The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-07-24
MICHIGAN'S bad MANI
Holxhay's Career Likened to That
Harry Tracey. e

Harry Tracey.
T HoUGHToN, CH,-Oregon and Wash
ington have their. Harry Tracey, escaped con-
vict, murderer and outlaw; Michigan and
Wisconsin had their Reimund Holzhay, alias
BLACK Bart" desperado, murderer, stage
robber, train robber and outlaw, now "a con-
.vict in the state penitentiary at Marquette.
Holzhay was born Of Austrian parentage. In
1888 he entered upon his criminal career,
when he attempted to hold up stage coach
near Shawano, Wis.
His next venture was more fruitful of re-
suits and he secured some booty from q
stage which he held up along the Wolf river.
Not satisfied with this, he held UP a train
Oh the Milwaukee & Northern road at Bea-
yer. Many small robberies followed. At this
time, he acquired the sobriquet of "Black
Bart" because Of his swarthy complexion and
unkempt beard.
Having disappeared from the scene of his
early crimes, the people believed '"Rlack
Bart" had gone west However, their sur
mise was proven to be wrong when a Wis
consin Central train was held up by Holzhay
at Cadott, Wis. Thereafter the bandit trans
ferred his operations to the Gogebic range,
where his most desperate crimes were COM
mitted. 80 ~ s+
At Gogebic Holzhay held up stage, but
the answer to his demand was shower Of
bullets from guards and passengers. Holiday
vigorously returned the fire and killed a
banker named Fleischben Of Belvidere, H..
Undaunted the defenders kept up hot fire
and finally drove the bandit from the field.
The murder aroused the authorities of Michl-
gan and Wisconsin to frenzy Of activity.
Stage coaches and trains were guarded even
more rigidly than before; the bandits haunts
were watched closely, and money furnished
by Fleischbeins relatives kept score Of de-
tectives on the Inurderer's trail. A large re-
ward was offered for the desperate, dead or
alive. -
Holzhay, however, was as slippery as an
eel. He slept in the woods, lived on game
that fell before his rifle. and kept his pur-
suers guessing for long time. To replen-
ish his larder, Holzhay walked into Republic,
Mich, one day. He was recognized by W.
lage Marshal Globe, who at once planned to
capture him. Despite the odds, Holzhay
fought desperately, but was overpowered, Sc
eurely bound and taken to the lookup He
was tried for Fleischbein's murder, convicted
aud sentenced to life Imprisonment at Mar
quette prison.
In November, 1889, he began to serve his
sentence. For several months he was a
model prisoner and then in March, 1890, be
came sullen and refused to obey his guards.
Thinking to get at the bottom Of the trouble,
Warden Thcmpkns sent for Holzhay. Holz-
hay seized the guard sent on the errand and
hourtshed knife before his face. Attracted
by the guards cries, other officers rushed to
the scene. Using the guard as a shield,
Holiday frustrated several attempts to shoot
him. After keeping UP these tactics for sew
eral hours, the warden finally took a shot
at Holzhay's right hand and shattered it az
1t Lay on his knee while he sat behind his
human shield. ... -. '.. -
In 1893 he came forth with letter stating
he was insane and asking for an examina-
ton. He analysed his insane freaks with
such power that the physicians did not hest
tate moment in declaring him crazy. When
he was removed to the insane asylum at
Ionia he was one Of the most violent maniacs
ever received there. Carefully watched and
given the best Of treatment, he recovered,
and he was returned to Marquette in 1894,