The
Omaha Daily Bee
VQL. 51 NO. 54.
I KpvotI nl Pc
Prosecutor
Is Rebuked
. Major C. C. Cresson Scored for
'"Pretense at Prosecution"
Of Man Who Permitted
Him to Leave Prison.
Conspiracy Is Charged
' Washington, Aug. 1$ Samuel Til
den Ansell, former acting judge ad
vocate general of the army and one
of the prisoner's legal counsel; Col.
John E. Hunt and Maj. C. C. Cresson
were charged with conspiracy in con
nection with the escape of Grover
Cleveland Bergdoll, the draft evader,
in a report signed by three of the five
member, of a special investigating
committee, filed today with the house.
Characterizing Ansell as "the mas
ter mind'' in the plan by which Berg
doll was released from a military pris
on under guard, to dig up a pot of
gold, the majority report recom
lr.endcd that he be disbarred from
practicing in the courts of the na
tion, "above whose safety and in
tegrity he has placed rold."
A minority report hied at the same
time held however, that there was
no testimony to support the charge
that Ansell. through whose efforts
as counsel the prisoner was released,
"conspired to effectuate his psc.me
j of his motive was improper."
' Demos Sign Report.
i One republican, Representative
Luhring of Indiana, and two demo
crats, Johnson of Kentucky and
Flood of Virginia, signed the major
ity report. The minority views were
presented by Chairman Peters,
Maine, and Representative McAr-
thur, Oregon, republicans. The ma
jority finding is the first of the many
investigating reports submitted to the
house since the close of the war
where a republican member joined
with democrats and enabled them to
file majority views.
The majority held that Colonel
Hunt, commandant of the barracks
at Governors Island, from, which
Bergdoll set out on his errand, was
directly responsible for the slacker's
escape through failure to handcuff
him or to provide an adequate guard.
v The minority, after declaring that no
officer of the army "knowingly par
ticipated in the conspiracy, found
"grave dereliction of duty on the part
of Hunt."
Fort Crook Man Scored.
As a basis for its criticism of Ma
jor Cresson, the majority report
said that "ds ugly as are the many
, phases of the whole matter, none is
) more defenseless than the conduct of
Major Cresson in his pretense of
t prosecution of Colonel Hurt." tried
9 ' Ktf rntit-t. martini in rrtrtlrti(Ml' ft'lth
the Beredoli scandal.
Mai. Bruce R. Campbell, accused
by BcrgdolPs mother of having ac
cepted $5,000 to help obtain freedom
for the prisoner, was exonerated by
the majority. The minority reported
that there was no evidence that
Campbell was in any way connected
with the escape. '
Dismissal from the Department of
(Turn ta Tate Two. Column Four.)
' Negro Suspected of
Slaying Des Moines
School Teacher Caught
Dcs Moines, Aug. 18. (Special
Telegram. Joe William?, negro,
wanted in connection with the mur
der of Barbara Thorsdale, has been
arrested.-
Sheriffs officials received news
Thursday noon that Williams had
been arrested at Chariton, la. Depu
ties have started after him, and will
bring him back to Des Moines.
Williams is being investigated by
the grand jury at the present time.
MiUlt a woman ai rvcuKU, 14., m;i
week.
tivc head, and James O'Brien, assist
ant county attorney, why have been
working on the Thorsdale case, de
clare they have enough evidence
t, against Williams to convict. The
jtjlt' Vprtlfii! rrim if it ran ht 1rarrl tn
lUiams, will be one more link in
the strong chain of circumstantial
evidence;
Barbara Thorsdale, a Des Moines
school teacher, was attacked and
slain as she wa . walking along a
lonely road on the outskirts of the
city several months ago.
International Justice
Court of League Assured
Geneva, Aug. 18. Creation of the
permanent court of international
justice is assured, it 'is announced
here. The secretariat of the league
of nations has been informed that
Spain jand Haiti will soon deposit
their ratifications of the agreement
to establish the court, and when they
are received the number of nations
.hich have deposited ratifications
will have reached 24, the required
number.
