Omaha daily bee., 1888-07-04
STILL SHROUDED IN MYSTERY.
Harry. Durfee's Abrupt Departure
Causes Much Speculation.
VARIOUS THEORIES ADVANCED.
None of Them, However, Seem to
Offer a Satisfactory Solution of
the Problem-Statc Contracts
Acknowledgement Notes.
LINCOLN BUREAp OF THE OMAHA BEE,
1n2Q u STREEr

MARY loss, went out this morning to fore
close the mortgage on the Dorr property.
Durfee's strange leave-taking OF his friends,
old hauntsa and property is still considered a
matter of very grave mystery. Some five
years ago, with his cousin, Mr.. L. b. Durfce,
he established the first street-car line oper-
nted In the city, under the name of the Cap
ttal City Street Railway company, in which
interest he continued for a time, when he
traded and transferred his rights and title to
the business TO Frank Sheldon for a quarter
section of school land, situated six miles due
north OF the city, and had he held on TO this
property one year longer the lease would
have expired and the land would have been
his with q good and perfect title. His
friends insist that financial embarrassment
could not have been the cause of his abrupt
good-bye; that he had sufficient property to
more than cover all of his liabilities, and
will still have something left after all the eX-
ecutions and foreclosures are through, not
withstanding the great expense attending
such methods of settlement. There is but
one solution, probably, TO the mystery of
his sudden and abrupt disappearance, and it
may be found in the fact that he had become
30 dissipated that he could no longer meet
and greet his old friends of responsibility
and worth without the cutting pangs OF con-
science inherent to adeeply sensitive nature.
That he still had friends who would
stay by him through evil and good
report is evidenced by the fact that he had
been and continued to keep company with
one of the most estimable ladies of the city,
lovely in person and presence, to the last,
and who in no way sought to further his
social ostraclsm by discarding him, but tried
to build him up and keep him on his old
plane of promise and responsibility. This
theory, his friends claim, must be the solu-
ton of the problem of his going, or behind it
turks a story yet untold that may have to be
unraveled and sifted by the crimina courts
of the state.
AWARDS OF THE SUPPLY BOARD.
The board of purchase and supplies met in
regular session at the state capitol this
morning at 10 o'clock, and opened bids for
furnishing supplies to the state institutions,
and awarded the following contracts for the
ensuing quarter:
Industrial school at Kearney.-Flour.
the Kearney milling company; groceries,
X, r. Greer; meats, Conrad Gebhart; dry
goods, j. II. Irvine & Co.; coal, c.. d.. Ayers.
Hospital for the insane, Lincoln.-Flour,
William Sewitt; butter, Louie Meyer; drugs
and medicines, j. H. Harley; clothing, A.
Hurlbut; dry goods, H.. Heipolsheimer &
Co; coal, White Breast coal company;
paints and oils, J. II. Harley; boots and
shoes, Perkins Brothers; groceries, William
Sewell.
Deaf and dumb institute, Omaha-Bread,
Schwaab IL Co. drugs, Goodwin Drug Co.;
dry goods, S. p. Morse ~ Co.. groceries,
William Fleming g. Co.; paints, oils and
glass, Goodwin Drug Co.; coal, Coutant g.
Squires.
Hospital for insane at acknowledgements,
Cobb & Overholser; meats, Henry Semmler;
Clothing, III. W. King; coal, Gerecke &
Braasch boots and shoes, Reno & Martlc;
drugs, A. X. Leonard.
Institute for blind, Nebraska City-Meats,
M. Gardner; groceries, Sroat 81 Co.
Feeble minded institute, Beatrice-Meats,
Mahlen & Co.; ice, Beatrice Ice Co. grocer.
les, Lang & Mochell; bread, Aydelott &
Bryan; coal, White Breast coal Co..
SUPREME COURT PROCEEDINGS.
The following are yesterdays proceed
ings in the supreme court:
The following gentlemen were admitted to
practice: G.. w. Cornell, Charles L. Ed
wards, G. b. Beverage, II. q. Lindsay,
w. l.. Henderson.
The cases disposed of were as follows:
State, eX rel S. ID. rs Knox Co. VS. Morrell.
Referred TO take testimony and find facts.
Stettnische vs. Lamb. Motion to direct
referee to proceed. Submitted.
O'DDnnell VS. Gcary. Stipulation for
Judgment submitted.
Austin VS. Austin. Motion to modify de-
cree submitted.
railway company. Thirty days given to file
Wilson VS. Courtney. Leave given plain
Lift to take record.
Kennard VS. Dibble, error from the dis
trict court of Dakota county. Affirmed.
Opinion by Reese Oh. j.
Black VS. Cabon. Error from the district
court of Pierce county. Reversed and re-
maIueu. oDlnlOn by IHe court.
Floaten VS. Ferrel. Error from the dis
trict court of Greeley county. Affirmed.
Opinion by Cobb, j.
McCulloch vs. Valentino ct al. Appeal
from the district court of Hamilton county.
Affirmed. Opinion by Cobb, j.
Griffey VS. Kennard. Error from the dis
trict court of Dakota county. Reversed and
remauded. Opinion by Reese, Oh. J.
Albee vs. village of Arapahoe. Error from
the district court of Furnas county Ne
Versed and remandcd. Opinion by Max
well, j.
Peru plow and wheel company VS. Bene-
dict. Error from the District court OF Hitch
rock county. Affirmed. Opinion by Max
Bell VS. Arndt. Error from the district
court of saunders county. Judgment modl-
fled by reducing the interest from 10 to
2 per cent, Opinion by the court. Rees,
State cx rel. Willirm F. Esher VS. Banks.
Error from the district court of Red Willow
county. Affirmed. Opinion by Maxwell, j.
State ex rel. Morrison & Miller VS. Clark.
Mandamus. Writ allowed, Opinion by
Maxwell, j.
William II. Clark ct al. VS.. the state c x.rcl.
John S. Durham. Error from the district
court of Merrick county. Affirmed. Opinion
by the court
Westover VS.. Armstrong. Error from the
district court of Boone county, Affirmed.
Opinion by Maxwell, j.
Rverton VS., Esgate. Error from the dis
NH@'N - NNaAhI aAAAaA SlFAAA~
ion by Maxwell, j.
Ellwood VS.. May Bros. ct al, Error from
the district court of Antelope county. AT
tirmed, Opinion by Maxwell, j.
The case Il. Rosewater VS. Hoffman, pend
ing in the supreme court, was reversed and
demanded for a new trial. An opinion will
D. given tomorrow by Chief Justice Reese.
GENERAL NEWS NOTES.
The executive committee of the committee
of the First congressional district will meet
at the Capital hotel on Monday next under a
call by Chairman Courtney. The meeting
will decide upon the time TO name John A.
McShane's successor in congress-.
The corner stone of the new First Chris
tan church of this city was laid to-day AT .
o'clock, y large numherof the church mem
bership was present, as we'll as visitors from
abroad, all of whom found comfortable seats
sheltered from the hot rays of the sun. Chan
ccllor \. X, Benton, of Indiana, and Elder
Barrow were present and made appropriate
addresses.
Hon. Glen Kendall, of Ontario, Cal,
formerly a resident of this state and at one
time commissioner of public lands, is in the
city, He is pronounced in tho opinion that
CalifOrnia's electoral vote will be cast for
. Harrison and Morton. In an interview he
said; .The large influx of eastern people
into the state Will make the issue positive.
Besides, there is little or no dIsaffec.ion on
HarriSOn'S Chinese record. The ticket will