Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 26, 1922)
wit-. The Omaha Daily ' Bee VOL 51XO. 2M. i hMM dm m h, el OMAHA, FRIDAY, MAY 26, 1922. m tl hwii ailt 4 I It; .. at W ata M Pel MWIWll rl " MtM. t. pceae '. pt. TWO CENTS 11 .L 7 Y IN' Social Set Listed for Blackmail Ncbtaelan'i Koonu Yield Name, of Prominent Cbicigoans With Rulci for Extortion. Veteran Confesses Plot Chicago, May J5. List, of socially prominent I huagoans marked at future xictims and a set of ruin (or blackmailing, were found by police today in the rooms of Eugene Kry ant. noil of a respected llartingtou ( Neb.) family, after he bad hf n trap red as he tried to collect $750 from Mm. A. H. Shot well, to whom he v rote more than .SH) scurrilous let ters. Police had information that Bryant m respo"ihle for "poison pen" letters received recently by a umber oi women prominent in hicasn society. The following were included in the rules: "Be. sure that the victim has no way to pass information to authori ties while action is taking place. . "Be sure that I have fooled him before pulling the strings. "Immediately afterward ride two elevated trains and three or four sur face lines and backtrack myself ten or twelve times." s Has Confessed, Police Say. Bryant has confessed, the police ' allege, and dubbed himself "Head of the Gold Coast Gang' of Blackmail ers." . Bryant said he was prompted to write the letters under threat of . death from a "nun higher up." whom he met while attending the Academy of Fine Arts. Deluge of 'Threats. The first letter of a deluge of 30 letters and 60 telephone calls, all threatening death, was received by Mrs. A. H. Shotwell. wife of the millionaire confectioner; a year ago. One of the many letters read: "No doubt you have heard of the David Joyce divorce, the McCor mick divorce and the Carr scandal. We are the secret cause of them . "Don't get David Joyce mixed up with Stanley Joyce and Peggy. We had nothinjr to do with Stanley 5 Joyce. You may also remember a wealthy man that was murdered in your neighborhood. Well, he tried to doublecross this gang. See what tie got. Taylor Murder. "See what Taylor got in Holly woodKCal. See what you will get f if you think you are clever. We i I know how to deal with people of j your type. : You are not used to . combating our sort, so if you are wise, follow our directions. The Chicago police have no terrors for us, and we don't worry. "Follow directions as in previous letters and be sure you follow every word. Remember, if one of us is caught, some of your family dies. I see you and speak to you nearly every day. (Catch me. ha. ha.) You are dealing with a gold cost gang of blackmailers that has operated successfully for over 20 years." , "' ' Elevator Operator. - Each of the letters ended with this boast that the writer was "clever enough" to keep his victims in sight every day. Police learned the pris oner had been an elevator operator in the apartment building occupied hv Mrs. Shotwell. ' , . 'The prisoner served with the 131st lnianiry, ura ly-umu uniimi, known as the "Dandy First,"' over seas and was wounded and gassed. He said he came to Chicago to study art after being discharged from the army. ' Shell Shock Is Cause, . ; His Friends Believe , Hartington, Neb., May 25. (Spe cial.) No criminal motive prompted JL n Eugene Bryant, under arrest in Chi .Vitjo on blackmail charges, to send the "poison pen" letters to members , of Chicago s inner social circle, ac cording to friends who believe the action of poison gas, ' wounds and shell shock from heavy firing in the world-war produced .an abnormal imentafitv in the vounr man. Young Bryant was born here. His father, Wilbur F. Bryant, now coun ty judge, has practiced law and " served in public office for many vears. He served as county attorney a number of years and relentlessly .prosecuted criminals despite numer ous threats, one of which culminated in his being fired upon. The' son attended public schools in Hartincton and Lincoln, Four days after the declaration of war, he en listed , here and served - overseas, where, he was gassed, wounded and shell shocked, both by shells and an rvnlntinn. He was in serious condi tion when he returned to the United States. - He has not visited here since his return to America. His artistic abili ty led to his entrance in the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts for study. States Urged to Develop : Chain of Public Parks , Bear Mountain, N. Y May 25. With the city parks growing annually . more and more congested and the national parks still comparatively in accessible, delegates to the second Aational conference on state parks fj..4il thsr tti various Ktat de velop recreational areas which would serve as a link between the two. J. Horace McFarland, president of the American Civic association, de fines a state park one which con tains one acre for each 1,000 persons in the population of the state. As a step toward the developement of a - chain of state parks, roadside camp : ing reservations, maintained by the .atate for automobiiists, was urged. E. E. Stauffer Quits Fremont School Post 0 Head of Midland College Resigns; Kruegcr Named Disagreement Over Duties of Office Given as Reason New President Goes to Germany. Fremont, Nob., May 21. (Spe cial.) Dr. E. E. Stauffer sprung a surprise on the board of trustees of Midland college at its session here by presenting his resignation as pres ident of the college, to take effect not later than August 1. Dr. J. F. Kruegcr. professor of practical theol ogy since 1911. has been elected president, according to an announce ment made by the hoard j trustees. Dr. Kruegcr sailed yesterday from New York for Europe, where he ex pects to remain until next October, in research work at universities and colleges of Germany. The cause of Dr. Stauffer's resig nation is a difference of opinion be tween him and the board as to the duties attached to his position.. This refers particularly to the constant work of the president in soliciting funds for the support of the school. It is the opinion of the college board that the president should devote most of his time in the field raising money, while Dr. Stauffer's view is that the duties of the president ,are more in the line of administrative work, giving 'the major portion of his time to the management of the school. . , - C. B. Harman, Grand Island, was elected president of the b-jard of trustees; H. C. Luckey. Lincoln, vice president; 1 C. H. Christensen, Fremont, secretary; Henry C. Dahl, Fremont, treasurer. Farmers Protest Paying Warrants Chasge Half Million Dollars Was Expended Unlawfully Omaha Firm Did Work. Leigh, Neb., May 25. (Special Telegram.) Suit was started in the district court of Stanton county to restrain the county treasurer from paying $455,939.34 in bridge warrants held by the t.andard Bridge com pany of Omaha. The suit was filed by Nick Poaussen and Edward Pe terson farmers. . : : ' The suit is the outcome of a meet ing of farmers in Stanton to protest high taxes. While no direct charges were made at the meeting, it was de cided to employ an auditor to inves tigate the county books. Following the audit the suit was filed. The auditor, in his report, stated that the levy for bridge work was 1 mill more than the limit prescribed by law. The suit was based on the excessive tax. , ' The Standard Bridge company is owned by Robert Z. Drake. Mr. Drake could not be located last night. Fines Own Grandson Falls City, Neb., May 25. (Special Telegram.) Police Judge J. D. Spragins had to pass judgment on his own grandson today when the youth was arrested on the charge of "fight ing. Both belligerants were given equal fines. ; Congressman Holds Life Cheaply Aviator Representative Accepts Airman's Chal lenge to High Flight With Brakes Off "No body'll Care if I'm Killed," He Says. . V - Washington, May 25. Willing to take a chance with death to prove himself the only real aerial daredevil of congress Representative Manuel Herrick, republican, 1 Oklahoma, ac cepted an aviator's challenge today to join hhn in a high flight with the brakes off. Herbert J. Fahy, the flyer, had promised the Oklahoman that he would lose more than a necktie if he agreed to go up. "You will at your earliest con venience go with me to the War de partment," Mr. Herrick w,rote, ."and make the request for A plane and 3 will back up the request as a con gressman, personally." The Oklahoma house member said he would make no request him self because he "was sore at the de partment for issuing an order that I must not do any more stunt flying over the capitol for fear I might fall" , - "If you really have any sand in Wallaceand Preside U Sfcrreta. ill Rrpign if Hard ing Send Plan for Reor ganization to Congress, Friend Say. Farmers Fight Changes By GRAFTON WILCOX. Omaha I We l,aetl Wlrv, Washington. May 23. If 1 'resi dent Harding accepts