Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1910-10-14

confined since the shooting OF the
children several days ago by the sher-
IFS posse.
Since he took his frugal breakfast in
his cabin with his family, after the
regular morning devotions. John Deitz
had not been allowed 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 charge OF
assault with deadly weapon with
intent to kill. Other members of the
family are charged with "complicity
in an assault with intent to kill"
Story Of John Deitz Fight.
For eight years John Dietz had sue.
cessfuily defied the processes and
warrants of county, state and federal
courts; fought off sheriff's posses with
his rifle, 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 a lumber syn.
dicate-the Chippewa Lumber &
Boom Co.-drives its logs. Deitz de-
manded toll of 10 cents a thousand
feet for all logs shunted over the dam,
and also little claim for back wages
unh0nored 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 rifle
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
marauders.
Nobody got near enough to serve
the papers. Warrants for arrest on
contempt of court likewise went I'm.
served. Sheriffs and deputies tried to
surprise Deitz. A few were carried
of wounded, or crawled away. His
home is natural fortress, almost en-.
tirely 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
to few others.
Deitz, his two older sons and his
TWO daughters were expert rifle shots.
So was Mrs. Deitz, former school
teacher. Deitz was well educated,
well read, knew his rights and backed
them up with rifle. He also knew
what usually happens in court to a
poor man opposed by a rich syndi-
cate. So he preferred his natural
stronghold to any legal safeguards
the law throws around a poor man.
He stood on his policy of refusing to
serve papers, and his right to shoot
any trespassers on his land.
Few people cared to oppose him.
He went regularly to the town every
week for supplies. The warrants, is
sued years ago, remained unserved.
They were pulled out of dusty pigeon
holes when Dietz shot Horel.