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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 23, 1921)
HIE BEE: OMAHA", TUESDAY. AUGUST 23, 1021. Mystery of Ncal Death at Peru Grows Deeper Letter Found in Home Re veals Family Affairs Step- snares in son Estate. (Continued From rage One.) ney Armstrong and others, an hour ' after the word that the man had " killed himself was absolutely clean. There were no powder burns or stains. Dr. Vance said that when he ar rived at the place of the tragedy about 50 minutes after the alarm had ' been sent in he found Ncal cold and .stiff. Kigor mortis had set in and the tongue of the dead man was swollen. The alarm was sent in shortly alter 11:30 on the night of August 11. Within SO minutes there ' were persons at the house. Time of Tragedy Varies. Mrs. Neal fixes the time of the tragedy at about 11:30 o'clock. Yet the body had the appearance of hav ing been dead two hours. Mrs. Ncal said she heard only one shot in the 'bedroom which she occupied with her husband. Her 16-year-old daugh ter, Ava, said she heard two shots and then a noise as though some one had fallen. Both Mrs. Neal and her .daughter testified that they ran from the house as fast as they could to .the home of a neighbor, Charles .Buck, 300 yards distant, and made no investigation nor observation of what had happened to Neal. Ava Neal testified that on the way to Bucks she asked her mother what ..had happened and her mother told ;her Mr. Neal had shot himself or tsome one had shot him. ' Denies Talking to Daughter. Mrs. Neal denies that she talked with Ava on the way, but says she did tell Mr. Buck, the neighbor, that one had shot him. She gives no reason for the latter statement or conclusion on her part and said her husband had no great enemy.- She swore that he occupied the in side of the bed. There were blood ;stains on the sheet where it lapped over the bed on the side on which she says she slept. The bed, when examined by the party called to the home after the tragedy, showed no signs of having been disturbed. There was also no trace of the bullet which Ava says was fired. There were other solotches of blood on the floor, small splotches leading from the side of the bed, where Mrs. Neal alleges she slept, to the place at the foot of the bed and the door of the bedroom where Neal was found. There was the imprint of a human hand on the door casing and faint bloodstains on the wall paper on the south wall of the room near the floor. Imprint of Left Hand. Hans Nielsen, Bertillion expert for the State Bureau of Criminal identification and connected with the . office of State Sheriff Hyers, says the latter imprint is of the left hand of some person. There was no blood on Neal's left hand, it is said, although his right hand was bloody. It is alleged that when Mrs. Neal heard Neilsen was coming to examine the , finger prints in the room she called Sheriff Davis and asked ii latter to go to her home in Brownville and there try to find a pistol, the property of her former husband, John Wright, which she said was in a chest in an upper room of the house. She told the sheriff that the pistol had been in the chest a few weeks before and that she had handled it. It is alleged and that her finger prints might be found on the pistol. She described the gun as a cheap, small calibcrcd, nickel plated affair. The sheriff made a search of the room and chest and found no pistol. The state alleges that the pistol held' in the hand of Ben Neal when he was found dead was the pistol that had been owned by his predecessor, ; John Wright, first husband of Mrs. Lucy Ncal. Jealous of Wife. These bits of circumstantial evi dence, together with a mass of other evidence which the state claims pos sesion of and whicsh it i guarding, v;ill make the case against the woman. Men who are familiar with the 'temperament of Ben Neal and who understood the details of his tempestuous marital career say that he would never have committed sui cide without first having killed his wife, of whom he was insanely jeal ous. He had been an old-time gam bler, it is said, and also something of a gunman and had the contempt of his class for small-calibered, cheap, uncertain pistols. Acquain tances contend that such a weapon would have been the last that he, in his peculiar phychology, would have selected as an instrument of death. Sympathy With Mrr. Neal. Public sympathy is more or 'less in favor of Mrs. .eal ana sne win possess this to the end, except in the event that a conspiracy against the life of her husband in cold blood can be proven against her, the ma loritv of ncrsons here recalling her unhappy life and its frequent quar rels and near tragedies wun ner nus band. It is contended that in a fight with him she might have been driven to defend her life, or that in a fit