n
I
Omaha
PART ONE.
NEWS SECTION
PAGES t TO 16.
VOL. XLVII NO. 12.
OMAHA, SUNDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 2, 1917 FQPR SECTIONS THIRTY-SIX PAGES.
SINGLE COPY FIVE. CETS.
Sunday Bee
1HE
th7 weXther V
Cloudy :
v SEMSR T10M MZMTHM WA
i f ' V J 1,. . jU- T r ii, .i Q '
19
1
w f r
s -
HUSBAND OF SLAIN WOMAN
CREATES SCENE WHEN GOING
OVER GROUND QF ?.1
Sensational Developments Are Expected Shortly in the
Probe Now Being Carried on to Determine Who
Killed Florence Woman Sunday on Rail
rpad Tracks Near Coffman Station.
Sensational developments are expected in the Nethaway
murder mystery in the next twenty-four hours.
Sheriff Clark, Deputy Sheriff Lindsay and other deputies
and police detectives are working along new lines in an effort
to solve one' of the blackest crimes in the history of Nebraska.
While police persist in their claimsO
tney are "adding links," to the "chain
ot circumstantial evidence" against
i cnanes im.th, negro suspect, the
r coroner's inquest and investigation
are unearthing new clues that ma
f. terially weaken the "chain" "sur
rounding" the black man.
WOMAN NOT DRAGGED.
One of , the most startling of the
exploded police clues was the evidence
establishing the fact Mrs. C. L. Netha
way, wife of- a Florence real estate
ir.-i;( was hot dragged from the rail
road track to the murder spot in
South Cut on the Northwesfern.
'.. The sheriff's forces are gradually
putting) together evidence, niece bv
piece, which tends to show the mur-
dered woman, whose hacked body
was found by her husband Sunday
afternoon, was not dragged to the
spot, but walked there by another
route other than from the railroad
track.
Nethaway Rends the Air.
Claude Nethaway, husband of the
slain1 woman, whn vesterHav 1rl
the coroner's jury, Deputy. County!
Attorney riatti, raul "atemwender,
. Sheriff Clark, Deputy Sheriff Lind
say, police detectives and news
paper men over the route of his move
ments Sunday and showed them how
he subsequently found her mutilated
, body, threw himself on the ground
' when he reached the spot, still blood
soatfed, . and rent the air with his
screams and moans. : '''.. . ,
He lay on 'the ground for fifteen
minutes, face - downward, praying,
cursing the murderer and babbling
incoherently. Nethaway gripped the
grass with his hands,- ground, bjs
teeth and called upon "God to punish
the fiend, strike -down, the murderer
and bless his wife's soul."
,,,' "Oh, my poor wife," he moaned,
clawing at the weeds and pulling
himself on his stomach along the
ground. "God bless her cjear soul.
God have mercy on his soul (meaning
; the murderer). God have mercy on
my soul.
"Oh,. God, he must have tormented
njy poor wife all afterndon. I'll meet
her in heaven. I would be happier in
my grave. -
. "Curse the negro race; curse the
man who murdered my poor w,ife;
curse him and strike him dead."
His ravings became so violent that
members of the coroner's jury finally
told him to get to his feet or they
would be compelled to take him
away.
" - Keacts his movements.
v 5, Nethaway took. the investigating
,, party over the route he traveled be-
fore he found his wife's body. At
i the request of the sheriff he acted
-in nantomime his exact movements.
jV as near'as he could remember them,
on the afternoon of the murder. .
He crawled up steep grades, darted
through deep underbrush and leaped
culverts. - The sheriff's party walked
Nethaway finally got to the spot
where the body was tound imnday.
He let out a shriek and after pointing
at the soggy piece of ground over
which the grass is still matted and
soaked with the blood from the mur
dered woman's wounds, the chief one
(Continued on rage Two, Column One.)
'Protestors Against H. C. of L
f Arrested in Switzerland
Berne, Switzerland, Friday, Aug.
31. Seventy persons, including ten
, foreigners, were arrested during , a
. demonstration here yesterday in pro
test against the high cost of living.
There were several collisions between
tbe manifestants and the police.
