Omaha daily bee., 1916-10-24
CITIZEN.


SLl1SlSsF
Should Congressman Pay Their Debts?
North Bend, Neb., Oct. 23.-To the
Editor of The Bee AS you no doubt
know, both the state and national
laws offer to Office holders some adj
vantages denied to ordinary citizens,
notable among these being exemption
from paying their bills You cannot
garnishee or attach the salary of city,
state or national official. The spirit
of the law may be correct. but its
action is certainly unfair, and 1t Of
fers shield to many men who are
not slow to take advantage of it..
Witness the case of Congressman
Charles o. Lobeck.
There are on file in the district
court Of Douglas county the follow
ing judgments against him:
Ebert T. Duke against Charles O..
Lobeck, $2,469.50 and costs. Execu-
ton issued May 8, 1894.
l. r. Andrews against c. o. Lobeck,
$56 and costs and interest. Judgment
rendered May Z, 1896.
M. E. Curtis against C. o. Lobeck,
s936.S0 and costs and interest Judg-
ment rendered December 1S,,1903.
Ervilla L. Earl against C. o. Lobeck,
1924 and costs. Paid on this Judg-
ment $275.
Gunner A. Lindquist against c. o.
Lobeck, s2,250.10 and costs and in
terest. judgment rendered Septem-
Der rs, 1911.
Sarah S. Markham against c. O..
Lobeck, s3,206 and costs and interest
judgment rendered October, is, 1914.
Gunner A. Lindquist against C. o.
Lobeck, s2,72711 and costs and inter-
est. Judgment rendered September
"a, 1915. Execution issued October 5,
1915.
Totaled, with interest added,
amounting to over $4,000.
During the last fifteen years Mr..
Lobeck has drawn as city comptroller
of Omaha some $4,000 and as con-
gresham he has drawn $4,000 from
the national government, yet his just
creditors cannot lay their hands upon
a penny of that amount.
A congressman has three ways Of
drawing his salary---First, a warrant
on the treasury: second, the money
he may designate, and, third, or may
be left on deposit with the sergeant
alarms. During his incumbency Mr..
Lobeck, am told. has never drawn
his salary, but has left 1t on deposit
safe from his creditors In the keeping
Of Uncle Sam.
When called into court last year on
writ Of execution he claimed that
all he had was three shares of stock
in the Swedish Auditorium worth $40
per share.
During the last fifteen years he has
drawn over $4,000 from the public
purse, yet his creditors cannot get a
cent out of him by force Of law.
Now for an individual example:
When my mother, Mrs. S. S. Mark
ham, was left q widow thirteen years
ago, all we had to face the world with
was small stock of goods located In
North Bend, worth perhaps $500, and
some doubtful claims, among them
being three of Mr.. Lobeck's notes for
500 each. Needing the money, and
needing it badly, my mother offered
to settle with Mr.. Lobecl for about
half Of their face value, but was met
with the excuse of no money and put
off from time to time with promises
to pay when this, that and the other
thing turned up" or after election"
My mother, a woman of Sc years,
went to work behind the counter and
w ICh BIG pdooCu away IA uuC VI Luib
year her claim against Mr.. Lobeck
amounted to $3.50, and we never sue
ceeded in getting a payment out Of
Mr.. Lobeck.
The World-Herald of October 20,
1915, recorded the fact that Mr.
Lobeck was among those who "hit the
trair' at the BILLY" Sunday meetings,
and my mother wrote him the follow
ing letter:
North Bend, Neb, Oct. 23, 1915.
Mr.. c. o. Lobeck, Omaha, Neb.
Dear Sir: note in this morn
ing's World-Herald that you are
numbered among the trail-hitters
at the Sunday tabernacle I take
it that this Is q public confession
of Christianity and Is sincere.
You, no doubt, recall that Billy
Sunday included among the
Christian virtues honesty and
strict payment of debts, and l
hope that you are going to put
your Christianity into practice by
making a substantial payment on
your debt to me. Very truly
Yours, MRS S. S. MARKHAM.
Mr.. Lobeek's reply was:
Omaha, Neb., October IS, 1915.
Mrs Sarah S. Markham, North
Bend, Neb. Dear Madam: Your
letter Of the 23d received.
have no apology to make for go
ing down the trail. Under SINH
lar circumstances would do so
again. Yours respectfully,
s#..4. c. o. LOBECK.
Mr.. Lobeck's reference to doing SO
again under similar circumstances"
may seem a little vague, but when it
is understood that when Mr.. Lobeck's
wet" friends upbraided him for doing