of emotional insanity, caused by a succession of troubles, she may have been tempted to do away with Hm and they contend that, should such have been the case, a jury would exonerate her and hold her blameless. But the story that she told at the inquest is one they feel was incom plete and showed that she had men tally reserved much that was im portant for fear of consequences and in this they think she has made a mistake. Matters are still coming to light which may bring about further puzzles and speculation in this mys tifying case. Make Letter Public. Text of a letter in her dead hus band's handwriting, purporting to trace the movements of Mrs. Lucy Neal previous to her husband's death by a gunshot wound last August 11, and which may have an important bearing on the case, was made public today. The letter was discovered by Ezra Huston. oneof two lawyers who searched the Neal house, in an un used room next to the dining room, behind a buch of crumpled papers with which the flue was stopped. It is addressed to no one, and there is no signature. Following is the letter: "Ben was fool enough to send me to Kearney to see Leland and of course I had to repay him. I went Tuesday morning at 7 a. m. and got to Kearney at 5:30 p. nt. Met Sweet Man. "I met the sweetest little man who told me he was state sheriff and would take Leland out of the reform school and put him in a bunch of negro convicts from the penitentiary and I had such a nice time at the Windsor hotel, Lincoln, that I did not get home until 7:40 Friday eve ning, but I had it all fixed with the sweet little man to come to Brown ville and stop at my house and to let me know so I could work Ben and be there. But I didn't get his letter and came and .found Ava. who was in school there, and I had her call me by phone and I talked to her so Ben thought it was needle-craft meeting and worked him all U. K. If I hadn't been so anxious to try to get the sweet little man to come and get me at 10 o'clock at night, but Ben heard us talking and the sweet little man was afraid to come and get me so Ben took me up to see him next day, but I didn't have near as nice a time as I had at Kearney and Lincoln for Ben was along and when the sweet little man seen Ben he was afraid of him and went right back to Lincoln. "He was not state sheriff or any thing else, but I had an awfully sweet time and I though I hadn't paid Ben enough so on next Tues day, when he was away from the house at work, I left and tried to get a neighbor to take me away in to do with me. Tells of Gun Threat "Then I went to Auburn and swore than Ben drawed a loaded gun on me, when I had stole the gun last summer and he never had seen it since, and it will cost him at least $50 to pay my lawyers and the court costs for my swearing to the lie about the gun. "Then I went to his own uncle at Shubert and tried to turn Ben against him and told .Walter and everyone all the black lies I could rnd made Ben all the enemies I could. I put in seven weeks of this and then I thought I wanted some little papers and stuff and that maybe I got mixed so I couldn t rob him as good. I might fix it by going back. The sweet little man's address is 204 South Eleventh street, room MS. His name is A. E. Butler." Leland Mrs. Neal's Son. The Leland of whom the letter speaks is Mrs. Neal's son. He was arrested last fall for stealing a gold watch from a hired man at the home of Charles Faulkner, farmer living eight miles north of Auburn, and sentenced to a term in the boys' in dustrial school at Kearney. Ava is her 16-year-old daughter by a former marriage. Last spring Mrs. Neal brought di vorce proceedings against Ben Neal in the district court of Nemaha county, alleging that he abused her, that their temperaments were incom patible and that she could no longer live with him. She requested a di vorce, division of the property and alimony. Divorce Case Withdrawn.' Before the case was scheduled to come up, she withdrew it; She did so, she says, because he promised to be more gentle in his treatment of her in the future, and to "be a different man." Shortly after their reconciliation she went to Kearney to visit her son, Leland, in the industrial school. On her return. A. E. Butler of Lincoln is alleged to have visited her in iirownville. It is allesred that he represented himself' to be a state agent in the employe of State Sheriff Myers' office. It is also alleged he offered to procure Leland a parole and a place as bookkeeper in one of the convict road gangs of the state at a substantial salary. It is even alleged that he offered Mrs. Neal a position as cook in one o the camps.' Visit Causes Trouble. Mr. Neal, it is said, heard of this and it caused a good deal of trouble at Brownville between the different parties involved. Mrs. Neal made complaint to the state