Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-01-28
SHERIFF MURDERED
CAMERON FARMER KILLS BAR
RON COUNTY OFFICER WHO
SERVES PAPERS ON HIM
TRAGEDY OVER THRILLING MATTER
Matt Olson Killed by Bullet Tnr r-u9h
Heart, When He Attempts TO
Get RepIevned Horse

One of the foulest murders in the
history of Barron county took place
Tuesday shortly before noon when
Sheriff Matt Olson was shot down
in cold blood while attempting to
replevin a horse from Wenzel
Baranek of the town of Stanley for
DR.. C. r. Charron of Rice Lake.
Deputy A. l. (Steve) Hubert, the
only witness to the murderous deed,
gave the Shield the following YER
sion of the shooting:
Sheriff Olson and | arrived at the
Baranek home shortly before II
o'clock in the morning. Sheriff Oh
son went into the house while | was
hitching the team In a minute s
time the sheriff came out followed
by Baranek with a stove poker in
his hand
Get off my place., shout d
Baranek, flourishing the poker.
ran up quickly between the two men
and talked to Baranek to be peace
able. the conversation lasting about
twenty minutes. Then the sher If
and l both went down to the team.
I then told Matt not to take too
many chances Matt started for the
barn and | for the house with the
intention Of keeping Baranek under
surveillance. Matt asked which barn
the horse was in, nd said he was
going to take it, and at that Baranek
ran into the house and got his rifle
Il ran up to Baranek who was
standing inside the gate and was
told to stop. | kept on going and
talking to him. When within twelve
feet Baranek yelled. Stop or | will
kill you
Il saw Baranek calculated to shoot
and turned to tell the sheriff to stop
when Baranek yelled He broke the
lock- and with that Baranek fired
and killed Sheriff Olson, although l
had raised my hand and told Baranek
not to shoot Mr. Olson was about
twelve rods away when shot. His
body pitched into the barn where the
dead sheriff lay face upward with a
bullet through the heart from a 39-
So rifle.
Il saved my life by talk ng to
Baranek," said Mr. Hubert, land
telling him I was his only Witness
"Will you stand by me-" asked
Baranek," and Deputy Hubert sid
Yes" Baranek then lowered h S
rifle and asked Hubert TO remove
the dead sheriffs body. Mr.. Hul5elt
said he would have to call the. cor
oner and was permitted to go
Deputy Hubert called up Under
sheriff e. w. Pierce Of Barren and
appraised him of the murder, Whar >
upon citizens we're dsputized ard a
large delegation from Barron, Ric
Lake and other towns gathered in
Cameron TO the number of sever
hundred, early after dinner.
After a consultation it was deeme
best to call up Baranek by telephone
and find out what he would do. Dep
uty Hubert talked to Earansk and
told him of citizens gathering to tax
him. Baranek said if given safe es-
know any serious charge was against
him. Undersheriff Pierce and per
ty of deputies were nearby in am
bush awaiting developments at the
Baranek home until the murderer
gave up Here is where Deputy
Hubert gave an exhibition cf co
nerve that won him the praise of al
who realized the desperate ch9rac'
ter of the assassin.
Deputy A. I. Hubert and his son
Gird, started out with a rig to ar"
rest Baranek and recover the body
Of Sheriff Olson which still lay whcr1
he had fallen. The deputies, 81
we'll armed, and their faces tGut witt
Indignation, remained in Can erOn tC
await developments at the Baranel
home only mile and quarter
away. Raranek gave up all right
and was brought to Barron in the
same rig bringing the remains Ct
Shreiff Olson.
There was dramatic momen
when the rig hailed into Cameron
and hundreds rushed into the street
Deputy Hubert, holding the cover
ing prisoner, ordered the driver Il
whip up and not stop. Three loads
of armed citizens dropped in linz
Continued en- Page p