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About The Athena press. (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1919)
1 I I Advertising The cAthena Press circulates in the homes of readers who reside in the heart of the Great Umatilla Wheat Belt, and they have money to spend v 9m Notice! If this notice is marked RED, it sig nifies that your Subscription expires with this issue. We will greatly ap preciate your renewal $2.00 per year Entered at the Post Office at Athena, Oregon, as Second-Class Mail Matter VOLUME XL. ATHENA. UMATILLA COUNTY. OREGON. FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 28, 1919. NUMBER 9 FRANK C, AYRES A Frank C. Ayres, a farm hand who has been in the employ of David Stone for the past three years, committed suicide at the Stone place west of Athena, Tuesday. The body was found by Mr. Stone, banging by a strap ex tending from the ceiling of the drive way in the barn. The body was found about one o'clock p. m., when Mr. Stone went to sum mon the man to dinner, having last seen him alive between 10 and 11 o' clock in the forenoon. The authorities were at once noti fied, the coroner coming from Pendle ton. The body was brought to Miller's undertaking establishment Tuesday evening. Ayres, who was about 50 years of age, probably committed the act while despondent. He left a note to Mr. Stone, and also letters to Peter Inman and Postmaster Richardson, of Adams, the note to Mr. Stone, the wording of which is badly misspelled and dis connected, read: "D. T. Stone: I thank you for the many favors you gave me. I have been losing my mind for the last two months, I never sleep, and the last ten days the top of my head feels as if it was on fire. I think the beet thing for me is to end it in 8 feet of ground. "Kindly turn over all the books to Rattlesnake Pete, at Adams. "Ayres." "I know that I am not much use to myself or any one else." Indications showed that the man had deliberately set about the task of end ing his life. Climbing to the hayloft, he had removed his hat and coat. He then tied a strap around a joist that ran through the center of the double doot leading up to the loft, and slipped down throughjthe open hatchway. The strap used was the butt end of a four horse line, with a ring at one end. A loop was made bv passing the end of the strap through the ring. After placing this loop around his neck, the man dropped several feet, without touching the floor of the driveway. It is known that Ayres had a half brother and sister, but it is said that he destroyed all evidence as to the whereabouts of his relatives. He was a man of slight build, sandy complex ion, and will be remembered as always wearing leggins when in town. He first came to this part of the county selling Couch's patent medicines. Funeral services were conducted Wednesday, at 2:30, by Rev: Burton, interment being in the Athena cemetery. RESUME OF WORK OF OREGON LEGISLATURE Solons Obliged to Hold Over to Finish Large Amount of Business. His Inspiration Big Bond Bill Sent to Governor- ate Slaughters Salary Bills Loca Initiative and Referendum Bi Passed Lieutenant-Governor Ijjav: ed Military Training Compulsory Provide Tax for Farmer Roada Threshers Regulated. BILL PUNISHES DECEIT IN HIRING FARM HELP Laws to punish employers who knowingly misrepresent living, work ing or wage conditions to prospective laborers, and laborers who accept ad vance pay and then refuse to render the service, are sought by the office of the federal and farm help specialist J. W. Brewer of O. A. C. A bill for this purpose has been in troduced into the Oregon Legislature at the request of the employment office. It provides a penally for accepting an advance of wages, transportation or or money valueB and then refusing to perform the labor or refund the ad vance. A penalty is likewise provided against employers for misrepresenting, knowingly and with irtent tu deceive. Wages to be paid, work to be done, and conditions under which it is to be per formed. "Last season a good many employes accepted an advance of railway fare and then failed to report," says Mr. Brewer. "Then, too, some employers grossly misrepresented wages and char acter of work, with the result that laborers lost their time and , ation expenses. n Kfi?p flP'Gun Club J5S?i usual interest is being . n.'the success of the Athena ' Club, by its members. A new Lr been purchased and was in use ;ne first time Sunday afternoon. The trap has been installed on new grounds and permanent equipment has been installed. The grounds are locat ed near the Northern Pacific railway, just north of the Standard Oil service station. The place is easy of access .and affords ample room for shooting purposes. The club has a membership ofj26, and is organized for the purpose of promoting sportsmanship and the protection of game and fish. Thomas Bradcn Dead. Thomas Braden, a former resident of the reservation, dipt at Toppenish, Wash., last Friday, of heart trouble. Mr Braden leaves one daughter, Mrs Orvil OIney, and two bods, Roy and Ralph Braden, who have recently been discharged from the Army. Mr. Bra den had resided near Toppenish for the past three yean. Salem. The legislature was unable to complete its work within the 40 days legally allowed for a session which expired at midnight February 21, and found It necessary to hold ovei this week to clear up the large amoun of unfinished business. The member will receive no pay for sessions hel after the 40 day period expired. The senate cleared its desks an could have finished In the allotted time, but the mass of unfinished bus! rut which clogged the wheels in the house rendered it necessary to extend the session. While there was a large amount of unfinished business to receive atten tlon when sessions were resumed Mon day morning, most of It was of minor importance, about the only matter of general interest to the state at large being reconstruction legislation. The . biggest piece of constructive legislation of the session, the $10,000,- 000 road bonding bill, finally ran the gauntlet in both houses and passed up to the governor to become a law. Inasmuch as It carried an emergency clause, when the signature of the governor was attached the vast fund created to carry out Oregon's progressive road building program could immediately be made available Provisions of $10,000,000 Bond Bill. Briefly, the ?10,000,000 bond bill provides that $7,500,000 of this sum shall be used for completion of the Pacific highway from the California line to Portland and the Columbia river highway from Astoria to The Dalles, these roads to be hard-sur faced. The remainder, $2,500,000, Is to be usod tor the improvement of other roads:' The principal and Interest of the bonds are to be met by automobile licenses. All bids are to be let In open competition and county courtB or county commissioners can bid on work in their counties. If desired the commission can build by force account. The bond bill provides for issuance of $10,000,000 In bonds in denomina tions such as the commission may de termine, and to be sold during the next five years. Road Funds Made Elastic. It provides for making more elastic the various funds under control of the highway department and to Include in the state highway fund the various funds heretofore provided by law. The highway commission Is directed to carry out the road programme enacted by the people in 1917, being empow ered to make such local changes in roads as it deems expedient. Iu event royalties are claimed for patented pavements, the commission may pay such royalties directly to the ratButee and deal independently with contractors who in that event shall bid only on the construction of the road, without Including the cost of any royalties that may be claimed. Salary Increases Killed in Senate. The senate upon recommendation of the ways and means committee mer cilessly slaughtered bills designed to increase salaries of state officials. While the slaughter was in progress a storm of protest came from senators who saw their pet salary bills killed. The debate at times was bitter and sprinkled with personalities, but the only instance jfi which the senators did not sustain tli . recommendation of the committee was in connection with the bill to increase the salaries of supreme court justices to from $4500 to $5250 a year. The only other salary bill to receive favorable consideration was a house bill by Mrs. Thompson, increasing the salary of the state dairy and food