and sends to congros recommendations of the government reorganization commi ion plant for transferring the bureau of roads and the bureau of forcsty to the Department of the Interior and the bureau of market to the De partment of C ommerce, Secretary of Agriculture Henry C. Wallace, his associates declare, will resign from the cabinet in protest, , Otlicials of the agricultural and farm organizations, who are mobil izing here to tight the recommend ations, declared to be incorporated in the reorganization report, now in the hands of the president, asserted today that they have asuriKe from Secretary Wallace's closest friends that he will not wait for congress to act on the proposals to cut up the Department of Agriculture, but will submit his resignation as an emphatic demonstration of his opposition to the plan and as part of the organ ized effort to induce congress not to permit the transfers. Prottrts to President. Secretary Wallace has made no public statement regarding the re commendations, but he is known to have protested vigorously to the president against the transfer of the roads, foresty and markets bureaus to other departments, but has not been summoned by the president as yet as a final conference on this phase OI me reorganization cuimumcc report. President Harding is understood to hf in favor of the transfers. Today Samuel Adams of Virginia, presi dent of the Agricultural Editors' as sociation' and editor of the Ameri can Fruit Grower, called at the White House, seeking an audience with the president to protest against the proposed changes in the De partment of Agriculture on behalf of the Agricultural Editors' asso ciation. He did not see the presi dent, but conferred with Secretary Christian, who told him to submit his protests in writing and that they would be called to the president's attention. . ' Editors Protest Changes. "The Agricultural"" Eiif&n' ciation," said Mr. Adam ton a recent mec,tmg .in v''iigo resolutions protesti"'ei, nlatt in cut tVlf Dfrl NtW culture to nieces an'fis'ht a iihmit the orotest '".natl Side1 Hardincr. I have been in vashing ton several days looking into the situation. I have talked to the Usirlc rt Vm aarii'iiltnral hureaus and to Secretary Wallace himself, and there is a general nnpression inii the administration is favorably in clined to the recommendations of the reorganization commission. Heads of al the farm organizations are co-operating in the effort to pre vent such a consummation. "I have also talked with John T. Adams, chairman of the republican national committee. I tojd him that it such a program should be sub mitted to congress by the administra tion, to say nothing of the possi bility of its enactment, there would be quite a .number of scats in con gress change political complexion. Mr. Adams said he would have the matter looked into. , .-, Resignation Only Course. ; "It is the opinion of our associa tion and we so stated in our resolu-. tion, that if the protest against this change is unheeded that the secretary of agriculture should resign." '1 Mr. Adams was asked if he knew of Secretary Wallace's intentions in the premises. He said he thought he did, but that he had no right or au thority to discuss them. ' From other sources it has been learned that Sec retary Wallace Would , have no al ternative b.ut resignation if the presir dent should, send the plan to con gress as it would be forwarded in the face of his unyielding opposi tion. 1 - ... :v - ; Pupils Give May Fete Oshkosh; Neb., May 25. (Special) More tljai 100 grade school chil dren took part in the May fete on the school grounds- This' event con cluded the entertainments : by ' the grade schools for the year. your craw to make good the chal lenge," Mr. Herrick added, , "why you just mosey around to my office and w'e will go to the War depart ment together." . ' Dropping Jnto his,-wn home made poetryv Herrick ave this: , "If when we fly away on high "We both should fall to ground and die, "Theji any one who wants to cry "Must rub an onion, in his eye." Advising his challenger further to take out some life insurance, Her rick said he had none-, adding: -"Personally I don't have to. as I am not leaving any dependents be hind. For I have neither father nor mother, sister jior brother, uncle or aunt, nephew of niece nor cousin even in the 43d degree. Life to me is not. sweet and I don't care two whoops in Gehenna il you go up a coupie oi miles and stand