The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-09-18
Frat Members
Fail to Appear
at Crash Probe
Inquest Following Death Of
Two University Students Is
Halted When Witnesses
Cannot Be Located.
Special Dispatch to The Omaha Bee.


Lincoln. Sept, 17.-Failure OF
Charles E. Matson, county attorney,
to get service on several witnesses
subpoenaed to testify at probe OF
the deaths of Carl Springer and Edna
Boorman, Fremont university stu
dents, who were killed early Satur-
day morning In a car driven by Ernie
Granger, wealthy Lincoln fraternity
man, forced continuance OF the In
quest until tomorrow.
II don't care to say at this time
who the persons are that cannot be
located" Matson said.
Thomas Schrader. farmer sum
moned to the scene of the accident
by cries of help, testified that when
he asked Miss Helen Scott, the other
girl in the death car, the names Of
those in the accident, Granger said
sternly:
Tell nothing"
This conversation, according to
Schrader, occurred after he had taken
Granger. Miss Boorman and Miss
Stott to the hospital. Ed Schrader, a
brother, took Springer to the hos
pital In another car. Springer died
before he reached the hospital.
w. J. McNichols, head of the state
blue sky department and member
of the Sigma Chi fraternity, which
held a rush" party at the Granger
home Friday evening. before the ac-
cident. testified that he attended The
party.
No Evidence OF Liquor.
McNichols was asked directly II any
liquor was served at the party.
i"I smelled none, saw none and was
offered none." McNichols replied. II
talked to Miss Boorman, Mr.. Spring
er and Mr.. Granger just before they
left the house to take a ride. That
was about midnight. Some of the 20
boys there during the evening had
left, while others were still there"
Matson called for Ernie Granger
to appear on the witness stand. A
deputy sheriff informed Matson that
a subpoena had been served on Grain
ger. A whispered conversation be-
tween Graingers attorneys and Mat
son ensued.
II am informed by Mr.. Gralngers
attorneys that while MIR. Granger
said he was physically able to be
present, his physician advises that
1t would be better for him not to ap-
pear" Matson told the jury.
His attorneys inform me that II
we did force him to appear they
would invoke his constitutional right
giving him immunity from testi-
mony."
Then one OF Grainger's attorneys
said:
IT think 1t would be well TO instruct
the jury that under the law n per-
sons failure to testify should not be
considered
THAT isn't true at an inquest" F."
Matson retorted.
We'll. anyway. Granger isn't
here" the attorney said.
Excepting McNichols. the only per.
sons to answer subpoenaes today
were members of the Schrader family
who live near the scene of the acci'
dent and were called by Miss Scott,
county officials who examined the
road, and a photographer who took
photos of the road.
Car May Have Skidded.
Members 6f the Schrader family
denied that they detected any signs
of liquor. Several members OF the
family testified that they heard the
car pass with 'cut out" open and II
was certainly speeding"
Officials who examined the scene OF
the accident asserted that for .
stretch of probably 225 feet they
could trace the course Of the car ~
1t rounded the curve. The wheel
tracks looked as though the car was
skidding. according to testimony.
The Woman's Pan Hellenic council
has issued an order that sorority
rush parties held this week shall
be quiet "at home" affairs, with
hours of the receptions stipulated In
Invitations. The sororities hold their
"rushes' this week, while the fra.
ternity 'rushes" were held last week,