The Weather
For Nebraska Partly cloudy.
Temperatures at Omaha Yesterday.
Hour.
tg.
8 a. m. .,.... ... SO
6 a. m.... ...... 69
7 a. m SO
. S a. m 62
. 1 a. m 64
10 a. m 67
11 a. m. ......... 6t
12 m. 70
1 p. m 71
p. m 72
3 p. m v 72
4 p. m 74
5 p. m 74
p. m..( 73
" 7 p. m 71
Loral Record.
J17. IK'S. 19). 1M4.
74 79 U 76
6 ' 64 IS II
S 72 63 66
, .00 .00 .DO .63
Compcratlre
Highest . yesterday
Lowest yesterday
Mean temperature .
Preclcltstion
Temperature ana precipusuon departures
from the normal:
tfJormal temperature , 70
deficiency for the day 4
Tal deficiency elnfe March J SIS
Noi-mal precipitation .OSlifPh..
Deficiency for the day 08 Inch
Total rainfall since March 1 .. . .19.72 Inches
deficiency since March 1 2.20 Inches
deficiency Tor cor. perlpd. 1916.. 9 (7 Inches
Excess for cor. period. 115 19 Inch ,
' U. A. WELSH, Meteorologist.
UliDEIi
SWIFT-THRUST OF.
FRENCH BRINGS
MORE BIG GAINS
Petain' Men , Smash Line of
German Crown Prince; AdA
vance 300 Yards on Three;
" Quarter Mile FFont.
(By Associated Press.)
Turning to the aggressive on ify
Aisne front in . northern France,
where they have been withstanding
persistent German attacks, for weeks
past, the French yesterday struck a
sharp and heavy blow at the crown
prince's lines. .
In a swift thrust1 General Petain's
attacking forces bounded forward
more than 300 yards ort a front of
more than three-quarters of a mile in
the Hurtebise regin, on the Lhemin-Des-DameS
between.GrfOflne' and
Cerny. : $ ;
This strong attack, which may prove
to be merely a' local affair or the
begirfning of a more extensive move
ment in this arena, seems to haye
given General Petain a firm h61d6rt
the ground gained, for the repulse of
three counter attacks' is reported. The
French took ISO prisoners.
J. he attack followed a week of al
most total inactivity on the French
front, except fj6r small operations,
such as trench raids and minor sur:
prise, tnrusts. the British have like
wise been abstaining Horn the initia-
Hon ot any major movements; but
there are signs in the increase of the
artillery fire on the Flanders front
that a renewal of more active oriera
lions by General Haig may not be far
Latest advices from the Italian
front show General Cadorna again
hammering at the Austrian lines at
selected points and gradually improv
ing his position. Tbis improvement
was affected both to the south in the
direction of Triest and on the north
ern front of the attack in the region
east of Gorizia.
One-Third of Ammunition for
Pershing's Men Defective
Washington, Sept. L Practically
one-third of the small arms ammuni
tion supplied to General Pershing's
troops in France has been found de
fective from chemical reaction set up
in the powder after manufacture at
the Frankfort arsenal." New supplies
have been sent over, in fact have ar
rived, and steps have been taken to
correct the defect in manufacture. '
Victor Rosewater to Leave
Monday for the West
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
Washington, Sept. l.(Special Tel
egram.) Victor RoseVater of The
Bee, who was, called to Washington
on matters connected with the news
paper publishers' committee, which
has been in session 'in Washington
during, the consideration pi the war
revenue bill now pending in the sen
ate, left this morning for Baltimore,
where he will spend Sunday with
Mrs. Rosewater's relatives. Mr.
Rosewater plans to leave for the west
Monday.
Senator Hitchcock left for New
England today) to' spend the week-ersd
with Mrs. Hitchcock and daughter.
Ringleader of Chicago
Robbers Is Arrested
Chicago, Sept. 1. The ringleader
of the five bandits, who with sawed
off shotguns, shot two payroll mes
sengers of the Winslow Iron works
to death last Tuesday, escaping with
$8,776, is under .arrest,' it was announced-today
by State's - Attorney
Hoyne, who called the prisoner the
master. crimiral of Chicago. His name
was given as Charles Benton.
