larly in the city of Chicago, where he led the life of a homeless newsboy. He emigrated to Nebraska at the age of seventeen, united with the Methodist Episcopal church two years later, attended school, working his way, surmounting many obstacles, and finally entering the ministry. After preaching and lecturing on reform subjects for several years, he entered the Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois, took the complete classical course, and graduated with honors. He has since held many important charges as a minister, and always with success in his chosen field. He is at present pastor of the M. E. church at David City, and one of the ablest members of the conference. In the campaign of 1896 Rev. Mailley gave his eloquent and enthusiastic support to the free silver movement, and on the assembling of the legislature was tendered the chaplaincy of the house, which position lie has filled with dignity and grace.

EWIS ALLEN BELTZER, of Osceola, sergeant at arms in the house, was born in Hagerstown, Maryland, December 24, 1839. Prior to the war his parents resided successively at Chillicothe, Ohio, Eddyville, Iowa, and Warsaw, Illinois. In the second year of the rebellion young Beltzer enlisted in Company F, Eighteenth Iowa Volunteers, joining the

regiment in August, 1862, at Benton Barracks, St. Louis, and was mustered into the field service near Sedalia. He fought till the close of the war, and was mustered out in August, 1865, receiving a second lieutenant's commission. He located at Bloomington, Illinois, and in 1872 came to Osceola, Nebraska, homesteaded near that place, where he yet resides. Mr. Beltzer received a good common school education, and spent most of his early life in farming. In Polk county he has been engaged in various callings. He has served as deputy sheriff, and for ten years has been a prominent nurseryman. He was assistant sergeant at arms in the first populist legislature, in 1891, and held the same position in the session of 1893. He is one of the able and effective workers in the reform party, and is at present publisher of the Polk County Independent.

HARLES A. BERRY, of Wayne, Nebraska, was chosen custodian of the house of 1897. He was born Angust 15, 1871, at Couret, canton of Neuchatel, Switzerland, and came to America in April, 1884. He located at Carson, Iowa, and worked on a farm for six years, after which he came to Nebraska, settling in Wayne, where he is now engaged in the real

estate and insurance business. He is a single man, and has a high standing among the democrats and populists of his district. He is a courteous, social, accommodating public servant, and has made many friends in the discharge of his official duties.

ILLIAM N. SILVER, private secretary to the speaker of the house, was born near Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 24, 1861. His father died when the son was twelve years of age, as the result of exposure while in the service of his country. William and his mother, with a family of four other children, were left in straitened circumstances. The boy's schooling privileges were greatly curtailed by the stern necessities of adverse fate. He farmed in the summer, worked in the woods in the winter, and carried on a course of private study, determined to keep himself informed and acquire a general knowledge of the leading events of his time. He mastered book-keeping, and found employment with a leading business firm of millers and grain dealers at Trebeins, Ohio. In 1891 he entered Xenia (Ohio) College, where by herculean efforts he took the work of nearly three years in one. He returned to his

old firm at the head of the clerical force, and finally became a junior partner. He studied law both in Ohio and Nebraska, locating at Wahoo in 1890. He was admitted to the bar in 1892, and served as deputy county clerk of Saunders county one year. For five years he has been chairman of the insanity commission of his county. He has ably served the populist party as delegate and committeeman in its important conventions and campaigns.

HARLES H. CHALLIS, one of the best known journalists in the populist ranks in the state of Nebraska, has served with fidelity and modest devotion as clerk of the house committee on privileges and elections during the twenty-fifth session. He was born at Ottawa, Illinois, in 1854 and graduated from the high school of his native town. At the age of eighteen he learned the printer's trade and has followed the occupation ever since. He came to Nebraska in 1879 and located the next year in the thriving little town of Ulysses, where he established the Dispatch, the second oldest newspaper in Butler county, In 1878 he was married to Miss Sarah E. Baumgardner,

and one daughter, a bright fourteen year old school girl, is the object of their love. Mr. Challis has a comfortable, modern residence property, without incumbrance, which represents the economic fruits of his own toil, and he is a citizen whose credit in the community in which he lives is established by an unbroken record of eighteen years prompt payment of every obligation incurred. Politically editor Challis was formerly a republican, but of recent years has become known throughout the state as a writer of great force and remarkable controversial power on the leading principles of the populist party, of which he is an enthusiastic adherent.