Ladysmith news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1906-1907, 1906-07-21
OFFICER. SLAIN
IN COLD BLOOD
CONSTABLE ATTEMPTS TO Ar
REST ITALIAN AND is SET
UPON AND KILLED.
MANHUNT ON IN WISCONSIN
CITIZENS SEARCH
FOR GANG THAT COMMITTED
THE DEED.

blood shortly after / o'clock yesterday
afternoon by a gang of twenty-six ltai-
ian laborers, while the officer was at
tempting to arrest one of them. Vii
lage Marshal James Hammel, who ac-
companied Isace, was severely wound
ed only escaping after a desperate
battle Isace was killed by a blow
with a pick ak after shooting one OF
the gang.
A manhunt is now on, In which al
most every man in Prescott is part1cl-
pating, but as yet only five of the gang
have been captured.
In the neighborhood of twenty men
are still at large, skulking in the
woods and brush, but their capture is
said to be but question of hours.
The foreman of the gang, George Sar-
oguse, who, it is said, instigated the
attack upon Isace and Hainmel, and
who is charged with having dealt the
death blow to Isace, was captured at
Trimball this evening. Two more flu
gitives were also apprehended at the
same place.
Several Captured.
Later in the evening two more were
caught at Diamond Bluff, about twelve
miles below Prescott. The prisoners
will be taken to Ellsworth, the county
seat, this morning.
Prescott is in the widest state of ex-
ciltement and threats against the I'M
prisoned men are freely INDUCED in.
All night long armed posses patrolled
the river banks and surrounding cOun-
try in search of the fugitives, but with
out success. The search will be con-
tinued without abatement in the morn
ing. and, aided by daylight, the pur-
suers hope to hunt down several fugi-
tives. One man is known to be wound
ed seriously and he is believed to be
near by.
Arrest Leader.
The murder of Isace is one Of the
most brutal and cold-blOOded in the
history of Prescott, and the entire vii
lage is still in sort of a daze. The
Italians. who were employed on the
Burlington road as section hands,
camped about a mile south of the vii
lage three weeks ago, and since then
residents have complained of them
continually The chief complaint was
that the men, especially the leader,
Saroguse, persisted in shooting chick
ems and song birds.
Yesterday a warrant issued by the
game warden for the arrest of Saro-
guse was placed in the hands of Isace,
who, accompanied by Hammel, set Off
for the camp. They were met by
every evidence of friendship by the
Italians and anticipated little difficulty.
Isace, after reading the warrant, STEP
ped towards Sarogus with the inten-
ton of putting him under arrest, but
as he placed hand on the mans
shoulder the latter whistled shrilly
and jumped back with a drawn knife.
Instantly the broad steel blades of two
dozen shovels glimmered in the sun
light and like an avalanche the entire
gang attacked the officers.
Jumping back, Isace drew a revolver
and aiming at the nearest man, pulled
the trigger. Only the dull click of
the hammer responded. The weapon
had missed fire. Another instant the
blade of shovel sank deep into his
shoulder, forcing him to his knees.
Again the constable pulled at the trig-
ger, and this time there was loud re-
port and one of the Italians fell to
the ground with bullet in his stom-
ach Before the wounded officer could
fire again a pick ak descended on his
head, crushing the skull.
Fought Wildly for Life.
Hammel in the meantime, surround
ed by half the gang, fought wildly for
his life. His revolver had betn dash
ed from his hand before he could use
it, and he was at the mercy of the
bowling mob. Rushing over the dying
Isace he clinched with the nearest
assailant, and, using the man as a
shield, forced his way through the
crowd and staggered down the track,
bleeding from a dozen wounds. The
Italians did not pursue the wounded
man, but Immediately prepared to
leave Two handcars were placed on
the rails, the wounded man was placed
on one of the cars and the gang start
ed down the track
Gang Escapes.
After covering about three miles the
cars were abandoned and the gang
broke for the woods in groups of two
and three.
Fifteen minutes after the murder not
an Italian laborer was to be seen in
any direction. In the meantime Ham
MEL faint from loss of blood and blind
ed by a gaping wound in the forehead,
reeled down the tracks toward the
town.
In less than ten minutes the village
was in arms Boats were launched
and several posses hurried down the
river. mo quarter was the cry. 1T
is to be a fight to death"
News of the murder was flashed to
Hastings and posse, headed by Sher'
iff G. J. Grissen, hurried to Prescott
and jointed In the hunt