Ford Motor Helps Out Red ;
Cross With Cars and Parts
Washington, ' Sept- 1. A gift of
$500,000 from the Ford Motor com
pany to the Red Cross was announced
today by the war council in the form
of a credit on tW Ford factories for
$500,000 worth of automobiles, am
bulances, parts,. etc., as the Red Cross
may designate. ' .
KELLY NOW REPUDIATES HIS
CONFESSION THAT HE KILLED
MOORE FAMILY AT VILLISCA
Minister In Jail at Logan, la., Denies He Committed Ax
, Muj-ders and Attorneys Claim Statement Obtained v
. by "Third Degree;" Havner Insists That It
V Was Made Voluntarily.
After a confession that he committed - the Villisca ax
murders June 9, 1912, in which eight persons were killed, fol
lowing a divine command to "slay utterly," Rev. Lyn George
J. Kelly, held in jail at Logan, la., yesterday repudiated it all.
His attorney, A.L. Sutton, claims that the statement was ob
tained from him by duress and third degree methods. V
Attorney Sutton says that the trialO 11
will be held September 4 as planned.
Attorney General H. A. Havner of
lowa .aemes mat ne tooK part in tne
cross-examination of JCelly and says
he was not in Logan at the time the
confession was obtained.
DENIES "THIRD DEGREE."
The attorney general denies that
"third degree" methods were used and
insists that the prisoner's statement
was entirely voluntary.
At the same time Attorney General
Havnerannounced that Kelly had
also confessed that he caused the
fires that destroyed a number of build
ings in button, Neb., in. 1915.
Victims of the ax murderer slain
the night of June 9, 1912, in the home
of J. B. Moore at Villisca were Moore,
his wife and their four children and
the two daughters of Toe Stillinger
of Red Oak, la., who were visiting
the family. The six children were
all under 12 years of age.
Confession Made.
According "to Attorney General
Havner, Kelly's first confession was
made late Thursday nighf in the
county jail at Logan., The attorney
general declares it was voluntary and
followtd his. tamest request "to ffll
the whole story."
The request came after notice had
been served on Kelly of the names of
about eighty witnesses that would Be
called by the state to testify against
him. Attorney General Havner was
in Logan and Kelly is alleged to hwtiW arm band with an insignia of
expressed a desire to see him. Hav
ner refused to go to the jail, but said
he would be glad to hear anything
Kelly had to say.
"I did it and I want to see the
attorney general," Kelly told Sheriff
Meyers, according to .that officer,
Kellywas (then brought over from
the county jail and in the office of
Sheriff Meyers told his story. Be
fore hearing the confession Attorney
General Havner telephoned to J. J.
Hess, Council Bluffs attorney, re
tained by Montgomery county to as
sist in prosecuting the case and wno
was in Loan to serve notices on the
witnesses to be used.
, Havner, on Hand.
Two offjpkl court stenographers
were called, who made verbatim re
ports. The story was told in the
presence of Attorney Hess, Attor
ney General Havner. Assistant Attor
ney General J. E. Risden, Sheriff Met
ers and his deputy.
All declare that nothing had been
salB to . Kelly except in connection
with the -names of witnesses and
Sheriff Meyers said the preacher had
repeatedly said he wanted to "get
it off his soul." All say he was cau-
(Contlaned on face Fifteen, Column Three.)
Bounding 'Em Up
tT T PnfiPP HfflMlTH
U4j It U 00 IfUlfltll
TAKE ARMY OATH
OF FEALTYTO U. S-
Hospital Supply Workers Will
Wear Uniforms While En
gaged in Important Duty of
Providing the Necessities.
The oath of allegiance to the United
States, the same as is administered to
officers of the United States army,
was taken by a number of Omaha
women, the chairmen of the different
circles and auxiliaries of hospital sup
plies, at the Red Cross supply office
in the Baird building.
Major John G. Maher, assistant
quartermaster of the Omaha supply
depot, administered the oath. This
oatn is being taken by women in the
hospital supply service all over the
country as a means of giving added
dignity and uniformity to their work.
