The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1904-04-09
Weilander was the aggressor i
the original Quarrel.


the original quarrel.
Artz, the man who did the
shooting came to Blackduck one
week ago yesterday from Chi
cago, where he has lived for a
number Of years and where his
grown son and daughter resides
on Adams street. He was &C.
companied by E. A. Gabriel, also
of Chicago. Artz filed on a claim
in Battle River country Nov. 10,
when the land was thrown open
to settlement at the Cass Lake
land office and had come up to
build a shack and make it his
home. His filing to the land was
contested by Carl Berglund, a
cousin Of Weilander's who
claimed squatter's rights and
the contest was to have been
heard at the Cass Lake land offio 9
next Tuesday.
Weilander and Berglund came
to this section from Lsanticounty
about a year ago and both
squatted on quarter sections.
Upon his arrival last week from
Chicago Artz engaged a crew of
men to build shack on his
claim. Wednesday while he was
absent from the premises at
Kelliher buying some building
supplies, Weilander with several
other squatters and home
steaders visited the place where
the men were working on the
building and ordered them to
leave off work. This they re
fused to do and he attempted to
persuade them by stating that
Artz was irresponsible and that
they would not get their money
for the work they we're doing.
the entire parties lett be-
fore Artz' return. Weilanderagain
returned Thursday and talked
with the workmen about fifteen
minutes. Most of the CONVEX sa-
ton was about the coming con-
test at the land Office and Artz
and Weilander did not meet as
the former was out hunting dur
ing Weilander's second visit.
Artz had been wrought up
somewhat by the reports Of We'll
anders visits and remarks he
had made to the,men working on
the building. Yesterday morn
ing the men went to work about
10 Clock and about 7;45 We'll
ander came over again. Other
workmen were busy about the
clearing and Artz and Ole Olson,
the carpenter who had charge of
the work were the only ones near
the cabin which is built just
across tile quarter section line
from the section on which We'll
ander had squatted.
The story Of Ole Olson, who
saw the shooting is that when
.Artz saw Weilander coming he
warned him to keep off the prem
Uses and told him that he had no
business there. He had the rifle
in his hand and the two banded
words for a moment when Artz
warned Weilander off the place
and discharged the rifle in the
air.
This act seemed to incense.
Weilander and he drew a revolver
from his pocket, took deliberate
aim at Artz and discharged the
weapon. The bullet went wide
of the mark and Artz returned
the fire with the rifle. This shot
took effect. Weilander dropped
the revolver from his hand and.
staggered and fell to the ground.
He was picked up and carried
into the shack and later taken
to the shanty Of "a neighboring
homesteader named Johnson.
His wound did not at first appear
to be serious; the flow of blood
was staunched and Ole Olson.
hitched up his team nclsstarted
to Blackjack with him. Berg
lund and f. a. Gabriel followed
the team. The injured man did
not complain of any pain. and
talked but little. He said nothing
about the shooting. He died
about eleven miles on the road,
and made no statement regard
ing the shooting before his death
Weilander came to this country
from Sweden three years ago.
He has no relatives in this section
and was practically Without=mon.,z5
is a man=about thirty y
five yearsTof age.
The bod Y was taken to the Pho
neer hotel where the Deputy
Coroner viewed the remains last
night. A hasty examination of
the wound was made and an
autopsy will probably be conduct
ed tomorrow.
But little is known of Artz in
this section. He-i plasterer
by trade and during the greater
part Of the present winter has
been working on the construc-
ton of the exposition buildings
at st. Louis. He Is a man about
forty wears of age.
Thu Dai1v Pioneer want col