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Pembine Newspaper Clippings 1902
Wausaukee Independent
October 4, 1902
SHOT BY A HUNTER
Stray Bullet Kills a Fireman on a Train near Pembine
Sunday afternoon about 12:45 as the second section of train No. 65, pulled by
two engines on the St. Paul road, was passing Beecher Lake, eight miles south of Pembine,
Fireman Jos. Koucha, on the head engine No. 725 was standing by the cab window looking
out, when he was struck by a stray bullet from some unknown source and instantly killed.
The bullet entered his left side piercing the heart and passing through the body, out of
the front window of the cab and struck the boiler of the engine. The body was left at
Pembine where an inquest was held and Sunday night the remains were sent to Green Bay,
where the deceased resided. He was a single man 23 years old and lived with his parents.
He had been in the employ of the St. Paul company for several years and was a
favorite among the employees.
Nothing could be learned in regard to the person who fired the fatal shot.
The shooting is supposed to have been accidental and the result of using long range
rifles.
DUNBAR
A man (reported to be crazy) shot a cow Tuesday about half a mile south of
town, in sight of boys who were driving the animal home. Sheriff Murphy is in hot pursuit.
-----
October 11, 1902
ALLEGED INSANE MAN KILLED AT MAY’S CAMP
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Otto Wenzel, the Cook, Who Shot Him, Surrendered Himself to Sheriff Murphy, Was Given a
Hearing and Held For Trial on the Charge of Murder.
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VICTIM HAD FIVE BULLET WOUNDS
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Post Mortem Examination Showed That All of the Bullets Entered the Man’s Body
Posteriorly. Was the Son of Philip Arnold, a Retired Farmer Living at Kewaunee, Who
Identified the Body. Other Arrests May Follow.
----
The alleged “wild man”, who has been terrorizing the people living
in the northern part of Marinette county for over a week, was shot and killed by Otto
Wenzel, the cook at May Bros.’ camp on the Peshtigo river, last Saturday morning.
His body was brought to Wausaukee by Sheriff Murphy in the evening.
Wenzel was arrested on the charge of murder Monday and brought here for a
preliminary hearing before Justice G. M. Rickaby.
District Attorney Hutchinson was busy attending to circuit matters and
Attorney John Miller, of Marinette came here to conduct the examination.
The greatest excitement prevailed here before Sheriff Murphy arrived with his
prisoner. Several wild stories concerning the killing of the unfortunate wretch were
circulated and as they passed from on to another were greatly exaggerated. Every
depredation and crime that had ben committed in this section of the country for the months
past, including the killing of Fireman Koucha, this alleged “wild” or insane man
was held responsible for. He was the terror of the country north and west of here
and the news of his death came as a relief to many who feared him.
There is very little in the following facts, brought out at the examination,
to show that he was such a desperate, lawless character, however.
Body Identified
The first witness was Anton Muzzle, who is logging near Amberg, He stated the
deceased was a son of Phillip Arnold, of Kewaunee, He had known him for fifteen years and
was positive he was not mistaken.
Angus McDonell next took the stand. He first saw the deceased a week
ago last Thursday. He had kicked in the door of McDonald’s house and stolen
some provisions. The later tracked him to the N. L. Co.’s camps near Cedarville
and there saw him in the woods cooking something to eat. He was positive it was the
same man.
Nick Doctor and Sam Windsor, of Amberg, also testified as to having seen the
deceased north of Amberg. From the suspicious manner in which he acted when he saw
them and disappeared immediately into the thick woods, they considered him a dangerous and
bad man.
Shot a Cow
Alfred Hendrickson, of Dunbar, was sworn and said he was positive the dead
man was the same person who shot and killed John Enstrom’s cow near Dunbar last week.
The boy was only a few feet when he fired the shot and after he had killed the cow
he walked up to the boy and asked him for a chew of tobacco. He then disappeared in
the woods.
Wenzel on the Stand
Otto Wenzel, who is charged with the murder of Arnold, was next sworn and
told his story. He is twenty-two years of age and his home is at Peshtigo. He is
employed as a cook at May Bros.’ camp on the Peshtigo river. Chas. May had been
to Wausaukee and heard of the “wild man.” He returned to camp Friday
evening and told the boys about him. He loaded a rifle and gave it to the cook,
instructing him not to allow the man to come into the camp.
