Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, April 28, 1911, Page 5, Image 5

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3HYIH DID JT SAY POLICE'
Charge Agiinst Boy Unshaken by
Continued Investigation.
ANOTHER LETTER IS RECEIVED
"'"k " MuITT.r nrllTrr to
father While Tr.Um -ry
Parents Refate officers'
Dvrlnrntlna.
Official Investigation of the alined kl.l
nappln, of Rrrnard Smyth and a aerie, of
llnekhand lettora continue by the Pot
offlrn department and the police. Develop,
n.enta of the lst twenty-four hour. si,
nlfv little. The police and other official,
connected with the case Inalnt that the
fact, uncovered ted only to .uhetantlate
their charge that Bernard Bmyth wrote
the letter, and kidnaped hlm.elf.
The parents of your. Bmyth Inal.t that
he la Innocent and hold the plot revealed
by the letter, to be (renulne and earnest.
C. J. Smyth, the father, has come to
the defense of hi. .on with an exhaustive
typewritten statement of the case. ,
Another letter was received by Mr
fcmyth, Wednesday afternoon. He attache.
lnlficance to this In view of his conten
tion that owlnn to the hour of Its receipt
It could not pos.lbly have been mailed
by the boy.
In the neighborhood of Forty-second
and Iiard streets and In tha vicinity of thj
Sunderland Coal company's yard where
young Bmyth snld the automobile picked
him up. a house to house caeraas has been
made by the police to ascertain whether
or not an automobile was seen or heard
In the locality at the time claimed by
Smyth. Watchman Williams of the Sun
derland Coal company closed the office ot
S OB o'clock and remained 'talking; with his
daughter Ml.s Lillian Williams for twenty
or twenty-five minutes. Neither Williams
nor his daughter heard or saw an auto
mobile during their conversation. ' The
next morning when Williams saw the
newspaper accounts of the kidnaping he
mad. careful survey of the ground
about tha corner of Forty-second and I.ard
but failed to detect automobile track..
PeopU In Vlet.ltr tae.tloed.
Mrs. Hasel Wlggwgton. 24 North Forty,
second street lives aero., the street from
the Sunderland coal yards. Mrs. Wigiflng
ton was In her kitchen from 6:10 to 6:10 on
the night of the kidnaping. She has a plain
view of tha street from her kitchen and
was positive that no automobile passed In
the time mentioned. Her daughter, Hasel
a girl of 15, was outside on the sidewalk
all the evening and saw no automobile
near tha coal yard.
W. H. Bak.r. 4132 Isard street, was home
Tuesday night until 6:30. He was In and
about his house and declared that no au
tomobile could have been In the vicinity
without his knowledge. A number of other
people testified to the same thing.
Postofflce Inspector Randall is .aid to
have Insisted on the similarity of the hand
writing In the Black Hand letters with that
of young Smith.
FATHER
STAN DIJfO
BT HIS BOX
myth Reviews Case and Gives Oat
Letters.
Defense of Bernard Smyth Is made by
hla father, C. J. Smyth, In a statement
Issued today denouncing the Implications
made by the police Indicating that they
suspect the young man of fabrication of
the blackhand plot
In his statement Mr. Smyth reviews the
movements of his son In detail and sets
forth many statements tending to show
inai n would; M morally Impossible for
the lad to have framed the tangle. The
statement of Mr. Smyth follows:
"The statement given out by the polloe
that my son put up the job himself is so
cruel and so utterly unwarranted by any
thing In the case that It Is astonishing
that the chief of police should utter it.
On what does he base It? It is said that
the boy contradicted himself In several
vital points. This Is untrue. I heard his
first statement and I have heard subse
quent statements made by him, and none
of them differs In any material respect.
The reports In the newspapers may differ,
but hla statements do not. He gave the
hour at which he boarded tha car at
Twenty-fourth and Cuming streets. He
Is supported In this by at least three
witnes.es. He told how he was approached,
was thrown into the automobile, how he
woke In the shack and what he did
thereafter, and there has not been a hair's
Vreadth difference In any of bis stories
with respect to those details.
