The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-12-22
HEAR DEFENDER
OF CAMERON DAM.
John Dietz Tells Audience
of Strange Feud With
Lumber Kings.
TEN YEARS IN PRISON

IL was hard to believe that the man
on the platform behind the brass rail
N Carpenters hall Sunday afternoon
talking to q compact audience Of earn
est Werkingnaen was none other than
John F. Dietz. As he talked, one
caught now and then the CLEAN of his
gold watch chain, and it was hard to
believe that here was the man who
had spent ten years in prison for the
shooting and killing of Oscar Harp, a
deputy sheriff, and who had been par
dqned only last spring by Governor
Blaine.
Hard to believe that the man whose
shoes squeaked as he rose on his toes
or walked up and down the narrow
platform was actually @The Defender
81 Cameron DAM" sonorous title which
suggests an epic far more coiorful
than that of the Valley of the Doones,
and John Ridd and Lorna Doone, for
it is the epic Of oar own Wisconsin,
It's Fhornapple river and Cameron
Dam and timber woods.
pletz, after ten years of prison life,
presented a compact middle aged fig
IRE, an intelligent forehead, clear and
sane eyes, in spite Of the miraculous
and almost fanatic tale he unfolded,
watch was that Of lone-man struggle
with the big forces behind big timber,
the lumber kings.
Fought Fhean Single Handed.
AS Dietz told it, it was q tale which
began with his single-handed fight in
the defense of his family's title to the
dam, which he claims is still title
second to none in the land, and ran
devious course through jails and
courts. The feud is second 70 none
In history for an astonishing bitter
ness and wealth Of strange incident.
Dietz was warmly receiyed at the
meeting yesterday, and following his
talk, his hearers crowded forward one
by one and pressed his hand, claiming
the hand clasp as an honor.
ReceNtly Paraoaed.
Dietz was recently pardoned' by Coy
ernor Blaine after serving half Of
twentyyear sentence which had been
committed from life. Previous petit
items had been made without results
to Governors McGovern and Philip.
The defender credited Blaine with be-
ing the frst man to give him a square
and impartial hearing. he alse Landed
Senator LaFollette's efforts in his be-
half.
Since attaining his freedom, Dietz
has begun q statewide tour to place
his case before the people, and to ac-
quaint them with what he calls the
powerful influence of money in the ad-
ministration of justice.
Caught After TWe-Day Siege.
John F. Dietz was arrested Oct 8,
1910, after q siege of two days, by an
armed posse of $50 men. Dietz took
his stand in his cabin with his wife
and two sons, Leslie and Clarence. It
was 9 bitter engagement in WATCH the
cabin was riddled with bullets, the cid
er Dietz and son Leslie wounded. It
was said that in the engagement Dep
uty Oscar Harp was killed. Dietz
claims to have evidence that Harp is
alive today.
Dietz was thrown INTO jail and was
released on bail Of $62,50o, furnished
by bending company, until his trial
May 2, 1911, at Haywood, Wis.
After having attorney after attorney
corrupted by the money interests,
Dietz finally conferred with his family
and decided to handle the case him
self and let it stand or fall on its
merits.
Bo1lowin0 Iaoral haiti =. .t:l ~,
lumber kings are said to have spent
in the neighborhood of $4,0o, 600, and
the prosecution $4,000, the defender
of Cameron Dam was found guilty Of
first degree murder and sentepced to
life imprisonment at the state peni-
tentiarE at Waupun, by Judge Reid
Efferts later to secure his release by
petition Of sympathizers were frustrat-
ed repeatedly and given little consider
alton by the governors Of that time,
until Blaine's pardon.
In his address Sunday afternoon,
Diet9 made denuneiation of the fore
es aligned against him, saying perjury
and forgery were resorted to in bring
ing about his conviction and that he
has documentary EVIDENCE that no bpr-
ial PERMIT had been issued for Oscar
Harp. He has . standing offer Of
$1,000 for anyene who can produce
and identify Harp's body.
Dietz SAYS he finds there are reg
ords available of his trial, either with
the clerk of Sawyer county court or
the clerk of the supreme court, and
will seek redress from the state for
false imprisonment.
He reiterated with increased Vehe-
menee that the trial was informal and
conducted in q spirit of rank malice.