Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1915-01-08
DIETZ' SENTENCE
GUT TO 20 YEARS
COMPUTATION 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. McGovern has COM
muted the sentence Of John Dietz, do
fender of Cameron DAM" from life Inn
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 1t, the
chances are that it win 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
IL 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 1t seem.
ed not entirely fair to hold Dietz solely
responsible for the tragedy in which
this propaganda of lawlessness finally
eliminated
Review of Djetz 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
6,5OO.000 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 nos Dietz shot and killed Bert
Horel at Winter. on Sept z. 1910. In a
quarrel over an election. This aroused
the community against Dietz and a
demand was made for his capture.
On Oct. 5, during a pitched battle
between a 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 commute.
tions granted by Gov. McGovern are
the Following:
Harry Foss, Eau Claire Sentenced
to life Imprisonment in 1909, for mur-
der of brother; granted conditional
pardon.
Henry Lamont, Douglas County
Sentenced to life imprisonment in
1896, for murder; granted absolute
pardon.
Francis NJ. Burris. Monroe County
Sentenced to life imprisonment In
1876, for murder; granted absolute
pardon.
William NJ. 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
1912, for murder; committed to seven
years.
George Eckerle, Marathon County
Sentenced to four years in 1919. for
arson; commuted to two years.
Max Wrinkle, Trempealeau County
Sentenced to life Imprisonment in
1903, 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.