Father Reviews MeTeeats.v
"One paper tld that at first he did not
say . that hla assailant drew a revolver
upon. him. I heard him make the state
ment two minutes after he. returned to
his home, while seated In my bedroom, in
the presence of two police officers. It Is
said that the place where he was abducted
was lonely place, well calculated for
such an act Tha laot is that there Is a
bouse upon every corner of the street,
tnd It is more densely populated than the
corner of , Webeter and Thirty-eighth
streets, near which he Uvea. If ha was
seeking tor a lonely plaoe he could have
found one and tie would not have selected
:S0 as the hour. It Is said Ills shoes were
Immaculately clean when he came In. He
wore tan shoes. Whether they were clean
or nbt I do not know. But If from this It
is Intended to argue that he did not travel
between the car line and the shack, a
aisiance or a mile and a half over the
Dodge street road, 1 ask how did he get
his hat and coat to the shack T They were
found there at 11 o'clock by the chief of
police and myself and others. Bernard had
them on when he left Creighton Univers
ity at 6 o'clock. That he was at the shack
Is beyond question. To get there he had
to walk from the car line west, it he was
not conveyed in the- automobile or some
other vehicle. . It Is said there was no
odor of chloroform upon him when he came
home. Perhaps not; I do not know. But
what of thrtT Tha chloroform was applied
at 6:30. He could not have left the shack
before 10 three houre and a halt after
ward. He then had to run a mile and a
half over the Dodge street road through
an open country to the street cars. Would
not the odor disappear under thoxe cir
cumstances r It Is said that his hair was
smoothly brushed when he came back.
This Is untrue. It was slightly disheveled.
But as his hair naturally lies close to hla
head and is combed back, a brush of bis
hand would make it smooth. It Is said he
was not pale. A boy would not be pale
after running a mile and a half under
vuch Intense excitement as he was suffer
ing from. ,
' It Is said that John Wear Is positive that
no automobile passed near the shack that
night, and that the McCaffrey dogs always
bark and raise a disturbance when anybody
pproachta. .The chief. Captain Dunn,
Officer Leahy. Bernard and myself went
by the McCaffrey place at U o'clock at
night and the dogs raised no disturbance
nor gave any sign whatever, as I remen
ber It. of our presence. That Bernard for
somebody else was In the shack that night
and conveyed hla hat and coat there Is
beyond question, yet neither Mr. Wear
nor anybody else In that neighborhood
laows anything of It
"The reasons assigned by the police give
absolutely no foundation tor the disgraee
which they seek to heap upon my boy's
head.
A as were Police Story.
"But apart from all this, what becomes
ot their theory In the presence of the letter
that was deposited in the postofflce ye.-
lerany snrrnoon at 4 30 o'clock. Bernsrd
returned home Tueiula nlKht st 11 o'clock.
He was not out of my houee until 1 o'clm h
ve.terday afternoon. At 2 o'clock he got
Into an automobile with two young lady
friends and came directly to my office, ar
riving a little after 2 o'clock. He re
mained there until a o'clock when he and 1
went to the chief's office, and he remained
in the chlfs office until nearly 5 o'clock.
At 4.30 o'clock, according to the .tamp on
the envelope, there was deposited In the
pontofflce snother one ot the threatening
letttrs. Surely he did not do thl.
"On Sunday we were told by the police
that the culprits had been apprehended.
On Monday two of the moat respectable
young men In tho neighborhood, friends
of liernard from his childhood, boys whose
character was above reproach were In
vited to the police station and questioned.
After the Investigation, I was assured that
they were the culprits and that I would
tecelve'no more letters. A few day. be
fore that, the handwriting ot a prisoner
waa compared with the handwriting In the
threatening letter.. There was a certain
resemblance between som of the letters,
and I was told that undoubtedly he was the
one who had been sending them. And now
with equal certainty It I. given out that
all those theories were false and the crim
inal Is my son.
""'It would seem that even if the police
had sufficient vldencepn which to base
such a theory, they would not give It out
until they had demonstrated that their
theory was correct that they would have
saved my home the tortures which their
unjustifiable accunatlon has brought to It.
