Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-01-26
NEGRO CAUSES Trouble.

ing brought over from DlarSnneN,
Judge f. G. Pors notifying him that a
colored man belonging to this county
had got himself in trouble. The negro
was not brought over, however. and
since then we have learned the follow
ing facts in the case
The negro's name is Wyatt Barner,
aged thirty six, and he lives in the town
of Day. For some time he has been
peddling medicines and making his
home with a Norwegian family named
Gabrielson, and becoming infatuated
with a daughter, Elma Gabrielson, aged
sixteen, was to have married her last
week, but the best laid plans of mice
or men often gang a glee," and so il
was with the negro's.. The girl strongly
maintains that her mother and foster
| father abuse her and force her to SUBJ
nit to all kinds of drudgery, and she
previously stated to an aunt, Mrs. Gil
bert Swenson, that she did not care to
marry the colored man, but was being
forced to do so by her, mother, step
father and Barner. The Swensons con-
suited Judge Pors, stating conditions,
and the later with Chief of Police Griffin
and Justice Andrews (Andrews being
engaged to perform the ceremony
entered into plot to Illustrate the
marriage. Barner informed certain
parties that he had learned that Gil
bert Swenson intended doing him harm,
and that he was prepared to meet him,
intimating that he had weapon in his
possession just before the ceremony
was to take place the girl was called
into side room in the Justices office
with her aunt, and an effort made to
make her change her views, but she
was unwilling, apparently through fear
of her mother and foster father, saying
that she did not wish to go back to them.
This having failed the negro was then
arrested on the charge of carrying con-
cealed weapons, and upon being
searched large revolver apd halt
filled box of cartridges were found on
his person He was locked up and
later fined S22,85, which he paid. The
girl in the meantime was spirited away
to the home of the Swensons. That
night at twelve O'Clock the family was
awakened by loud knocking at their
door Mr. Swenson arose and opening
the door was confronted by Gabrielson,
the latter being armed with a revolver.
Immediately the two men engaged in a
struggle for the possession of the weap-
on, and while they were rolling around
on the floor Mrs. Gabrielson entered
the house, and pulling her daughter
out of bed, dragged her to the door and
passed her into the arms of the negro.
The girl walked half mile, thinly clad
and without shoes to where Barner' s
horse was tied, and was driven away to
the Gabrielson home, ten miles away,
The marriage license has been annulled
as a further measure to prevent their
marriage, and the Swensons will petit
ton the court to have the girls guard
ianship transferred from her mother on
the grounds that she is not fit person
to be trusted with the responsibility
On Thursday Barner was re-arrested
on complaint of Mrs. Swenson, who
charges him with serious criminal of
fense. He is now locked up in the
Marshfield Jail Comment on this ease
| is unnecessary, further than to say that
there is section of Indiana where the
natives deal with people of the Gabriel
son and Barner stripe on more pursua
sive terms than we of this section do.
LATER-Saturday morning Sheriff
Chellis was summoned to the town o.
Day to make an investigation. Ac
companied by F. w. Offer, town clerk
and Devine Reed, of Stratford he drove
to the home of Mr.. Oleson where
the girl was found, the Olesons being
her grand parents. The girl still ap
peared willing to marry the negro bu
some sound advice given by the thre,
men changed her mind and she resolved
to have nothing further to do with him
The sheriff found that while the mothe
and step father were encouraging tn
marriage all the neighbors wer
up in arms against it. The ste
father had been arrested before th
sheriif's arrival, and with Barner wa
fined in a court at Marshfield for fol
chilly removing the girl from the Swer
son house.
After the negro secured his liberty
second time the neighbors made
demonstration as if to lynch Barner, W
are told. and Barner needed no furthe
persuasion but left the country, and hi
present whereabouts are not known b
anyone unless it be the Gabrielsoni
The sheriff aud Messrs. Reed and 0ffe
also visited Gaorielson and in yer
plain language informed HIM that an
further abuses of the girl would not
tolerated aud that punishment would /
meted out to him. He was thorough
frightened and promised to not mole
. her in the future. The girl viii renal
with her grand parents for time ;
, least, and instructions were left wit
them TO not fail to make complain
D should the Gabrieisons attempt to r
, move the girl. The feeling against Il
3 negro is so strong that should he retul
at the present time, he might meet wi
a sudden end. 1t would take a stror
! rope to hang him for he weighs over ?
& pounds. He secured his maria!
license in this city January 9th, throus
4 application of Justice r. E. Andrew
: of Marshfeld. The town board of t
: town of Day has taken action IN q
4 matter and will see that the negro W
D not carry out his plans.
= The North Western railway has issu
3 an order that under no circumstanC
shall passenger trains exceed III