Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-01-07
D|ETZ 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 ano Some
Conditional Pardons


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 willsbe but a 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:
1 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 nonized 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 Dtetz 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 a 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
6,500,000 feet of logs, saving them up
into lumber
Several attempts made by posses to
arrest Dtetz for this act were ineffec-
tual. The affair quieted down and
would probably have been dropped
had not Dietz shot and killed Bert
Horel at Winter, on Sept Z, 1870 in
quarrel over an election. This aroused
the community against Dietz and a
demand was made for his capture.
On Oct. 8, during a pitched battle
between a posse and the Dietz family,
Deputy Sheriff Oscar Harp was killed
and several wounded. John Dietz, Mrs.
D1etz 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
tons granted by Gov McGovern are
the following:
Harry Foss, Eau Claire-Sentence
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
1876, 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 impriso ,nent in
1912, 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-fiye years.
Dell Obom, Winnebago County
Sentenced in 1908 to twenty-one years
for murder; committed to fourteen
years.