Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1910-11-10
BoIsE TO AID JOHN DIErz
Subscriptions to be Made 20 Defense
of Wisconsin W0odsman.

Following the leadership or opo-
kane. Portland and other northwest
ern cities Boise may form what viii
be known as a Boise Dietz Defense
Fund committee for the purpose Of
raising funds with which to defend
John F. Dietz, the Wisconsin farm
er. who for many years, aided by h's
small family, held at bay gigantic
lumber corporation which was en-
deavoring to take fOrcible posses
SION of his farm in the timber belt
Of Wisconsin. Fund organizations have
been perfected in. Spokane and Port
land says the Capital News There
are many Dietz sympathizers in this
CITY and they are anxious to organ
ize a similar committee, believing
as they do, in a square deal AMI
that. while Dietz may have been III
the wrong at times, he was forced 70
assume the defensive by the desper-
ate efforts on the part of the lumber
corporation to force him to give up
his home.
The sympathetic public of this
country has had its attention attract
ed by the Dietz case and the bravery
of the individual members of his fam
ilv. Some years ago Dietz became a
national figure through the defense
Of dam. More recently and when
many officials attempted to serve Up
on him a warrant for arrest on the
charge Of murder he held out against
them for days. Eventually he surreni-
cred to the authorities and now m 'st
stand trial on the most resious charge
on the criminal calendar. Wisconsin
is ablaze with Indignation and re-
sentiment. While few condemn Dietz
many more defend him and his trial
is destined to attract the attention
of every state in the union. 1t is for
the purpose of providing a medium
bv which the best legal counsel and
defense can be made for Dietz that
the fund committee movement, which
is evidently spontaneous is being
started.
Dietz, together with his son, is now
in Jail at Winter. Wis, while his
daughter, who was waylaid and shot
by agents Of the lumber company IS
in hospital
The events following the ATTEMPT
of the Weyerhaeuser Lumber COM
pany to take possession Of the Dietz
premises, rival it is cleaned, the epis-
odes Of early feudal days. With his
small family Dietz entered the Wis
consin forests some years ago and
hewed therefrom a comfortable far'a
and home.
Later the lumber company sought
TO get possession of the dam on
Thornapple creek. which was neces-
sary for the conduct of its lumber
business in the floating of logs down
the stream from the forests above,
where they had been cut. Dietz de-
over the dam without a toll. and to
surrender This refusal was follow
ed by open warfare, lead on one
hand by the powerful lumber COM
pany and its agents and met by the
Dietz family. For days the farmer
and his children slept on their guns
and repealed every attack. The lum-
Der company then allowed Dietz his
toll.
Dietz lived quietly after that for
some years. One day in lumber
camp he was attacked by an enemy
aud insulting remarks made. IN
self Il, Tense Dietz claimed he shot tho
fellow who picked the quarrel Flee
ing again to his log cabin home
Dietz locked himself and his family
in and prepared to ward off the Of
ficials. This lasted for some days
and the situation became so serious
that it was thought the mdlitia would
possible to serve a warrant on Diet1
Many special deputies were sworn
in and they besieged the home. Fin
ally the Dietz children, driven by
hunger started to town under cover
Of darkness to secure provisions.
They we're waylaid and Myra Dietz,
who bore the reputation Of being a
dead shot and as fearless as her
father, received a bullet in the back
The boy was shot in the arm and
both We're captured. With his fight
ing forces depleted and longing to
see his children. Dietz SURRENDERED
another daughter bearing a white
rag Of truce to the surrounding dep
uties who were preparing to kill
Dietz on sight and who had pune
tured the cabin full of holes.
n-I.o .nicodo hos aualranad nafion-