Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-18
Nebraska
SCHAVLANDiS DEATH VICIOUS
Indications Point to Most Deplorabl,
Carelessness.
AUT STRUCK HIM VERY HARI
Secretary ROyse of the Banking BOars
May Find Himself I'm Embarrass-
ing POsitiOn--Miss McGinnis
n sim Out.

Ihk EoNlNhDh--NAlN
II SIM Out.
From a Staff Correspondent
LINCOLN, May T7.-(Special)-The tragic
death Sunday night of Chris Schavland,
secretary to the state Board of Edualiza-
ton and Assessment. has cast a shade OF
sorrow over every office i'm the state house
and has caused a wave Of indignation to
spread over the entire city. this being the
second death to occur from flying auto
mobiles, in addition TO numerous injuries
and many narrow escapes of pedestrians,
during the last year.
The machine which killed Mr.. Schavland
was driven by a son of Frank Rawiins. so
it was reported to Coroner Jack Matthews.
though Herman Bernecker was arrested
and locked up. Bernecker told the police
he was driving the car and that Rawlins
was not in the car.
When the news OF her husbands death
was broken to Mrs. Schavland It Frustrated
her and today she is confined to her bed.
In the desolated home with her are her
three children. a girl and two boys. the
oldest 10 and the youngest y. Both the
older son and the daughter are in the high
school.
From Omaha two sisters of Mr.. schav-
land arrived today and are with the
stricken family. A brother of the dead man
reached the city tonight from Atlantic. Ia.
The funeral arrangements have not yet
been announced.
Was Popular and Competent.
Mr.. Schavland was one of the most popu-
lar men who ever worked in the state
house. He was looked upon by the mem.
bers of the State Board of Equalization and
Aseaeapnapt os n p,ogt oe,-o4o oa.z4..
a hard worker, painstaking and studious.
During the year he served as secretary to
the board he prepared the forms for the
assessment of property under the provisions
Of the terminal tax law and It was his
Ideas and his Interpretation of the law
I which the board last year finally adopted.
Mr.. Schavland came to America from
Norway some eighteen or twenty years
ago. He had been educated in the common
schools ard at a university in his home
country and he could speak the English
I language before he landed here. He was
employed at common labor upon his arrival
In Madison county, but soon won the conf
dence Of the people there and he served
J the county for two terms in recent years
as county treasurer. His reports flied with
the state, auditor bear testimony to his
ability as an accountant and a careful
official. They are by far. the neatest re-
ports ever filed in the office of the auditor.
Killed After, Hard Days Work.
Mr.. Schavland's death was. most tragic.
Y After working in his office at the state
\ house all day on the railroad reports he
had returned there in the evening to write
the diplomas for the graduating class of
a the Madison school. He left the office and
while waiting at the corner OF Fourteenth
4 and II streets-fers a car he was killed.
A On the curling where the first pool of
blood was discovered are tracks of the
Il automobile, showing It left the street and
Z crossed the curling onto the sod. II ran
along on the grass for several feet, then
: back into the street. The tracks showed
e. that the wheels then dragged for at least
sc sixty feet from the place where It was
evident the machine had first struck him.
IS An examination of the ground did not show
whether the man had beer struck while in
ct the street and dragged to the curbing.
though persons who were on the ground
earlier, previous to the coming of the
y crowds and the rainfall. said the street
~ showed the body had been dragged from
near the center of the street to the curb.
ing. where it appeared the head had beer
" Siie Ol luS CuIb'
Out Of respect to the family of Mr.
80 Schavland, the State Board of Assessment.
~ held no meeting today and r. d. Pollard
e tax commissioner of the burlington, whC
10 came down for appearance, returned L
d Omaha and the board will hear him mex
he Wednesday. Henry Seymour will act tenn
porarily, at least, as secretary of the board
Mr.. Seymour filled this same place tempo
raTily just a'year ago. when George d
Dr.. Bennett. secretary Of the board, died.
Royse In "a Predtcament.
:" Secretary Royse of the State Banking
board and Bank Examiners Irwin an,
Beaumong are in a funny predicament
The two examiners have been reappointe,
by Governor 'Shallenberger under the new
law, which becomes effective July l. Nov
there is a possibility that the new Law
will be knocked out in the courts. If thi
is done. then State Treasurer Brian ha
already gone on record as being oppose
TO voting for any republican who accept
a job under the democratic governor. Sc
IF Secretary Royse should accept an ap
. pointment under the governor and the
the governor, by a court decision. lose
!. his power to appoint, Mr.. Royse would no
, receive the treasurer's support for a re
T appointment.
I Friendly Sud Against state.
4 Mrs. Johnston, superintendent of tn
!. Home for the Friendless, will bring friendl
= suit against the state auditor to sc
z whether the home has any money TO spen
!. since the last Legislature finished its worl
v The suit will be filed at this term Of tn