Shortly after nine o’clock the next morning the much talked of insane
man was seen approaching the camp. Wenzel got the rifle and commanded him to halt.
He paid no attention to the order but continued to advance toward the camp.
He was carrying his gun on his shoulder when first seen and as Wenzel fired a
shot into the air as a warning Arnold brought his rifle down and rested it on his arm.
Again the cook ordered him to stop, but still he advanced and was raising his gun
to his shoulder when Wenzel fired another shot. This one was aimed at him and seemed
to take effect, for Arnold turned and started to run in the direction from which he came.
He ran a short distance, about thirty-paces, and fell. When the cook and
cookie reached him he was unconscious. A little later he regained consciousness and
they gave him a drink of water. They asked him his name and other questions, but his
attempts to speak were futile. He lived about two hours after being shot.
Wenzel heard that Sheriff Murphy was searching the woods near there for
Arnold and started out to meet the officer and give himself up. Sheriff Murphy was
on his way to May’s camp when he met the cook a few miles from there and the latter
surrendered himself.
Wenzel stated that he returned to the camp with the sheriff and the latter
took the body to Wausaukee with him.
Charles Olson, the cookee, was sworn and his story tallied to a letter with
that of Wenzel. Olson is nineteen years of age and lives at Peshtigo. He said,
“After all the stories I had heard about the wild man who had killed a fireman and
shot a cow, besides forcing the cooks in some of the camps, at the point of a gun, to give
him food, when I saw him coming toward the camp I was so frightened that I did not know
what in the world to do with myself.”
After the testimony of the witnesses had been taken, the examination was
adjourned until seven o’clock in the evening. Up to this time everything
pointed to a case of self defense, plain and simple, The testimony of Wenzel and the
cookee was consistent with the finding of a bullet hole in the clothing of the dead man
just over the heart. It was naturally supposed from this that only two shot were
fired – one in the air as a warning and the other which took effect.
The conclusion was that Wenzel was justified in killing his victim to save
his own life, and the sentiment was that he could not be held for trial.
Post Mortem Held
However, in spite of the plausible stories told by the young men, Attorney
Miller, who was acting as district attorney, insisted on a thorough examination before
recommending that the prisoner be discharged, and he ordered a post mortem examination of
the remains.
While the doctors were probing for bullets, a story got out to the effect
that several bullet wounds had been found in the man’s body. All of which were fresh
wounds, and everything indicated that the shots had entered the man’s body from the
rear instead of in front, as the testimony of Wenzel and Olson seemed to indicate.
Contradictory Testimony
The shocking surprise came though, when Drs. Sellars and Jones gave their
testimony after the post mortm. The result of this examination disclosed the
following facts:
-That five shot had taken effect in the man’s
body.
-That all of the shots were
fired from the rear of the man, except one, and the bullet from that one took effect in
the man’s side.
-That one of the bullets was of a large calibre and
the other four smaller.
-That three of the five shots would probably have
proved fatal.
The large bullet entered the body back of the left shoulder, passing through
the shoulder blade and making its exit near the third rib about two inches from the breast
bone on the left side. In passing through the body the bullet shattered the third
rib, lacerating the upper lobe of the left lung and causing a hemorrhage. This wound
was considered absolutely fatal and the doctors were positive the bullet entered from the
rear.
Another bullet (one of the smaller ones) entered the back of the left arm
near the shoulder passing through and making its exit anteriorly, causing a flesh wound.
Another small bullet entered the man’s back to the right of the back
bone and was found lodged in the body of the twelfth dorsal vertebra. It was quite
liable to be fatal.
A flesh wound on the right thigh was caused by the ball entering posteriorly
and making its exit anteriorly.
Another ball, which was not found, entered on the left side, near the eighth
rib, shattering it, and passed along the diaphragm. It went through the rib and
entered the chest cavity. There was no evidence that the bullet entered any of the
so-called vital organs.
The wounds were all fresh ones and seemed to bear the same characteristics.
The doctors were reasonably certain that all of the wounds were inflicted at the
same time.
