Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1905-11-24
.BRAlNfRD SENSATION

Brainerd Man is Accused
Of Death Of T. p. -. -:
| Merrill
The coroner's Jury in the case Of 7.
D. Merrill. the old soldier who died
In a bunk In cell at Brsinerd Nov.
10Th, has charged Leo A. Rsfidsl, the
bartender who struck Merrill. with
Granddaughter in the FIRST degree. He
was arrested and on trial waived OK
miation. He was thereupon bound
over to the grand jury. and efforts
will be made by his friends to get
him out on bond Rafidal is a man
about 35 years of age. He is married
and bears reputation of being rsth.
ef hotheaded and quarrelsome.
Reports from Brainerd stated that
T. D. Merrill, the cid soldier who
died in the county Jail there. came to
his death a. tue result of blow
struck by Bartender Leon J. Rafidsl,
who worked in the Coats saloon. The
post-mortem examination resulted in
the establishing of the fact that the
old gentleman died as q result of a
blow and fall resulting from the
blow. The verdict of the coroner q
jury is as follows:
THE said jury upon their oath do
say that the saio T. b: Merrill came
to his death by an unnatural cause
that one Leon J. Ratidal, without just
provocation, struck the deceased. T.
ID. Merrill, with his nst then and
thereby causing the death Of him, the
said T. D. Merrill. The blow 81
struck by the said Leon j. RaHda]
caused the deceased to fall back ard
strike his head on the floor; that
either the blow so given or the fall
resulting therefrom caused the break.
ing Of blood vessel in the brain of
said +. D. Merrill, and that the
hemorrhage resulting was theimmedi-
ate cause Of the death of said T. L..
Merrill; that the said hemorrhage
was the result and consequence of the
said blow stru' by the said Leon j.
Ra6dal''
The story Of the tragedy ia q par.
ticularly sad one, due to the age and
character Of the unfortunate Merrill,
and due to his family connections
The man was known to be genial and
lnoffensive. and the best of compan.
ion and charming old gentleman
when he was not under the influence
of liquor. He was we'll liked BY all
who knew him, and the brave service
which he mad rendered his country
during the Civil war, gave him the
respect of others which is due to an
old soldier. His family, consisting OF
his wife. two daughters and q son.
II are all highly respected. The home OF
} the deceased was near Swanville.
!, The testimony brought out at the
coroner's inquest revealed that Merrill
, had been drinking somewhat heavily.
He had been rather abusive when seer
/ in the Globe saloon, and he had gone
from that place to the Goats saloon,
where he ordered q drink. he die
/ not pay for this, but sat down in s
, corner of the saloon. Soon after {
considerable crowd gathered in tn,
place. and Merrill stood up, walked tt
> the bar, and ordered drinks for tn.
crowd. The bartender refused to serv,
him. and told him that he had no
paid for the last drink he had bought
, An alteration imediately took pla GO
and in the course of that the old fel
. low became decidedly abusive. Wae,
he began to call the bartender names
the latter struck ont across the bar
hitting the old man right full In th,
{ face. The old man tumbled over, ant
struck his head, heavily against thI
floor. Rafidal then stepped out il
front of the bar and seized Merrill I'M
der the arms and dragged him out o.
the back door. and dumped HIM OF
the sidewalk there. Rafdal returned
to the bar and continued to wait or
customers. He said nothing more
about the old gentleman, and somt
tame later Merrill was found by 8
policeman. When the officer asked
Rafidal who the old gentleman was,
he answered.: 'What is the matte,
: with him2''
Merrill was nearer death than lif.
when he was pickd up. he was take1
to the lookup, and PHYSICIANS ald
was summoned. The officers though
at the time they took the old soldie,
to the lookup that he was drunk. anj