Bio: Pankopf & LeZott (30 Dec 1909)

Contact: Kenneth Wood
Email: woodi1999@yahoo.com

----Sources: Marshfield News Thursday December 30, 1909 Page 1

TWO GRANTON BOYS SHOT BY UNKNOWN PERSON

CHRISTMAS DANCE CHANGED FROM SCENE OF MERRIMENT TO ATEMPTED MURDER

From scenes of merriment and Christmas cheer the little village of Granton, 18 miles west of here on the Omaha railroad, was thrown into a fever of excitement Saturday night by a shooting affray that may end in the death of one or more, the victims being young men and sons of farmers living near there. The names of the injured are Alvin Pankopf, shot in the right side, cutting off the appendix, the bullet lodging near the back bone. He was brought to this city and taken to St. Joseph's hospital the same night. His condition is thought to be serious. Mark LeZott, the other victim, was shot in the right arm, the bullet ! missing the bone and entering the side, passed through the lung and lodges in the back. He was taken to the eagle hotel at Granton. His condition is thought to be less serious. Both are well known young men and with their partners were attending a dance given at the Woodman hall. The shooting took place about 12 o'clock and as near as can be learned was as follows: The dance hall and where supper was to be served are some distance apart. When the supper hour arrrived the dancers left the hall and it was while on their way to the hotel the shooting took place. The two wounded men in company with a number or others in passing the residence of James Finnegan, the village blacksmith, kicked a board off the fence and used boisterious language. An instant later five shots in rapid succession rang out on the midnight air but from what source none in the party were able to determine, two of the shots taking effect as above stated. The s! hooting was done with a .22 caliber rifle. When the facts became known that two of the party had been wounded the excitement was intense and while the injured were being cared for many threats of vengence were heard. The next day a warrant for the arrest of James Finnegan, the owner of the residence in front of which the shooting was done, was sworn out charging him with the crime. He was arrested and taken to Neillsville where after listening to his testimony he was admitted to bail in the sum of $500 which was furnished. The evidence against Mr. Finnegan is purely circumstantial but that some one is guilty of a very grave offence there is no doubting. The case will come up for hearing at Neillsville on Friday, Dec. 31. Inasmuch as the shooting was so mysteriously done and without any apparent cause the result of the hearing is looked forward to with great interest.

----Sources: Marshfield News Thursday January 6, 1910; Page 1

GRANTON SHOOTING AFFRAY STILL A MYSTERY

The examination conducted at Neillsville on Friday last week into the mystery surrounding the shooting of the two young men at Granton Christmas night brought out nothing new. James Finnegan for whom a warrant had been issued, re-interated his innocence in the matter, his testimony being corroborated by that of his wife who claims he was in bed asleep at the time of the shot. A number of other witnesses were sworn and while a part of the evidence pointed to Mr. Finnegan as the guilty party no one saw him do the shooting. That the young men were in front of his residence and the further fact that the bullet marks in the snow were in a direct line with a window in Mr. Finnegan's home is the only evidence against that gentleman which is considered purely circumstancial. It is claimed by some that the shoo! ting was done by one of the young men. They had all been drinking it is claimed and were very boistrous. Both of the victims are recovering and will no doubt pull through.