sheriff, who investigated Butler. It is alleged Butler admitted he had no connection with State Sheriff Hyers' office, but that he was in a confidential position where he could influence the board of parole to grant a pardon to Leland. Butler is reported to have been severely reprimanded by State Sheriff Hyers. :This incident became fixed in Mr. Neal's mind and he brooded over it to such an extent that he would talk about it to all his neighbors' and friends who would listen. He was advised by his attorney to dismiss the matter from his mind, as it was of small moment. .The letter-found in the house after his death evidently is in Mr. Neal's handwriting. Mrs. Neal, at the inquest, identi fied it as having been written by her husband. . . Theories of Letter. The supposition is that he had a premonition that some tragedy would happen and wrote the letter to leave behind as a clue: or having r.er sign it as a confession, he would have killed her and then him self; or, because of his unstable mental condition, and his insane jealousy of her, he may have writ ten it for the purpose of committing suicide under such circumstances and leaving behind such details of evidence of a circumstantial nature as would place the burden of sus picion on his widow. Neal, in all his conversations re garding his wife, was careful to im press upon whoever he talked to, the fact that she was a chaste wom an and true to him. Mrs. Neal married Ben Neal about 12 years ago. She was the widow of John Wright of Brownville. Difference in Ages. There was a disparity of about 30 years between her age and that of her second husband. At the time of her marriage, she had a home of her own in Brownville. Neal's home, where the tragedy occurred, is about two and one-half miles southeast of Fcr, Neb. Mrs. Neal is said to have rented part of her home in Brownville for the storage of goods. It is alleged that about two weeks ago she received a letter from Tart Young, former restaurant proprietorj. at Brownville, charging her with .-.tealing a pair of checkered blankets, and threatening, if she did not re turn them, to expose her. She sent the letter to her husband, who, on Saturday, August 6, brought it to Auburn and submitted it to Postmaster Harmon and Judge Kil- ligar, his attorney, asking whether or not ioung could be prosecuted. Brooded Over Letter. They advised him to submit the letter to the postmaster at Brown ville, from where it was sent, and sec if he could not bring the matter to higher postal officials. Neal brooded a good" deal over this letter, it is said, and it is al leged, by his wife and by neighbors, that he threatened cither to shoot or cut up the sender of the letter. It was during a discussion of this letter on the night of the tragedy that Mrs. Neal says she fell asleep after first telling her husband that she would not bother about dis cussing a man of the small caliber of Young. Two hour's later she rushed screaming from the house, according to her story, after hear ing the shot fired which she claims awakened her from her sleep. In her testimony at the inquest. she said both she and her daughte. were awakened by the shot and fled from the house without stopping to see whether Mr. Neal was living or dead, f hey took refuge in the home of Charles Buck, a neighbor, 300 yards distant. Search for Weapons Feature Opening of Bailey Murder Trial Mount Vernon, Ky., Aug. 22. Ex-Police Chief Of Grand Island ' Shot hy Officer Shooting Occurs as Haiti I Made on Card Game in Hotel Woman Is Held. his car, but he would have nothing (The first day of the John Bailey murder trial, growing out of the Bailey-White mountain feud, was productive of nothing more thrill ing than the search of every person who entered the court room for weapons. Soldiers and deputies stopped each clansman as he entered the doorway. None resisted the search and no weapons except a few pocket knives, were found. Even the women were not exempt. When the case was called, both the commonwealth and the defense asked for a continuance because es sential witnesses were absent. The prosecution asked for attachments for four and the' defense for nine, material witnesses. Circuit Judge Bethurum appointed Sheriff Walker to deputize two soldiers to bring the desired witnesses into court and ad journed court until tomorrow. Grand Island, Neb., Aug. 22. Former Chief of Police Maloney is injured, Police Officer J. E. Buswell has a gunshot wound in one e2 and the other was broken by a fall, Vivian Doggert, landlady of the Savoy f hotel and companion of Malony is under ar rest, together with four other wit nesses, all as the result of a clean up effort by the police department last night under Chief Martin, suc cessor of Chief Maloney. The shooting occurred in the alley back of the Savoy hotel several hours afti. the