If they are received in time the as
sembly of the league of nations,
which will meet next month, will be
able to elect the judges and con
stitute the court.
Cheyenne Man Would Give
Self as Hostage for Debs
Cheyenne, Wyo., Aug. 18 Special
Telegram.) Daniel Hastings, land
scape gardener, appealed to President
Harding for the release of Eugene
V. Debs, offering himself as a host
age for Debs good behavior m event
... . 1 ... n f
ot nis release, in nis nicaaBc
President Harding. Hastings said he
would go to Atlanta and fill out the
unexpired portion of Debs' sentence
. if the latter was freed. Hastings is
a highly educated and widely known
Cheyenne resident with no idiosyn
crasies or fanatical tendencies of any
(Oat ' J
- ' . '
fatarta aa mo-CU
Oaaaa P. O. Uaiar
Fort Crook Officer Is
Rebuked by Committee
'Ridiculous,' Says
Accused Major of
House Charges
Declares Record in Prosecu
tion of Col. Hunt Speaks for
Itself Spent Own Money
in Bergdoll Case.
Maj. C. C. Cresson, now stationed
at Fort Crook, yesterday morning
characterized as "ridiculous"', charges
of conspiracy lodged against himself
in connection with the escape of the
slacker, Grover Cleveland , Bergdoll,
by a house investigating committee.
Similar charges were lodged against
Samuel T. Ansell and Col. John E.
Hunt.
"My recoid in the prosecution oT
Colonel Hunt at the court-martial
speaks for itself." he said. "I am
willing to stand cn it. I thought he
was guilty then, and I still think
so. The record shows that I pre
sented all the evidence, and did my
best to obtain a conviction, and I
think, on the evidence submitted,
he should have been found guilty."
Charged With "Easing Up."
Major Cresson, who was a colonel
at the time of Colonel Hunt's court
martial, was charged by the investi
gating committee with "easing up"
the prosecution.
"I wrote and telegraphed repeat
edly to the committee," the major
added,' "offering f my - services and
requesting to be -brought before
them to tell anything l knew. I hey
never subpoenaed me, and did not
even reply to my last telegram.
"Never Saw Ansell"
"The chairman assure! me try po
sition was understood and that it
was not necessary for .mc to appear.
"I never have seen Mr. Ansell but
once in my life, and that wa3 while
he was in service. I never knew
Bergdoll had left the island until the
newspapers printed the news of his
escaoe.
"Before Colonel Hunt was tried,
I stated that I did not believe he
would be convicted, but I prosecuted
him as vigorously as possib.e, and
still believe him guilty."
"I spent a good deal of my own
money and my own time in going
(Turn to I-axa Two, Column two.)
Men Convicted in "Wild
Horse" Case Get Respite
Respite of 30 days has been
granted by President to C. A. Smith
and J. Sidney Smith, brothers, con
victed with Charles M. Thompson
for alleged fraudulent use of the
mail in the "wild horse" case. Sen
tences of three months in the Hall
county jail and two years in tne
penitentiary, respectively, were af
firmed for C. A. Smith and J. Sid
ney Smith by the circuit ourt of
appeals in 1920 at the time Thomp
son was convicted. Thompson wa
pardoned by the president Thurs
day. Stunt Flyer Killed When
Parachute Fails to Open
Rockford. 111., Aug. 18. Bud Brid
gens of Chicago was instantly killed
this afternoon when his parachute
failed to open when 1 he leaped from
an airplane here. Bridgens was
rrpjjticing for an aerial circuit. He
was formerly a moving picture actor.
South Dakota Bishop Is
Received by Pope Benedict
Rome. Aug. 18. Monsigm r John
J. Lawlcr. bishop of the diocese of
Lead. S. D., was received Ly Pope
Benedict yesterday, the pontiff
evincing great interest in the bish
op's report of the work done in the
diocese. .
