Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1903-12-01
MURDER IN PIKE LAKE.
One Polander Shoots Another, Then
Surrenders Himself to the Sheriff

Sluc6 OuSldN DdranOWSkl, OF 11K6
Lake, was committed to the state prison
last spring, the residents of that usually
lively town have been very quiet, but
last Friday there was an awakening
from the lethargy-this time a fatal
shooting being added to the already
long list of interesting news items that
have been culled from that town.
The story of the shooting, like nearly
all tragedies, has two sides, and in JUS
tice to the attorneys for the prosecution
and the defense we will endeavor TO
give both and then let the public draw
its conclusions.
John and Frank Gorskowiecz, un-
married men, have been living on 12O
acres of land in sections and 8, L. 26
K 8. August Schuttel berg, brother
iu-law has resided on 120 acres of land
adjoining theirs, in section s. That
section is almost a waste, the best
of its timber has been cut eff which to-
gether with the ravages of fire has al
most depleted the timber growth.
There is a growth of underbrush and
occasionally there is dead burr oak or
a blackened pine stub, and in winter
time one can drive team almost any,
where, without regard to roads 1t APP
pears that residents of that town are
not very scrupulous in regard to cut
ting wood on other peoples land and
the two brothers aforementioned had
had few stub trees cut on their
possessions and removed. Last Fri
day morning, so one report
states, Schuttenberg drove his
team over the east forty of
the Gorskowiecz brothers .(their three
forties lie in parallel line) and got
a load of wood and returned home
John met him when he was going home
but said nothing to him at that time.
In the afternoon Schutten berg went
after another load of wood pursuing
the same course as he did in
the morning. Well diggers were dig
ging well on the Gorskowiecz place
that day and Frank had been absent
from home on some business connected
with the well. When he returned at
dinner time, OF shortly after, he found
John had gone out east into the brush
and following his tracks in the snow,
found him. 1t appears that when
ochuttenberg was returning with the
sccond load of wood ne was met by John
4 ld they had an exchange of fiery
words and John ordered Schuttenberg
off his land. The latter drove off
and in the meantime John was joined
by Frank Shuttenberg borrowed a
shot gun of a neighbor and returned
and meeting the brothers said, Come
on, now, Pll fix you" and with this re-
mark raised the gun and fired at John,
the charge of No. shot striking the
man in the jaw and side of throat tear
ing away the jaw bone, jugular vein
and large arteries He fell and died
shortly thereafter Schuttenberg Sc
cured his team. went home and put the
gun up in the attic and Immediately
started for Bevent, some miles distant,
stopping at several farm houses along
the way and informing their occupants
of what he had done. Frank immedi-
ately summoned help, and had the
of his dead brother removed
to their home.
Schuttenberg walked to Hatley and
after telling several of the villagers of
his crime, stated his purpose of going
to Wausau and giving himself up to the
sheriff E. Westerfeld, who conducts
a store there, telegraphed the sheriff to
meet the man at the train, and the
sheriff did so and locked Schuttenberg
up.
Schuttenberg, in his own behalf, says
that he was not cutting wood on the
brothers land but on forty north
John had an AK which he swung in
menacing way and made threats and
fearing those threats might be carried
out, he determined to protect himself.
The shooting therefore, he claims, was
purely in self defense, in which he was
justified He made no attempt to run
away, but fastened to the county Jail
and delivered himself up.
Schuttenberg is a hard working man
and has succeeded in clearing farm
in country that would discourage
many man. He lives in a little log
h, hnt He -,
sister of the Gorskowiecz brothers and
they have six children, the eldest ten
years of age, the youngest but a few
weeks old. Their habitation denotes
squalor and want of most pronounce
able type and should the husband be
convicted, whether for manslaughter
or murder in the first degree his family
will be left il. a deplorable condition.
Coroner Kitzki was summoned and
held an inquest. The only eye witness
to the shooting was the brother of de-
ceased Testimony of neighbors as to
previous relations of the brothers-in-law
was taken and with the brief infor-
nation at hand the jury rendered the
following verdict:
STATE OF WISCONSIN,
Marathon County.
At an inquisition taken before F W.
Kitzki, coroner, in and for Marathon
county, and the undersigned jury at
the town of Pike Lake, IN Marathon
CO v, Wisconsin, we, the said jury,
ID dg been first duly sworn, upon
" of the body of one John Gosko-
wiecz, to inquire on behalf of the people
of the state of Wisconsin, when and by
what means and manner the said John
Goskowiecz came TO his death upon their
oaths do say: That John GoSkowiecz
came to his death at the town of Pike
Lake, in Marathon county, Wisconsin,
on the eth day of November, A. ID.
1908, at about two O'Clock in the after
noon of said day, by the discharge of a
gun shot in the hands of one, August
Shuttenberg, he, the said August Shut
tan hprCy aiSpharpinu said Uun at and