The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1922-10-05
DOES FOREST HOLD
A MYSTERY?
SUPPOSED GRAVE FOUND
IN WILDERNESS
Investigation Made by Sheriff's
Force for the Purpose of
Solving Its Mystery.

In desolate spot amid the tower
ing pines and hemlocks in a wilder
ness ten miles northwest of Wash
burn and three miles from habitation
there is enshrouded a mystery,
which for time baffled and puzzled
the authorities of Bayfield, county,
and which up to the present time
has them at loss to account for
its strangeness.
It was first unearthed by B. M.
Apker, a bank cashier of Chetek,
Wisconsin, who was convinced be-
yond a doubt that the pines and
hemlocks had been silent witnesses
OF some crime which had been COM
mitted and which its perpetrators
had endesvored to hide from the
rest of the world by selecting this
secluded spot.
Apker, is a relative of Mr.. Stark
Of the Stark Land Company, of
Madison. The Stark Land COM
pany owned the sen of land in
Section 33-5O-5, upon which there
is heavy stand of virgin timber. Il
was the purpose of the Stark Lard
company to have this timber esti-
mated, and Apker, who in earlier
years was a timber estimator, was
engaged to look over the land with
q view to determining the amount
of timber upon it.
Apker arrived in Washburn pre-
vious to the 29th of August, and
together with a companion drove
out to the Jack Pine country, and
then cut throught the woods to where
this land is located. AS they were
pacing through the timber Apker
made a discovery which convinced
him beyond a doubt that the forest
held secret whcih should be in
vestigated. Upon high mound
in almost the middle of the timber
he was astonished to find a blaze
upon one of the large hemlock trees
upon which was neatly carved the
initials "O.s M. L. 1920" and at the
foot of the hemlock was every ap-
pearance of a grave, 3 feet wide and
six and a half feet long, upon which
the dirt had been piled into mound.
Upon arriving at Washburn Mr..
Apker endeavored 10 locate some
one at the Court House to whom
he could tell his story, but was un-
able to find anyone, and left town
without departing his information.
After arriving at Chetek, Apker
addressed a letter to County Treas
urer R. w. Smith, with whom he
was acquainted, giving him his
story and asking him to place the
same in the hands of the Bayfield,
county authorities for investigation,
stating that if necessary he would
come back to Washburn and bring
with him his companion in order that
the mystery might be cleared up.
The letter was turned over to the
Sheriff's office and they Immediately
wrote to Mr.. Apker to get further
information land lengthy letter was
returned telling the authorities just
where to find the spot. In estimat-
ing the timber, as estimators do, Mr..
Apker had gone number of PAGES,
east, thence north, thence east again,
and so on which finally brought
him to the knoll upon which the tree
and grave were located. The dis
tances were described in the letter
as well as the lay of the ground.
the timber, and other familiar spots
in the locality.
On Sept. 9Th Sheriff Murray, Un-
dersheriff Long and Monroe Sprague
left for the place in an effort to
locate the grave. They were equip
ped with axes and shovels, deter
mined to solve the mystery. They
went out the Four Mile Creek road
as far as Westling's farm, thence
over the hill in the direction of the
Hanson homestead, where they left
their car and cut through the woods
in the direction of the Section of
land. After few hours diligent
search the spot was finally located
by Mr.. Long, who called his COM
panions.
The spot was thoroughly investi-
gated before work was started. The
blaze upon the hemlock was
inches wide end twenty inches long
and in the center of this was neatly
carved 80. NJ. L. 1920" At the
foot of the hemlock was what ap-
peared to be a grave. Digging in
to the mound loose dirt was en-
countered to where the edges of the
supposed grave extended and the
rest appeared to be solid ground