GENEVA INQUIRY
BRINGS MAYFfELD
j INTO LIMELIGHT
tfiss McMahon Testifies That
She Was Warned Against
; Him by Chairman Gerdes
; of State Board.
? (Prom a Suit CorreapondenO '"
Lincoln, April 27.--(SpeciaI.)
. Testimony that Chairman Gerdes of
the State Board of Control had
warned Miss McMahon, deposed su
perintendent of the Girls' Industrial
school, soon after Commissioner May
field became a member of the board
that she must look out or "Mayfield
would get her," wasc the sensation
. sprung today when the hearing cover
mm the enforced resignation m the
superintendent was resumed before
the board.
Miss McMahon took the stand and
told of her connection with the school
and her relation to the board and
the Grace Moore episode.
fWere you on close confidential
terms with Judge Holcomb, a mem
i bef of (he board," asked her attorney,
Mr, Burke. ,
"I was," answered Miss McMahon.
"Were jrou in close confidential
relations with Chairman Gerdes of the
board regarding your work at the in
stitution r , .
"Were you in close confidential
terms with Judge Kennedy, when he
was memoer ot tne ooarof ;
"1 was." .
Not CIom to MayfielcV
- "Have you been on close- confi
dential terms with Comisisoner .May-
field of the board"
";No, I have not," answered Misi
McMahon. ,
"Why have you "not been on close
confidential terms with Mr. Mayfield,
the same as with the other members
o th board," asked Mr. Burke.
"Because I could not trust him,"
answered the witness, v ..
,'Vhy could you not trust htm?"
wa asked.
'Secause Mr. Gerdes had warned
me against Aim several times and
had fold me to be very careful or
Mayfield would get me.. He-told me
not to give Mr. Mayfield any anter
tailment when he came out nor give
him anything to drink, or he would
be chasing out there on every train."
Mm McMahon then testified that
Mr, Gerdes had always been a strong
supporter ol the school and waa much
liked by the employes and the in
mates. Nearly , everybody there
called him "Daddy Gerdes." V
i Fifteen Years' 'Service; '
The testimony of Miss McMahon
was a history of her connection with
the institution sine she went there,
more than fifteen.'' years ago, as a
teacher. After tWee months she had
twPin marl m HittAH i
February, 1905- she was appointed su-
and had continued in that position up
iw ..me vi ucr icBiHiisiion, rcDru
ary 23, 1918. . j ,
For the first six or eight years the
average number of grls n the nsttu
ton was about 60. Now there are ap
proximate' 125. About 40 per cent
of the inmates are abnormal and
most of these immoral. Those under
12 years of age are placed in what
is known as the O famly and ire
kept away from the girls m the A
famly, whe.e; the lower element are
kept Girls in the A famly are never
promoted ontl they show. unmistak
able signs of reformation and then
they are sent to the B family. Then
wnen there is no question as to their
reformatio they are sent to C fam
ily and from there graduate & soon
as they reach their legal majority. -A
Telia, o! Her Duties.
Her attorney - insisted that the
should relate' her trim ttlatSnnahSn
the inmates, not for the purpose of
self emulation, but that the public
might get true insight as to how
the home was conducted and just
what kind of an institution it was.
Miss McMahon upon insistence of
her attorney brought out matter of a
more personal character. She aid
that she had tried to make the insti
tution truly a "home" in the real
sense that house should be. While
the inmates of the A family were re
rtneted because they had to be, as
i general thing the institution was
c?en to all inmates to go where they
pleased and even her own apartment
waa open to the girls whenever they
desired to visit her. She had aeen a
large number of girls, about 80 per
cent, she thought, go out of the in
stitution into homes of their own or
into homes of other people where
hey had generally made good, . ,
i ' Weeps on the Stand.
Miss McMahon broke' down when
her attorney asked her if she re
members the case of the girl who had
left the home at the expiration of
her term and had married and moved
away. He asked her is she remem
bered about the girt visiting the i-n
v solution a year later and laying her
taby in her lap said, "Mother, you
have made me what I am and to you
I owe all my happiness." Miss Mc
Mahon wept as she recalled the in
cident, but besodes answering that
she remembered, did not say more.
