The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1910-12-17
COWARDLY ACT OF
WEST SIDE FARMER
SHOT A WOMAN DURING A QUARREL
OVER WATER
BULLET PASSED THROUGH LUNG
Woman is Seriously Wounded and Her
Death is Expectsd-The Man ia
Ksntuckyian.

William May farmer residing about
three miles out or Atkinson on the
Atkinson-Iron River road shot and
fatally wounded Mrs John Zenieller,
thu wife OF a Polish neighbor in a
s&hrrel over the use of a we'll that is
gated on Mays farm.
The fracas happened last Tuesday
afternoon and Sheriff Holmes was sum-
noned at once TO the scene Of the
tragedy where he found May and took
him into custody. landing him In the
county Jail that evening where he is
awaiting the outcome of the wound.
As near Is we can get at the facts
there has been feud up in that
neighborhood ever since May moved
into the palce. He is living on the
old Raymond place which Is owned by
J. s. Krepe. OF Iron River. The
Polish family lives across the road and
has been accustomed to get water at
the well for long time. May object
cd to the procedure and laet week
quarrel ensued that was quite heated.
May then went to Iron River and com
planned to the owner of the farm who
wrote note to Zemeller ss follows;
Iron River. Mich.
Dec. IL, 1910.
John Zeneller you must not let your
cattle go over to the well you can get
water but you cant let your cattle 20
in the yard you must carry the water
or we must shut you of water.
]. s. Krepc
will be out the last of week snd
settle with you.
This note was delivered by May and
it is not claimed that the Polish people
were attempting to water cattle there
In the fatal quarrel occurred.
There are two stories OF the trscas.
The story told by the woman. and part
ly corroborated by the husband, Is that
she went to the we'll to get two pals
Of water. She had the two pals slung
on yoke that fitted over the shoulders.
Che says that May came from his house
and quarrel ensued which ended In
Mays shooting her. She says tnat he
fred five or six shots and when the
bullet hit her ii made her 80 mad that
she took the yoke off her shoulders
and struck the man over the head with
IL. She WINS accompanied by her young
son. mere child. her husband being
mt work about the farm. The bullet
struck her below the right nipple.
well towards the side. passed through
the lung and its exact location has not
been ascertained The doctor thinks
that IL is lodged in the back
The husband says that he WAS at
work ia the barn and the first that he
knew Of the shooting was when his
little hoy came running to MIN saying
his mother was shot. He followed the
boy to the well where no found the
woman lying ON the ground,
Mays story is that ne was attacked
by the man and wife together. The
night started at the we'll where he went
to order them away. The two were too
much for him and he retreated to his
house with the two following him.
Th were so close upon him that he
die y have time TO shut the door so
ne rushed to where his gun was and
confronted them In the doorway. He
hold them there for some time by
pointing the gun first at the man and
then ut the woman but they wouldn {
20 away aud he was afraid that they
would injure him 30 be shot
When asked why IL was that he did
mt shoot the man instead OF tho wo-
man he had nothing TO say
May is Kentuckyian and came TO
this section along with the colony To-
Gated by che Blue Grass Land company
over In Wisconsin. TO the south west
Of lion River Nothing Is known of
him before he came to Iron county.
The gun used was twenty two
n rr rifle.