Photos from
Plattsmouth
A full pafe of photographs
( PUttamouth acanct and poo
pU is on of the fctura of
Tho Boo Rotograruro section
for next Sunday.
The pictures include the
Wagner hotel, State .Masonic
homo, Plattsmouth high school
and m group photo of directors
of the Chamber of Commerce.
It is an attractive page, one
of the best of the "Kodaking
Through Nebraska" series.
sm m
L ....
Mattir Mar it. ISM. at
Act tl atank S. 117.
Anti-Beer
Bill Scored
In Senate
Wheeler and Volstead De
nounced in Fiery Debate on
Amendment to Campbell
Willis Measure.
Conference Broken Up
By GRAFTON S. WILCOX.
Chicago Trlbunc-Omaha IWe leaned Wire.
Washington, Aug. 18. Tempest
uous debate, demonstrating that the
prohibition issue is still alive and
kicking, broke out in the senate to
day when the conferees on the Campbell-Willis
anti-beer bill appealed for
further instructions to guide them in
their controversy with the house
over the Stanley search and seizure
amendment.
The compromise which the con
ferees arranged at yesterday's ses
sion went to smash in the melee and
Senator Ashurst of Arizona, demo
crat, bolted the conference with a
vehement statement in which he de
clared he would no longer be a
party to attempts to break down the
constitution in fanatical efforts to
enforce bone-dry prohibition.
Three hours of heated discussion
ensued, in the course of which
Wayne B. Wheeler, anti-saloon
league spokesman, and Representa
tive Andrew J. Volstead of Minne
sota, leader of the radical "drys" in
the house, were the targets of bitter
denunciation by Senator Reed of
Missouri.
Stand Pat On Amendment.
Senator Ashurst contributed ?est to
the debate by declaring that a man
"wouldn't be a very good Ameri
can" if he failed to knock down a
prohibition agent who attempted to
search his property without warrant.
When the din of battle quieted,
the senate voted to direct its con
ferees to stand pat on the Stanley
amendment providing heavy fines
and imprisonment for "dry" agents
who attempt to search private prop
erty of any kind without warrants.
Hostilities began when Senator
Sterling of South Dakota, in charge
of the . Campbell-Willis bill, pre
sented a formal motion to disagree
to the house substitute for the Stan
ley amendment. Senator Ashurst in
formed the senate that he had quit
the conference because he would not
agree to sacrifice the Stanley amend
ment, which seeks to preserve the
constitutional guarantee of the sanc
tity of person and private property
against intereference by dry enforce
ment officers.
Denounces House Plan.
Hie denounced the house substitute
as "doubly vicious because it sets
up breweries and distilleries in the
homes and because, under its provi
sions, you will still be subject to be
ing held up by prohibition agents,
your pockets picked, your grips torn
open and your automobile searched."
Senator McCormick of Illinois
facetiously suggested that Senator
Ashurst must have had some cxpe-
(Turn lo Fag-e Two, Column One.)
Disabled War Vets
Want U. S. Hospital
At Grand Island Home
Grand Island, Neb., Aug. 18.
(Special.) Resolutions appealing to
Congressman Andrews, who has in
vested himself in the additional hos
f.talization by the nation for dis
abled war veterans, to request an
appropriation for such a hospital at
the state soldiers' home in Grand
Island, were adopted by the disabled I
war veterans ot this city. Mate j
Commander Crevier will at once
urge the adoption of the resolution
by all other chapters of the organ
ization in the state. The resolutions
set forth that Grand Island is a cen
tral point for the state and is best
adapted for such an institution.
The Chamber of Commerce of the
city was urged to add its aid in se
curing the institution thus suggested
and initiated by the disabled .veterans.
The text of the resolution has been
telegraphed to the congressman.
