Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-06-04

Chicago, May 27.-Chicago was in
vaded yesterday morning by an army
of hostile state numbering thirteen
men-the District of Lake Michigan"
The invasion ended in farce comedy,
but came near being finished in deadly
earnest. The casualties include one
boy shot in the leg and one horse
Killed. Five of the invaders were ar
rested, the balance were allowed to
escape. The trouble was precipitated
by captain Geo. w Streeter, a squat
ter who from time to time has created
much trouble and litigation by his
efforts to seize land along the shore of
Lake Michigan. The land which he
has for some time claimed as the
District of Lake Michigan" consists
of made land on the shore of Lincoln
Park, part of it including one of the
main park boulevards. The courts
have decided against the squatter
again and again, but he has been per-
sistent in his efforts to grab the prom
erty. Streeter organized a force which
made descent upon Lincoln Park
yesterday, but was not with them in
person. The transport containing the
troops" arrived off Lincoln Park soon
after midnight, without difficulty
made landing at the foot of Superior
street, and formally took possession
of 1876 acres of land claimed by Cap
tain Streeter and his subjects as the
independent territory of the district
of Lake Michigan
Rapid fire guns, it Is alleged, were
on the transport decks ready to cover,
if necessary, the landing of the troops,
but the shores were unprotected, and
without opposition the men made
their way through the surf, rallied
around their leader, "Commandant"
William Niles, and hoisted the Amer
lean flag in the center of the invaded
district. Police Officer O'Malley re-
ported the matter to the East Chicago
avenue station. Immediately on land
ing line of fertilization was marked
out. A line plank was laid along the
western edge of the claimed territory
and barbed wire stretched about one
foot above it. Two forts, each about
twelve feet square, forming an en-
bankment of dirt about five feet
high, were hastily thrown
up on either side Of
Superior street. Sentinels were de-
tailed to patrol the picket line just in
side the barbed wire. The Command
ant" gave orders that no one be al
lowed to cross this line then, estab-
fishing his headquarters within one of
the forts ordered his men to stack
arms and rest themselves in prepare
ton for the struggle which he said he
felt inevitable UP at Lincoln Park
Secretary Charles Erby received noti-
fcation that the park property had
been invaded by armed men. He
jumped into a buggy and drove rapidly
to the scene of the reported disturb
ance, taking with him as a companion
Animal Keeper Charles McCurran.
They attempted to drive past the picket
line but were stopped by man with a
rifle, who warned them back. In q
Short time Superintendent Paul Redie-
ski of Lincoln Park also came hurry
ing up in buggy, but facing the same
situation withdrew. At this juncture
Captain Barney Baer of the park police
dashed up in a buggy. AS his horse
was about to cross the line Niles ran
forward and fired four shots One
horse fell dead and one Of the shots
wounded Reuben Manly aged A. who
was one of the crowd of curious on
lockers. Another bullet passed
through the lapelle of Detective Eaitt's
coat. Niles was finally overpowered
and taken to Jail.
Streeter caused to be circulated 10y
the men who took possession of the
land grandiloquent proclamation
written after the style of the declara
ton of independence, in which he stat
ed that the land did not belong to the
state Of Illinois nor anybody else, and
was the property of wnosoever settled
upon it. He is now threatening legal
procedure against everybody.