Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-01-08
D|ETZ SENTENCE
GUT TO 20 YEARS
coMMUTATIoN WHICH MAY FREE
CAMERON DAM DEFENDER
IN 1921.
WAS SENTENCED FOR LIFE
Retiring Governor Also Shortens Con-
finement of Several Other Prison
ers, Some Absolute and Some
Conditional Pardons.

Madison.-Gov. McGoyern has COM
muted the sentence of John Dietz, "de
| fender of Cameron DAM" from life i'm
prisonment to twenty years.
Under the law Dietz will be expect
| ed to serve one-half of his term, or
ten years, but he has already served
forty-three months, and counting his
good time" should he earn it, the
chances. are that it will be but very
| few years before he is again in the full
enjoyment of his liberty.
McGovern Discusses Case.
| Discussing the Dietz case Gov. Nc
Govern said:
Il am satisfied that the offense for
which John Dietz is being punished is
not lower than murder in the second
degree. If this grade of homicide had
been submitted to the jury that tried
| the case, the present application for
| pardon could be dealt with easily; but
| it was not.
Another inducement to clemency is
found in the fact that during the half
dozen years before Dietz killed Harp,
he was encouraged and melted to acts
of outlawry and violence, and he was
applauded and lionized in proportion
to his audacity in defying constituted
authority.
Under these circumstances it seem
ed not entirely fair to hold Dietz solely
responsible for the tragedy in which
this propaganda of lawlessness finally
eliminated"
Review of Dietz Case.
The Dietz case dates back to Febru-
airy, 1904, when "the defender of the
| Cameron dam" refused to permit the
lumber companies operating in Saw
yer county to send logs over the dam
which was on quarter section owned
by Mrs. Dietz. Dietz demanded a toll
of $4,000, which the companies refused
to pay, and Dietz seized a drive of
100000 feet of logs, saving them up
into lumber.
| Several attempts made by posses to
arrest Dietz for this act were ineffec-
tual. The affair quoted down and
would probably have been dropped
had not Dietz shot and killed Bert
Horel at Winter, on Sept. z, 1910, in
quarrel over an election This aroused
the community against Dietz and
demand was made for his capture.
On Oct. 8, during a pitched battle
between posse and the Dietz family,
| Deputy Sheriff Oscar Harp was killed
and several wounded John Dietz, Mrs.
Dietz and their sons, Leslie and Clar-
ence, were held for the killing of De-
putty Harp, but all acquitted except
John Dietz, who was sentenced to life
! Imprisonment.
Pardons and Communications.
Among the pardons and commuta-
lions granted by Gov. McGovern are
| the following:
| Harry Foss, Eau Claire-Sentenced
to life imprisonment in 1909, for MUIR
der of brother; granted conditional
pardon.
| Henry Lamont, Douglas County
Sentenced to life Imprisonment in
1896, for murder; granted absolute
| pardon.
Francis M. Burris, Monroe COUNTY
Sentenced to life Imprisonment in
1875, for murder; granted absolute
pardon.
William M. Fuller, Dane COUNTY
Sentenced to life Imprisonment in
1898, for murder; granted absolute
pardon.
Morris Gulickson, Portage County
Sentenced in 1912, for burglary:
granted absolute pardon.
August Kruger, Portage County
Sentenced to life Imprisonment in
1872, for murder; committed to seven
years
George Eckerle, Marathon County,
Sentenced to four years in 1913. for
arson; committed to two years.
Max Wrinkle, Trempealeau County
Sentenced to life Imprisonment in
1908, for murder; committed to TWEEN
ty-five years.
Dell Obom, Winnebago County
Sentenced in 1908 to twenty-one years
for murder; commuted to fourteen
years.