Miss McMahon said that she had
never seen the ball chain in evidence
until Mr. Mayfield placed it in evi
dence, but knew it was in the insti
tution. The handcuffs alluded to as
her: own , personal ' property were
brought to the institution when she
came there, having belonged to her
father. She said no girls had ever
been uandcuffed , 10 days or two
weeks at a time, as certain girls had
testified.
She said that the board of com
missioners had as a general thing
been considerate and had joined with
her in attempts to make the institu
tion a real place where girls could be
made better. They had not always
agreed as to plans, but they generally
were in sympathy with her work.
Uses Own Funds.
It was brought out that the officers,
even had agreed to let her pay for
supplies out of her own private funds
when they did not think the state
iught to pay for them, and she had
dona this repeatedly and things, she
had paid for had been used by the
state and were still being used by the
state.
She had bought them because she
believed that it was essential that the
wards of the state should have the
things needed. She admitted that
much of her salary as superintendent
had been put back in things needed or
in giving the girls under her who were
deserving presents. In many instances
the state did not furnish as nice things
as a girl sometimes likes to wear, and
in case of the band, for instance,
where the girls went out and played
for the public, she had bought nice
shoes for them to wear from her own
funds. One girl who was especially
dear to her, because she was honest
and faithful and had shown herself to
be a real woman, she had given a hat
costing $20, just because she wanted
to see her look nice.
1 Grace Moore Episode.
Regarding the keeping of Grace
Moore so long, Miss McMahon said
that she was such a lovable girl and
was so bright and willing to work,
that notwithstanding she knew that
she was prone to be flirty and liked
men, she always believed that she had
the making of a good woman in her,
and had hoped that some time she
might prove her judgment good. Mr.
Gerdes had agreed with her at the
time Grace was sent away in 1916
and when the girl pleaded to be taken
back, they had decided on taking an
other chance to make her good and
had allowed her to return. Her con
duct after that was generally good
and it was a hard blow to her when
she found out that Grace had gone
wrong. (
She denied all attempts to influence
the girl or Saul to marry and had
even told Saul that he ought to wait
as he should know some thing! about
the girl, but Saul had said, "when a
fellow1 married a girl he had to take a
chance anyway," and he was willing
to take the chance.
Hea s of Girl's Plight.
) Regarding Prof. Fagan, the man ac
cused of the girl's downfall, Miss Mc
Mahon said that Dr. Bixby, physician
at the institution, who had told her
of the girl's conddition, had advised
her that he would take charge of the
matter. "I was nearly prostrated
when I heard what was tha matter
with Grace," said Miss MeMahon,
ana a was roing- to can Air. ueraea
over the phwne that night, but Dr.
Bixby asked me to go to rest and
calm myself as much as possible and
we wouia talk it over in the morning,
assuring; me tnat he would take the
responsibility of the matter in his own
hands and for me not to worry.
Regarding Fagan, Miss McMahon
said there had been no attempt what
ever to protect him. He had agreed
with Dr. Bbcby that he would stay
so thhat in case of an investigation
he could be here to testify. .
Before the hearinsr besran the hoard
announced that while the vcould not
Pe their accountant, Mr, Weiden
feld, long enough to set out the state.
ment asked by Miss McMahon, they
were willing Mr. Weidenfeld should
be brought back on the stand and a
reasonable time taken to bring out
the matters. Mr. Burke said that he
was glad to see that the board was
coming across with an olive branch,
but that he would still insist on the
statement
The board said thev were willln in
admit that part of the $11,000 the
board was responsible for and that
some of the rest was due to an in
crease in the cost of goods that were
necessary, nut that It would be im-
Sossible to get the statement out for
0 days, s
Commissioner Mayfield arot a second
try at the limelight this afternoon
when a letter was read from him to
Miss McMahon, charging her with
giving out for publication that the
industrial school was going to send
12 inmates under 2 tears of age to
the State School for Dependents. Miss
McMahon had advocated taking away
these younger inmates from the
school and putting them in other sur
roundings so that the ignommy of
once being an inmate of the reform
school would not be attached to them.
A : newspaper correspondent ' . at
Geneva sent the story to the newspa
pers and Mayfield had charged 1 her
with giving out the story.
What Weidenfeld Said.
