Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-28
ON ACCOUNT OF PRETTY GIRL
Some Shots Are Fired and Willard Society
Get Into Court
JOHN BLUM, Ja., IS THE COMPLAINANT
Young Man says That His standing
In Society Has Apparently Been
Pulled ont from Under
Him.

Postmaster Kelsey of Willard had a
pretty daughter. John Blum, jr., began
counting her with the zest OF a man who
wanted her very badly. SO did Fred
Schroeder. Jr. Schroeder began getting the
preponderance Of the smiles, when, on the
evening Of August o, 1900, as he was riding
into Willard to call. some one secreted be-
hind a clump Of bushes a mile out Of town
took four shots at him. Schroeder charged
that the man was his rival, Blum, and had
the latter arrested and brought before the
Willard justice Of the peace. The Willard
Justice happened to be Postmaster Kelsey,
prospective father-in-law, so Blum took
a change Of venue to Justice Learns court
In Omaha. In the course OF the hearing 1t
was charged that Blum had threatened the
life OF not only Schroeder, but Of Miss
Kelsey and of schroeder's sister.
Justice Learn placed Blum under bond
to keep the peace and bound him over to
the district court. Eventually the county
attorney nolled the case and now Blum.
maintaining his innocence Of everything
charged, lie In district court asking a Jury
In Judge Reads room to award him $40 900
damages from Schroeder. There are many
witnesses and such seats as they don't
occupy are being kept warm by persons
attracted by the character Of the suit and
its preceding romance.
Plaintiff Blum, a stalwart young farmer,
but not Of bellicose demeanor, was on the
stand nearly all forenoon and some Of the
testimony was such as to teopardiEe even
the austerity Of the court. The witness
fatty and pointedly denied ever having shot
at Schroeder, his father or anybody else,
or ever making threats against anyone.
Owns some Shooting irons.
He said he owned a shotgun and two re-
~volvers, but had none of them with him
when he rode into town the night Schroeder
alleged he was shot at.
Blum's demand for $40 900 damages is
based on his allegation that he lost ten
days from work, was in Jail three hours
and suffered great injury to his reputation
and his peace of mind. To substantiate
this last allegation his attorney attempted
his morning to draw from Blum some de-
scrlption Of his feelings and others treat
ment Of him. Blum responded by charging
Willard society with a certain degree of
tickle ~harshness. He said that after the
story had gotten out folks began to look
down on him. Notwithstanding his six feet
Of stature, and that they treated him like
he wasn't nobody" whereas previously, 1t
was inferred. he had been a real leader at
all social functions. Some even went SO
far. he testified, as to ask him when he
got out" and other similarly offensive
questions. All this. he alleges, so affected
him that during the weary months inter-
vening between the time he was placed I'M
der bond and the time the case was nolled
he couldn't sleep, he lost heart in his work
and didn't care to do business with no.
body"
In the afternoon Mrs. Schroeder, over
whom the controversy started when she
was still Miss Kelsey, was placed on the
! stand and testified to Blum's having told
her that he meant to make a general
slaughter Of her, his rival. his rivals sister
| and himself.