Defends Roy's Character.
"Aside from the foregoing. the
character of Bernard 1. .uch that he l.
utterly incapable of doing what the police
charge him with. He was nevar known to
tell a lie to his father or mother. He is
open, frank, utterly devoid of ridlss muta
tion. His companions will testify to this.
He I. gentle in his disposition and would
not knowingly hurt the feather on a bird
or cruBh the leaf of a flower. For day.
he has been a constant witness of the tor
ture of his mother. Increased by each addi
tional letter. To believe that he could
stand there and see her suffer, knowing
that he was the author of tihe torture,
would be to attribute to him the heart of
a fiend. The whole charge against him
Is utterly unthinkable, and so every one
who knows him will testify.
"I have appealed to the police for pro
tection and have received In response an
Infamous accusation. They have given
forth their theory that my boy Is guilty.
Of course It will be their constant endeavor
to sustain that theory and disprove all
others. It Is my boy today; It may be
somebody else's tomorrow. From the
standpoint of a law-abiding citizen and
entitled to the protection of the police, the
whole matter Is deplorable. In justice to
the chief, however, I must .ay that he has
said he would do everything in his power
to reach the truth.
Letters la the Case.
The following letter waa received by mall
at the Hochstetler residence on Saturday
afternoon. April 10, 1911, at 2:30 p. m.. ad
dressed aa follows:
T4nrh.tnlliir fllrl 41ft HstiilH Thlvlvhth
Omaha, U. 8. A. Hochsteller Girl: I'm
just letten you know that something Is
going to happen to your friend B. or W.
myth. You know maybe that his father
Is worth lots of money and somebody is
going to get It on B. or W. We have sent
him a word to give him a fair show, but
(a few Illegible words) he won't be hurt
ana you won't either. lie is a good fellow
and has lots ot money. That is what we
want. We saw you on the street with
mm some time ago and. saw you both (a
few Illegible words), but we mean business
and It's up to him. If your old man had
a little more money we mlxht take vou
with him, but don't worry, kid, you're
saie. xou u near later.
(Sign of hand.) FLACK HAND.
(Dagger.) BLOOD OF 8MTTH.
The following letter was received by mall
Saturday afternoon, April. 14, at S p. in..
addressed: "
Bernard or Wlllard Smyth, 710 North
Thirty-eighth street, Omaha, V. 8. A
Money or death to you, Blackhand. Damn
the police. Bernard or Wlllard Smyth
we're after your bacon and get it. We
know your old man has lots more money
than the people think. Take it from me
kid, we're going to get it on you. We'll
make your dad ponv up over In the near
future and you can look forward to a
dungeon life. Believe me, your on the
market. We're Just letting you know this
so tnst your rather can get K and you.
too. kid. If you know what's good for vou.
We're giving you a fair chance aa long as
you go with that Hochsteller girl; you're
safe and won't be harmed with her in your
ooiiipfcuy. Will lot your fathor know
where to put the money In about a week.
(Sign of hand.) BLACK HAND.
(Drawing of pistol.) YOUR DEATH.
The following note waa found under the
front door of the Smyth residence at 10:30
Saturday night, April Uthi
"Tell the Hocksteller girl she la In on
the deal and so are you old kid worse
than ever. Tour old man will have to
decide by next Bunday. This Is business
lor us.
(Sign of hand.) BLACK HAND
(Dagger.) REMKMBKR.
The following note waa found Sunday
morning, April 16th, 1911, on the window
sill next to the front door of tho Smyth.
residence:
Tell Hocksteller girl she is in on it and
you are worse than ever. We mean bus
iness. (Sign of hand.) BLACK HAND
(Dagger.) REMEMBER.
The following note waa received at Mr.
Smyth's home by mail on Tuesday morn
ing. April 18th. at 10:30 a. m.. addressed
aa follows!
Bernard or W. Smith. 710 North Htth
Street. Omaha. U. S. A. I repeat that you
and Hocksteller are safe when with each
other but only then (we have our reasons).
