in fu
tures on crops."
Mrs. G. C. Barton
Dies at Her Home
Wife of Omaha Capitalist Passes
Away After Illness of Long
Duration.
Mrs. Sophia De Wolfe, wife of Guy C.
Barton, died Saturday evening at her home,
8622 Farnam street. Her death had been
hourly expeoted for some days, owing to
her age, 86 years, and the nature snd long
duration of her ailment, which wss heart
trouble. The funeral will be held Monday
and will be strictly prlvats on account of
Mr. Barton's Illness and In accordance
with the wishes of the family. Ths family
has 'requested that no flowers be sent.
' Mrs.- Barton, whose mslden name was
Sophia H. De WeUs, was et years old. She
was bora at ' South Mills, Chautauqua
eounty. If. T., and was married to Guy C.
Barton la St. Joseph November 12,' ISflO.
Mr. Barton bad gons to-that city In 1SB7
from Carlisle, Logan county, O., and was
a clerk in store at tha time of the wed
ding. ' Tho election of Linooln had. how
ever, given him tho assurance of the as
sistant postmastarshlp of tho city.
Mrs. Barton came with her husband to
Nebraska in 168. Mr. Barton engaged In
the freighting business for a time snd 1n
North Platte, their first Nebraska home,
secured contracts 'on the Union Pacific,
then building. They ltved hi North Platte
until ,188$, when they moved to Omaha
Mr. Barton had now bought a'oontrolllng
interest In tha Omaha Smelting and Refin
ing -works' and soon amalgamated It with
the Grant Smelting company and ths plant
became ths largest In ths world.
Mrs. Barton had many Interests and va
ried ones until the lllnees of har husband
demanded all her tlma She entertained
considerably and handsomely, but her af
fairs were never extravagant or ostenta
tious. Outside of her home Mrs. Barton's
chief Interest was philanthroplcal and she
associated herself actively with several In
stitutions of mercy and good works.
like her husband she hsd a pronounced
and highly cultivated taste In art and on
their frequent trips to Europe they bought
many pictures aad other works of art.
which havs since adorned their home.
Three children survive Mrs. Barton. They
are Ft ankle, wife of W. B, Millard; Jessie,
wife of George A. C. Chrtellaacy, and
Charles Barton. -
Until her own health failed completely
Mrs. Barton was unremitting la ths cars of
her husband, who bss bean seriously 111
for some time. This care was lavished
upon blra In spite of ths fact that Mrs.
Baroa herself hsd been 111 with heart
dlseass for more than two-thirds of her
life. ' It was an ailment of the heart wtitch
brought about her death. Bhs and Mr,
Barton returned . last fall from BXrropa,
where they aad - spent - several - moatha.
FREEMAN FARM FOR A PARK
Bill to Purchase Homestead Number
One as a National Preserve.
VANGUARD OF INAUGURAL CROWD
senator Coa I, Crawford Arrives In
Washington and Flnda Big; Stack
f Correspondence Await
lngr Him,
(From a Stsff Correspondents
WASHINGTON. Feb. 27. (Special Tele
gram.) Representative Hlnahaw today
Introduced a bill appropriating $25,000 to
purchase a quarter section of land near
Beatrloe for the purpose of a publio park.
This property Is owned by the estate of
Daniel Freeman and has the unique dis
tinction of being the first homestead en
tered and passed to patent In the United
States under whst Is known as the
Galusha A. Grow homestead law enacted
In 1860.
The original entrymsn, Daniel Freeman,
lived on his homestead until a short time
before his desth a few months ago. His
descendants now reside on the property,
and a movement waa started which re
sulted In the introduction todsy by Mr.
Hlnshaw of a bill to purchass this his
toric property and preserve It as a publio
park.
. PoatBsastav Thomas at Capital.