Wenzel Bound Over
At the close of the doctors’ testimony, Attorney Miller addressed the
court and stated that in his opinion the evidence showed that there was reasonable cause
to believe a crime had been committed and asked that the defendant be held for trial in
circuit court. Justice Rickaby decided that the evidence was sufficient to hold
Wenzel for trial without bail and the latter was taken to the county jail at Marinette on
the evening train by Sheriff Murphy.
The Independent has given an impartial account of this deplorable affair,
from the testimony brought out at the examination and , without advancing an opinion in
the matter, leaves it entirely with the reader to draw his own conclusions.
This much is certain: There was nothing in the evidence introduced at the
hearing that would in any way connect the deceased with the murder or killing of Fireman
Koucha even though he was the alleged wild man who shot a cow at Dunbar and frightened a
number of people during the time he roamed through the woods north and west of here.
It is a fact that this whole section of country has ben in a state of alarm
over the presence of this man. Several hunters left the woods and men in the lumber
camps kept their rifles loaded in waiting for him.
Officers from Wausaukee, Amberg and Pembine, with the county sheriff, had
been scouring the country for him for several days, and Sheriff Murphy was on his track
and only about an hour behind him when he was shot. The camp at which he met his
death is on the Peshtigo river north of Caldron Falls and about twenty-five miles
northwest of Wausaukee.
Released on $1,500 Bonds
Otto Wenzel, the camp cook who is charged with the murder of Arnold, was
released Wednesday on $1,500 bonds.
Olson Will Be Arrested
Chas. Olson, the cookee, will probably be placed under arrest on the charge
of murder. Before the hearing of Arnold on Monday last, Olson stated that he fired
five shots at the man with a 22 calibre rifle. Four of the wounds in Arnold’s
body were inflicted with small bullets, and it is believed that these were fired by Olson,
as a 22 calibre bullet was found at the post mortem examination, lodged in the back bone
of the victim.
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FATHER IDENTIFIES HIS SON’S REMAINS
Alleged “Wild Man” Was the Son of a Retired Farmer at Kewaunee
The alleged” wild man” who has been terrorizing the people of this
part of the county for two weeks, and who was killed Saturday by Otto, Wenzel, of
Peshtigo, a cook in a lumbering camp west of here, has been identified. His mane is George
Arnold, a son of Phillip Arnold, a retired farmer living in Kewaunee.
The dead man was first identified by Anton Muzzle, of Amberg, a lumberman,
who has known him for years.
B. H. Bangert, the tailor, was also quite positive he knew the deceased, but
as she had not seen him for several years he could not swear to his identity. However, Mr.
Bangert telegraphed Phillip Arnold, of Kewaunee, informing him that an unknown man
resembling George Arnold had been killed and to come and investigate. The unfortunate
victim and Mr. Bangert went to school together and were brought up in Kewaunee. Arnold was
a young man of good habits when Mr. Bangert knew him and was considered an intelligent
fellow.
Mr. Arnold arrived here Tuesday afternoon and identified the deceased as his
son. He said he had been mentally unbalanced for a few years and for two years was an
inmate of the Winnebago state hospital. He was discharged from there a year ago last May
and lived with his parents from that time until last July when he left for the northern
lumbering regions. His parents last heard of him on September 22d (sic). He was then
working in a camp for his uncle, Conrad Arnold, at Powers, Mich. Nothing in his letter
would indicate that he intended to change his location, being apparently well satisfied
with his position.
He left Powers shortly after that, however, and his father did not hear of
him again until he was summoned here by telegram to identify his body.
When he left home for his uncle’s camp he took a rifle with him, but
when he reached Green Bay the authorities there, who were acquainted with him, took the
weapon from him. The rifle and cartridge belt which he had when he met his death were
given to him by his uncle when he left Powers.
His father stated that since his son’s mind had become unbalanced, he
was not at anytime a raving maniac, nor was he known to do anything rash, but was
considered a harmless simpleton.
George Arnold was thirty years old and 5 feet 9 inches tall. His weight was
about 180 pounds and he had a splendid physique. He was dressed in a suit of blue
overalls– the trousers being “stagged” at the knees– a black slouch
hat and a new pair of shoes. His hair and moustache were black and he had a two
weeks’ growth of beard. His face, hands and clothing were covered with clotted blood
when his body was brought to Laun Bros.’ undertaking rooms, and he presented a
ghastly appearance.
His body was taken to Kewaunee by his father Tuesday evening for burial.
