3:15
While not part of the Old West, the Northwoods of Wisconsin in the late nineteenth century was a frontier in every sense of the word. Towns and lumber camps in the area had an overabundance of saloons, bars, and taverns, and given that the overwhelmingly male population of lumberjacks and miners had few other outlets, fights were bound to break out. One instance from Minocqua serves to illustrate how quickly things could get out of hand.
Wednesday evening, September 9, 1896, started off quiet in Minocqua. William Williams’ saloon was doing a small business. Three men going by the names of McDonald, Roach, and Gordon were sitting at a table playing cards. A fourth man, Rolly Hagen, was leaning against the entrance door taking in the night air. A young man named James Collins was tending bar. It was a dreary affair until Moses Gravel entered the saloon.