Postmaster B. F. Thomas of .Omaha.
who Is the advance guard of the many
Nebraskans coming to Washington to at
tend the inauguration of Taft and Sher
man,, will meet the executive committee
of the National Postmasters' association
on Monday to go over matters relating to
the next convention and also dispose of
certain questions referred to the executive
committee, and. In addition to Mr. Thomas
tha committee Is composed of the fol
lowing postmasters: Mansfield of Boston,
Wills of Nashville and Carter of Birming
ham. The committee will hold Its ses
sions In tbe postofflce building here.
Crawford Has a Big Mall.
Senator-Elect C. I. Crawford ot Huron,
S. D., has arrived In Washington snd
taken apartments at the Kbbltt house.
6nator-Elect Crawford found a large ac
cumulation of mall matter awaiting him
and spent the major part of the day In
Senator Gamble's committee room reading
It. He found it ao voluminous that he at
once telegraphed John L. Brlckson of
Sioux Falls, S. D., who was his secretary
while governor, to come to Wsshlntgon as
soon as possible.
"I want Mr. Brlckson very much and
If he will accept the position I Intend to
appoint him my secretary when I am
sworn in as United States senator."
Mr. Crawford has an interesting family,
a wife and five children, but said he
would not bring them to Washington until
soma time after tha special session con
venes. "The children are In school snd I have
not had an opportunity to even take a
glance about Washington to sea where
I msy find s home to occupy during my
(Continued on Second Page.)
Court House Bids by Big
Firms Opened Monday
A million-dollar court house, with fifty
four, contractors, many, of them nationally
famous, bidding for sll or part of the
work of constructing it, Is the situation
that will be brought prominently before
the public tomorrow, when the bids for
tha handsome structure era opened.
Much surprise Is being expressed among
the contractors over the unusual amount
of competition. However, no matter how
much cutting may occur among them, It
Is certain that Douglas county will not
suffer Ss a result. It Is said that not
In years have so many contractors been
bidding on a piece of work, which Is con
sidered indicative of good management on
tha part of tha county commissioners.
Thirty contractors, or their sgents, are
already on tha ground and ready for the
opening of the bids tomorrow. Among
them. If Is said, thst at least three Omaha
contracting firms are to be found.
As a guarantee of good faith, each con
tractor wilt be required to hand In a
r check for about $27,000 when he submits
his bid. All bids will be opened publicly
aa soon as they are received Monday, and
each contractor or his representative will
have an opportunity to see Ms own bid
opened as soon as It Is presented, so that
there will be no chance for favoritism or
underhandedness in the awarding of the
contract.
. It Is expected that a whole day or more
will be consumed with the tsbulation of
the bids sfter they are publicly opened,
as so many will be presented snd each
will require oareful and lengthy perusal.
As soon as It Is determined who srs tha
lowest bidders, aa investigation of their
financial standing will be maud before
they are given ths contracts, for tha
county father Intend te take m fhanoae
ML EFFORTS TO
PKOVIMNG JOBS
Two-Thirds of Session Gone and
Practically Nothing- Else
Accomplished. 4
APPROPRIATIONS COME NEXT
Legislature is Building Fine Machine
for Governor.
MAY FIND HIMSELF OVERLOADED
Other Members of Boards Likely to
Balk on Doing the Work.
SLAP AT PERSONAL LIBERTY
Anti-Treat Bill is Favorably lte
ported by Committee of the
Whole In Spite of a
Hard Fight.
(From a tSaff Correspondnnl.)
LINOOLN. Feb. ST.-(gneelal.)-Governor
Shallenberger this morning signed two
purely political bills, Uie work ot the "or
ganization for the relief of Jobless demo
crats," known officially as Nebraska's first
democratic legislature.
Of the other ten bills passed by the ag
gregation and signed by the governor eight
fare either bills for the appropriation of
money or for the purpose of aaklng con
gress to spend the money': The other bill
signed is for the purpose of giving prls
'oners condemned to death a chance to be
examined for their sanity by, the sup -rin-tendents
of three Insane hospitals.