These chairmen will, while on duty,
wear a uniform consisting of a square
blue cap with a red cross on it and
plenty on it.
Importance of Work.
Major VMaher . made an address at
the ceremony, telling the women of
the importance of tjieir work.
"Your work is as important as that
of the boys ah' the front," he said.
"The boj's will be able to endure hard
ships better if they know, the patriotic
women of thestate are-back of them.
"Women have always borne the
brunt of war and so they wiU in this
greatest war for liberty of the world.
We enter this conflict without desire
for money or .territory. W.e have
malice for none. We desire only that
all nations, large or small, be allowed
to work out their own salvation.
Women will play a large part in
bringing this freedom to all the
world."
1 "!' mm II.! I .1 I!
Omaha People Married and
j .Leave for Lincoln Home
Miss Sadie Christensen and Robert
Walstrom were married Saturday
morning at the, parsonage home of
Rev. Mr. Halberson, who performed
the ceremony- The couple left im
mediately ..afterward for - Lincoln,
where they will be at home after Sep
tember 4, at the Cleopatra apartments.
TELEPHONE MEN
START FOR THE
WESTERN FRONT
Seventh Telegraph Battalion
Jjdbilizes : at Nodn and'
Starts Soon-After-
ward.
! A detachment, of the Seventh Tele
graph battalion, under lieutenant P.
M McCuIIough, left last" night for
an eastern destination and will be de
tailed for service on tthe western
front. '
These men were recruited from the
ranks of. employes of, the Nebraska
Telephone, company, Iowa Telephone
company and the Northwestern Tele
phone Exchange company, operating
in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and the
Dakotas. ', " '
Employes of these associated tele.
phone companies have started a mess
tund, which, wur amount to $2,000.
A maximum of 25 cents peremploye
has been fixed. There are more than
10,000 employes in the three com
panies, i
Mobilizes at Noon.
The Seventh Telegraph battalion
comprises 218 men and officers and is
in charge of Major F. W. McDougai,
who has been in the service of the
Nebraska Telephone company many
years. The major mobilized his bat
talion at noon in the old Independent
Telephone building at Twenty-fifth
and M streets.
Twenty-five telephone company
employes .have . left to join the
Twelfth Telephone battalion at. Cin
cinnati. ;
The work of the telephone men In
the signal corps will be to maintain
telephone communication, between the
various sections of thearmy when in
camp or in the field.
Other officers of the battalion are:
A. A. Gaeritte, Medelia, Minn., and
P. F. Bunce of Fargo, N. D., captains;
F. B. Butt of Nebraska City and A.
W. Huntzinger of Omaha, lieutenants.
Other groups of employes of the
Bell Telephone system will mobilize
at Des Moines, Minneapolis and
Chicago (. .
The Omaha telephone men who left
last night are: , ' -
Thompson D. Berry,
Thqmas A. Clarke,.
I,eeman W. Davis,
Warren Fitch,
Olen W. Oamerl,
Olen A. Gamble,
Marshall H. Henson,
M. J. Hctrarty,
Ray Jeffrey,
Paul K. Lambonv .
Harry J. Xfooney,
Elbert 11. O'Keeffe,
Henry u. Peterson,
Joseph L. Woodward,
Kobsrt L. Veod,
Edwin J. Wehver,
Leslie A. Williams,
Ray M. Wilson,
Ray A. Younf. t
"Starve Germany and Then
Hit Her Hard," Say English
An Atlantic Port, Sept L A
party of prominent Britishers ar
rived , here tyday on a passenger
steamship to join Lord Northcliffe,
British commission in the "United .
States, and sisist hfm in purchasing
war supplies. They will go to
Washington also, fer a conference
with government' officials. "
In discussing the war a member
of, the party, who asked .that, the
identity of its meafbcri be withheld,
said he does not- believe the con-'
flict will end until about, this time
next year. "The Germans will
never be overcome by " hunger
alone," he declared- ("Neither will
they be overcome by assaults on
their fronts while they are con
vinced of the weakness of their op
ponents. It must be a combination
of ' hunger and continual assaults
that will win." .-(
HIGH COMMISSION
OF FRANCE GVESTS
OF THE
War Heroes Come West tp
United States Are Doing
D.! tr i
aim jjcmg Yragea on curopean rieias
, Against Central Rowers. .