her on her nose, and let her hit' 1 -Lrlf .3 r Omaha Trade Excursion Reaches Elkhorn Valley Koyal Welcome Extended in Rich Farming and Live stock liaising District Freight Reduction Is Disappointment to Many Some Help Expected. By PAUL CRELR Wlf ( arrrMaal ml Ik Omaha M. O'Neill, Neb. May 25 -(Special Telegram. The rich valley of the I'lMioru welcomed the Oma Tilde excursion today. It wit ti.e sort of greeting that W'U better i elation between the metropolis and tlu country back of it. Out of thit hpirit of friendship and erviic come more butinrM for Omaha and more employment, too Although no (al lined calf a killed, a great many were in evidence, 'I ililctt it famous the tuiun over for its purebred slock. At Ewinu the community staged a Hereford khow in the tock pens near the spe cial train. Cowboys met the tender tret with a fusillade from their six 'hooters and cheered as (Jorge W. Fggert, one ot the Omaha busi ness men, mounted a pony and gal loped with them. Neligh nerved punch. At Pierce the boys were made up in black face and paraded with the visitors. The only jarring note tiiere was directed at the bankers. Pierce is the mainspring of the movement of country bankers to deduct fee for handling checks. Winner It Popular. With all this hospitality, it is only fair to say that the reception last night in Winner, where Mrs. Swett and her Woman's club entertained, was the best 'of the trip. O'Neill, tonight's stop, staged a prize fight. In spite of the cattle shortage, the outlook is considered favorable. At Ewing, Spitler Bros., who sell im plements, automobiles and acces sories, report having done more busi ness last month than in the whole Waterbury Bank Robbed of $.1500 Contents of 75 Safety Deposit j Boxes, Value Unknown, - Taken Burglars Escape. Waterbury. Neb.. May 25. The Waterbury State bank was robbed about 3 this morning. The robbers escaped with about $3,500 in cash and the contents of a large number of safety deposit boxes, the . value of) which is unknown. The robbers used explosives to ,cct an entrance to the steel safe fch contained the cash. , heavy stockholders in Oilman ot bioux Smith is cashier, tablished in 1901. liles west of Sioux rges of ' nitroglycerine were exploded by the cracksmen in' opening the sate in which the cash was kept and 75 safety deposit boxes contained in the vault which were also rifled. . ' - ' Entrance to the "vault was gained by cutting through the steel plate around the lock with an acetylene torch. The skill with which the task was accomplished is taken as proof that it was the work of professional criminals.; ' -.. v. ), After cutting telephone and tele graph wire connections, the bandits, thought to have numbered five or six:, are said to have sped out of town in an automobile toward Sioux City. .. - "The bank's loss is completely covered' by insurance," said Cashier V. G. Smith. - Three Solcliers Killed When Shell Hits Tree Fayettevillc, N. C, May 25. Three enlisted men were killed and, three men and one officer were wounded today when a projectile struck a tree and exploded prematurely during target practice on the Camp Bragg range. Capt. M. A. Dawson of Bat tery E, Fifth field artillery, was the officer woundedy All the victims were members of Battery B, Fifth field artillery. The men - killed and injured are said to have been members of a bat tery engaged in target practice. It is reported that a shell from a rear gun struck a tree, deflected and ex ploded in the midst of the crew of another gun. The enlisted men are said to have been seriously injured while the officer is reported to not be so badly hurt. Five Men Killed Fighting . Blaze in Mexican Town Nogales, Ariz., May 25. Five men were, killed early today in a fire which destroyed about a doaen build ings at Cananea, Sonora, Mexico, about 60 miles south of Douglas, Ariz., it was stated in advices re ceived here. The live, including Donald Mar shall, chief electrician for the Cana nea Consolidated Copper company, and four Mexicans were crushed to death when a wall of the Lyric thea ter collapsed while they were fight ing the flames." Two other men were injured. The blaze caused damage es timated at $250,000. Nebraska Prohibitionists Will Have Party in Field Lincoln, May 25. The Nebraska prohibition party will have a state ticket this year, according to . an nouncement -by A. J. Murray, state chairman?. , This means that the party will se lect dry men on