commissioner from $2000 to $3600 a year. House Disapproves Death Penalty. The house killed senate joint resolu tion No. 21, the capital punishment bill, without debate. The bill, requiring actual competi tion in bidding for public work, over which the senate wrangled Cor a day and a hair, was disposed or ny indefin ite postponement in the house. Senator Nlekelsen's bill granting to the people, -.of various counties of the siaie me- initiative ana referendum powers on questions of local applica tion, was passed without opposition. Under the provisions of this measure salaries of county officials, the crea tion of new county offices, questions of bounty, grazing and other problems of strictly local application, which are now dragged through thn legislative machinery, will hereafter be deter mined 17 the people of the counties affected. Practically one-third of the legisla tion handled by the present session has been of this character. House Favors a Lieutenant-Governor. Oyer bitter but ineffective opposi tion, the house passed joint resolution 31, by the committee on resolutions, providing that the people shall vote on a constitutional amendment to cre ate the office of lieutenant-governor. Under the measure, the lieutenant- governor will be the presiding officer of the senate. In case of the death or absence of the governor, the lieuten ant governor will become chief execu tive of the state. The lieutenant-gov ernor will receive $10 per day while actually engaged in the duties of his office. The measure is patterned af ter the Washington system. Military Training Bill Passed. Universal military training in the high schools and colleges of Oregon Is made compulsory under the terms of a bill by Senator Hurley of Malheur county, which passed the senate. The bill specifies that military train ing shall be adopted in the high schools of the state at the opening of the new school year next fall. Ex emptions to individual pupils who are physically unfitted for the work may be granted and certain high schools which might not be able to carry on the work properly also can be ex empted. Each male pupil must have at least three hours' training each week. Farmers' Road Bill Passed by Senate. To enable the construction of strict ly farmer roads, the senate passed a bill which provides for a tax of 1 mill on all the taxable property in Oregon, a total of about $1,000,000. There would be available $2,000,000 a year for the construction of exclu sively farmer roads, providing that the people, to whom the measure Is referred, favor it at the next election. This is the sort of measure that the Oregon state grange has been advo cating. It Is estimated by the tax depart ment that the 1 mill will raise $1,000,- 000 a year. This tax, It must be dis tinctly understood, Is separate from the W-mill tax for general road pur poses. The 1-mlU tax will go into a fund to be used for matching money from the coanties. . Label nil Is Passed by House. The Martin label bi, designed to advertise Oregon and give the state full credit for Its products, was passed by the house. The measure provides: Section 1. All persons, firms or corporations operating under their own private brand in the state of Ore gon' m the" busffiSss of packing or can ning fruit or vegetables either fresh, canned, evaporated or otherwise, shall plainly designate on such private brand that goods were Oregon grown or packed in Oregon. For the pur poses of this act it will be sufficient for the firms whose headquarters are in Oregon to either designate the local address of the cannery or to designate the location of their main office in the state of Oregon. ' County Judges to Keep Their. Power. The house by an overwhelming vote refused to gtatto the county JudgeB of the state of Tsusir jurisdiction over probate work afljLother matters of law as provided tnbill fathered by Representatives Dennls'nd Hare. Ac cording to this bill thelfceunty judge would have been made simply a mem ber of the board of county commis sioners to act in matters of road work and other business coming under the jurisdiction of the commission. Threshing Machines Public Utilities. Threshing machines are declared to be public utilities and to come under the jurisdiction of the