Bio: Steiger, Ervin J. (Attack - 1970)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Steiger, Opelt, Bauer

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) 5/07/1970

Steiger, Ervin J. (Attack - 1970)

Ervin J. Steiger is a patient at Memorial Hospital following a confrontation, of which he as an innocent victim, outside the Hotel Charles in Marshfield Saturday night. He and Jerry Opelt from Neillsville had just finished a band engagement and were loading their instruments into their car to return home. They had gone back into the hotel for the remainder of their belongings and Mr. Steiger was walking from the building toward his car carrying an instrument case in each hand. He was unaware of anything amiss until he was grabbed suddenly and thrown to the ground.

When Jerry Opelt emerged from the building just a moment behind him, he saw someone lying on the street and noticing the instrument cases, hurried over and found Mr. Steiger unconscious. He asked those around what had happened and who had done it and they pointed to a man standing near. He muttered something, turned and started to walk away. Mr. Opelt called to him to stay and a little later some people he was with brought him back to the scene.

In the meantime, police arrived and called an ambulance which took Mr. Steiger to the emergency ward at the Marshfield hospital. He had regained consciousness and after an examination was released and was brought to his home by Mr. Opelt. Later, Mrs. Steiger took her husband to Memorial Hospital where he will be a patient for a few days. He is suffering a bruised head and knee and a fractured collar bone.

Sidney Bauer of Unity was held overnight by Marshfield police in connection with the incident.