Conservation Officer Charles Wetsel
End of Watch : October 1, 1897
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
| Conservation Officer Charles WetselEnd of Watch : October 1, 1897Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
| OFFICER CHARLES WETSEL DNR Died October 1, 1897 Officer Wetsel was working an out of season netting and trapping case northeast of Fosston. He apparently had discovered that several Indians had been fishing with nets in the lake and they were off their reservation. They were also trapping muskrats, which were not in season yet. When he ordered the Indians away from the lake, he was attacked. A week after the incident, his body was found with 12 knife wounds in his back and chest. He was able to shoot and kill one suspect and wound the other two. They both also later died. The suspects were all Indians-a male and female and their two sons. The female was said to have been the one who died, but no one ever saw her body, as it was buried by Indian custom. The adult male and his grown son were also shot. Another son, around age 12, witnessed the incident and told investigators what happened. He stated that Ka-kay-quash, the adult male, struck Wetsel with a knife while Wetsel had his back to him. The female assisted in the attack from behind. Wetsel then shot all three of them in their abdomens. Officer Wetsel is the first game warden killed in the line of duty. His funeral was held on November 7, 1897 in Bemidji. The only relative to attend the funeral was his father. Sourced from: The book "We Will Remember" With permission from Lisa Lovering, Author and Board of Director MN Law Enforcement Memorial Association L.E.M.A. 2009 |
| Joseph Rogers | Alexander McLean |