The previous high estimate of dis
abled veterans assembling here dur
ing the past three days, was more
than doubled, almost 400 appearing
from approximately 15 counties
in the district for the final adjust
ment of their war risk and compensa
tion claims. The expenses to the
veterans were borne by the Red
Cross, and citizens' organizations
entertained them while here.
Tammany Ticket Favorite
In Wall Street Betting
New York, Aug. 18. Election
betting has started m Wall street
with the odds heavily in favor of
Mayor Hylati and the democratic
ticket. Democratic money, the
brokers report, is very plentitul and
by no means all of it is being taken.
The odds arc 2 to 1 that the entire
Tammany ticket will win and 2 1-2
to 1 that Hylan will be re-elected.
Even money is being offered, with
out takers, that the mayor will carry
every borough in the city and odds
f , J I. - ...Ml .1 U ,
Ol i to t mai nc win uuuDitr ui
ran's vote.
Dentist Charged With
Murder Anxious for Trial
Portland, Ore., Aug. 18. Dr. R.
M. Brumfield. accused -of murdering
Dennis Russell, a laborer, near Rose
burg, said today he was anxious to
return, to that town and cle.-ir up"
a lot of puzzling questions." Dr.
Brumfield is held in the county jail,
pending return from Calgary,. Alta.,
rear which town he was arrested, to
Roseburg.
"I am glad to be back, but only
wish I were in Roseburg now." he
I said in an interview at the .'ouiity
iiail.
OMAHA. FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1921.
Farm Bureau to Probe
Dairy Marketing
Chicago, Aug. 18. A committee of
11 to investigate co-operative market
ing of dairy products was appointed
by J. R. Howard of the American
Farm Bureau federation. It will
function similarly to the federation's
grain committee of 17 and live stock
committee of 15.
Mr. Howard said he believed co
operating marketing would mean "a
distinct saving" for the consumer,
citing the example of St. Paul and
Minneapolis, where milk is sold at
11 cents a quart under the co-operative
plan. - n .
The committee includes C. Boch
tclheimer, Waterloo, la.
New Mexico Town
Razed by Flood:
Residents Saved
People Forced to Flee to Hills
In Night Clothes No
Loss Of Life Re
ported. Las Cruces, N. M, Aug. 18. The
town of Hatch. N. M., 38 miles north
of here, was destroyed by a flood,
following a cloudburst early today,
according to reliable information re
f pivpd hv the chamber of commerce
here. The 500 residents escaped to
the hills, most of them m their nignt
clothes. There was no loss of life
reported.
The cloudburst struck Santa Tcre
the foothills two
miles west of Hatch, shortly after 3
o'clock this morning. Only one
dwelling was left at Santa Tereza.
Two hours later the wall of water
rushed down the arroya into Hatch,
the male residents assisting women
and children to the hills, many of
them forced to flee in their night
clothes, amandoning everything.
No Loss of Life.
James Clapp, a business man. who
was bedridden by a long illness, was
carried to the hills by neighbors. So
far as learned there was no loss of
life.
Dean Goddard of the New Mexico
collepre of agriculture and fine arts,
and Thomas Brownlee have installed
a radiograph to keep the office of
the local Chamber of Commerce ad
vised of the situation.
Tonight from three to seven feet
of water lies in the stricken village.
Officials of the United States rec
lamation service and railroad men
say there is no way to drain the
water off except to dig a deep canal,
as the town lies in a basin below the
level of the Arroya.
Farmers Guard River.
One hundred and fifty of the res
idents Are being -cared fur with sup
plies sent under charge ot renci
committees from the Las Cruces
Chamber of Commerce. Farmers,
armed with shotguns, are. guarding
the bank of the Rio Grande south
of here to prevent raising of the
flood gates. The farmers insist that
raisine of the flood gates will ruin
their crops without 'being of mate-!
rial benefit to the floded district.