One of the Job bills provides for the elec
tion of a city comptroller of the city of
Omaha, giving two persons Jobs where one
now docs the work. The bill separates the
county and city comptrollers of the city of
Omaha and the county of Douglas, the last
legislature having consolidated the two.
The other political Job bill signed provides
that the governor shall designate In what
newspapers the notice of the proposed con
stitutional amendments shall be published.
In other words, It gives to the democratic
newspapers of the state the right to pub
lish the amendments.
The objectionable feature of this meas
ure as pointed out on ths floor of ths
house, Is that it makes the secretary of
state, a constitutional officer elected at
the same time the governor Is chosen, a
second fiddle tq the chief executive. In
other words, merely a clerk to the gov
ernnr. Republican members of the legis
lature attempted to amend the present
law. which gives the secretary of v stste
the right to designate the papers, so that
the governor should attend to all the de
tails of publication, but the democratlo
majority would not stand for that. So,
under the law Just enacted, the governor
says to ths secretary of slate:
"Here Is a list of newspapers in which ,
I desire to havs you publish the constitu
tional amendments. Get your oopy ready
and send It out. You pay ths postage
out of your own office expense acoount."
When the bill was pending po one
raised any objection to the democratic pa
pers getting the sop, which amounts to
$50 or $0 each two years, but they did
object to the secretary of stste taking
orders from the governor. The constitu
tion provides thst the amendments shall
be printed In one newspaper In each
county In the state, and should the secre
tary of state see fit to send out the no
tices In sdvancs of any action to be taken
by the governor, there Is a general senti
ment around that tha action would not
Invalidate the amendments should they
be adopted.
ISotblng of I'se to Stste. .
Ths fact that the house has used up
forty-two days of its sixty and the senate
thirty-eight days, with absolutely nothing
of any Importance accomplished, and with
a hat full of bills providing for the creation
of a democratlo machine, which must take
precedence over everything else, has scared
some of he democrats.
Under the slogan, "It the Peopte Rule."
ths democratlo majority has laid the
foundation for making at "One Man Rule
In Nebraska." Under tha bills pending the
governor is given authority ; to appoint
every employe on tho payroll of the state,
save the clerks In the offices of the other
constitutional officers.
Every board In the stste will be domi
nated by the governor the board of health,
the printing board, the board of purchase
and supplies (through his state accountant),
the Board of Charities and Corrections, the
banking board, the board of agriculture
In the choice of builders) for their new
million-dollar home.
Of the fifty-four contractors wbe are
desirous of building or helping to build
the edifice, twenty-five are bidding far
the entire Job and the other twenty-nine
want to do only parts of the work. Tho
separate contractors are considering five
different parts of the work: The granite
and atone work, the steel work, the marble
work, the brick work, ftrepreoflng and
concreting, and the balance of the work,
which Includes the finishing of the job.
Bids pn the elevators, electric wiring
and heating and plumbing, have not been
asked for and will not be until ths build
ing Is well under way and rVady for such
work. ,
Some of the most prominent contractors
of the country are bidding for the court,,
house contract. Among them are James
Black, whose company Is the largest con
tracting firm In Kt. Ixuls, and which
built the 'Frisco building in that city and
leased It to the 'Frisco- railroad: John
Pierce of Washington, who erected tha
Chicago poetofflca and controls tha big
granite quarries of tha east: the A. and
8. Wilson compsny of Pittsburg, which
built ths Fricke building there; the 'Wil
liam Gracs company of Chicago, which
had the contract for the Chicago) court
house, and Is one of the most promi
nent contracting firms of that city, and
many other contractors who lisve done
work as largs or larger than tha present
undertaking.
A saving of shout $1&,(H0 of the Intended
expenditure on the building will be oc
casioned by the Imp of $4 a ton in tha
price of steel the other day, as the speci
fications for tha structure oaU for aaout
10SO lous af steal ta Its construct task