Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-10-16
HURLEY SALOON KEEPER
SHOT SATURDAY EVENING
John ChiapusiO Fatally Injured by Bull
lets Fired by Gang of Fed
eral Revenue Agents.

prietor of the Senate hotel and
saloon in this city, was shot and
fatally injured last Saturday even
ing on the road between Hurley
and Mercer while driving to this
city with load of booze, it is alleg-
ed. He died at an Ironwood
hospital Sunday afternoon about
4 O'Clock. Four shots struck
Chiapusio in the back, one of which
struck the spinal column and caus-
ed his death.
The shots which killed Chiapusio
were fired from revolvers in the
hands of prohibition agents, who,
1t IS said, attempted to stop CHA
puslo and failing in their efforts
hred at his car, using the tail light
as target. 1t is said that there
were ten in the party of prohibition
agents working under the direction
OF Group Chief Leo. J. Grove, of
Marquette. But a peculiar fact in
connection with the shooting is
that the prohibition agents did not
make any report to local authori-
ties of the affair. They were later
located at Monico Junction by
Sheriff White and admitted, it is
said, that they had fred the shots
and said they would appear here
whenever they were wanted.
There are many conflicting re-
ports and rumors in connection
with the affair and details are hard
to get. 1t appears that a fleet of
automobiles driven by Ironwood
and Hurley residents was on its
way north from Milwaukee, all
the cars being loaded with booze Sc
cured in Milwaukee. The prohibi-
tion agents evidently learned of the
illegal shipping of booze and laid
plans to capture the runners. A spot
on highway No. 10 between Mer-
Ger and Hurley had been selected
as the place to stop the traffic, con
fisCate the cars. seize the liquor and
arrest the drivers. At turn in the
road a half mile towards Mercer |
from what is known as the Moose
Lake turn the agents car had been
placed across the road as a barri
cade, it is sa d, aud a red lantern
placed in the middle of the road |
The tilst car in the fleet of booze
runners, driven by a Hurley resi-
dent, it is said, stopped when near
the improvised barricade and scent
ing the meaning of it all put on
speed and attempted to pass, but
in the attempt went into the ditch
The driver and his companion then
jumped from the car and fled into
the woods, leaving the car and its
cargo to the mercy of the prohibi-
tion agents
The second car iii the fleet was
the one driven by Chiapusio and
when he reached the barricade also
attempted to pass. 1t As said that the
agents ordered Chiapusio to stop,
but instead of doing so he opened
her up and it was while Chlapusio
was speeding away that the agents
fired at him, using the disappearing
tail light as a target.
1t is said that other booze run
ners, including four or five from
Ironwood, learned of the presence
of the prohibition agents before
reaching Mercer and made their
way into Ironwood by way of Win
chester, Vinegar aud Marenisco.
Chiapusio was taken to an Iron
wood hospital by Isadore Cattoi,
who arrived at the scene of the
shooting shortly after it happened
He was on his way from Hurley to
Mercer. The agents deputized Cat
toi to take Chiapusio to the hospit-
al with instructions that the injured
man be left there and that they
the prohibitiC : agents would ar
rive later. Gait brought the man
to the hospital and then returned to