nuhlle unrvle.T commission under the provisions of Representative Westerlund's bill, which passed the house. The bill, according to ReDresenta- tlve Westerlund, is designed to compel threshermen to give heed to the de mands of the small farmers and not pass them up for the larger Jobs, as he declares they now do. This bill does not attempt to regulate threshing charges, but simply give tho farmers a chance to appeal to the public serv ice commission in cases of discrimina tion as to service. Legislative Brevities. A bill to place a heavy license tax on oleomargarine passed the senate. The house voted to appropriate money to adopt the federal plan for killing predatory animals. Senator Huston's hill to exempt the homes of civil war veterans from tax ation passed the senate. By a vote of 24 ayes to 25 noes, a bill permitting women to serve as jurymen failed to receive the sanction of the house. The house killed a bill requiring both parties contemplating marriage tu secure medical certificates before being granted a marriage license. The senate defeated Representative Crawford's bill which provided that one set of election officials should start counting the votes after 25 per sons have voted. Senator Banks' resolution for a eon. stitutional amendment providing for paving the way for compulsory voting passed the house without material op position. FARMERS IN BEST FINANCIAL SHAPE OF RECENT YEAES Smooth Transition oF Agricul ture to Peace Basis Predicted by Federal Reserve Board American farmers are In better financial shape than they have been for years, according to a recent report of tho Federal Reserve Hoard at Wash I ington, which also predicts a smooth transition of agriculture and industry from a war to a peace baslB. The hoard's review of economic conditions throughout the country Is based on detailed report! made to It by the governors of the twelve federal re serve hanks. ' "The farmer Is said to be In tlif best financial shape for many yearB," tho review says. "In the South he Is able to Hold his cotton for better prices and Is marketing his output conservatively. "Excellent crop prospects are re ported from the wheat states of the West and from California. On the Pacific Coast the prospects for excel lent crops are exceedingly bright." "Victory year" crops, according to another government report, added $17,000,000,000 to our wealth. The principal contributions were: Corn 2,582,814,000 bushels, $3,528, 313,000. Wheat 917,100,000 bushels, $1,874 (123,000. Oats 1,538,359,000 bushels, $1,092, 423,000. Barley 256,375,000 bushels, $235,- 269,000. , Rye 9,103,000 bushels, $134,947, 000. Potatoes 397,676,000 bushels, $475, 731.00Q, Hay 75,459,000 tons, $1,522,473,000. Tobacco 1,340,019,000 pounds, $374,318,000. Apples 173,632,000 barrels, $229, 990,000. As a result of the flourishing condi tion of the farmer In general the gov ernment expects him to take, a large block of Victory Liberty Loan Bonds in April. London women are objecting because a high tax lias been put on woollen un derclothing. In America there would be no protest ugalnst or revenue from such a tax. When experts tell us that cooties killed 500,000 persons lu the war, we admire the patience and daring of the experts In running down and exposing the marauders. Recalls Wasted Time. "I happened to be late at a meeting the other day and somebody asked who Ann Brown was and I didn't soy a word and I happened to think Just then that somebody Is always late to everything and that somebody Is al ways early to everything. If I give a formal dinner party somebody always comeB early when I'm In the dining room giving my final orders to the but ler, and then ognln after everything Is all ready I have to wait 15 min utes for a tardy guest and get real fussy but must not show It. I'll bet," says Ann, "that I've wasted thou sands of hours of my young life be ing on time for engagements of all kinds." Exchange. Germany Is getting ready to pay In demnities. Evidently the chastening process has begun. As Lloyd George puts It, old-fash- loned criminal law has not become a crap of paper. Germany should beware for gener ations to come of Inviting retribution. ThertPs billions in It. LETTERS FROM OUR LADS "OVER THERE" Ordnance Detachment 