raid was made. Maloney and three white men, Murphy, Welsh and Baird of Hastings and one negro. Jones, were sitting in a card game in the alley when Buswell came along on his regular beat They de clare they do not know who began the firing. Buswell states that two shots were fired at him before he shot Maloney, Ford Tells How to Run the Railroads (ronUnard From race One.) formulae calling for increased pay, reduced waste in labor and materials and more efficient service at less cost, all increasing the volume of business. "i lie l'ord Motor company learned about railroading from the shippers' side and we conceived the idea that if shippers were to be served trains had to be started and kept moving until they arrived somewhere," said Mr Ford. "Neither the railroads nor the shippers were benefited by trains lying idle in the yards or upon sidetracks. "Imagine all the freight cars of the nation moving on an average of 18 miles each 24 hours as they did dur ing the war. Why, two good men could push a loaded car that distance in that time. We have increased the D. T. & I. average from 15.7 to 35.7. There is no good reason why they should not move 175 miles in 4 hours. Exploitation Is Blamed. "What's the matter with railroad organization?" he was asked. .exploitation, exn oitation. was his answer, grasping the opportunity lor paying his respects to the bank ing element which he holds respon sible for most of the evils of our svstem. All business has too many stock- Inquiry at 'the hospital at noon ho.Iders ,who never do anything but injure ine ousiness ana araw aown dividends," he continued. "Kailroads have not been operated with a view to giving Service. They have been operated for the purpose of ex ploitation and to deliver the percent age of gain which absentee stock holders must have. "The D. T. & I. was for many years a dismal failure merely' because it failed to serve. When receivership came one after another they pointed to its running from some remote spot on the Ohio river to a spot near De troit, through unproductive territory with no cities to feed it. Well, the same D. T. & I. is succeeding now. Why? Because it serves. . today revealed the fact that Ma loney's condition was not regarded as serious. Late today the county attorney and police obtained a written con fession from one of the eye-wit-resses who were sitting on the run ning, board of the car from which, in the alley behind the Savoy hotel, Maloney shot Buswell, being later shot in return. This confession in cludes the statement that Maloney opened fire on the policeman as he came through the alley without say ing a word or without having been addressed by Buswell. An operation was performed on Maloney this afternoon for relief from suffering on account of gases. His condition is tonight reported the same. Buswell's injuries may be more serious than at first sup posed, one of the shots striking him near the hip. It is expected to re quire three months before he will be able to resume his duties. An investment that pays big dividends Bee want ads. Mercury Hits 100 Mark In Shade at Beatrice Beatrice, Neb., Aug. 22. (Special Telegram.) With the temperature standing at the 100 degree mark in the shade, hot winds prevailed in this section of the state this after noon. It is believed the corn is too far advanced to be damaged. Nebraska Men Not Satisfied With Bus Lines Guardsmen Experience Diffi culty in Commuting From Camp Dodge to Des Moines Service Is Poor. Camp Dodge, la., Aug. 22. (Spe cial.) The transportation service be tween Camp Dodge and Des Moines is not very satisfactory to the Ne braska National guardsmen in camp at Camp Dodge. The Lincoln and Omaha men especially feel the dif ference between the bus line service and the street car service at home. Here the busses and interurban cars are the only means of travel afforded the men at Camp Dodge. The long intervals between cars on the interurban and the unpunctual arrival and departure of busses makes trips to the city somewhat weary- some affairs. Men are forced to wait long periods before they are able to catch a bus and when they do, it may be crowded to rapacity. The interurban cars are also very often overcrowded by men on leave. Liberty was granted to a large number of Nfbraska guardsmen Sat urday and Sunday, extending from 2 p. m. Saturday until midnight of the following night. This long leave from camp was appreciated by the Nebraska men to the extent that every pass allowed was taken up. 1 he long drills and intrequent vis its to the city made the special favor of long passes especially welcome. Uuring the weeic no long passes are granted, but the Sunday leave en abled many guardsmen to visit rela tives and friends in Des Moines as well as giving them a change from the camp life to the civilian atmos phere. Continue Case Against City Attorney at Grand Island Grand Island. Neb., ' Aug. 22. (Special Telegram.) The orehmi nary hearing of Harold Prince, city attorney, on the charge growing out ot the automobile accident in which William Sothmann, contractor, was killed in a collision with Princei car, has been continued by agree' ment until Saturday on the request ot the defendants attorney. -.