either ticket if they are nominated, and if they are not nominated, candidates will be draft ed by petition, Murray says. The executive committee of the pro hibition party met here today. ot lat year, In dry weathfr, which tvat broken by la.t week's ram. pa tui titer mitigated by showers thi afternoon. A short stop was made at Inman, (annus for having the biggot hay shipper in the coun try. Fanner along the route express disappointment that their products were not given a further reduction hi freight rates vi connection with the cut kilirduM for July I on all other commodiiir. Many of the huinc men on the trip rxprex a simitar view, although they believe that the saving in freight on lumber, coal, cement and all the other goods bought by farmers will benefit the whole country and stimulate busi ness. Will Make Saving. The saving of freight costs for lumber shipped to Nebraska from the Pacific coast is computed at from $1.75 to $.' per I.tHKl feet. This it within 4 cent of the prewar rate. Some dealers believe, however, that ovi,ng to the heavy building demand, the reduction will be absorbed by the coast mills and not reach the con sumer. Wyoming coal shipped to Norfolk will receive a 52-ccnt cut in freight charges. Cement shipments will cost 8 cents less per barrel. The rate on binding twine will fall about 10 cents per 100 pounds, which, if it were passed on would save the aver age farmer 25 cents. Today's trip began at Creighton, where dairying has had a great boom. The Farmers' Co-operative creamery there is doubling its ca pacity. Friday's excursion will take in 18 towns on the Chicago & Northwest ern from Crofton to Norfolk. Doctor Denies Charge of Girl Physician Declares Statement of Young Woman Who Shot Daughter False. Pueblo, Colo., May 25. Dr. J. F. Baca of this city, whose actions were deglared by Miss Josephine Liberto, 21, to have been the cause Qf her shootbg his daughter. Counsello Baca, 16, student in Loretta academy here yesterday, last night denied Miss Libertos charges. ""There is not .1 'word of truth in that girl's statement," declared Dr. Baca unen his arrwal here tonight from Raton, N. M., where he was when the shooting occurred. After her arrest following the shooting yesterday Miss Liberto asked the police to send the follow ing message to Dr. Baca: "I have hurt you as you hurt me. Josie." ... ' The doctor's wife is said bv the police to have visited Miss Liberto this morning and to have told her of an alleged letter from the doctor, in which he was reported to. have said that the Liberto girl had brokeji up his home. Dr. Baca tonight de nied having wiitten any such let ter. - Mrs. Baca, poiice sav. demanded that the Libetto girl cease her al leged attentions to the doctor, where upon Miss Liberto became angry, secured a revolver and went to the academy Where she asked to see the doctor's daughter, Counsello. The principal of the school left the two girls alone in the reception i-join and a few moments later a shot was heard. , i Physicians last night said . Miss Baca probably would recover., , Lincoln Insurance Company Sold to Rival Concern Lincoln, May 25. The Federal In surance company of . Lincoln has taken over health and accident risks in force' against the Union "Life and Accident Insurance company, also of Lincoln, for a , consideration of $65,809, it was, announced by the state insurance bureau. The life in surance liabilities of the Union Life were turned over to the State Life of Des Moines, la., some time ago. The contract between the Federal and the Union, approved by the bu reau, operates from May 24. It al lots 50 per cent of the unearned pre miums on all outstanding policies to the Federal 'company, which made a 40 per cent assessment on its stock .in order to negotiate the deal. Nomination Confirmed Washington, May 25. The senate confirmed last night the nomination of Arthur H. Geisler of Oklahoma City to be minister to Guatemala. BEE "Want" Ais Are Interesting Every day people advertise for sale in Bee "Want" Ads houses, lots, farms, apartment buildings, automobiles, cloth ing, dog and cats, furniture and scores of other items of human need. You can rent a room ar a room ing home, air a French maid or a farm laborer, aad do it with economical promplnesa by lMing sBee "Want" Ads Always Busy j AT Untie 1000 The Omiha Bee D p n i; j C f n v, M v Prosecute War Frauds Nebraska Rrprrirntatht Will Resign Seat in Congroi to Aid Attorney Gen eral Dauplirrty. Salary $10,000 a Year llmaae) Reo l-eoard Out, Washington, May 25. With the bombardment of Attorney Duuhrr. ty continuing in congress toJay with unabated intensity, the attorney gen eral Issued an a',itounccm:l of hit decision to take personal charge of the prosecution of war fiajj rases instead of employing a strcial as sistant attorney general to d red this work. 