Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1906-01-05
.RAfIDAL NOT GUILTY
Man Accused Of killine
Merrill IS Dis
charged /.
Brainerd Dispatch 30: Mot Gull.

ty.' i 4A M.
This was the verdict rendered bv
tho jury in the case Of the State Of
Minnesota againet Leon J. Ra6dal.
charged with manslauehter In tho
first degree. az ANA :
The jury was charged and went out
to deliberate over the case Ut $50
o'clock last evening and remained ont
all night. They agreed, it is under
stood before they retired last night,
but the court and officers retired and
the verdict coald not be brought in
until this morning at 9 O'clock.
There was large crowd in the
court room at Q o'clock antici patinR
that the verdict would be returned 1t
that time. The court awaited nom.
emit until tho defendant, kaiidal,
came In, then called the jury in.
Ra6dal was apparently agitated for
the first time during the entire prooe-
dure of the case. and he had right
to be, for it was decisive moment in
his life; either meant that the bonds
would be severed and he would return
to tho arms Of his family and gain
his liberty or that he would stand
the next moment within the pail of
the penitentiary. where he would
have to stay for from i've to twenty
years.
There was q Sigh of relief went up
when the verdict was announced, and
those in the court room generally
we're thought to be In sympathy with
Rafdal.
The history of the case which led up
to the trial Is still fresh in the mem
DRY of all Brsinerd peoEle. T. D.
Merrill, an old soldier living in Todd
county, arrived in the city on the even
ing Of November 18th from his home
en- route to LaPorte where he was en-.
ployed by A. D. Polk in the cedar
camps. ae got into town on the Nor.
ris train late In tho evening and
could not get north until the next
afternoon. He went to the Globe 50.
loon first where he stayed for some
time and had several drinks. There
he met Martin! Donahue and the
two went to the saloon Of the John
Coates Liquor company. Here Dona-
hue introduced Merrill to Leon J.. Ra-
adal. who was tending bar there.
The old man ordered q drink and
then went to back end OF the room.
The evidence In the case disclosed the
fact that he got abusive and ::swore
and tore around the place for long
time. He finally ordered another
drink, but was refused this drink,
Ratidai claiming that the old man
had not paid for the first drink. At
this Merrill thretened Rafidal and
called him all kinds of names, the evil
dence going so far as to show that the
o d man even hit Ratidal on the arm.
Rafidal hit the old man in the face
and he fell to the floor. He was later
taken to the back door and put out.
Officer Hurley happened through the
alley. picked the old man up and took
him to Jail. The next morning he
was found dead on the bunk in the
Jail and there was large fracture Of
the skull at the rear of the head
and another wound at the front OF his
face. Kafidal was arrested charged
with causing the death of the old
man and the coroner's jury rendered a
verdict to this effect.
Leon J. Ratidal secured Attorney NJ.
E. Ryan to defend him and Mr..
Ryan is receiving the CONCENTRATIONS
of all on the manner i'm which he con-
Quoted the case It might be stated
that 1T was thought 6rst that outside
counsel would be secured to assist
him, but this was not done. Mr..
Ryan made q record for himself in
the case, and got as much out of it az
any lawyer could have done and
squeezed his client out Of a very tight
hole.
| ATTORNEY A. D. Polk prosecuted the