A elegram frm Patrick F. Camp
bell, cashier of the Bank of Hatch,
said that the town and vicinity was
completely under water, and that
every business and dwelling hou.cf
was demolished. He said federal aid
was essential.
Woman Representative
Aroused by Statement of
Women Voters' League
Washington, Aug. 18. Aroused by
a statement issued yesterday by the
National League of Women Voters
as to her attitude on feminine repre
sentation in the disarmament con
ference, Representative Alice Robert
son issued a statement declaring she
lad been misquoted in the league's
statement.
Miss Robertson contended she
never had told President Harding
there was no woman qualified to sit
&s an American commissioner. She
did say, her statement continued,
"show me the woman properly qual
ified," and her statement added that
the league officials did not suggest
such a woman to Mr. Harding.
Declaring she did not "claim to
tepresent the women of the United
States" in congress, Miss Robertson
asked that she be permitted to repre
sent citizens of the Second Okla
homa district "without interference
from Indiana."
Bur sum Named Candidate
To Succeed Senator Fall
Santa Fe, N. M., Aug. 18. H. O.
Bursum was unanimously nominated
as republican candidate for United
States senator at the September spe
cial election by state republicans
meeting in convention here today.
The, election was called to name a
successor to former Senator A. B.
Fall, now secretary of the interior.
Bursum is filling the place by ap
pointment of Governor Mcchem,
pending the election.
Man So Infatuated
By Nurse He Forgets
Names of Daughters
Chicago, Aug. 18. When "Betty,"
a pretty nurse, calls a man "dear
daddy," he falls quickly.
This was the excuse offered today
by Nels Rasmussen. who admitted
he had been vamped by the nurse
two years.
He was taken into custody on
complaint of his wife today.
"Betty vamped me and made such
wonderful love that I couldn't re
sist," he said. "When she calls a
man 'dear daddy' he falls quick."
He said he had become so in
fatuated with the nurse that he even
forjrot the names of his two daughters.
Posse Captures
State Convicts
Near Plymouth
Henry Slack of Omaha and
John Horton Surrender
Famished Men Offer
No Resistance.
' Lincoln, Aug. 18. (Special Tele
gramsHenry Slack of Omaha and
John Horton of Dawes county, who
escaped from the state penitentiary
Tuesday night, were captured by a
posse near Plymouth, 50 miles south
west 'of Lincoln, and returned to
prison tonight.
The two men offered no resistance
to officers. Horton was captured
about 2:30 by Charles Bentley and
Mac Boone, farmers. He weights
about 200 pounds and told his cap
tors he was unable to continue his
flight for want of food and drink.
Since their escape the two men had
but one loaf of bread to cat and for
24 hours had gone without food.
Hide in Cornfield.
Slack surrendered to Sheriff Mcl
ler of Lancaster county about 6,
after the cornfield in which he was
hiding had been surrounded by state
officers and farmers. Meller entered
the cornfield with a shotgun and
Slack walked up to him and gave
himself up.
Farmers first noticed the two
men walking along the railroad track
about noon and noticed Sheriff
Emory of Gage county and other
county officers in the vicinity. While
awaiting the arrival of officers they
formed a posse and surrounded the
two men in a cornfield on the Henry
Zimmerman farm.
Both men were serving sentences
of from one to seven years on larceny
charges and would have been en
titled to paroles in a short time.
They were employed in the kitchen,
which is in the administration build
ing outside the prison walls. They
walked away while a base ball game
was in progress.
Officers in Wreck
Upon their return to Lincoln they
were placed in solitary confinement
on a diet of bread and water as pun
ishment for their escape.
Deputy State Sheriffs W. A. Kirby,
George Proctor, N. F. Harmon; Bud
Hyers, son of State Sheriff Gus
Hycrs, Warden W. T. Fenton and
Sheriff Meller of Lincoln were all
hurried to Plymouth, to participate
in the chase.
