Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-09-29
WAS MURDER COMMITTED 2
An Athens Mystery That is Puzzling
the Authorities.

the Authorities.
Sheriff Chellis arrived home from
Athens Friday afternoon having in
charge one, Arthur Young, who is now
being held in the county jail on the
charge of beating a board bill. His
arrest, it might be stated, is the cul-
mination of certain events that have
transpired in the village within the
past few weeks anG chain of suspic-
luus circumstances that reflect on him.
While he was arrested on the charge of
| beating a board bill he will be detained
to await further developments The
story of the affair is about as follows I:
Last spring Cal Heath, who deals in
hoops and slaves and stave timber,
wanted more labor and sent to Michi-
gan for men, and of number he re-
ceived were two you g fellows, coopers
by trade. Ones name was Arthur
Young, who claimed to hail from
Ogresh, that state, and the other, Ed
ward Schmidt, of Beaverton, Mich.
The latter worked steadily, all summer
for Heath. The former worked awhile
and then did odd jobs about the village.
The latter part of August, Schmidt
wrote home to relatives and friends
that he would return soon, and on the
9th, after getting new suit of clothes,
he started on the homeward journey.
Vha ra ilroad fa.ilitioS OF Athano n no :, ~
of the best and he decided to go to
Edgar and catch train there. He had
never been over the road before while
Young, it appears, was somewhat
familiar with it, and volunteered his
services to drive him over They Sc
cured livery rig of Bilsie q Bauman
that afternoon, and after three O'Clock
Schmidt put his telescope containing
clothes into the buggy, and start was
made. That was the last ever seen of
him. Some time between three and six
O'Clock Mr.. Bilsie was coming along the
road and met Young returning to the
village. He was then near the school
house south of Poniatowski and parties
claim to have seen buggy tracks com
ing out of side road leading west of
the school house into heavily |
wooded country. Young returned to
the stable at about six O'Clock, and |
when asked how it was he was back SO
soon, when the drive to Edgar and back |
is thirty-six miles, he stated that he had |
let Schmidt out half way, and the latter
would walk the balance of the distance.
The livery men found Schmidt's tcle-
scope in the buggy box, and Young is
alleged to have broken into the stable
later and removed the telescope and
secreted il 10 his room. 1t was found
few days ago and when asked how he
came by it replied that when Schmidt
got out of the buggy and bade him
good bye" he started off without the
grip. Young told him he had forgotten
Il and he said he would not be bothered
carrying it, and made the latter pres
ent of it.
Schmidt saved his money and when
he left the village had about 800 on his
person. Young was a spendthrift and
was always broke" but after Schmidt's
departure he was seen to have num-
Der of large bills. The people of Athens
nothing of the whole matter at
the time, but recent events that have
occurred brought the above facts back
to their minds. Letters of inquiry be-
gan coming from relatives and friends
of Schmidt in Michigan, asking if he
was still in the village and it was then
an investigation was started-quietly
at first. Young got wind of it and
cleared out on the Goth. He went to
Medford and by circuitous route
reached one of Upham's camps north of
the village. He walked about twenty
miles in getting to it, while the camp is
only nine miles from the village and
can be reached any day by train. He
engaged his services, but brakeman
who knew him, told the marshal of his
and the latter went up
Thursday night and arrested i'm, find
ing him in bed. Sheriff Chellis, who
was called over Thursday noon, was
given charge of the prisoner and
brought him here and locked him up.
Since Thursday large party of men
has been securing the woods south of
Poniatowski in hopes of finding the
body. If murder was committed, as
the people suspicion, the murderer has
had plenty of time since to dispose of
the body and the recent heavy rains in
that vicinity has made it impossible to
follow any old tracks. One thing is
certain Schmidt never reached the
village of Edgar for he was not seen
there, and no such man bought rail-
road ticket out of there Schmidt was
about twenty-four years of age and of
slight stature, while Young, who is
about twenty-seven, weighs It's or $50
pounds and Is muscular. There are
certain other incidents connected with
this case, which must be withheld at
the present time, but which will be
given to the public later
MAQQIE0