The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1910-01-06
MORE SERIOUS CHARGE HINTED
Letters of Threatening Nature Sent
by Huck to Joseph A. Pitts and
District Attorney Baker Called to
the Attention of the Court

E. J. Huck, former Kenosha shoe
dealer, who has figured in the police
courts Of Kenosha on various occa-
sions, was arraigned in the municipal
court this morning on a charge of
assaulting Joseph A. Pitts, the well
known Main street merchant Huck
pleaded guilty to the charge and
Judge Randall fined him ten dollars
and the costs of the action. Having
no money to pay the fine Huck was
sent to jail for term of sixty days.
The arrest of Huck took place late
Wednesday night after he and Pitts
had met in a bitter personal encounter
in which Huck had been choked al
most into insensibility. Huck had
entered the Pitts store and had de-
manded that Pitts make a settlement
of some fancied wrongs and Pitts be-
lieving that he was about to assault
him went after him without mercy and
finally threw him out of the store.
Before the assault Pitts had received
a number of letters from Huck which
were of the most threatening nature.
The last of these letters had been writ
ten in Burlington on Tuesday and in
this letter Huck had declared that he
was coming to Kenosha to settle with
Pitts and that he was determined to
name his own terms for the settlement.
This and other letters Of threaten
ing nature were handed over to Judge
stated that Huck had written threaten
ing letters to District Attorney Baker
after the latter had aided his wife,
Mrs. Margaret Huck, in securing di-
voree. When arraigned in court Hucl1
bitterly denounced Pitts who had made
the complaint against him, but his
statements appeared to be those of
man deranged and the court paid lit
tie attention to them.
The first of the threatening letters,
which Huck referred to as "not very
mplimentary was sent to Pitts. in
September and at that time Huck de-
manded that Pitts pay him the sum
of $500. He alleged that Pitts owed
him this much on account of the fact
that as he alleged it was through Pitts
that he went out of business in Keno
sha. Other letters made further de-
mands for money and each had the
appearance of being written by man
who was suffering from some mental
For some time men who have been
close friends of Huck have insisted
that he was insane. He was arrested
once before on charge of attack
ing former mayor James German and
at that time an effort was made to
have him committed to an asylum but
the physicians who made the examina-
ton of him declared that while he was
suffering from acute alcoholism he was
not insane. It is probable that an
other effort will be made to have
commission examine Huck and it is
thought certain that should the letters
now in the hands of the court be turn
ed over to a commission that they
would find the man insane. In the
District Attorney Baker is
planning to prosecute Huck ON a
charge of sending threatening letters
to Pitts and it is just possible that
the federal officers will take up the
matter through the postofice depart
ment and demand the arrest Of Huck
for using the mails for an improper
purpose.
On leaving the court room Huck de-
clared that he would spend the whole
sixty days in Jail, but he argued with
the court that nothing could be gained
by sending him to Jail as he would get
out some time and that when he did
get out he would insist on settlement
of his alleged claims against Pitts.
JOHN NJ. Balm A BENEDICT