The Mankato free press., 1906-10-19
Woman With u Gun Scares
Town Officers.
SHE ACTS LIKE JOHN DlETz
Claims to Be Defending Fence; Sup
ervisors Back Up When They
See the Weapon.

Chippewa Falls, Wis, Oct. l3.-Nlrs.
Rudolph Pitsch yesterday fired upon
William Mckinnon, chairman of the
town of Anson, and John Hanley, road
supervisor, the shotgun charge passing
between the two men who, with crew
of men, were tearing down fence built
by Rudolph Pitsch which obstructed the
public highway.
Thursday McKinnon and force of
workmen We're overawed by Mrs. Pitsch.
Armed with her shotgun she warned the
men to go away or suffer dire conse-
quences, and they departed.
When McKinnon and his men appeared
at the Pitsch farm yesterday morning
Mrs. Pitsch armed with shotgun, and
her son, armed with Il repeating rife,
rushed toward them. AlcKimon paid
10 attention to the woman's demand that
he leave the premises, but ordered his
men to tear down the fence.
Then Mrs. Pitsch took deliberate aim
at NlcKinnon and Hanley, who were
standing close together, and fired. The
charge passed within a few inches of
McKinnon's head Mrs. Pitsch then told
her son that they would fire together.
Mekinnon thereupon ordered a retreat.
Mrs. Pitsch shouted after the men that
they would be filled full of lead should
they again attempt to tear down the
fence.
After this incident Pitsch appeared
upon the scene. Learning what his wife
had done, he praised her for her brav
cry. and hurried to this city to get war
rants for the arrest of the town officers
for tearing down the fence and destroy
ing United States mail box. Pitsch
found some difficulty i'll getting war
rants, but finally Judge Cough issued
them. The town officers had also has
tened to the city to get warrants for
the arrest of Mrs. Pitsch on a charge of
shooting with intent to kill, but before
they had time to secure the warrants
they were arrested on the Pitsch war
rants. \ speedy trial was arranged, and
the officers were dismissed on the ground
that the tearing down of the fence was
only trespess and not criminal offense.
Pitsch Immediately swore out new war;
rants, which will be served tomorrow.
McKinnon has failed to get warrant
for the arrest of Mrs. Pitsch, but says
he will try to get one from Attorney
General Sturdevant.
Trouble has been brewing for the last
three years over the proper location of
the highway i'll front of the Pitsch farm.
Many surveys have been made, all of
which were favorable to the town. Sew.
eral years ago Pitsch threatened to shoot
Il crew of road graders, but finally was
pacifed for the moment Three weeks
ago he decided that he had right to
half of the highway and erected a fence
i'll the middle of the road. He declares
he will maintain the fence at the point
of the rifle.
Alckinnon says he has tried to settle
PEACEFUL with Pitsch, but failed. Two
cases are now pending in the circuit
court against Pitsch OH charges of OBJ
structing public highway, but Mckin-
non intends i'll the meantime to keep the
highway clear, even though he has to
face the guns of the Pitsch family. Pitsch
is an intimate friend of John f. DieCz
the "outlaw of Cameron dam," whom he
admires very much. Pitsch could be tax
en- for Il brother. In build and facial
expression and mode of speech and ges-
lures Pitsch strikingly resembles Dietz.
Il have been trying to bear inhinch-
ingly the towns injustice for many
years. said Pitsch today, "but now is
the time to call a halt, and my son,
wife and 1 will get our rights, even
though we have to do so with our own
guns. Three years ago H. X. Ward, my