The First Algoma Man Sentenced to Life in Prison: “An Anarchistic Regard for Human Life…..”

Wikipedia says, "The history of anarchism is as ambiguous as anarchism itself. Scholars find it hard to define or agree on what anarchism means, which makes outlining its history difficult. There is a range of views on anarchism and its history. Some feel anarchism is a distinct, well-defined 19th and 20th century movement while others identify anarchist traits long before first civilizations existed.

"Prehistoric society existed without formal hierarchies, which some anthropologists have described as similar to anarchism. The first traces of formal anarchist thought can be found in ancient Greece and China, where numerous philosophers questioned the necessity of the state and declared the moral right of the individual to live free from coercion. During the Middle Ages, some religious sects espoused libertarian thought, and the Age of Enlightenment, and the attendant rise of rationalism and science signaled the birth of the modern anarchist movement.

"Modern anarchism was a significant part of the workers' movement alongside Marxism at the end of the 19th century. Modernism, industrialization, reaction to capitalism and mass migration helped anarchism to flourish and to spread around the globe. Major schools of thought of anarchism sprouted up as anarchism grew as a social movement, particularly anarcho-collectivism, anarcho-communism, anarcho-syndicalism and individualist anarchism. As the workers' movement grew, the divide between anarchists and Marxists grew as well. The two currents formally split at the fifth congress of the First International in 1872, and the events that followed did not helpt to heal the gap. Anarchists participated enthusiastically in the Russian Revolution, but as soon as the Bolsheviks established their authority, anarchists were harshly suppressed, mot notably in Kronstadt* and in Ukraine.

All that takes us to December 1914 Algoma. Whaaaat, you say? Anarchy in Algoma? Algoma had less than 1,900 people then. But as Algoma Record headlines screamed, "Dastardly Murder by Fiendish Foreigner." The paper went on to report the "anarchistic disregard for human life" that led to the "most heinous and cowardly manner," when a Russian Pole employed in Algoma "deliberately and treacherously shot and killed a fellow countryman" before turning "his gun upon another countryman and pulled the trigger." Though the second man was not instantly killed, the dead man never had a chance. Both were shot in the back of the head, but the gun was pressed against the ear of the murdered man. It all happened about 2 miles north of Algoma on the night of November 14, 1914.

Before the shootings were known, the murderer aroused suspicions of Algoma's railroad crew as he attempted to go north to Sturgeon Bay. He paid Algoma station agent Raymond Kohlbeck with "big bills," prompting Kohlbeck to wonder how one working as a drayman had so much money. Others at the depot noticed the man - later called Konil Kutnik - counting his money at the rear of the station's dark platform. By the time Kutnik arrived in Sturgeon Bay, Max Hillman, who had been shot, recovered consciousness and staggered to Henry Ronsman's farm, on what today is Carnot Road. Due to language barriers, Ronsman did not understand Hillman and went for his neighbor Gustave Gericke, who lived across the road. Then they took Hillman to Dr. Burke in Algoma.

Sturgeon Bay Police Chief Herman Fitschler was alerted and authorities were on the lookout for Kutnik when the train came in. The man, who offered no resistance as he attempted to cross the railroad bridge, was taken into custody by Sturgeon Bay Nightwatchman Lequee.

According to the Record, the "desperado" was interrogated by Sheriff J.H. Kulhanek on the return from Sturgeon Bay. There was no train that time because Sheriff Kulhanek and Under-sheriff Trudell used Mr. Fowels' auto. Admitting to the killing, Kutnik said he was drunk all day and took the money although did not remember everything. When the group reached Algoma, there was an inquest at the city hall.

While the murderer called himself Henry Kralove, he gave the name Konil Kutnik at the inquest. The slain man was Sam Bilowvich, a Russian in the employ of Moses Shaw at his farm north of Algoma. A Russian of the Jewish faith, Max Hillman, worked for B. Levinson, an Algoma junk dealer. Kutnik, Bilowvich, and Hillman spoke a common language and were thought to be friends.

On the day in question, Mr. Kutnik was paid his $2 salary, however it was said that he went through his money "overnight." Since he carried a 32-calibre Smith & Wesson gun and was with his companions, it was felt that he was out after the few dollars Bilowvich was believed to have. As it was, both Bilowvich and Hillman were found with their pockets slashed. Later it was learned that Hillman was carrying just over fifty dollars while Bilowvich had 6 or 7. At Kutnik's apprehension, he had a revolver in his sock and was carrying about $32 and a knife. Where was the rest of the money?