Tour old man will have to by the 1st of
stay leave over in cigar box on N. W.
corner of Creighton pasture near Benson
and Deaf cars separate tXUO cash or your
wo. ne mean Duainess.
(Sign of hand) BLACK HAND
After last car leave Benson old Smyths
and old Hock only bring no cop or
your sias aeain.
(Drawing of dagger.) REMEMBER
The following letter waa received
through the mall on Tuesday, April lath,
at 10:30 a. m.. addressed thus:
Hocksteller, 416 South Win Street Omaha,
V. 8. A. Tour life or U.Outt.OO in cash un
der the aame conditions aa Smyth Letter.
(Kign of nana.) BLACK IUN1)
(Dagger.) Lt-tn.
The following ' note waa found at Mr.
Smyth's residence under a button attached
to the Jamb of the front door, April 19, at
12:15, noon:
We suppose you think this way funny.
It'a our way and let It go you dare. We is
the. outcast of the Arnold tribe in New
York and damn us If yoa kid see light of
day if you don't do what we want. We
see plain clothes men keeping lie for us at
Hochsteller. We stay away with notes but
get girl anyway. Given plenty ot time to
you, and you think we kid. Walt. Your
kid be gone when you dun't suspect We
think our man ee plain clothes man at
your plaoe. We don't lnow. We be careful.
New York polloe can't get. Omaha police
can't get
(Sign ot Hand.) BLACK HAND.
The following letter waa received at Mr.
Hochstetlrr's residence Saturday morning,
April 22, addressed thus: .
Hochsteller, 416 South 38th Street.
Omaha. U. 8. A.: Yous better keep cops
off this or your house blowed up. We see
cops at 8inylh.es. We leave non not till
& th. Then we have kids. Maybe we make
sum bigger. We don't know till some
night. You don't know.
(Sign of Hand.) BLACK HAND.
Damn police we take kids from them.
They no good.
The following note was found on the
north side of Mr. Smyth's parch Sunday,
April 23, about 11 a. m.:
Dasaa your hide you bettor keep this still
or you be damned. We change place let
you know soon where to pbt money.
(Sign of Hand.) BLACK HAN II.
TTTF. TIKE:
Big Collection
Relics Given to the City
Another addition to the splendid
collection ot cuiio. already In the
po.ses.lon of the people ot Omaha
and deposited In the public library
will be the Munderaon Indian collec
tion, which has been presented by
General Charles F. Manderson. Gen
eral Manderson came to -Omaha In
18C9, and has always been active In
the public affairs of the state and
city ajt - well as of the nation, con
sequently he Is considered one of the
foremost pioneers of Nebraska. HIS
Interest In Indian relics, beadwork,
and the beautiful flint and agate
arrow heads and atone axes that
have been found In Nebraska .oil
led him to purchase the Pat Ryan
collection, which was formerly ex
hibited In the museum room of the
library during the life of the owner
who .pent many year, exploring the
mounds and surface soli of north
weNtern Nebraska for rare speci
mens. Now General Manderson proposes
to give back to the library this same
collection adding to it hla own pri
vate collection which has some ex
ceptionally fine curios, and the two
will be exhibited together In the same
Ryan group alone.
BRIEF CITY NEWS
Kara Boot Print it
Oaa, zieetrlo matures. Bargesa-Oraadaa.
Times, mating.
Liveryman Would be ISaakrupt George
E. Westcott an ex-llveryman, tiled a vol
untary petition for bankruptcy In tho
federal court Thursday morning, naming
his liabilities at tl,22i.(r; and hla assets at
$334, of which 3220 he claims are exempt.
Verdict in Land Case Walter Gllleard
was given a verdict for 36,630 against
Frank K. Strother In the federal court
Thursday morning. The suit involved a
$20,000 controversy over the sale and pur
chase of Iowa lands.
Suss for Heavy Damage Suit for
130,000 damages tor Injuries sustained from
a fall from a plank gangway in the com
pany's plant at South Omana on January
12, was filed against Armour & Co. Thurs
day by John Shlik, a laborer.