Mr. Arnold will return after the funeral and insist on a thorough legal
investigation of the killing of his son, and it is expected that other parties who were
implicated in the taking of the man’s life will be arrested. He simply asks for
justice in the matter. He says if the killing was justifiable or done in self defense the
accused should be exonerated; but if a crime had been committed the guilty ones will have
to answer for it.
----
October 18, 1902
PEOPLE TAKE OPPOSITE STANDS
Trait of Human Nature That is Visible Wherever You May Go
(Written for the Independent)
Wherever we may go, no matter what people we meet, we will find them taking
opposite stands on different questions. It is seldom, or never, that people are
found to agree in all particulars on all subjects and events. Even the untimely taking off
of our beloved president a little over a year ago was not mourned by everyone in the land.
A certain noxious class, anarchists, believed it was for the best interests of
society in general. So it is on all subjects, so it has always been, and will ever be.
As with faces, so with natures–no two are exactly alike and as long as this is
true we will have controversy and difference of opinion.
This fact is well illustrated in the deplorable affair that occurred in our
county a short time ago. A man, thought to be insane, thought to have killed a
fireman, believed to have shot a cow, was roaming through the woods in the northwestern
part of our county. With a gun on his shoulder he approached a lumber camp, probably
to get a drink, possibly to get a chew of tobacco. The then occupants, two young
men, cook and cookee of the camp, under great nervous strain, without the slightest
provocation, gave warning then fired five shots at the unknown man, one lodging in his
side and four in his back. One bullet of large calibre, four bullets from a 22
rifle. From the effects of these, to him dum dum bullets, he died a short time after
the occurrence, leaving unsettled his accounts with man to foot up the ledger of life with
his creator.
As usual there is a variance of opinion concerning the guilt of the men behind the guns.
Smith claims that they were excited; that the whole part of the country was under a
great nervous strain, knowing that a man, presumably unaccountable for his actions, was
about that neighborhood the possessor of a rifle and cartridges, It was supposed he had
committed a crime, quite positively proven that he had killed a cow, broken into a house
and frightened many at different times. Because of this when he approached the camp
the young men were excused for his killing. That they acted in self defense.
Brown, on the other hand, holds that these men are guilty of murder– the
taking of human life without just provocation. That they did not act in self defense
as the unknown had shown no disposition to quarrel or fight. As far as they were
certain of he had harmed no human being. Before this time he had gone to camps,
asked for something to eat, told a straight-forward story and went peaceably about his
business. He had met men in the woods, talked with them, asked for a chew of
tobacco, then proceeded molesting no one. Brown further holds that the men were of
sound minds– they labored under no hallucination. On the other hand, they acted
more like cowards who shoot when a sane or insane man’s back is turned. At that
time it was not known who the man was. It was supposed he was insane and in view of
the many possibilities, suppositions and probabilities he was shot like a dog because when
told to halt by a cook and cookee (not officers) he did not drop his gun and beg for
mercy.
Thus it goes pro and con, It is the same variance of opinion that has made
the world move and progress, If all thought alike, Columbus would have considered one
route to India adequate, and America would probably have remained undiscovered. The early
colonists would have thought English government good enough, and we would still be under
British tyranny. Our fathers would have thought slavery justifiable and bondage
would still be the lot of the black man. Our government would never have interfered
with Spain’s rule in Cuba, and that country would still be devastated instead of a
prosperous republic It wouldn’t be necessary for LaFollette and Rose, Minor and
Decker, Bird and Metzner to be going about advocating this or that political doctrine.
This might be carried on indefinitely. Suffice to show that the
good Lord did will in making our nature different, that a good wholesome variance of
opinion, backed by a pure conscience, means good society, pure government and wholesome
progress.
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November 29, 1902
WILD MAN AT PEMBINE
Hunters and Farmers Report Seeing the Man Running in Woods
Pembine, Wis., Nov. 25 – A wild man is terrorizing the farmers in this
vicinity and the county officers have been appealed to for protection from his raids.
Not only are the farmers and their families afraid of being attacked, but the
wild man has been raiding the pastures and carrying off sheep.
Joseph Cota has a farm about twelve miles from here. He also does cedar and
pine jobbing and river driving by contract. He has a fine flock of sheep, and in the last
two or three months has lost five head. He had no idea where thy went until the other day,
when some deer hunters reported encountering what appeared to be a wild man. He was
running through the woods shouting and howling like an animal.
