The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1899-04-01
RESCUED FROM A MOB.
Brothers Murder an Attorney in
Cold Blood in Ohio.
Escape to Their Home and Hold q
Crowd of Infurinted citizens mt
Bay, killing One-MiIitin Called
Out and They Surrender.

Toledo, o., March 27.-John and Paul
Zoltner, who on Saturday murdered
Attorney Westhaver, at LOUISVILLE, and
after entrenching themselves in their
house near that place defied arrest,
were finally taken Sunday morning, and
are now in Jail at Bowling Green.
Peaceable methods finally prevailed in
the capture, although it is doubtful IL
the capture would have been effected
except for the fact that the Zoltners
were nearly out of ammunition, and
they knew surrender was the only
method of saving themselves from an
infatuated mob.
Persuaded to Surrender.
At $3.50 Sunday morning ex-Sheriff
Riggs, accompanied by neigh Dor
named Brown, started toward the
| house. They walked the distance alone,
Sheriff Riggs stating afterward that
he expected at any minute to be shot
down. The Zeltners offered no resist
ance to their approach, and they were
admitted to the house. Mr.. Riggs
plainly told them that the militia was
ready to make an attack on the house,
and that they would be compelled to
surrender, and they had better give up
peaceably. The Zeltners seemed not
disposed at first TO give up. and stated
that they feared the mob. 200 of which
remained till that time. They tried to
induce Mr.. Riggs to accompany them
through the timber. but he refused, and
they were told they would not be mo-
Tested if they gave up their arms and
accompanied him to Jail. After half an
hours talk they agreed, and Sheriff
kingsbury was notified. He at once
made arrangements to afford the Zelt-
ners the protection of the militia. and
n special train was ordered to Custer TO
convey the men TO Jail. The Zeltners
! gave up their arms. Each was provided
with Marlin rifle and n Smith d Wes-
ton revolver. There were rs rounds of
Marlin ammunition and two boxes of
revolver cartridges left in the house.
Taken to Jail.
The men were taken from the house
| and conveyed to the train and under the
protection of the militia and Sheriff
Kingsbury, eX-Sheriif Riggs. and Depu-
! ties ALI Farmer and Andy Roach they
/ were taken to the Bowling Green Jail
! without molestation. \ crowd of about
| 1000 people met the train, but there was
no demonstration. At the Jail the Zelt-
ners were very reticent and did not care
TO talk of the matter, only that they ex-
pressed regret ut the death of Clarence
! Nettenmyer. who was killed in attack
! ing the house.
Was II Deliberate Murder.
The murder of Wcstenhaver was DELHI
crate. The trouble began in the Office Of
Justice Burgoin in Hoytsville Saturday.
! Attorney Westenhaver had brought suit
| against the Zetners to recover 800 for
! legal services. At the noon adjournment
Of court Paul Zeltner walked up to Wes-
tenhaver and demanded a letter bearing
/ on the case. His attorney. Hood. sought to
pacify him. saying the letter would be
given to him by Wcstenhaver.
/ You bet II WILL" responded Paul Zelt-
! ner drawing his revolver John Zeltner
! also drew "A gun and the men began to fire
! at the attorney
/ Westenhaver. pleading for his life, start
ed for the door of the courtroom AS he
passed out of the door a bullet hit him in
I the side and he fell to the ground. He
! arose and rushed out on to the pavement
| The Zeltnsrs passed out of the door and
! ran around the courthouse in different d.
rections.
Paul Zeltner reached the wounded man
! first and. STOPPING over. fired at him. the
shot breaking the attorneys arm. He fred
again, the second shot grazing his fore
7 head Westenhaver raised himself on his
/ arm muttered Don't and fell back
dead The two murderers then brandshed
their firearms at the crowd that had col
lected and started for their horses, which
were tied near by. They mounted the ami
! Nd "a ont of on n Uallo.1
They fired one or two shots into the air and
rode TO their homes. about three miles
from Hoytsvile, where they sought refuge
in the cellar.
The police at Toledo, Bowling Green and
other towns were notified of the shooting
and a posse was quickly formed to capture
the two men. In less than an hour 800 men
had gathered from all parts of the county.
An effort was made to parley with the two
men In the cellar. but rifle bullet was their
only response. Then a party of 25 men
made an attack on the house. AS soon as
the attacking party got within firing dis
lance they fired a volley at the windows
in the cellar. There was no reply until
the smoke had cleared away, and then
came answering shots from the house, one
of them taking effect in the stomach OF
Clarence Widenmeyer.
Member of the Posse Killed.
He fell to the ground and his comrades
rushed to pick him up. Before they were
able to remove him TO position OF safety
another bullet struck him in the head,
killing him instantly. Shot after shot was
fired at the cellar window, but as soon as
the smoke cleared away answers would
come from hitherto unlocked for places In
the house. The besieged men seemed TO
he well provided with repeating rifles.
When the Zeltners learned that they had
killed one of the attacking party they
yelled derisively at their would-be captors,
declaring they would kill themselves be-
fore they would submit to arrest
The Zeltner brothers and their families
were no doubt saved by the prompt ar
rival of troops under the orders of Gov.
Bushnell. The troops stood between the
firing from the house and the enraged
crowds and not only captured the des-
peradoes, but also protected them from
violence all the way from the southern
boundary Of this county to the jail here,
q