Sent To The Cameron Dam
Advance Guard of Log Driving Crew Near Home of Dietz
– Eau Claire Weekly Telegram | April 4, 1905

Chippewa Falls- The advance guard of a log driving crew has been sent to the Cameron dam on the Thornapple river and is lodged in a camp where members of the sheriff’s posse are said to have been fired at by John F. Dietz last April. Dietz means to stand out for $10,000 demanded from the lumber company before he is willing to consider peace. Such a treaty is said to be out of the question and the lumber company feel it is up to the United States authorities to perform their duty and remove Dietz and thus carry out the edicts of the courts

Chad's Take: I love Wisconsin Characters

One of the best things about digging up old newspaper stories is discovering all the amazing events that occurred in the community. One such case is the story of the outlaw John F. Dietz, or as he was also known, John Deitz, John Dietz, John F. Deitz, and John H. Deitz who was one of the most colorful characters of Wisconsin.

In 1904, Mr. Dietz and his family purchased some land on the Thornapple River near Cameron. Among the trees and hills of his land Dietz also discovered that the Cameron Dam was located on his property. Dietz stated that the lumber company owed him payment for using the river to transport their logs. Dietz spent four years guarding the river, refusing to allow logs to pass through. Equipped with his gun Dietz was involved in many confrontations with the law during this time.

News of the confrontations spread and lead to Dietz becoming a national folk hero for standing up to the lumber barons. Finally in 1910, Dietz’s home was surrounded by a large posse. During the battle two of his children were wounded along with the death of a sheriff’s deputy. Dietz was arrested and convicted on the murder charges and sentenced to life in prison. However, Dietz’s status as a folk here kept building and the public support for him kept rising to the point when the public pressure forced the Governor to pardon him. In 1921, after serving ten years in prison Dietz was released and died three years later in 1924.

I just love reading stories of truly unique people and it seems like the Chippewa Valley had plenty of them. You might want to remember this story because the next time you throw a stick in the water to see it float down the river, as you may owe John Dietz a toll.

** For additional information on John Dietz check out this great site:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wisawyer/deitz/deitz1.htm