-Sows For Sale A Girl's Redemption Through Acting in the Movies Rupert Hughes' Master Novel Commences in the September Red Book Magazine N OX merely as a startling revelation of real lifejn California's inner circle of movie- land, but as the most search ing, the most illuminating , study of a girl's soul life; such is the thrill and ab sorbing:.fascination of Ru pert Hughes' newest and greatest novel "Souls for Sale." . Secrets of Movie-land The intimate adventures of Remember Steddon her birth in a small mid-west town, her narrow life as a clergyman's daughter, her rebellion at hated conven tions, her life 'midst Holly wood's movie stars all lead to an amazing climax. The Test of a Soul You come to know this all-too-human girl, to pity her, then admire her. How she becomes a great woman, in spite of obstacles, is brought about by a means never before employed by a novelist. No more tremen dous emotional experiences ever fell to the lot of a girl than are hers. To her there is but one thought, one hope, one prayer Redemp tion. " IN CASH PRIZES Mr. Hughes and the Editors of The Red Book Magazine have been discussing the title: "Souls for Sale," and whether or not it was the best obtainable. Mr. Hughes selected this title only after long and profound thought He maintains that only he, knowing the full scope of the novel, can decide upon the title fai advance. The editors had suggested that it might be wise to let the great American public which reads The Red Book Magazine provide a title. But we could not convince Mr. Hughes. He may be right; the editors may be wrong. Juit to learn definitely whether it 1 poaslble to ob tain better title br our plan, we have provided a fund ot 15,100 to be divided among 1.001 people who aend in the beat title for another atory appearing In the Sep tember leeue of The Red Book Magailne. the very one which contalna the first installment ot Mr. Hughes' new novel "Souls for Sale." Thla complete, short-story la now called "Touching Pitch." It la by that famous ahort-story writer, Per ceval Gibbon. We ask you to aubmlt what you conalder a better title than ''Touching Pitch." Send by letter or merely write your title on a poat-card, with your name and addreas at the top. Out of all the titles received we wilt select the beat ONE THOUSAND and for theae we will pay IS each. (Only one title can be submitted by each person.) For the ONE we consider supreme, we will pay $100. In the event the title conaldered supreme has been submitted by more than one the 1100 prise will be paid In each instance. Thus, for Inatance, If four (or more) conteatants abould submit the title which la considered beat of all each one of the successful contestants will receive the full prlie of 1100. Here Is the story of "Touching Pitch" In a nut-shell: Sir John Wotton, on a trip to America, wit nesses an herolo rescue of a child, overboard, by a young passenger whose name he discovers la Skinner. Later in a London restaurant he comes upon a group of dissolute young men who are congratulating one of their number on the herolo rescue he is reported to have made at sea. The young man himself doee not deny the fact, whereupon Sir John Wotton declares to them that the man with them Is not the person who rescued the child. At that Instant Skinner him self appears in the restaurant. He takes Sir John aside, explains that he loves the dissolute young man's 111 sister, who baa no knowledge of her brother's worthlessneas. He haa Imper sonated her brother In a criminal action and haa confeaaed to lies In order that the sick girl's abounding faith In her worthless brother might not be deatroyed. But he losea the girl's love, even after all his sacrifices. That Is the story. Simply think tin what yon con sider a better title than '"Touching Pitch." It Is not a difficult task. We want to prove that thousands of folks have good Ideaa for title. Checks will be mailed October 1st to successful contestant. Names of those who submit the winning titles will he published In the November issue of rue Kea book Maamzine. ThU number will be on sale at aU news stands October 23, No truer nor more intimate revelation of a struggling conscience can be conceived. Nothing else that Rupert Hughes has ever written possesses the soul-searching qualities of this master-story. AU title mast be in oar office by September ZOth, Any received later cannot he considered. 