State Bertillon Officer Hans Neil
sen, formerly of the Omaha police
force, and James U ionneii, nerk in
the warden's office, were thrown out
of an automobile when it overturned
while speeding to the scene of the
roundup. Both men escaped unin
jured. Auto Bandits Get $9,000
In Frisco Pay Roll Holdup
San Francisco. Aug. 18. Bandits
this afternoon held up Walter May
ers and George Beban, pay-.nastcrs,
and escaped with S9.000, the pay roll
of the American Can company, which
they were transporting from a bank
to the factory here. The robbers
escaped in an automobile.
Dentists Choose Los Angeles
For 1922 Convention City
Milwaukee, Aug. 18. Loe Angeles
was unanimously chosen lor the
next annual convention of the Na
tional Dental association, it was an
nounced today following an execu
tive session. Officers were to be
elected here today.
Omahan Named Treasurer
Of Florists's Association
Washington, Aug. 18. (Special
Telegram.) J. J. Hess, "flower
king" of Omaha, today was elected
treasurer of the American Florists
and Ornamental Horticulturists now
in sebsiou lu this city
,.t
r
By aial (I ir). Dally aa iundir. IMS: Dally aalv. IS:
Sunday, I2.W; ta aolati la Ualtid Statu. Caaala aia Mailt.
The Farmer's Dollar
Finger Prints
Of Bankers May
Be Held by State
Disappearance of Financiers
Leads to Discussion of State
Law Calling For Ample
Description.
Lincoln, Aug. 18. (Special.)
Discussion of a law forcing all bank
ers to have their finger prints taken
and pictures on file in the office of
Hans Nielsen state finger print ex
pert, is the latest development here
in connection with the large number
of bank failures and escape of sev
eral bank officers against whom
Warrants have been issued.
J. E. Hart, secretary of the depart
ment of trade and commerce, ad
mitted today this had been proposed
to him.
"It might be a mighty good plan,"
he said, "but for me to advocate it
would mean suicide for trie."
Arguments for Plan.
The arguments advanced in favor
of the passage of such a law by the
next legislature are:
The government forced the "flow
er of America," its sold'er boys, to
undergo finger print impressions on
file now at Washington, D. C.
Bankers at conventions have sug
gested taking finger prints of cer
tain of their depositors and often de
mand photographs of certain cus
tonicrs. State officers obliged to put up
bonds to cover possible shortcom
ings while in office are not insulted
and public funds are intrusted just
as much to bankers as to state offi
cers and private funds are exclusive
ly in the hands of bankers.
The direct cause for the proposal
of a finger print and photo system
for bankers is the disappearance of
E. A. Rusher, cashier of the Octavia
State bank.
Opposed Having Picture.
For years, according to officers,
Rusher had an obhorrence for having
his picture taken, and, as a result,
the only means of identification is
a small kodak picture which is hard
ly discernible.
State officers admit that failure to
have Rusher's finger prints and his
pictures will make his apprehension
difficult as all they have to furnish
officers throughout the countr is a
description of him by his frijnds at
Octavia.
If officers had Rusher's finger
prints and his picture on file here,
his picture and finger prints could
have been run off on thousands of
post cards 24 hours after his dis
appearance and in four days his pic
ture and finger prints would have
been in the hands of chiefs of police
and sheriffs throughout the country.
Soft Drink Dealers Will
Not Have to Pay License Tax
Washington, Aug. 18 Elimination
from the republican tax bill of the
section proposing a license tax of
$10 a year on vendors of soft drinks
was agreed upon today by majority
members of the ways and means
committee while general debate on
the measure was continuing in the
house. Another amendment adopted
would exempt from the income ta
all sums received as pensions or al
lowances from the government by
veterans of all wars or their depend
ents. Railroad Funding Bill Is
Given Favorable Report
Washington, Aug. 18. Favorable
report on the administration railroad
funding bill was ordered today by
the house commerce committee. Re
publican leaders plan to have the
house pass the measure early next
week. A committee amendment pro
vides that the act shall in no way
affect proposed, government relief
iur farmers
Irish Parliament
In Secret Session
To Decide Policy
Belief Expressed That Dail
Eircann Will Not End Ne
gotiations May Approach
Ulsterites.