The story of the murder surfaced when victim Sam Bilowvich became a curiosity to this blogger who learned he is one of two whose remains are in the Old Ahnapee Town Cemetery, adjacent to the hill on Highway 54 just west of Algoma's city limits. Other remains in that cemetery were removed to the Evergreens with the relocation and rebuilding of the old Highway 17. Bilowvich is not an old Kewaunee County recognized name, and because of that, the search was on.

Born in Minsk, Russia - where his wife still lived - Bilowvich was about 31 at the time of his death. Undertaker Schubich saw to the burial and the Town of Ahnapee paid the expenses.

When a Record reporter was able to interview Max Hillman, Hillman said he distrusted all Russians. Hillman described getting shot in the head, being pushed from the wagon in which the men were riding, having his pockets knifed open and his money taken. Because the bullet was lodged in Hillman's head, medical plans were to send him to Sheboygan for surgery as soon as he could travel. Throughout the articles in the papers, Bilowvich and Kutnik were mentioned by name. Hillman was mostly referred to as "the Jew" or "the Jewish peddler."

Kutnik said he was about 20 and had been in the U.S. for a year before the murder. He said he was brought to the area by Bernard Levinson, who conducted an employment business in Algoma, and worked for Joe Blahnik in Ahnapee, Hugo Bushman, and Rudolph Dobry in Pierce. While working at Bushman's, he told of a man killing his brother and how he came to the U.S. to find the murder and seek revenge. He was working at Dobry's when he threatened to kill Woodrow Wilson, thereby being discharged as soon as the family knew he had a revolver. Wilson, he felt, was the cause of the war that had started in Europe and hard times in the U.S.

Describing Kutnik, the Record said he was heavy set and broad shouldered, had "beetling brows," and was a man of powerful build. The paper reported that he was a native of Tarnow on the border of Poland and Galicia in Russia, where his mother and brother remained. Articles mentioned his "Nihilistic tendencies" that were apparent on occasion, and said it was "fair conjecture that this was not his first killing."

Among those testifying at Kutnik's trail were Moses Shaw and August Heidmann, both of whom regarded the man as a capable workman who was honest, clean and intelligent. Several saloon keepers testified about the men being drunk, and Frank Urbanek told his bar tender not to serve one of the men who was plainly drunk, Kutnik said he knew he did a "bad thing" that made his mind "skip." He said he had never before been drunk and was not in the habit of drinking whiskey. Drinking whiskey began with a bottle earlier in the day, before the men went to any of the saloons.

Mr. Kutnik's stoicism throughout his three-day trial and at his sentencing were brought up several times in the papers.

When Judge Grasse sentenced Kutnik to life in the State Penitentiary at Waupun, the December 18, 1814 Record reported Grasse's words. Judge Grasse said Kutnik was convicted to the highest crime against the people of Wisconsin. He said when Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, one was, "Thou shalt not kill," meaning that not only the law of the state was violated, but also the law of God. Grasse went on to say that he originally had sympathy for Kutnik and hoped his counsel could find extenuating circumstances.

Grasse further said that Kutnik liked the man he killed and bore him no bad will. He also said that Kutnik came from Russian Poland, the same place as John Sobieski and Thaddeus Kosciusko who gave their lives for freedom, the same place as the fine Polish farmers of West Kewaunee and the Poles of Milwaukee. Grasse said Kutnik's crime was atrocious and one of the most bloody in county history. His life sentence included solitary confinement on the first day of every November to follow. Kutnik was the first Algoma man sentenced to life in prison.

The headline at the left appeared in the May 9, 1924 Kewaunee Enterprise. Kutnik was turned down. He made the application several times in the ensuing years. A July paper reported Judge Grasse visiting Waupun and meeting with Kewaunee County prisoners, one of whom was Konil Kutnik.

On June 3, 1926, Door County Advocate carried this brief article (below) about Kutnik's request for parole, which did not happen.

Kewaunee Enterprise reported on Halloween 1930 that Konil Kutnik was again turned down for a pardon.

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Little more than a year and a half later, on May 13, 1932, Algoma Record Herald carried an article about a state probation agent in town to access it's files regarding the trial nearly 20 years earlies. Mr. Kutnik was seeking executive leniency. It was believed that if pardoned, he would be deported to Russia.

It took another ten years before Konil Kutnik was pardoned on Christmas Eve 1942. In the January 1 Record Herald, it was reported that Governor Julius P. Heil granted clemency, giving Kutnik absolute pardon. Kutnik had been sentenced to a life term, however, was paroled months earlier on April 4, 1942. 

