The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-03-13
BLACK BART" HAS
REF0RMED;sTEPs
FOR PARDON
NOTORIOUS "LlEERr HAS BE-
COME CULTURED SINCE HIS 20
YEARS IN MARQUETTE - HIS
LuRlo CAREER.
(From a Special correspondsnt.)

mantacal frenzy, MS mental iacuieios
restored to a healthy condition Dy
means OF a surgical operation and the
man, now a thinker ana a student, cui'
tured and refined, without trace OF
lis former viciousness. a movement
has been started to secure a pardon
for Raymond Holzhay.
Convicted OF murder in the first de-
gree, the outcome OF iercely-contest-
ed battle during which he shot aud
killed an Illinois banker. the man has
already served nearly 20 years or
life sentence In the Marquette peniten-
tiary. The efforts in his behalf have
the support OF the prison authorities,
and interested In the movement also
are prominent men of the state who
have come In contact with him since
his incarceration.
No more spectacular criminal than
Raymond Holzhay was ever sent to a
Michigan penal institution. No more
thorough reformation was ever WORK
ed in a man than In this ex-bandif
who once was the terror OF large
portion Of northern Wisconsin and up
per Michigan. Holidays operations
as an outlaw took place In 1888. he
was an Austrian by birth, young man
OF strong physique and OF little educa-
ton.
First Operated IN Wisconsin.
The first venture Of the man was
the attempted holdup Of stage In
Shawano county. wis He fired shot
at the horses when tho driver failed
to pull up at his demand. One horse
was wounded. Hofzhay next stopped
a stage along the Wclf river and got
considerable sum Of money. He rot
lowed this with the robbery OF NIL
waukee Northern train at Beaver.
Wis. In this instance he walked
through the string Of coaches, COM
polling in true Jesse James style Tho
passengers to give up their valuablss
ct the point OF revolver. Numerous
small robberies followed. the adro!t
bandit, operating sinale-handed, fall
ing to leave clue In any case. He
became known as Black Bart" from
his swarthy appearance and ill-kept
beard, and all the stage and railway
lines were forced TO employ armed
guards to protect their passengers.
At one time, when the pursuit be-
came hot, Holzhay disappeared for
over month and was supposed to be
IN the west. The robbery Of Wis.
consin Central train at Cadott. how
ever. again brought aim before tho
public. From Wisconsin. Holzhay
transferred the scene OF HIS opera.
lions to the Gogebic iron range, and
here his most desperate venture took
place. A stage near Lake Gogebic,
Mich, was stopped and the robber
gave the customary demand that tho
passengers hold up their hands. They
had arranged for resistance, however,
and the bandit was met by a shower
OF bullets from the guard. He return
the FIRE with vigor. ard In the battle
one OF the passengers. q banker named
Fieischbem, OF Bellville, ILL.,, was In
stantly killed by bullet from the
hsghwayman's gun. Despite this the re-
turn fire was kept up bravely and the
bandit was compelled to retire frou
the field.
Took to the Woods.
The murder put the authorities OF
Michigan and Wisconsin In furore
OF activity. All trains were watched.
the old haunts of the bandit were
guarded and money furnished by the
murdered bankers relatives and
friends maintained a large corps OF
detectives in the field. Rewards ag.
gregating $500 were offered for his
capture. dead or alive. In spite OF this
tremendous activity Holzhay managed
for long time 10 evade the tolls OF
the law. He slept In the woods and
lived on the products OF his own skill
as a hunter. Occasionally. he would
visit civilization to lay IN scant sup
ply Of provisions. Disgusting himself
so efYectually that It would not be s~-
allied until too late that he was tho
nan wanted. II was suspected but
never proved that Holxhay had friends
who aided him In escaping and fur.
nished him with supplies.
One day Holzhay, who was not
known to be in the vicinity. walked
into Republic. Marquette county, rath.
er distant from the scene OF his oper-
ations. 10 lay In a lot of supplies He
was recognized on the street by VII
lage Marshal Glode and the officers
hastily formed a plan to effects his
capture The aid OF Printer Weis4=F,
who also was Justice OF the peace
was secured and the landlord OF the
hotel at which the bandit had stopped
was taken into the scheme. The lar.
ter, through ruse, persuaded Hog.
hay to go upstairs. and while be was
there the three men stationed them.
selves at the door at the foot OF the
staircase. Then as the outlaw de-
rcended they pounced On him.
A Terrible struoole.
The struggle which followed was
terrible one. In spite % the over.
whelming odds. Holznay Managed to
get an arm loose and. sne1ching his
revolver, was about TO shoot when urie
OF the men seized the arm With both
hands and held II at The outlaws side
while another OF the trio dinormo'l
him. BLACK Bart" was thrown to tina
floor with the three men on lob q
him and was securely bound. IN dv(o
time Holzhay was tiled for N1i6ch
bem's murder. He was given ever
chance and over two days were spos1s
In securing the jury. The man Was
convicted and Judge Williams sef'-
fenced him to Marquette PRISON FOR
life.
HOLIDAY began to serve his sen.
tence In November, 1889. He was SUI,
ly and moody. subject TO Ats OF sui
fenness during the course of whlnlt
he was liable TO do most anything
Holzhay was without a friend when
FIRST sent to prison. out he has many
Of them now He has been the prisea