Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1912-07-25
(From Tuesdays Daily.)

James Croft, James i. Lynch and
Edward Olsen were arrested last
night on suspicion of being implicated
in the robbery and murder of Peter
Olstad, whose BODY was found floating
in Lake Monona last Saturday morn
ing. According to the police, Croft
admitted that he took the pocketbook
out of Olstad's pocket and divided
about 500 between himself, Lynch and
Olsen. He denied, however, of hav-
ing any knowledge of the murder of
Olstad. Lynch and Olson denied that
they received money from Croft.
Detective Patrick BOYD learned yes
terday that Croft, who has a police
record, had been spending money
freely in the saloons on the east side
and that he had been flashing rolls of
bills. He reported the matter to
Captain Davenport early last evening
and the captain gave the night patrol
men orders to bring Croft to the sta
ton in the event they met him. I'M
mediately after Patrolman Henry Ire
land had left the station he came
across Croft on East Washington ave-
nue. He brought him to the station
and Captain Davenport and Detective
Boyd began TO question him. He told
the officers that he had been employed
on the Calvin farm in Cottage Grove
and that he came to the city on Fri
day. According to the police, he said
that he received $25 and some cents,
which he had coming from Calvin
and that he was spending some Of
that money in the saloons.
Spent Money Freely.
After he told his story Captain
Davenport and Detective Boyd advised
him to tell them the truth and asked
him what he knew about the murder
of Olstad. On making inquiries yes.
terday Mr.. Boyd learned that Crof,
had bought a new suit of clothes in
an uptown store, that he spent money
freely in several saloons on Saturday
and that he flashed several $40 bills,
according to the police.
Peter Oldstad, whose body was
found floating in Lake Monona. about
200 feet out from the foot of South
Blair street, by Captain Bernard
Blackmer Saturday morning, was
murdered between midnigNt and
o'clock Saturday morning on the
lake shore in the block between South
Blair and South Blount streets. He
was struck fatal blow in the fore
head and his lifeless body was then
thrown into the lake. The night was
exceedingly dark and the perpetrator
or perpetrators of the crime were able
to disappear without being seen. Such
was the theory of the authorities last
night.
While Patrolman Ernie Woolever
was walking along Williamson street,
opposite the Fauerbach brewery, at
12:45 O'Clock Saturday morning, he
heard a cry coming from the direc-
ton of the lake. He rushed to the lake
shore at the foot of South Blount
street. Before reaching the shore he
heard another faint sound. He walked
to the end of the pier in the rear of
the brewery and threw his f1ashight
about. He heared no more sounds.
The officer remained on the shore
about ten minutes and hearing no
further noises and being unable to
find anyone, he resumed his duties on
his beat.
The presumption is that when Mr..
Woolever heard the first cry, Oistad
had just been struck in the head. Ii
is possible that the murderer or MUIR
derers had finished the crime when
the officer reached the lakeshore and
that when they saw his fashlight at
the end of the pier, they disappeared
in the darkness.