Miss, McMahon said that George
Weidenfeld. the board accountant, had
told her that Mayfield was continually
giving out stuff to the newspapers
and then wondering where the leak
came from; that he said Mayfield was
always running to the newspapers for
publicity, i
Much of the afternoon was passed
reading letters that passed between
Miss McMahon and Grace Moore,
William Sault and Grace Moore's
mother. Those from Miss Moore
were intensely pathetic She told Miss
McMahon that she had done wrong
and asked forgiveness, i
A letter from Billy Saul, the girl's
husband, intimated that if Miss Mc
Mahon did not do the right thing he
would give the whole thing away.
Hearing adjourned tonight until 2
o'clock Tuesday afternoon.
Gage County Men Are
Posted as Deserters
By Exemption Board
Beatrice, Neb, April 27. (Spe
cial Telegrara.)--Earl Barnes of
Lewiston and Claude Williams of
El Dorado, Kan, failed to put in an
appearance last evening with the
draft contingent which left for
Camp Funston, and their names
were sent to the adjutant general's
office today by .the exemption board
and posted as deserters.
O. A. Cooper, a Wymore boy,
who enlisted In company F of that
place, and who deserted recently
from Camp Cody, was arrested at
Manhattan, Kan, and turned over
to the federal authorities there.
SPRING CLEARANCE SALE
M MWl tl ftarolao Rtoeka of Hi
nnwuqp, roattwv, Boss, Eta.
. Tho vrattMt Ml of It Wad mt offarod la Boom
rumtahUifa. Furaltura. Kto. Wo tars teck
of le box, rafrit-aratoro, 1-Hr, (ma atorra, buffau.
tbjr cab, aoltaa tor avoir room t atouodlnf prtcoa,
to many laatancea lownr than whole! cost. Do
Uvorie mad to all porta of Omaha ana Council
Bloffa. Aocommodatlona arraagvd to rult jraur eon
venitnot. ,W paiallM In aoakpta. rooming
botua and hotel lurnlahlsr.
pining Rm Tables
CU tension Tables the fear
calna you hav been loeklns;
Rir; etricUy , high ara4
materials! well flntabed
and well built; a Urge va
riety; m
price as
low as....
K. BL (are tfoad4 to ymtnm within
t... v-f radlas an parch of Ste r
State Furniture Co.
Utb and IkMcU 8t. Op V. T. Bldg.
. - tw a Bay It at the Stat for I. .
$9.75
pining Chair .
High grade genuine
leather Chairs, an
ornament - to an
dining room; a I arse
arte tjr . to ehooso,
iroi
$1.98
a m HO
5)1
.PI
&r n
C AA U
RCGS v
Room ai
Rag, nioa
amine... t ,
A larg showing m alt I
die of BroaMla, Asmla
iter. WUtona. VelreU. la
Oriental design and Per
sian eRecte.
Leatherette Spring Book
ers; good material, sub
stsntlally built; roomy
and comfortable; many to
choose
from as
low as. .v
mm i owuj
$3.98
NEBRASKANS WIN
COMMISSIONS AT
TRAINING i CAMP
Six Nebraska men and three Iowans
were given commissions at the third
officers' training camp at Camp Zach
ery Taylor, Ky. The men will be
graded as second lieutenants, and car
ried on the eligible officers' list and
commissioned at such times as suit
able vacancies occur. They are:
Adrian F. Barstow, 1445 South
Twentieth street, Lincoln, Neb., field
artillery.
John D. Curtis, Z123 L street, Lin
coln, Neb., infantry.
Charles W. Deland, Fairmont, Neb.,
infantry.
Richard W. Faulkner, Lincoln,
Neb., infantry.
William H. Freeman, 1631 A street,
Lincoln, Neb., infantry.
Charles W. Van Fleet, Unadilla,
Neb., field artillery.
Ben P. Collins, Livermore, la., in
fantry.' Homer B. Pettit, 132 Fourth ave
nue South, Oelwein, la., field artillery.
Walter S. Todd, Tabor, la., in
fantry.
Oddfellows Celebrate the .
Founding of Fremont Lodge
Fremont. Neb., April 27. (Special.)
