Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-29
AMERICANS IN BAD PLIGHT.
Convicted Of Murder Under Peculiar
Statute in Foros in Old Mexico,
HOME GOVERNMENT ASKED TO AID THEM
Postmaster Palmer Fails 60 secure an
Increase in Pay for Clerks I'm the
Omaha Characterization
Contracts 60 BE Let.


wAsHINGToN, April 8.-Cspecial Tele-
Fram.)-The recent sentence Of c. Z. Fin
stad and L. @. Coughner at Santa Rosalia-
Mexico to serve twelve and a half years
each on charge OF murder Of two men
at Finstade's ranch some three months ago
gives promise OF involving the United
States authorities in serious difficulty. b.
F. Sherwood now Of Portland, ore, form
erly OF Beaver City Neb., has written a
letter to Congressman Hinshaw stating
that Coughner IS his nephew that he has
known him all his life until recently and
that no reckons him as a good, honest,
ha rdworkinR American boy" He states
In his letter TO Mr.. Hinshaw that Repre-
sentative Norris Of Nebraska and Repre-
sentative Victor Murdoch Of Kansas, have
been doing what they could in the matter.
but the American consul W. w. Mills, who
was appointed from Texas has done moth
ing toward securing them a fair trial.
From a report filed by Mills It appears the
conviction of the men was had under one
Of the penal statutes Of Chihuahua, which
provides in substance that where three or
more persons are together and a homicide
occurs the survivors may be punished by
imprisonment, even though there may be
no direct and positive evidence as to who
inflicted the fatal wounds, unless IL could
be shown to the satisfaction OF the court
how the killing was dane Both prisoners
maintain their innocence and demand that
their rights as American citizens be re-
spected.
No Increase for Clerks.
Captain H. e. Palmer left for Omaha to-
day. Before leaving Mr.. Palmer stated
he had iendeayored to bring about the pro-
motion Of a number Of clerks in his Office,
but that he had failed to connect. He said
It was too bad that the salary Of clerks
could not be increased to a fair figure,
but that he would continue to pull for the
men in the Omaha once until results were
obtained.
Irrigation Bids to he Let.
. Bids will be opened June Is at Mitchell
,Neb., o. for construction of the earthwork
of the distributing system OF the interstate
canal, North Platte project in Ne
braska and wyoming The work
involves the construction Of about
ls5 miles OF distributing system, in
GLIDING 10000 cubic yards OF earthworlS and
II 900 cubic yards Of rockwork. for irriga-
ton Of lands in the North Platte valley in
western Nebraska.
Postal Matters,
Rural carriers appointed; Nebraska
Kenesaw route 2, osmond Mikesell. car
rier Harry A Mikesell, substitute. Ne
braska City. route 3, James ". Cowles,
carrier: Frederick D. Cowles substitute.
Plainview. route 4. Edwin Hilborn, carrier;
Joe Hadlitt, substitute Republican City,
route 3, William ]. Neff, carrier; Francis
A. Nef, substitute. Iowa-Corning, route
!. Harry e. Thompson, carrier; Nola NJ.
Thompson. substitute; route Z, Elmer E.
Cupp. carrier; Louie Cupp substitute.
Estherville, route 4. Charles d. Bixby, car
rier: Arby Bixby, substitute; route 6,
Henry f. Fister carrier; George B. Ander-
son, substitute. south Dakota-Colton
route ?. Frank II. Pluemer carrier; Will
helm Sando, substitute