148th P. A. Jan. 28, 1919. Dear Folks at Home: I sure am out of luck in receiving mail, for the rest of the boys sem to receive theirs, but I haven't had any for three weeks, nor did I receive any Christmas box. The weather here is real winter time, cold but no snow There is con siderable Spanish flu in the regiment but have not had any in the detach ment, and sure hope we don't. I sent a letter today for leave but don't know whether it will be granted or MOUNTAIN STORE KEEPER MURDERED Omar 'Olinger, keeper of a small store at the Tanks, on Lincton moun tain, was shot in cold blood Wednesday afternoon of last week, by Harry Sam uels, a beardless boy of 19 years, w hose parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Samuels, live at Milton. Young Samuels, who has confessed to the killing of Olinger, spent Tues day night on the mountain, leaving his horse in Olinger's barn. Returning1 next day from the Stark brothers' place to Olinger's store, Samuels says not, hope that it is as I sure would j T sn9t , ul'"?er " they had like to see Ireland and London bi ft? ' nKtln8hCCUsinK . the I come home, also am in, , fil.. 1 y .f cuttln? hls. telephone wires. ' np hhnr tu a a HhH funm n iA-n :a .mr, .u aa.vu VMllgejl p lllia cow, Scotland if I cet thn i,.w I would rather come home than anything else, but as that is impossible, will try the next I est. Here is the recommend for leave I received from Lieut. Sale: , "Forwarded, recommending approv al. There are no previous furloughs on reoord in this detachment. The "trength of this detachment is 34 en listed men. The character of this soldier is excellent. Tho date of his present enlistment is May 38rd, 1917. He has sufficient funds to defray any expense incidental to the trip." I have had no luck in locating 'the regiment that Dick belongs to, but found where John Wall is ani am go ing down to see him in a day or so. This leaves me well, except for one fine cold, and that is what we all have. Ord. Sgt. Geo. A. Winship, 146 F. A. Children's Books at Library. Following ia the new list of child ren's books received at the Athena branch library: Allen. Industrial Studies Europe; Beard, Curious Homes and Their Ten ants; Bemis. Patriotic Reader; Bur roughs, Squirrels and Other Fur Bear ers; Carter, About Animals; Chamber lain, North America; Chandler, Hsbits ot tvBiirornia Plants; Coffin. Winning His way; Collins, Boys' Book of Sub marines; Creighton, Nature Songs and Stories; Dodge, Reader in Physical geography; Uopp, Tree Dwellers; Ed dy, Friends snd Helpers; Fairbanks, Stories of Our Mother Earth: Farmer. Food Problems; Gaynor. Songs of the innn wora; oeorge, Little Journey to Germany; Uilson, Wealth of Wor d Waste Places; Har ington, About the Weather; Harris. Poems by Grades --Primary; Harris. Poems hy Grades Grammar; Hazard, Three Years With the Poets: Hotchkiss. Cities of The United States; Hoxie, How The I'eople Rule: Huntington. Asia: I.ann. Under Sunny Skies; Lansing. Bar harian and Noble; Lansing. Patriots and Tyrants: Lone. Wilderness Wavs Lutkehaus, Story and Play Readers Vol. Ill; McMurray, Excursions and Lessons in Home Geography; McMur ray, Type Studies From Geography Marzials, Stories for the Story Hour Monteith. Some Useful Arlmala Moore. Abraham Lincoln, fnr hnva nnrl gina; i.ivor, ureal iNames and Nations, modern; r'arkman. Kiva s for America: Peattie, Newcomers; Perkins. Belgian iwins: I'errv. With Az r GirireB in Egypt; Fier, Jester of St. Timothy's; I'ollock. Wilderness Honev: Rertwuv. All Around Asia; Rogers, Wild Amid mala J-', ... .., 'I, ,1,1 CL...IJ I. .... . y ..Mill, .lUUIIIU 1IJUW , OUUII, ODeninc the West- Snap 1 1, -,!,,,,.