The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-05-12
DAM DEFENDERS
NOW ON TRIAL.

NOW On TRIAL.
Hayward, Wis. May q The
joint case against John F. Deitz
Mrs. Deitz and their son Leslie Deitz
for the murder of Deputy Oscar Har-
pin in the early part of October
1910, was called for trial here TO-
day before Judge Reid of the dis
trict court. This is the first and
most serious of the cases growing
out of the heroic defense of the Cam
eron dam, Thornapple river, by John
r. Deitz and his family After this
case is disposed of there will be two
more cases to come up for trial; one
is against John f. Deitz alone and
is for his assault on William Giblin,
the former sheriff. who with Patrick
McGinn. tried to capture Deitz in
1904. The third case Is against AL
mira Deitz, the eldest daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Deitz, who is charged
with intent to kill John Rogich,
deputy from Milwaukee, who Joined
upon the attack upon the Deitz
home in 1904. This last mentioned
case will probably be dropped by the
state, as the prosecution is under
stood to have absolutely no evidence
against the girl. Almira Deitz was
shot in the hip at the time of her
arrest, but has since then fully re-
covered from her injury.
The troubles of the Deitz family,
which eliminated in a long seige of
their log cabin near the Cameron
Dam and their final capture after
desperate and bloody battle in the
early part of last October, began in
1904, with the purchase of the Cam
eron farm by Mr.. and Mrs. Deitz.
Prior to that time Deitz and his fam
lily occupied cabin near Price
dam and Deitz was employed as
Waterman of the dam by the Chippe
wa Lumber Company. When Deitz
removed to his place at Cameron
dam, he gave up his position. The
refusal of the representative of the
lumber company to settle with Deitz
for the pay which the latter claimed
for his services, led to an assault
by Deitz upon the agent of the COM
pany. The latter obtained war
failed.
After short time dispute arose
between Deitz and the lumber COM
pany concerning the right of the
company to run logs through the
sluice of cameron dam. DeitZ, who
owned the property. refused to allow
the company the use of the sluice
without payment and the company
took the matter into the courts.
Summons were issued for Deitz and
also a temporary injunction, but he
would not accept service. The case
was fought in the civil courts and
finally decided in favor of Deitz.
During the years since the Deitz
family moved in to their log house
on Cameron dam numerous attempts
were made to serve warrants and
legal papers on Deitz, but the latter,
claiming that he could get no JUS
tice in the courts, refused to &C
cept service. On May 8, 1904 for.
mer Sheriff Giblin and three armed
men tried to arrest Deitz, but he de-
Tended himself with his rifle ana
forced the sheriff to withdraw.
Deputy Sheriff Rogich was shot
during another attack upon the Deitz
homestead, on July 25, 1906. A
pitched battle between the deputy
bers of the Deitz family on the other
took place, and Rogich was serious
ly wounded by shot. In Septem-
Der of last year Deitz became in
voIved in quarrel with the presi-
dent of the school board during a
visit to the town of Winter, and in
cidentally shot Bert Horel, who tried
to act as peacemaker. This last
trouble led to the long seige of the
Deitz home by large posse seek
ing to arrest Deitz. 1t was during
the final assault, which ended with
the surrender of Deitz and his fam
lily, that Deputy Harper was shot and
killed.
THE TRAVELLERS,