A Kewaunee County coincidence in this story is that on arrival at Waupun, the Warden turned Kutnik over to Guard Frank Mashek, once of Kewaunee County. Mashek had worked as a guard for 8 years. As Sheriff Kulhanek and Under-sheriff Trudell were leaving, Kutnik broke down in tears, his first demonstration of emotion since his arrest.

What happened to Konil Kutnik and Max Hillman is a mystery. Mr. Bilowvich's story ended in the Old Town of Ahnapee Cemetery.

*Kronstadt is a town on an island west of St. Petersburg, Russia.

Sources: Algoma Herald, Algoma Record, Algoma Record Herald, Door County Advocate, Kewaunee Enterprise.

Kewaunee County's Earliest Veteran: War of 1812

Wisconsin was still part of the Michigan Territory that day in 1834 when Major Joseph McCormick (left) sailed north from Manitowoc with a group of men exploring the lakeshore. When the men reached what is now called the Ahnapee River, they went upriver for what they said was nine miles. How did they sail that far? The river was wide and deep, held in place by the thick forests surrounding it. Within a generation of first settlement in 1851, the trees were cut and the river was left to seep into the surrounding area and bake in the hot sun, becoming the river we know today. 

McCormick’s goal was locating lands and viewing the area. Spending a few days in the area, the men were favorably impressed. McCormick reported beautifully timbered land, rich soil, and game in abundance. In short, the area that became Algoma had everything one could possibly want. McCormick envisioned a village that did not take root. Then. Those in Manitowoc had recently relocated to the place and another relocation was not in the cards. Settlement became a reality in the days between June 28 and July 4, 1851, when the three founding families – Warners, Tweedales and Hughes – came north. In the meantime, Wisconsin became a state and the settlement was in the newly created Door County.

History tells us that some in McCormick’s party of that day knew his plans, but went on to get the land for themselves. It is possible that it happened, however a look at the Bureau of Land Management website indicates the earliest landowners had military warrants and likely never set foot in what became Kewaunee County, let alone what became Algoma. One Barlow Shackleford patented the first piece of land that would become the city called Algoma on February 1. 1843. At any rate, it was nearly 20 years later when McCormick made a return trip, then electing to live near Forestville

McCormick was the area’s “mover and shaker.” He was a member of Wisconsin’s Assembly in 1872 when Kewaunee Enterprise called him a “Democratic warhorse.” The well-known, highly respected, robust McCormick was eighty-six at the time. Also called an “uncompromising Democrat,” McCormick served with distinction in the War of 1812, was a member of the Texas Constitutional Convention, a 3-year member of the Indiana legislature, and was eighty-four when elected to Wisconsin Assembly.

A Horace Greely supporter even though he was opposed the man in an earlier day, McCormick felt Greeley was neither deceitful nor was one who resorted to trickery to further his positions. McCormick had little faith in Civil War General U.S. Grant, who also was running for president.

McCormick felt Greeley’s election would  put an end to reconstruction issues while bringing peace and reconcilliation. He felt that if the Democrats ran a 3^rd ticket, it would ensure more reconstruction, a continuation of military power and ku-klux-klan legislation. McCormick said he’d vote for the liberal because he saw no chance of a Democrat beating Grant.

McCormick was born in Wyoming, Pennsylvania on April 18, 1787, and lived in Indiana, Texas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois before settling in Manitowoc. Commissioned as a captain in the War of 1812, he was promoted to a major, participating in several engagements, the most noteworthy being Tippecanoe.

In June 1872 Major McCormick was out riding with his nephew Miller McCormick who had come from New York. As the men started out on a trip to Sturgeon Bay, the horse made too short of a turn, causing the buggy to tip while throwing McCormick to the ground. Dr. Parsons came to his aid immediately, however there had been serious injuries to his hip and shoulder. A week later the paper said that while he was improving, he was unable to move without assistance. McCormick’s Masonic fraternity was credited with providing exceptional care. At the time of the accident, the Oswego (N.Y.) Gazette carried a tribute to McCormick’s great-nephew who had died in France.

When McCormick died in late August 1875, Ahnapee Record said his death was caused from the carriage’s overturn 3 years earlier. His Masonic funeral was the Peninsula’s largest to that time.

Joseph McCormick was buried in the old Defaut Cemetery, now the northeast corner of the Evergreens. One hundred years later, there was no marker on the Major’s grave, prompting great grandson Ray Birdsall and his sister to arrange for a stone. McCormick served in the War of 1812, and is Algoma’s earliest buried veteran.

Photo by T. Duescher