WAUPACA, Wis. (AP) — Three Wisconsin men are charged after a homemade “cannon” exploded in Marion, killing an Illinois man last weekend. The three are charged in Waupaca County with homicide by negligent handling of explosives, a felony. Forty-two-year-old Kenneth Niemer of Clintonville, 37-year-old Robert Mattes of New London and 60-year-old Scott Mattes of Marion appeared in court Wednesday. Signature bonds of $25,000 were set for each man. The men were using a 4-foot-long (1.2 meters) steel pipe with a plug welded onto the bottom. According to the complaint, after the first attempt to ignite the device failed, it exploded during the second try, sending a piece of shrapnel that killed 44-year-old Paul Casperson of Belvidere, Illinois, on Sunday night. The complaint says the victim’s wife made two videos of the incident.
Written by: Radio Plus
photo: waupun mayor rohn bishop The Waupun Common Council has postponed action on wage increases for paid on call firefighters and elected officials to get more public input. The council discussed the matter, sometimes heated, at their meeting this week and will take up the issue again at their April 8th meeting. If […]
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A house fire near New Holstein claimed the life of a child. Shortly after 2am Wednesday firefighters were called to the scene on Honeymoon Hill Road near County Road T. A child in the home was pronounced dead at a hospital. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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