Wisconsin’s Wild West: Timber Wolf Attacks and Fatal Falls

December 1, 1916, marked a day of tragedy in rural Wisconsin. In a rare and terrifying incident, a large timber wolf was killed just one and a half miles from Wautoma by Chester Wilcox, a man who had faced his share of dangers in the unforgiving wilderness. The attack was a stark reminder of the wild and unfettered nature of the Wisconsin countryside.

But it was not just the wolf’s demise that made headlines. C.M. Anderson, a seasoned Soo line train master from Stevens Point, took a devastating fall of seventeen feet off a bridge, breaking his heel in the process. The fall left the veteran train master severely disabled and facing a long and arduous road to recovery.

Meanwhile, in the bustling town of Green Bay, plans were underway to establish a free dispensary under the auspices of the public health and child welfare committee of the women’s club. The initiative aimed to provide vital medical care to those in need, a beacon of hope in a world where access to healthcare was still a privilege reserved for the wealthy.

But amidst the stories of tragedy and hope, another tale of human suffering emerged. Albert J. Haners, the cashier of the First State bank at Knowles, succumbed to pneumonia on November 12, just three days after falling ill. Haners, a devoted father of six, left behind a family to mourn his loss.

As the people of Wisconsin grappled with these somber events, the county boards were busy deliberating on a proposal to stock the county poor farms with blooded stock. The move aimed to improve the quality of life for the impoverished residents, providing them with a chance to escape the drudgery of their daily lives.