The 99th aniversary of the founding
of American Odd Fellowship and the
42d aniversary of the organization of
Centennial lodge No. 59 of Fremont,
one of the oldest orders in the state,
was celebrated by Odd Fetlows and
Rebakahs In a public meeting at the
high school auditorium.
George L. Loomis, past grand
master and past grand representative,
presided. Rev. J. B. Burkhardt of
Beresford, S. D., gave the principal
address.
Twelve members who have be
longed to the lodge for 25 years were
Presented with service buttons. Of the
. I charter members of the local lodge
only four are alive.
HYMENEAL.
Butts-Trexler.
Miss Esther Trexler was married
to Sergeant Dwight Sabin Butts by
Rev. J. M. Wilson of the North
Presbyterian church Friday at the
home of her mother. Mrs. Lelia A.
Trexler, 4421 Parker street
, Jorgensen-Staack.
George Jorgensen of Weeninsr
Water, Neb., and Miss Clara Staack
of Syracuse, Neb were married by
f : Elerding-Enemarir, .
5 Robert J. Elerdinsr of Council
Bluffs and Miss Vernatta M. Ene
mark of Minneapolis were married by
Rev. Charles W. Savidge, Thursday
afternoon.
Rev.' Charles W. Savidge, Saturday
afternoon. .
Krepela-Senden.
West Point, April 27. (Special)
The marriage of William Krepela
and Miss Eve Senden of West Point
was solmnized at Sioux Falls, S. D.,
Wednesday, Father Fitzgerald cele
brating the nuptial mass. Mr.
Krepela is the son of Charles
Krepela of this city and is engaged
in the bakery business, the bride
being the daughter of the late
August Senden of this city.
Woods-Stewart
York. Neb., April 27. (Special.)
James E. Woods and Lucile Stewart
were married the first of the week,
at San Antonio, Tex.
Will-Ellis.
York, Neb.,. April 27. (Special.)
Grace, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Silas L. Will, was married at the
home of her parents yesterday to the
Rev. James W. Ellis of Crookston,
Neb.
SECONDSUNDAY
IN MAY NAMED
AS MOTHERS' DAY
(From a Staff Correspondent.)
Lincoln, Neb., April 26. (Special.)
Governor Neville has issued a proc
lamation designating the second
Sunday in May as "Mothers' Day."
He calls attention to the fact that
the day has a peculiar significance in
these times of stress, in that mothers
are making the supreme sacrifice of
"giving their sons to. die, if need be,
that government by the people shall
not perish from the earth."
He suggests that each one wear a
flower or other insignia in memory
and honor of "our best earthly
friend."
The most desirable furnished rooms
are advertised in The Bee. Get s nice,
cool room for the summer.
STATE ONI GRIDS TO
GET COMMISSIONS
Twenty-Eight Former Ne
braska Students Qualify at
Third Office-' Cr . . for
Second Lieutenancies.
Lincoln, April 27. "Special.)
Twenty-eight former University of
Nebraska boys, including four from
Omaha, qualified at the third officers'
training camp for commissions as sec
ond lieutenants, according to an
nouncements at the university today.
The list of men and their assign
ments follow:
Baker, James H., Headquarters
company, 340th field artillery.
Bardley, Roy S. supply company,
340th field artillery.
Cole, Dana F., battery A, 340th
field artillery.
Dale, Carl C, battery A, 340th field
artillery.
Fouts, Henry W., battery E, 340th
field artillery.
Frank, Owen A., battery F. 340th
field artillery.
Garrett, Ralph W., battery F, 340th
field artillery.
Gilderslece, Harry D., battery B,
341st field artillery. .
Golden, Clear C, battery B, 341st
field artillery.
Haggart, Virgil J., battery F, 341st
field artillery. 11
Harding, Paul C, ' headquarters
company, 341st field artillery.
Ohlsen, Edwin J., battery F, 341st
field artillerv.
Roberts, Warren T., battery A, 342d
field artillery.
Rohwer, Carl, battery B, 342d field
artillery.
Re-Elect
JOSEPH B. HUMMEL
Present Commissioner
of Parks
What Omaha Didn't Have
Before He Was Made
Park Commissioner
Supervised playgrounds in all
parks for children.
Foot ball and base ball
grounds with dressing rooms and
reviewing stands for boys.