'The attorney general further an nounced that Representative Frank Reavis, Nebraska, who is in t a can didate for re-election, would resign his seat in congress, to assist him in the prosecution of these cases. He a'so announced the appointment of Col. Henry W. Anderson, Rich mond (Va.) lawyer, as second special assistant. These two will c:-operate with former Representative Koscoe McCullorh (Ohio), and assistant At torney General Guy D. Goff. under personal direction of Mr. Daugherty in the war fraud prosecutions, pres entation of cases to begin before a special grand inry in Washington next week.- Salaries will be $10,000 a jear each. ' Four-cornered Attack. Today's attack on the attorney 1 general was a four-cornered one. of which the outstanding features were: Charges by Senator Watson, Georgia, democrat, that Mr. Daugh-. crty, through Thomas F. Fclder, permitted the smuggling of liquor into the United States on a large scale and ordered the release of per sons and cargoes seized by "dry" enforcement officers. Assertion by Samuel Untermyer of New York, in a letter to Senator l a Follctte, Wisconsin, that J. P. Morgan & Co. have such influence v ith the Department of Justice that they have been able to block' all prosecution of the General Electric company for violation of the anti trust law.. Complete blockade of the house recess program by Representative Woodruff, Michigan, in an effort to force action on the resolution pro viding for a sweeping investigation of Mr. Daugherty s alleged lailure to proceed with the prosecution of the war fraud eases. Impeachment Hinted. Intimation by Senator La Fol- lette that impeachment proceedings against Mr. Daugherty will be in or der if he fails to take steps to pre vent the , prospective merger of various big steel corporations. Senator Watson led off the attack- by bringvig up again the part played by Daugherty and Fclder in securing the release of Charles W. Morse from the Atlanta penitentiary during the Taft administration. The whole thing, Senator Watson said, referring tp the Morse case, was "a fake, a sham, a makeup, a pretense," Mr. Untermyer, as counsel for the Lockwood investigation committee in New York, wrote Senator La Fol lette that he wished to have placed promptly before congress, certain facts relating to the General Electric company. ; He declared that the Gen eral Electric company had a virtual monopoly on electric light bulbs and that their profits were about 100 per cent. He had made repeated but un successful attempts to induce the at torney general to order proceedings against the company for violation of the antitrust law, he said. " "To be brutally frank about the businss," said Mr. Untermyer, "I am satisfied that the overshadowing power of J. P. Morgan & Co.. who are the financial managers of' this company and -ho really control its destiny and qne. of whose members is a director Mil the company, will make it impossible ever to secure any sort of effective relief through the Department of Justice." Raps Daughterty. Senator La Fbllette took occasion to rap the' attorney general for his apparent reluctance to take steps to block the big steel merger. . Asked if he meant .to imply im peachment proceedings, Senator La Follette said: "You can draw any inference you please." "'.... . '" Representative Mondcll, Wyoming, tepublican leader in the house, arose and asked unanimous consent for a recess extending over three days, next week. Many member wanted to go home over Deco.ratio'i day, he explained. "What about the socailcd Johnson-Woodruff resolution.1"' inquired Representative Woodrpff, referring to the resolution for investigation of the attorney general's failure to prose cute war frauds. 