( for Little Fingers; St. John, How Two Bovs Made Klecfrieal Scott, Tale and Verse; Scudder, George W ashington; Seton, Krag and Johnny Bear; Shaw, People of Other Lands: bkinr.er Nursery Tslea From Many Lands; Slosson Storv-Toll Llhi Sneath Golden Door Book; Weed. Stories of Insect Life Series I; Wood, Animals Norris "Tied" Into Him. Charles Norris crcditab.lv imnarsnn ated the editor yesterday in an em phatic and conclusive argument with the representative of a Ivepum rnurap In the absence of tho editor, Chas. was seated at the desk, reading Wilson's Boston speech, when Mr. I.vcpum Mjm entered, and healing Mr. Norris make remarks commendatory of the speech, he volunteered tho information that, though of an open mind, he was of the opinion that there are better ways to enforce peace than by forming a league of nations. Bight there Charley took the negative, and those who know him can imagine the rest. Knee Caught in Gears. Sterling Parria met with a aprinna acltident at the farm home of his fa theV northwest of town. Wednesday everting, when his knee came in con tact with the gearing on a chopper. The flesh nae terribly lacerated but fortunately no bones were broken Dr. Sharp dressed the injury and hereafter Sterling will endeavor to keep his knee cut of cog wheels. L. R. Kenney, who has been em ployed at the Preston-ShafTer milla in this city for the pnst several months ieu inurioay lor Spokane. and after'the shooting the dead man was dragged Jby the feet through the SnOW tO a manure nile. where the hnriu I was covered with'a thin layer of straw and refuse. The body was discovered Thursday by one of theStark brothers, who had been summoned by Mr. Sprague, a neighbor, he having discovered that the store was without its customary attendant. Officers were notified and Sheriff Taylor arrested young Samuels in Pen dleton whither he had gone from his home in Milton, suspicion of the crime being at once directed toward him. Samuels at ited that at the time he fired the shot he was standing in frcnt of the Olinger house while Olinger was in the trail leading to the barn about thirty yards distant. He then, he says, drsgged the body through the snow by the feet about 60 yards to where he buried it. Ho then mounted his horse and returned to his home in Milton. The killing took place he says, be tween 8 and i o'clock Wednesday after noon. He reached home about 10 o'clock that night and stayed there the next day and until Friday, when he went to Pendleton. In fol owing up the case Sheriff Tay lor found a silver watih, which has since been identified ae belonging to Mr. Olinger. The watch was found in Pendleton where Samuels had hidden it. The rifle Sheriff Taylor found at Milton, where Samuels told the sheriff he had hidde i it. It is a 25-3U Marlin and belonged to the murdered man. Among the things recovered from SamuelB that were taken from the body of the dead man or his store, are two pocket knives, a silver watch, money purae, rifle, a number of other small articles and between 16 and 110 in small change. The scene of the killing in n where Charles Petri's was killed by Frank Fletcher some 25 veara mmn. nna of the Olinger brothers being in bed wun retrie at the time. NAMES OF TEN MORE FRENCH ORPHANS RECEIVED Mrs. F. S. Le Grow. Chairman f the local Red Cross cjived a netv list of French orphans. who have been allotted to Athena dis trict for adoption. Eight other French nrnhans i,,, been adopted here and in this new movement for "dontinn,. it fit 1 1..., Athena neonle will r..u, ,,,,,,1 .:.. RUlose wishing to support a French child for one year oi more, will com municate with Mrs. LeGrow, who will give full instructions and direction how to proceed. The new list com prises a total of ten orphms. nine boys and one girl. All are residents in the department Seine Inferieure, France, which is a verv imnnrtnnt n.l of the address to remember. The list is as follows: No. 4M709. Lucien I,annlav h born Jan. 15, 1910; 108 rue Lemoinc! Sotteville, leB Rouen. No. 437H0. Alfred I.a.nph. Iw... horn Nov. 15, 1914; lo rue de l'Amitie.' Rouen. No. 427(11. Robert I,nni,p ' w born Feb. 21), 1917; 14a rpe Des- croisilles Rouen. ' ". ' No. 42708.Wr. T.n-i, L. born June 1 flirty St. PJerre JeB No. 427rt:iA.1tfflrr.p1 T.aMnnrl born Nov. 17, 1909: St. Martin d Boscherville. No. 42788. Rana ln.,,,11,,,. born July 4. 1918; 8 rue de la Terrassa Darnetal. No. 42767. Alice Tnnlllp. ;.i born Aug. 7. 190B- 8 ,n., a il rasse Darnetal. No. 43768. Guv July 9, 1914; 9 rue du Maule'vrier. Kouen. No. 42789. Louis u.. bom Aug. t. 1913; 9 rue da Maule- vreier, Rouen. No. 72770. Leon .Invnlnt -., Oct. II. 1907: 148 ma Ti,!o..5't...it r - ' ....wo, 4 CM Quevilly. - f At the Methodist noxt Sunday night, a special attraction is promised in the male quartette and Gospel team from mo renuieion on. rJ, church.