The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1909-02-27
HERMAN wIRTENEN FATALLY SHOT
BY HENRY RAJALA
NO APPARENT MOTIVE FOR CRIME
Affair Os.ursd in Saloon Of Frank Leonard
-
OhIesr Vas Present at Time Of
Shooting.

One OF the foulest. most brutal and
uncallea for murders in the history OF
the upper peninsula occurred in the
saloon Of Frank Leonard in this city
at 6l5 o'clock last Sunday morning.
Herman wirtenen, well known and
peaceful citizen of the place was shot
y twice, once in the back and again
through the heart by Henry Rajala, a
young Finn OF Socialistic tendencies
and, heretofore, quiet habits.
The affair seems 20 have been with
out any real provocation, according to
the testimony nc the coroner's inquest.
James Davey. night police, was present
ia the saloon at the time OF the shoot
ing and arrested the fellow on the spot.
AS straight as we can CLEAN 1t from
the testimony at the coroner's inquest
and testimony there. we are lead TO
say was considerably smothered because
Of the fragrant violation of the law by
saloon keepers. city police officers and
ALI concerned that was exposed by the
terrible affairs AS follows;
Wirtenen had been In the saloon
from 1900 o clock Saturday evening.
Raiala came 20 the saloon about 2 :00
o'clock a IN. What was doing In the
intervening time didn't show up OK
cept that Raiala was singing and dane
ing about the bar room. About six
O'Clock the two men were standing at
the bar conversing in low tones when
the -murdered man showed the other
away from him and through the screen
that extends across the front of the
room. Rajala then went out OF the
building and Wirtenen remained stand
ing boy the bar. face towards the front
OF the room, one arm on the bar
Rajala WAS gone about eight minutes
! when he re-entetered the room through
the rear door and. after passing the
threshold. fred one shot into the back
of Wirtenen who wheeled about and a
second shot struck him in the breast,
piercing his heart
The murderer made no effort to es-
cape.
IL was shown by testimony that
when Rajala went out through the
front door he went TO a. friends
place. down near the iron bridge. and
got revolver and hand full of
cartridges. The revolver was 81 cali
bre. six chambered affair. with all of
the chambers loaded.
The testimony further showed that
when the showing first occurred, Leon
ard went out and got p olioeman Davey
telling him that there had been a
"Finlanoer tRht" in his place and
that he feared more trouble and for
him lDavey) to come In. Davey en-
tered the saloon and was present when
the fatal shot was fired
Rajala is in Jail shows no remorse.
eats. drinks and. apparently enjoys
life. That he is a hardened criminal
IL not shown by any scrap OF evidence
What the motive for the crime was
can only be surmised All say that
there had been no fight and that the
men were sober
Wirtenen was good citizen He
was we'll Amerioanized. dressed stylish
! Iy and had large acquaintance about
the town. He had been to the old
country all last fall. returning from
across the water about Christmas
time He had wife and two chill
dren In the old country and they were
about TO start.for this country or have
already started, ID is not sure which.
He was working man OF apparently
good habits and had been working at
the Great Western since his return 10
this country.
The murderer IL practically un.
known. He came here from the old
country about two months ago and
started work at the Great Western
mine. Before he secured work he
sought board Oh Gust Pentila and was
boarding there when the murder oc-
cured. was a very quiet man about
-tiio hosse and was never known to
have quarrel before. His side OF the
story Is as follows:
He worked at the Great Western
mine Saturday night until II 90
o'clock and on HE way home stopped
into Ericg Erickson = saloon. Herman
Wirtenen was there aud the two men
qnareled- Herman had the best Of Ii
and threw MIN m the floor He pnl.
led ont q revolver and hraniahed Ii a-
bove his head saying. My resovler la
well greasea. Rajala escaped from
him and went down To Lcouatd