'Has the gentleman any information on that subject?" "I have no information," replied Representative Mondell. ' ' "Then 1 object to the recess," said Woodruff. One objection being suf ficient, the reGess program had to be abandoned. . , . . . " h Kichardson Lounty Wins ' Prize for Good Highways Falls City, Neb., May 25. (Special Telegram.) County Engineer J. F. Relf has received official notification from the Good Roads association of Kansas City that the King of Trails highway through Richardson county tied with the Victory highway across Shawnee county. Kansas, for first place in the contest for the best main tained highway across any country within a radius of 100 miles from greater Kansas City. The prize of $150 will be distributed to the pa trolmen of the highway in this coun- 'Sentenced to 20 Years in prison by Frcnch Court evrlef R.Cri.', Tax Exempt Bonds Baneful to Fanner, Bankers Are Told Daii and Aldrich Warn of Prosperity Handicap in j Addresses at Group Meeting in Lincoln. Lincoln, May 25 (Special Tele gram.) Municipal tax exempt se curities were branded as one of the worst taxation enemies of the Ne braska farmers by two speakers at the annual meeting of Group 1 of the Nebraska Bankers' association here. Attorney General Clarence A. Da vis was the first speaker to declare that. "With taxes high, people with money to invest were turning to tax exempt federal and municipal bonds as safe investments and are thus forcing a decrease in capital invest ments in agriculture, the bulwark of Nebraska." The attorney general's statement was substantiated by C. S. Aldrich of Elmwood, president of Group 1, who declared that taxes were one of the bugaboos to prosperity in t Ne braska and that political agitation to cease buildinif of federal aid roads was not a solution but' an accentua tion of hard times. "The' greatest trouble to agricul ture, which, when prosperity spells prosperity in Nebraska, is taxes, Aldrich asserted.' ' ? "We must have education, wemirst have government and we must pay for both.. But why should the farmer and the owner of visible property pay for these two costly essentials of government. "Millions and millions of dollars of tax free securities are being hoard ed by the wealthy with money to in vest, and just that much is taken from the pockets of the farmers and the furthering of agricultural inter ests.. . ; , ; "Gentlemen, there is too much property exempt from taxation- in Nebraska. The Smith, mortgage law should be repealed, there should be an end to tax-free municipal invest (Turn to Pace Two, Colntnn Three.) Hill and Maxwell Found Not Guilty Men Accused in Silver Creek Murder Freed by Jury ' at Albion. Albion. Neb., May 25. (Spe cial Telegram.) Ed Hill and John Maxwell were found not guilty in. district court here . tonight of the murder ot Bolen C. Looley at Silver Creek last October. .The jury was out' five hours. There were demon strations by both sides when the ver dict was read and" court bailiffs had difficulty in quieting the crowds. Cooley was called to the doorway of his home one night last October and shot to death by two .men, ac- ' Sentiment ran high and it was de cided that a 'change of venue, was necessary in order to insure a fair trial of the case. State Probe of Spencer ' Murder Is Completed Lincoln May 25. Hans Nielsen, finger-print expert in the office of Gus Hyers, state sheriff, returned to Lincoln today after several days' in vestigation in connection with the death of Frank Paul, Spencer auto- mobile dealer, but refused to make any statement pending a conference Friday between J. A. Davies, attor ney of Boyd county, and Attorney General Davis. Mr. Davies is assist ing the county attorney in the case. "I expect to have a talk with Wal ter S.immons (held on a murder charge and now in the penitentiary for safe keeping) some time today. Mr. 'Nielsen said. "After the confer ence of attorneys, I will announce the results of my investigation' and conference with Simmons. The Weather Forecast. Friday fair and somewhat warmer. Hourly .Temperatures: ( a. m.. .! i ..M a. m. ? a. m. 8 a. oi . a. m. 1 a. m. 11 a. m. ..t .. ..St ..t . .S3 ..as t p. m. t p. m. 4 p. m. A p. n. p. ai. 7 p. m. p. a. ..If . .S ,.M ..7 ..?S ..SO ..no ..M IS Highest Thursday. Cheyenn Davenport . . Denver Dee Moln . Dodre CHy . North Plette Pueblo Repld my . cell Lk 8nnte Fo . gheridan . under .., If . (A A sijK' T f S i . Jr . 3 Sentence of 20 Years GivenGrane Former V. i. Ambaadnr lo China I'mler 20 Year Sen teiice for Alleged Sedi tion in Syria. U. S. Not W of Verdict Tari,, May 2S..