Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-12

Lee-Glass-Andreesen wholesale hardware
house and remained there fifteen years.
climbing steadily in the service finally
gaining a position in which he had COM
plete charge OF shipping and general super
intendence over the stock and store rooms
He distinguished himself in compiling tariff
schedules and devising new accounting
forms.
o. Entrance Into Politics.
For eight or nine years before 1900 Mr.
Hennings had taken a moderately active
interest in republican politics, and in that
year he was nominated for city treasurer
by the republican convention. He was
elected and proceeded to reorganize the
treasury department on a business basis.
He was remarkably successful in the mat
ter OF making tax collections, raising the
yearly average Of collection OF current
taxes from IS to IS per cent, enabling the
| city to conduct it's affairs on a cash sys-
TEN for a part of the year. He instituted
the van method of collecting personal
taxes which consisted Of threatening IA
grant delinquents with conhscation Of their
| personal property II they did not nav.
The process secured much advertising
throughout the United States and resulted
i In heavy payments OF personal taxes a
matter that had been much neglected be-
FORE H1s administration of the office was
endorsed by. the people in 1898 when he
was reelected by plurality of about
| 3ilOO votesS During his second term he re-
garded his part in securing the passage
| and enforcement of the scavenger tax sale
law as most important. He was active
both In devising this law and bringing
about its enforcement. The ONCE OF city
treasurer was abolished and combined with
the county treasurer in 1906
No Fault with His once.
In 1904 Mr.. Hennings was chosen treas
urer of the state republican committee
and no fault ever found with his
management of the Office In the state
campaign OF 1904 he performed valuable
services in securing funds for the use of
the state committee. Drafts and even over
drafts on the treasurer by system OF
vouchers were always promptly paid.
Besides his immediate family Mr.. Hen
nings had no close relatives living in this
country. His parents are dead. A brother
c. F. Hennings. who is a hat mauufac.
turer, survives at Emden. Germany.
United states Marshal Warner, chairman
of the state republican committee, OF
which Mr.. Hennngs was treasurer. de-
plored the tragedy. He said:
II am under the impression ne had in
his charge about 1850 Of the state com
mittees funds. We always got aIopv
pleasantly. and so far as know there was
no discrepancy in any Of his accounts. We
always drew on him for committee money
with warrants as checks. am not GER.
tain that he kept separate accounts OF
not"
Il saw him Tuesday, in fact. transacted
business with him." said ex-City Clerk w
II. Elbourn, and he seemed entirely nor.
NAL. II he was worrying over anything ]
could not detect 1t. ! am at a loss to
ascribe a reason for his action"
Cannot Reconcile II.
II cannot reconcile it," said Rober,
Cowen, when he learned of the tragedy
IT is most startling thing, particularly
to me, for the simple reason that very re.
Gently Mr.. Hennings had told me how
well he was doing in his new bushes,
venture and otherwise seemed so cheerful
and satisfied. l can imagine no cause fol
his action. I can scarcely think IL was
disappointment over his defeat for tn,
nomination for mayor, because he tool
that so philosophically, or at least seemef
TO. He came down TO my place the da,
after his defeat last spring ana talked
over matters, appearing not in the leas
disturbed except that he had not exercised
the besr of judgment In going back int,
the race after having once withdrawn
He had come 10 me before re-enterinR IN,
primary race and asked me what / though
OF his doing 50. l told him my judEmen
was he would be defeated II he wen
back in the race. and when be came I,
see me after the nomination OF Mr.. Ben
son he said Your judgment was bette
than mine and 1 wish had taken it, Blu
he did not seem the least depressed Owe
the matter -ssr --k
No Question of Suicide.
Coroner Bradley has not determine,