Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-03-24
Nebraska Man Strongly Urged for the
Vacant Position.
SOLID DELEGATION BACK OF HIN
Matter VIII Ne Formally Presented
TO Mr.. Roosevelt This Morning
with Much support From
strong Sources.
CFrom a staff Correspondent

li6 EtQuest VI otHdlOI DuIhtNAf 10 IOHslutI
the advisability of endorsing two or three
well-known Nebraskans for places in the
governmental service. Anmosties, grow
ing out of the fight over the internal rev.
enue collectorship. were seemingly wholly
forgotten. Senators Burkett and Brown
and Representatives Boyd, Hinshaw, Nor
ris and Kinkaid met at 3 o'clock in the Of
flee room Of Judge Norris tosmake delega-
tion endorsement OF John r. Berg of Ne
braska City, foreman of the Congressional
Record, for public printer to succeed
Charles A. Stillings, resigned, and Edward
Royse Of Broken Bow, secretary of the
State department of banking of Nebraska,
as successor to William b. Ridgely, comp
troller of the currency. Congressman Pol
lard was absent from the meeting on ac-
count of the agricultural appropriation
bill, which was expected to be reached this
afternoon in the house and on which he
desired to present some views relative to
the work of the Agricultural department.
He is in entire sympathy with the move
ment to endorse the gentlemen referred to
solidly, Mr.. Berg being a resident of Mr..
Pollards district.
The discussion was general and most fat
tering to Mr. Berg and Mr. Royse, and 1t
was agreed upon that a letter. to be signed
Nebraska, should be presented to the pres-
dent, endorsing them for the positions re-
ferred to. This letter will be presented
personally to the president tomorrow by
the chairman of the delegation. Judge Nor
ris, and will be emphasized by personal
appeals on the part Of senators, Senator
Burkett having already presented the name
Of John r. Berg as the most efficient and
exceedingly capable printer and in every
way equipped to succeed Mr.. stilllngs as
public printer.
Many Boosting for Berg.
In fact quiet campaign for Berg has
been going on for the last week for this
position. President Lynch Of the Interna-
tional Typographical union was presented
to the president last week by Senator Bur-
kett. in conjunction with the president of
the local typographical union of this city. |
and both the international president and
the local president of this very great body
of printers uncompromislngiy endorsed Mr. |
Berg for public printer. II is learned on |
excellent authority that Samuel Gompers |
president OF the American Federation of
Labor, has flied with the president strong !
letter, commencing Mr.. Berg, With the
solid republican delegation from Nebraska !
behind him and outside influence at work. |
the president may see his way clear TO
the appointment OF the Nebraska. man, al |
though it is understood Mr. Roosevelt told |
a member Of the joint compttee on print
ing on Saturday that he had about made |
up his mind not to appoint as public printer
anyone connected with the establishment |
In the light OF Mr.. Berg's strong endorse
ments land his well-known executive abil- |
ity, 1t may be that the president will see
a new light.
John r. Berg entered the government
printing office from Nebraska as compos-
itor In 1888 by appointment of ex-senator
Charles H. Van wyck. This was long he |
fore the days of civil service Mr.. Berg
remained in the printing office until the
election of Cleveland when he like hun |
dreds of others, was compelled to walk !
the plank and make way for democrats. |
Mr. Berg returned to Washington when |
Benjamin Harrison was elected and again |
went out from the printing office on |
Cleveland's second election. with the cleo |
tion OF Mckinley Mr.. Berg again Joined |
the typographical force in the government |
printing office, rising by easy steps from |
compositor to proof reader, copy preparer. |
assistant foreman of the Congressional |
Record and now foreman OF that depart |
ment, having under him over 800 men. In |
1904 he was elected president of Columbia |
Typographical union in this city and I'm |
1905 was reelected without opposition. In |
1905 he was a delegate to the International |
Typographical convention at Colorado |
Springs.
Thomas Loses His Case.
Justice Moody in supreme court today
rendered a decision Diminishing for want
OF jurisdiction the case of Charles Thomas,
plaintiff in error. against the state of
Iowa. This is probably one of the most |
sensational cases with which the people of
Iowa have been associated. 1t has pur-
sued it's way through every court from |
trial court, wherein Thomas was found |
guilty of having murdered Mabel scofield,
whose body was found in a bayou of the
Des Moines river Just above the dam in
the city of Des Moines in October 1899.
She was dressmaker, having come from
the country adjacent to Polk county, a
few weeks before to learn that business.
She boarded and roomed with a girl rela-
tive at the home of the parents of the
plaintiff in error. Charles Thomas senti-
ment in the community was divided be-
tween murder and suicide as TO the cause
OF death. No developments were made
until January, 1902, three years after the
commission of the crime. when the in
was filed before a magistrate
charging Charles Thomas with murder.
After a full hearing the magistrate held
there was not sufficient cause for believing
the defendant guilty OF the offense and
ordered him discharged whereupon a re-
ward OF $500 offered for the arrest
and conviction OF the murderer OF Mabel
SeOfield. The matter was brought TO the
OF successive grand juries with
out avail until December 81 1904. when an
Indictment was returned into court upon
which Thomas was tried and convicted by
verdict Of jury. which was rendered on
March 4, 1906 The trial court sentenced
Thomas to imprisonment at hard labor for
life. An appeal therefrom TO the supreme
court OF the state was taken. the same
being affirmed. and the writ OF error which
was dismissed today by the supreme court
because Of lack OF jurisdiction resulted
LiauOr on Indian Reservations.
The supreme court today By It's decision
in case OF Simeon Hallowell. plaintiff in
error. against United States. defendant in
error. went on record against introduction
Of liquor on Indian reservations. Simeon
an Omahs Indian allottee, was
indicted for introducing liquor into the
Omaha reservation in Thurston county. He