The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-05-18
NOW SEEK MEN IN OSHKOSH
Careful Plans Had Been Laid to Get
the Great Shipment of Pike Out of
the State Without the knowledge of
the Game Wardens

A conspiracy to evade the game laws
of Wisconsin which is one of the most
interesting stories ever published in
connection with the game warden S de-
partment has been brought to light by
Game Warden Michael ~Kleist of this
city who returned to Kenosha today
after Selling four fifty two gallon bar
rels of fish caught, it is thought in
Lake Winnebago, and shipped to Chi
cago to be disposed Of. The fish pass
cd through Kenosha Monday night and
Game Warden Kleist, who had a tip
from the north that there was some
thing wrong with four "barrels of
Wine," in an express car, just man
aged to catch the train and he return
ed to Milwaukee on Tuesday taking
the "wine' with him. The four bar
rels had been put on the train at Osh-
kosh and on them they bore a splendid
ly autographed label indicating that
they had been shipped by the Wau-
shera County Wine company with Of
fees at Paysippi, Tushkin, and Free
mont, Wis. The wine was billed to
the Wisconsin Wine company, 719
Lake street, Chicago.
The warden as soon as he got into
the express car found that there was
water dripping from the barrels and
when he took a sniff at the drippings
he knew that it was not the familiar
odor of old tine wiAe ind he contin
nued his investigation. Before the
barrels were out Of Wisconsin he had
ripped open one of them and found
that they were filed to the top with
the best pike that could be caught in
Wisconsin lakes. He tried to get the
messenger to throw the fish off the
train this side Of the Illinois state line,
but the train was going so fast that
the barrels were over the line before
the argument was over and Kleist
could do nothing but follow the fish
into Chicago. He had, however, label
ed them "Confscated by the Wiscon-
sin Fish and Game Commission be-
fore the line was passed. When the
train reached Chicago and the 'wine'
was unloaded an express wagon was
in waiting, but Kleist got to the driver
first and flashing his star demanded
that the fish be turned over to him.
Seeing the star the driver went a
whooping away from the station and
Kleist persona lily saw to it that the
fish were placed on train going back
to Milwaukee where they were receiv-
ed and sold for $50.
Then Kleist started out to look up
the Wisconsin Wine company. He
found the address to which the fish
had been. consigned was vacant lot
and covered entirely with bill board.
With this evidence he hurried to Mil
waukee and disposed of the fish and
sent his report TO the state Wafdeh
The department is now making an eff
fort to hunt down the men who ship
ped the 'Fwine' and also the men to
whom> it was consigned in Chicago.
Efforts will be made to prosecute
both parties for their attempt to evade
the Wisconsin laws. It is claimed that
the Waushera County Wine company
has been doing thriving business and
Warden Kleist believes that the seiz-
ure Of the shipments will break up one
of the biggest bands of fish swindlers
ever working in Wisconsin. Deputies
all along the line are now at work on
the case.