Big Building la Bold Announcement
waa -made today at. the sgle ot the tour
story building at Twelfth and Jones streets
by J. J. Iten to the H. J. Hughes company,
wholesale grocers, the consideration being
$66,006. Thla building has been occupied for
several months by the grocery concern.
Blx Divorces Granted Six decrees ct
divorce were granted In district court
Thursday aa follows: Florence from Wil
liam S. WU llama, Frank T. from Catherine
1L Dlvis, Grilla A. from C. E. Thornberg,
Myrtle from T. F. Moran, Robert B. from
Myria H. Anderson and Joseph M from
Alice IS. Anderson.
On Factory is Clean In hi letter to
the city council complaining agalnat tne
manufacturers ot soft drinks in Omaha,
especially the soda and ginger aJ6 factor
ies. Health Commissioner Connell made an
exception of the factory of the Omaha
Bottling company, when he reported, that
tha bottles are not properly cleanedA and
sterilised.
Knott Hearing" Postponed George B.
Knott, charged with tne murder of his
wife, Maria Knott waa arraigned on the
charge Thursday morning. His attorney,
A. 8. Ritchie, aaked the court for a post
ponement until Saturday morning, which
waa granted. Attorney Ritchie told the
court that he had not yet decided whether
or not the prisoner would waive prelimin
ary examination. While Deputy County
Attorney A. Q. Ellick read the charge,
Knott showed no signs ot emotion, but
gaxed stolidly into space.
Get your Permit to Smoke,
Persistent Advertising, la the Road to
Big Returns.
, ,, j
If ",
I ! I 1
I
OMAHA. FK1TAY. Arim,
of Indian
X
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a t'
' C. F. MANDERSON.
room as was occupied before by the
-J
Mothers Invited to
Inspect the Edward
Kosewater School
Superintendent Davidson Will Show
Mothers Through Building and
Delive ran Address,
Invitations have been extended to moth
era ot children who attend tha
Kosewater school to visit the new building
Friday afternoon. William M. Davidson,
superintendent ot schools, will personally
conduct the mothers through the huiwiin
He will also deliver an address during the
afternoon, giving a history ot the neii
ouuuing.
"We have one of the finest school build
ing. In the country In the Edward Rose-
water school." said Mr. Davidson. "We
want the mothers to see tha builril
their children are housed and I know of
no better way than to set aside an after
noon.
"Invitations have been sent out to every
mother. If any have not received an in
vitation, it Is no fault of the teachers
We want every mother there Friday after
noon ar.d urge that they be present."
DR. L0VELAND C0MEs"T0
SEE HIS SON GRADUATE
Former Pastor Will Preach at the
First Methodist Charcb. lea
der Morning,
Dr. F. L. Loveland of Topekai Kan.,
and formerly pastor of tha First Mhn.
dlst church of Omaha arrived- in Omaha
Wednesday to attend the graduation ex
ercises of the Crelahton Madlr.sl vili
Saturday night. - Dr. Loveland' s son, For
eskLoreland, Is graduating from the class
of Xorty-three with the highest honors.
Sunday morning Rev. Loveland will
preach from hi. old pulpit at the First
Methodist church.
a Reliable Medicine Mot a Itareotle.
Mrs. F. Marti, Bt Joe, Mich., says: "Our
little boy contracted a severe bronchial
trouble and as the doctor's medicine did
not cure him,; I gave bis Foley's Honey
and Tar Compound in whloh I have great
faith, it cured tne cough, as well aa the
choking and gaging spells, and be .got well
In m short time Foley's Honey and Tar
Compound baa many times saved us much,
trouble and we are never without U im the
bouse. For sale by all druggists.
J
it mm ivJ
2f. 1911.
OBJECTION TO PAYING STOPS
Dodge Street to fie Paved Without
Further Protest.
Tarn urnrvc rn rv ctrTwrn i
Street from Fort y-Koarth tn Korty
lsh Mot to Re Paved t'ntll
the Yiadeet gait line Ileea
Oettled.
Property owners along I Hid ire street, be
tween Forty-fourth and Forty-sixth
streets, have withdrawn their objections to
tne paving of the street from Fortieth to
Forty-eighth. Through Attorney Kd
Pmlth, the owners threatened Injunction
proceeding., claiming that It was the In
tentlon to jump from Forty-fourth to
Forty-sixth street, leaving this portion of
the street unimproved.