Omaha, great big, unofficial, whole-hearted Omaha, g'aro
its welcome last night to the French High commission in' a bi
public reception at the Hotel Fontenelle in the convention hall.
Mayor James C Dahlman presided. : . , v' T-
NEBRASKA CORN
YIELD TO BREAK
CROP RECORDS
If Frost Holds Off Till Septem
' ber 25 Increased Acreage
and .Bumper , Production
Will Set New High Mark. )
According to the ' Northwestern
railroad's, crop report', in' the event
the frost .holds off until September
25, the Nebraska corn crop will be of
the bumper variety and, owing to the
increased acreage, the yield will be
the greatesjt in the history of the state.
- Corn is going to continue to be the
king of Nebraska crops, and with the
yield that is almost tn sight and the
high price certain to maintain, he
farmers of 'the state-are preparing to
enjoy another year of prosperity, say
the crop reports of all the railroads.
In gathering-the facts relative to
the Nebraska" crops railroad officials
and employes co-operating with' farm
ers have endeavored to ascertain con
ditions as. they actually eitt with the
itiujt tthkf ia .careful compilation - of
frcti find 'figures-indicate that this
year f "goinsr-to leai with bumper
yields '
?Corn Maturin2 RajHdly, . '
The ' Northwestern report for, the
Week, ending Friday night indicates
that the corn throughout Nebraska is
maturing rapidly add that with "
Other week or .ten days of dry and
warhi' weather will, hive, reached a
stage'where it would be damaged but
little hi a light froit. . f,
During the last wek tner, were
several days" when the temperatures
were so low that corn did not" ripen,
but it is the opinion of the railroad
crop experts that this was in no wise
detrimental. With the cool weather
the corn -made a good growth, and
with the return of warmer weather
the ripening process will be resumed.
There are but few places in the
state traversed by the Northwestern
lines where rain is needed. As a re
sult plowing' for the winter wheat that
w4Jl soon be put, into the ground is
going rapidly along, with every indi
cation that fhe acreage will be the
largest in years.
Threshing Well Along.
The threshing of small grain is well
along, and in localities where the
wheat was not damaged by the cold
of last winter the yield has been enor
mous. Some of the fields averaged
as high as forty bushels to the acre.
Oats are turning out well and nu
merous instances arei reported where
they have run as high as, eighty bush
els to the acre, though the average
has been considerably lower.
The potato crop, reports say, suf:
fered but little by the dry weather
of a month ago. All along the lines
of the system the acreage is large and
the yield is said to be up to, if not
better than, the average of former
years.
Russian Consul Sues
For Children in Russia
Antoine Volkoff. Russian consul
general, has filed suit for $2,100 in
district court against L. G. Doup com
pany, on behalf of Poligia Karolchuk,
widow ot the late raday Karoicnuk,
Russian subject, and their children.
The Russian was injured in an ac
cident June 7 and died June 28. T he
widow and children are in Russia
The suit is brought under the work
men's compensation act.
"Go on Kaiserinq and We
Smash You," Meaning of Note
London, Sept. 1. "President Wil
son's reply to the pope is really a
message to Germany, said George
Bernard Shaw today in -in interview
with The Associated Press. ' "Re
duced to the vernacular, it means:
'Become a republic and we will let
up on you; go on kaisenng ana we
will smash you.
"The president knows what he is
fighting Tor. , - : '
Illinois Governor Orders
Peace Meeting Dispersed
Chicago, Sept.!. The meeting; of
the organization f committee ; of the
People's Council ; of, , America; for
Democracy and Peace was .dispersed
by the. police - toda oh instructions
from-Governor 'Frank O. Lowden
after it" had been - in session about
three hoursi '- , - .
