The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-04-28
AFTER AN ALL-pAY INvEsTIoA-
TON THE coRoNER,s JURY RE-
TURNS A VERDICT or MAN
SLAUGHTER - OVER ThlRT'.
WITNESSES WERE EXAMINED.

WITNESSES WERE EXAMINED. |
Leo Lee, the bluejacket from the bat
-leship Alabama, who was arrested yes
Lerday morning on ZarragOssa street,
charged with having caused the death
of Walter l.. Mann, was last night neld
by the coroner's jury. He is charged
with manslaughter. This verdict was
arrived at after an all-day session, and
it was after o'clock when the jury
its exhaustive investigation
and returned the above verdict.
-. The Jury.
Early yesterday morning Judge Ian
drum viewed the remains of the de-
ceased. and ordered that a coroner's
jury be summoned to probe into the
matter. A jury composed OF z. NC
Lellan, foreman: John F. Pryor, j. G..
Rupert, l.. A Pfeiffer. Edward p.
Preston and Geo. J. Slocumb, was en-
paneled, and shortly afterwards began
the examination of the thirty or more
witnesses.
An autopsy was made by physl-
clan, who was afterwards examined a.
some length. The prevailing opinion
was that while fracture of the skull
might possibly De caused by fall to
the pavement that the same was hard
ly likely to occur and that the frac-
ture, which caused death was probab-
ly due to a blow with some blunt in
Strument.
The Witnesses.
The following witnesses were ex
amined: Thos. Wilson, Capt. Jos.
Fondebilla. Patrclman Burnham, Pa
trolman Murphy, Tom L. j.. Neetle
Jas Cocker, Jno. Santos. Fred Rivas
Chas. Villar, Jos. M. Earlin, Rober'
Leo Touart, Willie White, Capt. NJ. B
Frank, Victor Welles, A. Linnehan, z
MARITIME, Felix Scott, NJ. Messer G. d
Todd. Chas. G. Smyth, Leo Lee, the &C
cused; W. v. Waddell, VIII Richard
son, Hugh Cope. Flavian Mann, J.. c
Van Pelt, DR.. F. B. Bruce, DR. c. w
D'Alernberte, DIR. W. e. Anderson. DR.
d. W. Mcmillan. ]. d. Vaughn, c. II
Taylor, L. E. Fleming, and Clyde Ar
Eett.
With the exception of the physi
clans, a majority of the witnesse
testified that they saw The bluejacket
Lee strike Mann il the face. the latte
fall unconscious TO the pavement, ant
| that it required the efforts OF serera
| to prevent Lee from further assaultinl
him. The evidence, however, as
whole, was very conflicting, other wit
resses testifying that Lee rsed BIT
| lard cue and that he knocked Nam
senseless with this weapon Some FEY
stated to the jury that /. was not lie
who delivered the blow, but that
was a bluejacket from the battleshi
Massachusetts. They say that LIE
attempted to strike Mann, but tina
the latter lodged, and that a momen
afterwards another bluejacket, veal
ing a hat of the Massachusetts, d;
livered a terrific blow, which LITE
Mann almost off his feet. This MAJ
they claim, came across from the ba
opposite.
All testified that the assault apo
Mann was without provocation an
that he was standing some yards ives
of the saloon BIZ himself, when he wa
! struck by the party.
: CLYDE Arnett who Is Connected VII
the bar near where the assault occu
red, was the strongest state witnes
He said that he saw plainly when tn
= accused struck Mann and the latte
fall to the pavement. Afterwards, b
stated, Lee attempted TO get at tb
PROSTATE man, but was prevented .
some of the bystanders.
The Accused Testifies.
: There was much interest when III
) accused testified in his own behnl
He said that he had been drinkin
since 5 o'clock in the afternoon, an
F, did not remember having seen the ma
who was injured, or even know WI
| struck him As to having supper
the saloon, he knew nothing of thi
If he. the accused. struck Mann,
did not remember it. Some one strut
him Gee) and knocked him dow
2 When he arose he struck somebod
, but did not know who it was or whe
it occurred He did not rememb
having told Officer Fondebilla that
!. struck Walter Mann, or Sheriff v;
1 Pelt that he was the only person wi
!. hit the injured man, and that no o.
V else did.
: Il told them this" said Lee: Il g
/ hit, and when l got up ] hit somebod
: but | did not know who 1t was.
Z also said | saw them carrying SON
S body off. l hit with my fist and n
n no billiard cue. IS Isknow nothing
e the game. / don't remember seeil
the injured man in the back OF t
bar"
il Continuing, the witness said that
a had been drunk before, and did \