1921. Ad Mag: Addreas your title to Title Editor, The Kd Book ;lne, 86 8. State bu, Chicago. Turns Defeat into Triumph From the first page,' in which Remember's clergyman-father unloosens his wrath against the iniquities of the films, until the end, wherein the films themselves provide the means of his own daughter's remarkable rehabilitation, it is a story that you and two million others will read with deep est interest and concern. It promises to be the most dis cussed novel of the year. The Eternal Question 1 "Souls for Sale" brings out anew the theme of two thousand years' discussion: Can Good Come Out of Evil Can Right Emerge from Wrong? Buy your copy of the Sep tember Red. Book Maga zine NOW, so that you can read the strange beginning of Remember Steddon's astonishing career. The supply is bound to be ex hausted early. i lie;. Kea book Magazine For September Out Today At All News Stands Everywhere 25 Cents Nearly All Farms in Lincoln County Are Bearing Mortgages North Dane, Neb., Aug. 2- (Special.) Over five million dol lars are loaned out in city, farm and chattel mortgages in Lincoln coun ty. This amount is more than dou ble that of 12 years ago. In 1910 there was $947,000 loaned out on farms. $266,000 on town property, and $885,000 in chattel loans. At the present time there is $3, ? 19,000 out on farm loans, $958,000 on town and city loans while the chattel loans amount to $2,000,000. Over 97 per cent of the farms are covered by some form of mortgage. The effect of the war is clearly seen in the amounts loaned. From 1910 the amount dropped till the close of 1917 and then started on a quick up grade. El Paso Youth Is Murdered By Bandits in Mexico Aug. 18 El Paso, Aug. 22. Bennett tfoyd, 18, of El Paso, was ambushed and murdered by bandits in Mexico on August 18, according to messages received in El Paso by his father today. Plan Legion Barbecue North Platte, Neb.; Aug. 22. (Special.) The second annual American Legion barbecue will be held here for all of the Lincoln county members on October 2. Red Cross Treasurer Accused of Larceny Washington. Aug. 22. C W. Sec ond, assistant treasurer of the Ameri can Red Cross, was arrested today . charged with larceny following an au- dit of liisdit of his hooks which !J showed, according to Director Liv . I t i . t , $14,000. The warrant specifically -charged the theft of $800, but Red 1 , Cross officials said this was only om of a number of charRes against him, According to police, Wilson admitted shortage of more than $13,000 and attributed his misfortune to gambling on horse races. Johnson County Farmers Union Plans Big Picnic Tecumseh, Neb., Aug. 22. Th Johnson County Farmers' union will hold its annual picnic in Tecumseh, ' Thrusday. A good program has f been provided. The Tecumseh Mil- . itarv band will furnish the music. L C. J. Osborne, president of the Ne braska Farmers' union, and Charles Watts, manager of the Farmers' Union Live Stock commission, will be the speakers. , A program will be given which will include vocal and instrumental music, readings and stunts bv the Walohoi Camp Fire Girls. There will be two base ball games, automo bile and horse races, track events, free moving pictures and a dance in the evening. Looking Fallward To New Fashions Thompson-Belden presentations show authoritatively the accepted mode of the new season. 1 The charming . simplicity and good taste expressed in each creation re flects the careful manner in which all selections have been made. Plain and Fur Trimmed Tailleurs Afternoon Frocks, Dinner Gowns Evening Dresses, Coats, Wraps Suit Blouses and Skirts A Collection You'll Enjoy Seeing. "The Store of the Town" To the Public: We ask the indul gence of our patrons the next two weeks for any seeming in convenience they may experience here, as we are making a few necessary altera tions and giving the store a general fall housecleaning, inside and out. Yours very truly, Browning King & Go, 15th and Douglas Street HARRY H. ABBOTT, Mgr. Moiven'8. Value-Giving Store 5 Tons of Coal ind Every Room Warm A Winter of Economy A House) Full of Comfort with a , Garland . Pipeless Furnace See Them at BOWEN'S Salesmen Wanted A large distributor and. wholesale floor covering house wants two thoroughly reliable and competent travelers to cover the states of Nebraska, Colorado, Utah and the other Rocky Mountain states. We will only consider sales men who have had experience and a thorough knowledge of general lines of floor cover ings and who have an ac quaintance with the best mer chants in these states. In writing state your expe rience and give your age and references. Address your re ply to Box Y-1648, Omaha Bee Bowen8, Value-Giving Store BLANKETS for the Cool Night GET THEM NOW BOWEN'S Blankets, a Pair, $1.45 and Up V PIANOS TUNED AND REPAIRED A. HOSPE CO. All Work Guaranteed 1513 Douftas St. TsL Doug. 65M s
