Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-04-22
SHOT THE WRONG MAN.
Appleton Officers Believe the Man
Captured Yesterday was
Joseph Strong.

Appleton, Wis, April 17.-[Special.] J.
1t seems now assured that the man shot
and captured here yesterday after a
desperate resistance is not, as was sup
posed, julius Zuelke, the murderer of
Farmer Davids, near Markesan. Dep
uty Sheriff Rumsey and G. H. Holiday
of Green Lake county arrived in the city
last night, and after looking at the
wounded man declared him not the muir
derer, Zuelke
The man now seems to be identified as
Joseph Strong, who was born and raised
near Apple Greek, seven or eight miles
from this city, but who has been absent
from this locality for some years. He
answers perfectly to the description of
Zuelke, except that he is a trife taller
and his eyebraws do not meet
The Ripon man who identified him as
Zuelke still believes him to be the man,
but ex-Sherif Dardis, who adopted
Strong's brother and numerous farmers
who knew Joseph Strong during his
residence at Apple Greek, state positive
ly that the prisoner is the same Joseph
Strong they knew. The authorities here
are satisfied that the man is not Zuelke,
but in order to make certain, the widow
of the murdered man will be sent for
to see the prisoner and positively settle
all doubt.
1t is now believed that Strong is in
sane. His actions at the hotel here, his
attempt to shoot the officer when ac-
costed, and his desperate resistance
when after being severely wounded. az
well as his frequent CALCULATIONS of
you've got me at last" would indicate
that if he is not O desperate criminal he
must be a mad man with halucination
of being pursued by enemies who seek
his life. This belief is strengthened by
the fact that he has not once protested
against the shooting or asked what it
was for as an innocent sane man natu-
rally would. Instead he takes il as a
ent as to his condition and in answer to
the question, Don't you want to get
well?" from the matron of the hospital,
answered, whats the use; this is the
easiest way out of it.
Strong's mother and brother died in
sane. Strong's clothing is marked y.
Strong" with large stencil on large
tags sewed onto the shirt and drawers.
The officers state that these marks look
like hospital, asylum or prison marks and
believe Strong to have recently escaped
from some institution of this kind, which
would explain why he feared capture, re-
sisted it so desperately and takes his
shooting so much as q matter of course.
Strong'S condition today is improved,
Appleton, Wis, April 1S.-[Special7 /
Joseph Strong, the man wounded by Of
fcer Garvey here Wednesday while re-
sisting arrest, on suspicion of being
Julius Zuelke, the murderer of Edward
Dayids of Green Lake county, was seen
at Prescott hospital this morning By a
Wisconsin representative. He is weak
and petulant and refused to give a de-
tailed story of the shooting.
d., Il Of &b.a foil
was gathered in disjointed sentences az
his version of the affair:
My gun lay on the ground and | sat
on the track. The man came up and
took hold of the gun by the muZzle and
said: That's a good gun. | want YOU
Then he shot me-
Il tried to grab him, but he lodged.
Then | tried to get away. If the man
had not been too quick when | tried to
gun or no gun, if ne is bigger than me.
did not have hold of my gun. If l
had he would have had NO use for his
little pistol again. His little gun would
have had no show against my big gun.
Il didn't know he was looking for a
have been different, can't talk. Ny
side hurts like hi. If he hadn't got
the drop on me he never would have
used his gun again. | want to sleep"
The hospital matron would permit no
further questions. Strong kept his eye
lids down all the time and only glanced
up once when first spoken to.
Strong is still weak, but much improved
over yesterday. He cannot lie down be-
cause of the pain in his shoulder but
sits proped up in hospital chair. He
is very petuIant and will take nothing
except from the hands of the ma1rOn.
He still insists that he does not care
he lives or dies. When asked
about bis religion he says he has none,
and refuses to see a minister or priest.
The doctors are now satisfied that the
5ullet did not penetrate his lung and are
eonfdens he Will recover. His ideBti-
fTcation as Joseph Strong, formerly of
apple Creek, is established thoroughly,
as is also the fact that he was cOnsid-
ered queer while IN this region years
aGo, having fits of dependency and vTO-
lent temper, followed by weeping spells.
Physicians are satisfied he is of unsound
mind. The course of the officers bullet
which first cut off his thumb and then
lodged in his shoulder proves Officer
Garvey's story that he had his gun raises
VIXEN the officer 9reGF-