The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-05-18
JOHN DIETz MUST
SERVE LIFE TERM
FOR KILLING HARP
Hero Of Cameron Dam, Wis, Is
Found Guilty by Jury Of Muir
der in the First Degree.

Hayward, Wis. May Is. - John F..
Dietz will spend the rest Of his natural
tife at hard labor in the state peni-
.ent1ary at Waupun, by the verdict of
| the jury today. for the murder of Dep
lty oscar Harp in the battle of Cam
eron dam on October last. The jury
brought In the following verdict:
John Dietz guilty of murder in tho
drst degree. Hattie Dietz, his wife, not
guilty Of murder in the first degree.
Leslie Dietz. his son, not guilty of MUIR
aer in the first degree"
The smile with which the old man
has always faced the things that have
happened him did not desert him. He
smiled as the Judge read the verdict
handed up by the foreman of the fury.
he made no demonstration.
The verdict In John Dietz's case was
ne first read. AS the verdict came out,
7 frown came over the face of Mrs.
Dletz and she glared at the Jury. Les
and went in his face.
The announcement that the jury had
arrived at verdict was made at 8:45
o'clock. Judge Reid was Immediately
aotified and Sheriff Fred Clark receiv-
"a telephone message from the clerk
Oh the court to bring John Dietz into
the court room.
N-AS' 1.-TWO udu UcCH WIFI HeT NUS
band throughout the night, and Leslie
:alled this morning. The three de-
PENDANTS came to the court house walk
ng side by side accompanied by three
special deputies.
Denounces Lumber Trust.
Mr.. Dietz." said the Judge, "have
YOU anything to say before sentence is
Dietz calmly faced Judge Reid.
DO you suppose" he asked. looking
straight at the Judge. II haven't known
because 1t Is big and am little, would
Kill me, or put me out Of the way7 I
nave fought my fight and defended my
home and family. have done nothing
wrong, and this conviction does not
alter the facts. The trust has one creed,
,ne law. one purpose, that Is rule or
ruin They could not rule John Dietz:
90 they tried for six years to ruin him.
This morning It looks as IL they have
got what they were after.
Il have done nothing wrong, and the
state has. And yet It Is the state that
sends me to JAIL It is the state that
1as come in here in a court of law and
has come In here in a court of law and
vas not allowed, and have never been
allowed. to tell what started this whole
trouble.
1T Is the state that waylaid my chill
1ren and took one away to Jail and put
\ bullet through the other--a young
girl"
II cannot see, Mr.. Dietz, that that
HAS anything to do with the killing Of
Oscar Harp" said Judge Reid
New Trial 10 Denied.
Dietz made the usual motion for a
new trial. although the motion probably
has never been followed by an argu-
ment like the one heard this morning
IN the little country court. ". w.
James, Of Eau Claire, special attorney
for the state, suggested to the convicted
man that he get an attorney to draw
up the motion in proper legal form, and
ask the court for 10 days stay in
which to file the exception.
Dietz ignored the suggestion and
plunged headlong into his denunciation
Of the lumber trust" The court also
advised Dietz to get an attorney. Judge
Reid overruled the motion for a new
trial. but gave Dietz 10 days in which
to file exceptions.
History Of the Affair.
The trouble between John F. Dietz
and the lumber companies operating in
Sawyer county was began In February
1904, through Dietz's refusal to allow
the companies to flow logs over the
Cameron dam on a quarter section
bought by Mrs. Dietz without pay ing
him the toll he demanded.
In the 10 principal attempts to cap
.ure him on various charges and legal
processes, Oscar Harp, deputy sher-
IF, was killed October last, several
men were wounded. Myra Dietz was
shot through the body, Clarence Dietz
was wounded in the forehead and John
Dietz was hot through The hand. The
shooting Of Bert Horel. at Winter,
Wis, by Dietz September last, is
more or less closely traceable to the
original trouble.
The tenth armed effort to take
Dietz was successful, and he became a
prisoner October last. He was
charged with various offenses ranging
from destruction of property and as
sault and battery TO murder IN the first
degree. Mrs. Dietz and Leslie were
defendants In the murder case. They,
Myra and Clarence and John Dietz are
defendants In other actions pending
against the family.
On account Of the Unexpectedly early
verdict, the court room was occupied
only by those who have followed every
move In the trial from the beginning.
There was a moments silence follow
ing the reading Of the verdict. The
court then asked DietZ to stand up