Eighteen-hole Golf Course, Tennis Courts, Curling
and Skating Rinks. Four Free Swimming Pools.
" Municipal Ovens for Picnic Parties. Free Dance
Hall at Hanscom Park. Social Centers in twelve dif
ferent localities with directors for all phases of the
work.
Municipal Chorus and Boys' Band. Free Band
Concerts in all parks. Absolutely free and almost
unrestricted use of all parks by tne people.
Does this mean anything to the people of Omaha?
An Omaha Pioneer,
54 Years of Con
tinuou Residence.
Selleck, John I., battery C, 342d
field artillery.
f Webb, John W., battery E, 342d
field artillery.
- Bergman, Clarence G., company C,
353d infantry.
Bigelow, Clarence R., company D,
353d infantry.
Dunaway, Emmett H., headquarters
company, 345th infantry. '
Hahne, Ernest H., headquarters
company, 354th infantry.
Hinze, Alfred F., headquarters com
pany, 354th infantry.
Zimmerman, Sam C. headquarters
company, 354th infantry.
Johnson, Joseph V., company G,
355th infantry.
rurscn, xioins a., company i, 355th
miantry. '
Pearson, Harold A, company A,
356th infantry.
Pierce, James H., company B, 356th
infantry.
Porter, Grosvenor M., company D,
356th infantry.
Schroeder, Fred J., company F,
356th infantry.
WATKINSAND : :
M0RIARITY TAKE
S0LDIEES' VOTE
Governor Neville yesterday ap- :
pointed John B. Watkins and Senator
John F. Moriarity as assistant elec-f
tion commissioners for Omaha under:
the soldiers' voting law passed by the
recent session of the legislature '
The appointees will act under Elec
tion Commissioner Harley G. Moor-
head and will serve in the coming -
It is estimated more than 2,000 menS
in, the different branches oLmilitary -service,
located at the different camps
of the country, are eligible to vote at
the coming municipal election and '
these will all have to be notified. '
sample and official ballots furnishedl
them and the same can- assed on re-v
turn j . . .. '
fP. Users of Mpt A
BASE BURNERS
s
No hard coal to be shipped to this territory at
an V nrio aaama 4-r V.n 4-U ...Jf.i. i . '
rir v.msj bu mo w vciuiui. iur next winter,
we offer you the one-pipe furnace as a substitute -which
will burn any fuel and heat your home far
better than the old stove. The
MILTON ROGERS
One-Pipe Heater
Warms the whole house. No need of hugging
stoves. Only one fire to tend, and that in a scien
tifically constructed heater.
1 . 1 1 mm
piacea in tne cellar. Through ;
its one pipe and register it '
delivers healthful heat ev- ''
erywhere in the house.
Now is the time to investi
gate this wonderful heater;
See them on our sample ,
floor or write for catalogue
and prie'es.
Milton Rogers
& Sons Co.
Furnace Department
5 Harney St Omaha
iff
IP 1
0
KM
Store Hours: .
8:30 A. M. to
6 P. M.
Store Hours t !
8:30 A. M. to
6 P. M.
EVERYBODY STORE
Sunday, April 28, 1918-
-STORE NEWS FOR MONDAY-
Telephone Douglas 137
Announce for Monday
An Extraordinary Sale of
Mew Tommedl Haft
Involving the Season's Greatest Values at
' They will be on sale Monday for the first time. They failed to arrive as
per schedule. The manufacturer rather than have the hats returned, allowed
a big discount. ' That's the reason for these really sensational yalues.
. , ,. ,
We cant begin to describe them. They are all different all beautiful with
a charm that seems impossible to translate into print All colors all the favored
new trimming effects.
We do not recall when we have offered greater variety or values at the price
than we offer to you here Monday. There's a style and a shape to suit every fancy
and ho doubt but the very hat you have jn mind that you'll like to have for yourself
is here and offered at this extremely low price of $5.00. ,
In order to give adequate service the hats will be on special tav1ns with plenty
of salespeople to assist you in choosing and a big portion of the Millinery department
will be devoted to the sale. Remember the sale starts at 8:30 a. m. and naturally the
best selection will go first.
Burgati-Naah Co. Second Floor
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