Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-05-14
WIFE AND SON ARE Acquitted
Mrs. Dietz Glares at Jury When the
Verdict is Read.
PRISONER FLAYs LUMBER TRUST
Says Always Knows it Will Put Him
Out of the Way.
ASSERTS STATE COMMITS WRONG
Prisoner Makes Motion for New Trial
After speech in which He De-
nounced Lumber Trust
and the State,

HAYWARD wis, May 12-John F. Dietz
viii spend the rest Of his natural life at
hard labor IN the state prison at waupun,
by the verdict OF the Jury today for the
murder of Deputy Oscar Harp in the bat
tie Of Cameron Dam on October last.
The Jury brought in the following verdict.
John f. Detz. guilty Of murder in the
first degree. Hattie f. Dietz. his wife, not
guilty of murder in the first degree Leslie
Dietz. his son, not guilty OF murder in
the first degree"
The smile with which the "oid man" has
always faced the Jurors did not desert
him lie smiled as the Judge read the
verdict. handed up by the foreman Of the
Jury. He made no demonstration.
The verdict in John Detzs case was the
first read. AS the verdict came out a
frown came over the face Of Mrs. Dietz
and she Flared at the jury. Leslie smiled
family and the color came and went in
his face
The announcement that the jury had ar
rived at a verdict was made at S:45 o'clock
Judge Reid was Immediately notified and
Sheriff Fred Clark received a telephone
message from the clerk of the court to
brins John Dietz into the court room.
Mrs. Detz had been with her husband
throughout the night and Leslie called this
morning. The three defendants came to
the court house, walking side by side, ac-
companied by three special deputies
Despite the unexpectedly early verdict
the court room was occupied only by those
who have followed every move in the trial
from the beginning.
Speech by Defendant.
There was a moments silence following
the reading OF the verdict The court then
asked John Dietz to stand up.
Mr.. Dietz," said the judge, have you
anything TO say before sentence is passed
Dletz calmly faced Judge Reid.
do you suppose" he asked, looking
straight at the judge. II haven't known
that sooner or later the lumber trust, be-
cause It Is big and am little, would kill
me or put me out OF the way7 1 have
fought my fight and defended my home
and family. ! have done nothing wrong
and this conviction does not alter the
fact. The trust hes one creed. one law. one
purpose; that is rule or ruin.' They could
not rule John Dietz; SO they tried for six
years to ruin him This morning II looks
as II they have got what they were after
Il have done nothing wrong, and the
state has. And yet 1t is the state that
sends me to jailf It Is the state that has
come in here. In court OF law and told
the jury 1 was a bad man. when was not
allowed. and have never been allowed to
tell what started this whole trouble.
cit Is the state that waylaid my children
and took one away to Jail and put a bullet
through the other-a young girl"
IL cannot see that that has anything
TO do with the killing OF Oscar Harp" said
Judge Reid. He then sentenced Dletz TO
prison for life.
John Dietz made the usual motion for
a new trial, although the motion probably
has never been followed by an argument
like the one heard this morning In the
Little county court
V. w James OF Eau Claire, special at
torney for the state, suggested to the con-
victed man that he get an attorney, draw
up the motion in proper legal form and ask
the court for a ten days stay. in which
to file the exception,
Dletz Ignored the suggestion and plunged
headiong into his denunciation OF the
"lumber trust" The court also advised
Dietz to get an attorney. Judge Reid
oVerruled the motion for new trial, but
gave Dietz ten days in which to file sx-
ceptions.
History OF greuBle.
The trouble between John +. Dfetz and
the lumber companies operating in Sawyer
county was begun in February 1904 through
Diets resusai TO allow the companies to
float lOgy over the Cameron Dam on a
quarter sGg,ion bought by Mrs. Dietz with
out paying 1im the toll he demanded
In ten psiaopal attempts to capture him
on yaTiotn' charges and legal processes.
Oscar Elag9. a deputy sheriff. was killed
octoses s last. several men were wounded.
MyrR Ditz. was shot through the body.
Clarence pietz was wounded In the fore
head and John DietE was shot through
the hand. The shooting OF Bert Horel At
Winter. WIS. by Dietz. September G. last,