Dublin. Aug. 18. (By the As
sociated Press.) Debate on the
reply of the Irish Republican Parlia
ment to the British government's
offer ot dominion status to Ireland
was begun by the Parliament in
executive session here today. Dur
ing public meetings held on Tues
day and Wednesday the members
heard Eamonri De Valera denounce
the British offer, and assert that
Ireland would insist upon separa
tion from Elngland, but with the ex
ception of the applause which
greeted his utterances there was
little by which observers could esti
mate the attitude of the majority
of the Parliament toward absolute
rejection of the terms.
It was the general belief that the
Dail Eifeann would not break off
the negotiations with Great Britain
and it was thought that some action
might be taken to approach Ulster
in an effort to secure her co
operation in carrying on the con
versations in London.
Mr. De Valera stated yesterday
that he was ready to get in touch
with the government of northern
Ireland and that the Irish- re
publicans would "make sacrifices to
Ulster that they would never think
of making to England."
Should an entente between Ulster
and the Sinn Fein be reached, it
was indicated yesterday, new pro
posals to Great Britain might be
made, and there were observers who
expressed belief that the offer would
take the form of a proposition to en
ter the commonwealth cf British
dominions as an independent state.
Employment Increases
During Month of July
Washington, Aug. 18. Increases
in the number of persons employed
in July over the number employed in
June were shown in eight out of
14 industries for which the Depart
ment of Labor published figures to
day. Manufacturers of men's ready
made clothing reported that they had
increased their forces in July to 28,
314 from 25,998 in June,, an increase
of 8.9 per cent.
, Boot and shoe factories making rc;
ports to the department, had 59,385
workers on their July payrolls as
against 57.-60O in June, an increase of
3.1 per cent, while automobile fac
tories employed 79,064 in July as
compared with 76,734 in June, an in
crease of 3 per cent.
The greatest decrease was shown
in the number employed in 118 iron
and steel factories, which in July had
KWl 77S ivrtnnc as aeainst 115.411 ill
j June, a decrease of 12.7 per cent..
- The Weather
Forecast.
Nebraska Generally fair Fridav
and probably Saturday; cooler Fri
day. Iowa Fair Friday; warmer in
east and central portions; cooler in
northwest portion; Saturday unset
tled and cooler.
Hourly Temperatures.
.1 a.
M
64
7
10
14
17
0
.M
Highest
M
K4
I n. m
S p. m
S p. m
4 p. m
5 p. m
p. m
7 p. m
p. m
a. m. .
. .
. .M
. .
.00
. .
. .
. .ft
..S3
7
S s
ft a
I a
in. .
It a. m
li noon
Thursday.
! rhfjrrniX" .
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THREE CENTS
Mystery of
Bank Crash
Investigated
Slate Starts Swccpiug Probe
Following Finding Letters
Iu Octavia Bank Others
May Be Arrested.
Forgery Warrant Issued
Lincoln, Aug. 18. (Special.) A
warrant issued today at David City
for the arrest of E. A Rusher, miss
ing cashier of the Octavia State
hank, does not end the activities of
Attorney General Clarence A Davis
in the investigation of the manipula
tion in that bank which has caused
a loss of from $60,000 to .$100,000.
Around the disappearance ot Rush
er, and in a fgarewell letter written
by him to his wife, is a mystery
which will result in an investigation
extending perhaps for weeks. The
paragraph in the letter which has
started the probe reads:
"Will Hahn has ruined us all. 1
am leaving as I can't stand the pres
sure." Will Hahn is a brother-in-law of
Rusher and probably was the bank's
biggest customer. Records in the
bank showed that as a cattle dealer
Hahn checked out thousands and
thousands of dollars.
