Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-04-05
MOB is oEEIep.
Desperate Attempt to Capture Two
Barricaded Murderers.

TlGduGo uFaCTCE6s
John and Paul Zeltner, murderers of
Hoytsyllle. Ohio. were lodged in jail at
Bowling Green after having for eighteen
hours defied an infuriated mob which
threatened them with summary ven
geance. The two men, who murdered
Attorney Westenhayer and later killed
Clarence Wittenmeyer one of their pur-
suers, held the great crowd of would-be
lynchers at bay until they were ready to
surrender. During all the time from the
commission Of the first crime Saturday af-
ternoon until after G o'clock Sunday morn
ing the two, aided by the women of their
household, defied the desperate throng
which besieged their home They plainly
stated that they would not submit TO
lynciling and every assault on the house
was answered with such well-aimed bull
lets that the lynehing party feared to
carry out its plans. Each move on The
part Of the assailants was the signal for a
shot, showing that the women were doing
their share in the work of defense. Only
when they were assured military guard
and all possible protection did the murder
ers agree to submit to arrest.
Il. I'll. Westenhaver had been attorney
for the Zeltner brothers in numerous
cases, and had sued them for his fees. The
jury and witnesses had been sworn before
Justice E. Burgoon at Hoyts Corners, in
Westenhaver's suit, when Paul Zeitner
demanded some papers of Westenhayer,
and attempted to take them from his pock-
ct. John Zeltner then joined in derand-
ing the papers, and Immediately fired the
fatal shot that killed WestenhaveT. The
Zeltners had Their horses ready for mount
ing and escape, and it is thought that
they had arranged to get Westenhaven
into fight, although they did not give
the victim time to make any demonstra-
tions toward them. The Xeltners kept
up their firing till they mounted their
horses, and continued it as hundreds Of
citizens purs led them to their residence.
Then the citizens laid siege to the Zelt-
ner house. The lynchers kept up contin-
ual firing and Il is declared that the wom-
en- also engaged in the defense. John Zelt-
ner is married and has four children, and
his family was in the house with him. The
battle was waged furiously, the besiegers,
including the sheriff's posse, finding it nee
essary to keep under cover of the trees to
avoid being hit. Clarence Wittenmeyer
posse of twenty-five or thirty to capture
the house by determined charge. This
| increased the excitement, and the mob,
now swelled to 1000 in number, seemed
bent upon lynching the Zeltners. To pre-
vent this the sheriff telegraphed to North
Baltimore for the militia and the Bloom
field rifles and the North Baltimore cadets
hurried to the scene. All night long the
siege was kept up. When Wittenmeyer
| fell volley after volley was poured into
the crowd from the upper story of the
Zeltner house. During the fight cannon
and a quantity of nitroglycerin had been
| secured, so that there would have been
| trouble after sunrise if the troops had not
| arrived.
Peaceabe methods finally prevailed in
the capture, although it is doubtful il the
| capture would have been effected except
| for the fact that the Zeitners were nearly
out of ammunition and they knew surren-
| der was the only method of saving them
selves. The Zetners agreed to surrender
| to ex-Sherif Biggs if guaranteed protec-
ton from the fury of the mob. The two
| military companies were drawn up in lines
and the men handcuffed and taken from
| the house, after which the women locked
/ all the doors and pulled down all the
blinds. Under escort of the militia, the
men were marched through the mud and
| snow to Custar station, where they took
train for Tontogany, there changing
again and landing in Bowling Green short
| ly after noon. At that point at least 1,500
| persons had congregated, but the Zeltners
were hurried to Jail without any further
| trouble.
| The Zeltners are men of much more
shan average intelligence, and were fairly
well-to-do German farmers. They express
ed regret at the killing of Clarence Wit
tenmeyer, who, they said, was killed un-
Intentionally, but neither of the Zeltners
expressed the slightest regret for the kill
| ing of Lawyer Westenhaver.