GATE CITY
FjddiWhat the People of the
to Assist in the Great Con
r- " w i -
Q Peoole from all camera 4hihsL
from all occupations and professions. .
laborers, clerks, professional men: and.
business men;, flocked ' to ' the room
for this public reception, for this was
the one opportunity of the day; for
the people generally to see the distia
guished Frenchmen, shake Ctheif
hands and tell them how warmly the
appreciate -the way valiant, heroic
France has held the mad bull of Pros
sian autocracy by the nose, when not
only France, but all the rest of the
world was in danger.1
GUESTS ARE LIONIZED.
.All day the French commission,
headed by. Deputy High Commis
sioner (Debillv, visited in' Omaha .as
the guests of the Nebraska metrop
olis. ,But all day the members were
being Ionized . by , the Commercial
club, by the Alliance Frapcaise and
other organizations; - The 8 o'clock
meeting at the hotel, however, was a
thoroughly democratic and informal ,
affair and the grea public earner all
at liberty to rush up and shake hands
add chat with the amiable French
men, all of whom speak English very
well. - ':"'''.; ' . -
1 Prior to this public meeting, the
Alliance Franchise, the Omaha or
ganisation of French and French stu
dents, entertained the commissioners
at trie hotel at a dinner, and rtcep- .
tion.' i Pr, Felix Despecher presided '
for the AHiance,Francise. : r, ,
( Mayor Dahlman and party met the ,
commissioners at' the train . at 7;30.,
Aeommittee of Cemmereial.tiub men
and representatives of the. Alliance
Fraticsiie met the commissioners at
tlie hotel, and- hi three big .automo
biles topk them for tour. of the city.
, r ' Inspect Dandy Sixth..';" 1, ,';
; .At.the.Audit6riiIm.tn French offi
cers visited a moment with Major ,.
Harries and other officers of the Sixth
Nebraska,.and then drove, on for a
tour of the stock yards and packing
plants of oSuth Omaha, and a-visit-to
the army balloon school at ' fort '
Omaha., : .;'..- r '
1 v. Want to See Pigs.. Killed. v
i At the South- Omaha - Stock'tux -:t
change a royal welcome .awaited, the 1
French v high - commission; who were
desirous of seeing one of the largest
sources of"thir meat supply. "
I On reaching the. exchange '. they
were introduced to , a large gathering
of commission men and stockmen try
Judge W. D MjHugh. After, the
introduction they expressed a deir4
to"see the "hogs killed. . ' -
The reception committee then es- '
corted them , 'through tbe" Armour ,
Packing company : plant. 'They fol- '
loed with interest the movement of '
the animals from the time theywere '.
received in the yard until they had
been killed and prepared 'for ship- '
ment . - ; . . -
Under the leadership of Colonel
Gallup, they visited the horse barns
to see the type of horses and mules .
being purchased' by the French and
English for war purposes. , In tha 4
party were some 1 expert horsemen
and they expressed themselves . as
highly pleased with the high grade
stock being offered for-sale. ,
Guests at Commercial Club.
, At noon they were the guests. of
the Commercial club' for luncheon.
Deputy, High Commisioner Debilly ,
spoke. - '.',''..', " ' . .
Those able to read the chevrons oa "
the arms, the: badges of : honor on '
the soldierly chests, and other, marks :
(Continued w Tw Tiro, CalMta Tw.) ,
Scheer Says U-Boat Will Win . . '
War Before U. S. Can'Assist -
Amsterdam, Sept. 1. Confidence in :,
the effect of unrestricted submarine ,
warfare , is expressed by Admiral
Reinhardt Scheer, commander of the '
German" battle fleet, in' an interview
in the Leipsiz Tageblaty the admiral
declaring thai; he "expected "every-'.
thing"from it., ' - ' - '
Admiral .Scheer expressed his cpn
viction that the submarines will have
decided the issue of the war before '
America is rady to send a. large
army to Europe. ' .
6,596j MORE "
' . , inches ' :y :
. . ; or ; :-;v,v
Paid Display
Adyertijing '''
-v in .
THE BEE
-v.
August, 1917
; ; v- r Than, in 'rJiu r U:?,
August; 1916 ( ' ;
Keep, Your - Eye' on 'The Be".
Imprevlag ; Every-. Day ' ; ,'. ' i
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