Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-10-11

placed his hand to the cabin doc.
about to enter after he had covered
the retreat of his son from the hill
early in the day Leslie had Just ran
into the barn-had ran full 500 yards
through perfect hail of bullets from
every direction.
There was an affectionate reunion
when John and Leslie Deitz were
brought into the county Jail at Hay.
ward where Clarence Dietz has been
confined since the shooting of the
children several days ago By the sher-
ifs posse.
Since he took his frugal breakfast in
ais cabin with his family, after the
regular morning devotions, John Deitz
had not been allowed a mouthful of
food.
According to Mrs. Deitz, the treat
ment of the prisoners on the way to
the jail was most inconsiderate and
even cruel. They were roughly han
died by the sheriff and his men, de-
spite the fact that Mrs. Deitz is in
delicate condition, expecting soon to
become mother.
Deitz Denies Killing Harp.
John Deitz, in an interview here,
soon after his arrival declared that
he did not fire the shot which caused
the death of Deputy Harp. He says
that Harp was either deliberately shot
by some of the guards, or that he
got into the crossfire and was killed
by one Of his companions.
John Deitz must face a charge of
assault with a deadly weapon with
intent to kill. Other members of the
family are charged with completely
in an assault with intent to kill
Story Of John Oeitz Fight.
For eight years John Dietz had suo-
cessfully defied the processes and
warrants of county, state and federal
courts; fought off sherffs posses with
his rife, punctured an occasional
deputy who came too close, and main
tanned his right to his isolated home
stead in the wild forest along the
Thornapple river.
Dietz' warfare with official society
began eight years ago. He had lived
with his family for years on the spot
they call home. BY hard work he had
won his living from the soil. He
claimed ownership of the clearing
and Of Cameron dam, on the Thorn.
apple river, over which lumber syn.
Chippewa Lumber &
Boom Co.-drives its logs. Deitz de.
handed toll of 10 cents thousand
feet for all logs shunted over the dam,
and also little claim for back wages
unhonored by the lumber syndicate.
So Deitz did exactly what syndicates
usually do when they have the up.
per hand-he sat tight on his land,
kept his fingers crossed and his rife
primed. They sent deputies with civil
processes to serve. He warned them
away. Others came and he demon.
strated that trespassers on his land,
after fair warning, would be shot He
didn't banker for visitors and unin.
vited deputies would be treated as
Nobody got near enough to serve
he papers. Warrants for arrest on
contempt of court likewise went un.
served. Sheriffs and deputies tried tc
Deitz. A few were carried
off wounded, or crawled away. His |
home is a natural fortress, almost en-
irely isolated by curve in the river,
approached by winding wagon track
through dense woods, every inch of it
Known to Deitz and his family, but
o few others.
Deitz, his two older sons and his
wo daughters were expert rifle shots
so was Mrs. Deitz, a former school |
eacher. Deitz was we'll educated
veil read, knew his rights and backed |
hem up with rifle. He also knew
what usually happens in court to
DOOR man opposed by a rich syndi
'ate. So he preferred his natural
stronghold to any legal safeguards
he law throws around poor man.
lie stood on his policy of refusing to
erve papers, and his right to shoot
my trsspassers on his land.
Few people cared to oppose him.
lie went regularly to the town every
week for supplies. The warrants, is.
ued years ago, remained unscrved.
they were pulled out of dusty pigeon.
OleS when DeiZ shot EcraI