George Craig, viiy . engineer, appeasnd
the disgruntled owners by explaining that
the two blocks were being left ttnpaved
pending the construction of the Podge
street viaduct, which will extend from
Forty-fourth to Forty-sixth streets.
Aa soon a. the statu, of the viaduct
case, which is now in the court., 1. set
tled, the city engineer will either order
the two blocks paved or el.o wait until
the viaduct Is constructed.
"It would be folly to pave these two
blocks at preBent." says Cralg. "In the
event the railway Companies are ordered
to build the viaduct. It Would be necessary t
to tear up the paving, all of which would
mean an unwarranted expenditure of
money. If the viaduct Is built we will
have to pave around it, which would mean
another expense. Should the railway com
panies succeed In beating the city and get
out of building the viaduct, we can lay
the pavement then as cheaply aa.now." -Work
on paving the street is progressing
rapidly, says Cralg. And It will only be a
short time until the Job will be completed.
A Total Eclipse
of the function of stomach, liver, kidneys
and bowels quickly disposed of with
Electric Bitters. 60c. For sale by Beaton
Drug Co.
The Omaha Bee's Great Booklovers' Con
test Thirty-nine prizes. Tou can enter at
any time.
"I had been given
up to die by three
or our best doctors.
I could not stand it to be on my
feet and I was so swelled in the
abdomen I could hardly breathe.
But thanks to Dr. Miles' Heart
Remedy and Nervine I am able to
be about the streets, a walking ad
vertisement of the curative qual
ities of your remedies, although I
am jo years old."
r John R; Cochram,
Lewistown, 111.
Better than any statement we
could make regarding the value of
Dr. Miles' Heart Remedy
are these words of Mr., Cochran.
He speaks from experience, the
highest possible source of knowl
edge. If you have any of the
signs of a weak heart, such as
pain in the left shoulder or arm,
fainting and hungry spells, short
ness of breath, smothering spells,
fluttering or palpitation of the heart,
you need
Dr. Miles' Heart Remedy
which for over twenty years has
been recognized as the best prepa
ration of its kind to be had.
8olrf under guarantee assuring tha
return of tha prion f tha first bottle If ti
falls to benefit AT ALU DRUGGISTS.
MILES MEDICAL CO.. Elkhart. Ind.
'
Announcing the Opening
Of Our New Dept. For
Women's Furnishings
We are proud to Inform tha woman of Omnha and
vicinity that we have just installed tn one or the most
cheerful locations on our main floor, a new department of
high grade Furnishings for Women and Children. We
shall conduct this new department, with the same untiring
care and regard for our patrons' needs and wishes, with
which you have already become familiar. And, though
It la opened with the choicest merchandise we could se
cure, we shall constantly endeavor to Improve It whenever
we may, and shall use every possible effort to make thla
one of the most popular departments In our store.
For our opening we display a number of special lines,
such as Women's "Merode" and "Kaysers" Underwear,
Women's "Onyx" and "McCallum" Hosiery, Women's Hand
kerchiefs, Woraens Handbags and Boys' and Girls' Under
wear and Hosiery. Topular prices will, at all times, be a
feature of this department.
MAIN FLOOR, CENTER AISLE.
An Introductory Sale ot Women's
Hand-Bags Saturday
Toinnie
Commencing April 30th, the cars of Omaha
& Southern Interurban Railway Company,
will run on Sundays as follows:
Leaving N Street, South Omaha, 7:00 a. m
hourly thereafter until 1:00 p. m., then every
20 minutes until 7:00 p. m., hourly thereafter
until 12:00 midnight. v
Leaving Tort Crook 7:30 a. m. and hourly
until 1:30 p. m., then every 20 minutes un
til 7:30 p. m., then hourly thereafter until
12:30 a.m.
mmm & sohtiiedq
Interurban Railway Company
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Bee
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vashburm.crosbygo-
Sold MedalFlourn
aird
BBS
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