Feb. 25, 1897 —
The jury in the Davidson-Huwaldt rape case brought in a verdict of guilty and Judge Robinson sentenced the defendant [Lou Davidson] to serve a three-year term in the penitentiary.
[A search for information on this story returned an article in the Omaha Daily Bee from Feb. 15, 1897, which stated that ‘Lew’ Davidson was in jail on the charge of criminal assault on Ida Huwaldt, a young girl.
“Davidson committed the offense a year ago, but it was not until three or four months afterward that the girl related the story to her parents.
Davidson in the meantime evaded the officers. Several days ago, however, Sheriff Hass learned of Davidson’s whereabouts, and after a three days’ hunt found him in the north part of the state.” Ida was the 16-yearold daughter of William and Mary Huwaldt.]
100 Years Ago. . .
There had been much kick over the way cars were parked in Osmond, especially on Wednesday and Saturday nights. They were parked in four and five abreast, and one who had his car thus surrounded by other cars was unable to get his car out no matter how badly he wanted to until the other cars were moved. There had been many instances where one who had his car thus wedged in had to wait two or three hours before he could leave. The way the cars were parked also made it impossible to use the streets in the main part of town, which in case of a fire would be a catastrophe. In the future, all car drivers were asked to park their cars in single file, and thus avoid the crowding together and piling in of cars.
A number of Osmondites, and also former Osmondites got together in the beautiful Niobrara Park and spent a social day. Horseshoe pitching, ball games and sports of various kinds were the order of the day, and the eats was not the least part of the occasion.
Along with the other bounteous delicacies, there was a plenteous supply of genuine fried chicken and E. C. Weingartner and Joseph Hall tied for first place in disposing of this part of the menu. The picnic at Niobrara Park was an annual affair and all had a splendid time.
David Buchanan and George Roberts were at Neligh, where they had been hired by the Neligh oil promoters to drive a well to a depth of 600 or 800 feet. They were very enthusiastic around Neligh over the prospect of striking oil in paying quantities.
75 Years Ago. . .
Eight years earlier, Mrs. Harry Moats planted eight peach trees from seed in this non-peach producing climate. In 1949, the only surviving one of the lot yielded a bushel and a half of peaches. The crop was harvested slightly before ripe, when they began to fall from the tree. One specimen brought to town measured an even 10 inches the smallest way around. They were not all that big, according to the Moats family, though all were nice.
A couple of the Soil Conservation Service men, including L. D. Martelle of the Pierce office, rode into Osmond crowding the edges of their pickup truck seat looking like something after a bad dinner. Working southeast of town that morning, the men found a small rattlesnake — and they certainly should have known one when they saw it. They captured the specimen, rarely found in this sector, and put it in a large tin can intending to show it in Osmond. When they arrived here they found the can was empty. The baby rattler had left his improvised home and presumably still was lurking about on the truck.
Nine Osmond men went to Omaha and gave blood to the University Hospital blood bank. The call was made on the Osmond men by reason of numerous transfusions having been given Henry Bahr of Osmond, who had been a patient at the hospital for several months. The blood donors were John and Orville Bahr, Tom Goodman, Don Hetrick, Clarence Reding, Pat Cox, Louie Kiichler, Ed Bruckner and Frank Goeres.
65 Years Ago. . .
A new school building to serve children of newly-created District 42R probably would be at the west edge of Osmond if and when such a building program was authorized by voters. Trustees of the school district had been studying the relative advantages of at least four sites. A spokesman said the field had narrowed to two plots, each of slightly more than 15 acres, at the west edge of Osmond.
The students body of Osmond High School held a pep rally Sept. 25. The rally consisted of several yells led by the cheerleaders and a kangaroo court presided over by three judges who were the captains for the night’s football game. Other members of the football squad served as jurors. Several persons were tried and “convicted” and were sentenced to kneel at the feet of members of the football team at times throughout the day whenever met. Bowling low, they were made to say, “We’re gonna beat Newcastle.” Two out of the same guilty group were sentenced to wear signs around their necks with the same saying. Three other boys were sentenced to perform a cheerleading yell with the leaders because they hadn’t been attending games properly.
The Osmond High School Pep Club, after much discussion, chose for standard outfits black wool or orlon boat-neck sweaters with black wool skirts. The sweaters were of a style that Pep Club letters or chevrons could be worn on for school identification.
An Osmond youth was fined $25 and costs after being charged with reckless driving in local Justice of the Peace court. Judge Lou Hoeppner said it was the third time the youth had paid fines for driving law infractions in the court.
The 32 members of the freshman class after Sept. 29 became official members of Osmond High School.
In the initiation pranks, freshmen were dosed with strong smelling perfume and attired in green clothing throughout the day. They were also “slaves” to members of the senior class and were required to make paddles, bring candy and perform other duties detailed them by the seniors. Two days later, the plebes were dressed in various comical character outfits, smeared with lipstick and showered with more perfume, paraded down the city’s business streets in a snake dance and forced to perform silly antics in front of an audience at the city auditorium.
50 Years Ago. . .
The Osmond Community Club took the opportunity at its September meeting to honor Joe Schmit for his continuing and loyal support of the community, particularly his generosity in furnishing meat for the various events sponsored by the community. A special guest of the club was Clarence Riessen of Illinois, where he was tennis coach for Northwestern University.An OHS graduate, Riessen had been an exceptional supporter of the Osmond community. The Marty Riessen Tennis Courts were a product of his generosity and named in honor of his son, Marty, who was well known throughout the tennis world. Riessen was offering to furnish materials to re-surface the courts. He also sponsored a scholarship for OHS seniors in recognition of community service by Mr. and Mrs. V. Glaze Reed.
The Norm Lorenz lawn was chosen as the week’s “Lawn of the Week.” The Lorenzes lived one mile south, one west and ¾ south of Osmond and indicated that lawn upkeep there was a “whole family” project.
The Redwood Broaster Drive Inn held a “grand opening” to introduce people to their new, recently-completed “waterfall room.” The new addition, which doubled the size of the establishment, provided for additional dining area and restrooms. The attractive new dining area featured a waterfall, with actual running water, and many decorative plants, all of which added to the room.
25 Years Ago. . .
Vegetation got “nipped” in varying degrees when frost settled on a wide area of northeast Nebraska. The offi cial overnight reading at West-Hodson Lumber Company was 30 degrees. It followed a rather chilly daytime high of 56 degrees.
When Charles and Dolores Pfanstiel were digging their potato crop at the home of son Tim in Orchard, they couldn’t get the weeds to shake off one particular potato. And for good reason. A stem of creeping jenny somehow made an inroad into the potato — which was near the surface, and was growing out from both ends near a potato eye. Charles said it almost looked as if something bored into one end and took the weed in with it. Tim had decided not to plant a garden that year and offered the spot to his parents, who said the sandy soil there produced a better crop than their garden here.
10 Years Ago. . .
Members of Osmond and Pierce United Methodist Churches welcomed a new pastor and his family.
Rev. Rodgers Chishiba, wife Alice and their five children were at home in the parsonage at Osmond. Pastor Rodgers was a native of Zambia, Africa with a Christian upbringing.
His wife, Alice, was a native of the Democratic Republica of the Congo.
Her religious background was Islam.