Hahn Is Questioned.
Davis and Gus Hyers. state sheriff,
spent two. hours last Sunday inter
rogating Hahn. The latter continu
ally maintained that he knew abso
lutely nothing about certain transac
tions on the part of Rusher and the
placing of thousands of dollars to
his credit on the bank's books by
Rusher.
But that sentence written by Rush
er in Omaha just before he disap
peared from his invalid wife and
family and the further charge made
shortly after the bank's failure and
Rusher's disappearance by J. E.
Hart, secretary of the department
of trade and commerce, that 'part of
the difficulty in the bank was the
attempt of Rusher to keep Will Hahn
on his feet" has caused Davis to
send: Assistant Attorney General J.
B. Chase to Octavia and David City
with instructions to "get at the bot
tom" of the whole business.
When Chase left for David City
tcday he was armed with a warrant
calling for -the arrest of Rusher
charging him with seven different
forgeries, amounting to ?,4o.i3.
Sympathy for Father.
The pitiful condition of George
Hahn, founder of the bank, father
of Will Hahn and father-in-law of
Rusher, is exciting mich sympT--thy
at Octavia, according to state
officers. Hahn was in Florida last
winter and, according to informa
tion in the hands of state officers
hurried back to Octavia upon receipt
of urgent telegrams from his rela
tives and upon his arrival was oblig
ed to put up $25,000 to keep Hahn
and Rusher out of trouble. Ac
cording to officers Will Hahn at
the present time is in debt more
than $50,000 to Ws father.
At the same time Chase released
new and interesting facts discov
ered by Bank Examiner Brock in his
probe of Rusher's affairs.
Brock discovered a note in the
vault written by Rusher which
read:
"Forgeries have a cross mark in
the lower left-hand corner of the
notes."
And, sure enougU. in the lower
left-hand corner of the seven notes
was this cross mark.
There was another note of a per
sonal nature written by Rusher to
his wife which was found in the
vault
Feared Next Life.
From the contents of this note i
was apparent that Rusher was in i
morbid mood as he sat in the banV
that night before he left for Omaha,
about to sneak out of the town ir
which he had virtually been "king''
for years to become an outlaw at the
age of 51.
In the note he hinted at suicido,
admitted his failure to make good in
this life and forecasted much diffi
culty in "getting by" in the next life
because of his conduct here.
The forged notes do not represent
the total shortages in the bank. The
books, now in the hands of state of
ficers, show where accounts of cus
tomers have been juggled to the tune
of thousands of dollars. The notes
and the amounts, which the state
claims are forgeries, follow:
C. E. and A. J. Knepper, $2,000;
J. H. Rutt, $1,015.94; A. F, Po.pichal.
$309.61; C. T. Abishire, $500; Edward
Dostal. $182.70; Peter Hockstra,
$3,000; James Voloric, $385.
Seven Men and Four Women
Taken in Raid on Boat
Cleveland, O., Aug. 18. Police
early today took seven men and
four women into custody in a spec
tacular seizure of the steam yacht
Venice, said to be in the service of
a whisky ring operating in Canada
and the United States. The seiz
ure, made at Whisky Island, west
of the Cuyahoga river, netted 95
cases of imported wines and liquors.
Six of the men seized, including
Capt. William L. Curry of Toronto,
Canada, said to be the owner of he
yacht, are charged with violating
the prohibition law. The seventh
man, the engineer, and the womn
were held for investigation.
Physicians and Oil Employe
Held on Charge of Murder
Great Bend. Kan.. Aug. 18. Dr.
W. A. Nixon, a practicing physician
of this city, and ROy Hayes, i;n em
ploye of the Standard Oil company
here, were arrested on complaint of
County Attorney Weber, who
charged them with the murder of
Arthur C. Banta, whose body was
found June 7 beside his automobile
on a lonely road three miks from
Great Bend
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