The man is described as having red hair and quite a growth of red beard. His
clothes are torn to shreds from coming in contact with briars.
Inquiry developed the fact that a strange looking creature answering the same
description has been seen by other hunters as well as farmers.
----
December 13, 1902
PEMBINE WILD MAN
He May Be Henry Burby, a Lunatic Who Escaped From An Asylum
Peter Lochen, superintendent of the Washington county insane asylum at West
Bend, Wis., believes that he has discovered the identity of the wild man who was recently
seen in the vicinity of Pembine and other sections of Marinette county. Reports were to
the effect that the wild man was seen loitering around the lumber camps near Pembine
November 23.
Superintendent Lochen writes that in June, 1901, Henry Burby, aged 28 years ,
an inmate of that asylum, escaped. His home was at Little River, Oconto county. Burby, it
is stated, was inclined to live the life of a wild man, and possessed carnivorous
instincts which demanded that he eat raw meat, herbs, and refuse matter, in preference to
good food.
LOCAL AND PERSONAL (MMc. - Wausaukee)
Ed. Sustman was at Pembine Wednesday distributing calendars for Laun Bros and
the Laun-Mangold Hardware Co.
. . .
The January term of court promises to be a long one. Three men are to be
tried on the charge of murder. They are Otto Wenzel, the cook, and Charles Olson, the
cookee of Charles May’s camp about thirty miles from Wausaukee, who killed George
Arnold, the supposed murderer of Fireman Kocha, on the morning of October 4, and John
King, who is held responsible for the death of William Trepto, who was shot near Coleman
on Sunday, October 26.
---
December 27, 1902
MEN WHO KILLED PHILIP ARNOLD
Otto Wenzel and Chas. Olson, Accused of Murder, May Not Be Tried
It is probable that Otto Wenzel and Chas. Olson, the men who shot and killed
Philip Arnold, the alleged insane man, at May’s camp on October 4th, may not be tried
for murder.
Prosecuting Attorney Hutchinson is preparing reasons which will be presented
to Judge Hastings, setting forth whey the men should not be held for the murder of Arnold.
The case is interesting and the proceedings unusual in the courts. There is a state
statute which provides that in case the prosecuting attorney, after thoroughly
investigating the nature of any crime and establishing in his own mind the guilt or
innocence of the parties, he may file reasons why such party or parties should not be
prosecuted and if the court finds these reasons sufficient and within the provisions of
law, the accused may be discharged and given their liberty.
If Judge Hastings believes that the reasons which will be set forth why
Wenzel and Olson should not be prosecuted for the crime of murder are sufficient, the men
will be liberated.
It will be remembered that Philip Arnold was shot five times, in fact his
body was riddled with bullets fired from guns held by Cool and Wenzel. Arnold was thought
to be the wild insane man who had been roaming nomadic, the woods in the vicinity of
Pembine and Dunbar for several weeks in September. He was armed with a rifle and it was
believed he fired the shot which killed the fireman of the St. Paul road as he was sitting
in his cab with the train moving. The shot was fired by someone in the woods near Pembine.
The officers investigated the matter and believed that Arnold fired the shot.
For several days the woods was scoured for Arnold, but the attempts of the
officers to capture him were futile. Finally he was seen in the vicinity of Sam May’s
camp on the Peshtigo river. Mr. May told the boys at camp to shoot him if he attempted to
enter the camp, as he had “held up” men in the woods, killed two cows and
committed other depredations, and that their lives were in danger if they allowed him to
come hear the camp.
On the morning of the fourth of October, Arnold was seen approaching the
camp. The cook and cookee commanded him to halt, but as he paid no attention to their
order, they opened fire on him, killing him almost instantly.
The body of the man was brought here and an inquest held, which showed that
the five bullet wounds in the man’s body had been caused by shots fired from the
rear. This fact did not tally with the testimony of Olson and Wenzel at the criminal
examination held here and the men were bound over to circuit court to answer to the charge
of murder.
Olson and Wenzel are said to be men of good character, and friends seek their
liberty. The officers believe that neither of them is guilty of murder; that the shooting
was with provocation, and hence they will apply for the release of the men.
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