-(By A. J-Char1ei R. Crane, who is repotted to havt bren condemned by a French null tary court to JO years' imprisonment, is now stopping at a Paris hotel. When lie was asked this a f lei noon about his condemnation, he refused to say anything in regard to the Syrian situation, adding that he was making an effort to do something re- . gardiug it. Mr. Crane has not been under ar rest or surveillance. Mr. Crane said he would not be irady to speak until he reached New York, as he "intends working along the same lines in London. From a traveling companion of Mr. Crane it was learned that he wai seeing members of the French cham ber and senate regarding the Svrian situation. Hearing by Default Chicago, May 25. Sentence of 20 ' vears in orison on a cnarge ot in citing recent disturbances in trench mandate territory in Syria has been meted out to. Charles R. Crane of Chicago by a Vrench military court in Damascus, according to a copy righted dispatch from Cairo, Egypt, published today in the Chicago Daily News. Mr. Crane ws the American am bassador to China during the latter years of the Wilson administration. J hese reports, according to tne Daily News dispatch, say the mili tary court passed the sentence "after a hearing by default (that is, in the absence of the accused.)" U. S. Notified. "A notice in the newspapers," the dispatch continued, quoting the of ficial communique, "adds that the American government has been noti fied of the verdict." . "According to the newspapers the court held that Mr. Crane was equally responsible with numerous Syrians who are serving terms' in prison on account of the outbreak. "Reports from Syria are that po litical prisoners are obliged to sleep on the jail floor and to subsist on dry bread and olives. State of Collapse. ' "Miss TwisiecJT Rahwandji, 15, was recently arrested in Damascus kaianoa la Ht4 a m iMtnil tf M ine T ft aid Aabed. a Moslem teacher in volved in the disturbances. Miss " Aabed was one of the women se lected by Mr. Crane to receive edu cational benefit in the United States. His check for $1,000 to defray her traveling expenses prompted the charge that the American govern- -ment was subsidizing the Syrian malcontents: "After they had put her through the 'third degree' in a vain effort to force the child to give informa tion they sought, they locked her up for two hours in an empty tomb. She was then taken back to prison in a state of collapse." , Q . , French Have Inquired as to Crane's Status Washington, May ?5. Inquiry has' been made by the French govern- - ment of the American State depart ment as to the status of Charles R. Crane, who for the past six months ; has been conducting an inquiry intc conditions in the near-east. The State department, it was learned tov day, has replied that Mr. Crane war acting entirely on his own initiative, -and authority and was without any t government commission. Mr. Crane, after a trip across Si beria , into soviet Russia last year, and after a short visit to the United States, left for southern Europe, it being stated that he intended visit ing Albania and Anatolia, which was just being evacuated by the Italian and French troops who had been in occupation since the close of the world .war, , ; Recently Mr. - Crane . was heard fr'ln in Syria, where he was said ?5 be making an inquiry into con ditions of the Arabian" and the Turkish population. The attention of the French government was soon at. traded to Mr. Crane's activities. Al- . though French officials expressed the belief that it could not be said that ' he was 'inciting the natives to a re- sistance against the French military forces occupying Syria under the terms of the treaty of Sevres, they, regard his presence as highly unde sirable; The natives, with . exalted ideals of American institutions, were . said to have been encouraged by Mr. Crane's presence among them to re sist the application of the French mandate over the country and to de mand their absolute independence. Falls City Legion Po6t Is Cited by National Commander Falls City, Neb., May 25. (Special Telegram.) A citation showing that Falls City went over the top during . the recent "Hire a Hero" campaign sent from National Legion headquar ters was received by the local legion post. It was countersigned by Na tional Commander Hanford- MacNi der. . McCook Lodge of Elk9 Initiates Large Class McCook. Neb.. May 25. (Special Telegram.) McCook lodge 1434, B. P. O. E.. initiated a class of about 100, making the membership of this new lodge of Elks now almost 350. District Deputy Grand Exalted Ruler Cliff Crooks of Fairbury installed the officers. -ay . J u -r-1 - j- ' ,