The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-04-15

DEATH-MATTERs OF COURT
RECORD IN RAMSEY AND HEN
NEPIN COUNTIES.
Our readers will recall the account
of the tragic death of the late Rev
erend Henry Jajeski, pastor of the
Church OF st. Casimir, st. Paul
published in The Catholic Bulletin at
the time he was shot by Mrs. Amelia
Dudek of Minneapolis. In that ac
count the story of the shooting was
told in briefest detail, no references
being made to the series of events
which lead up to it. Since that time
we have refrained from making any
reference to the matter, because the
case was before the courts.
Early in April, Mrs. Dudek was
brought before the Probate Court of
Ramsey County and was examined by a
committee of medical experts with a
view to determine her mental condition.
She was adjudged insane and, COM
mitted by Judge Dickson to the hospi-
tai for the criminally insane at st.
Peter, Mimi, where she is now
confined.
We do not enter into details, except
to say that her own answers to the
questions put to her, and the testi-
mony of friends and acquaintances,
leave no room for doubt regarding her
insanity. Her sole excuse for taking
the life of Father Jaiesk was that
ne had offered insult to her about
three years ago while he was pastor
of the Church of the Holy Cross in
Minneapolis and she a member OF
his congregation.
In order to set the case right be-
fore people who are interested in
ascertaining the truth about the
matter, we deem it we'll to state
briefly the principal facts which are
now Il matter of record in the courts
OF Hennepin and Ramsey Counties
A Most Righteous Verdict.
In the early months of the year
2912, Mr. and Mrs. Hearg Lsea2i ci
Minneapolis, brought two separate
actions against the Reverend Henry
Jajeski, then pastor OF the Holy Cross
parish. The one, brought by Mrs
Dudell, was for assault; the other
brought by Mr. Dudek, was for assault
and injury to his household. The
action brought by Mrs. Dudek was
dismissed The trial of Mr.. Dudek's
case against Father Jajeski began or
May 5, 1913, before Judge Dickinson
of Minneapolis, and jury. -Four days
later, the jury was dismissed because
it failed to agree on verdict. The
trial was resumed on September 10
before Judge Jelly and a jury, and
i'm this, as in the former case, the
Jury was discharged. because it coulC
not reach an agreement. The thlro
trial opened on November 10 before
Judge Booth and a jury, and on NO
vember 81, after brief deliberation
the Jury returned a verdict in favor
Sf Father Jajeski, the defendant
When the verdict was returned, Judge
Booth, who is the son of Protestant
minister, stated to the jury, all o.
whom were non-Catholics, that it was
the most righteous verdict ever
handed down in that court. In al
three trials the Judges were non
Catholics. 1t was difficult mattel
10 secure unbiased jurors because o
the prejudice engendered in the minds
of the people by the accounts glvel
10 the public by interested parties
In view of this, it is evident that the
verdict of the jury in the third tria
has all the more weight. The testl
monv given by Mrs. Dudek on th'
witness stand was so improbable tha
no honest and unprejudiced maj
could believe her story.
Father Jajeski testified under oatl
that Dudek and his wife came to hi
house and demanded one Thousand
dollars from him, and when asked th'
reason for this demand, they told hin
that he knew very we'll what it wa
for. They said they needed the none.
badly, and if he would not pay. the!
would have recourse to the courts t
compel him to do so.
At the conclusion of the trial, Juds
ment for costs, amounting to abou
Nftv dollars, was filed against Dude
and in favor of Father Jajeski, an
this Judgment has never been satisfied
Some months after the trial, Mr.:
Dudek threw pepper in Fathe
.Jajeski's eyes. She was arrested an
put on probation for six months, tn
iudge not wishing to deprive he
infant child of a mothers care. Abou
this time complaint was filed agains
her, and she was taken before tn
Probate Court of Hennepin Count
sor examination into her mental col
dition. The medical experts VIII
conducted the examination, believe
her to be mentally unbalanced, bu
perhaps, not sufficiently so to b
incarcerated in a lunatic asylum.
A Tragic Death.
When Father Jajeski was tram
ferred to a new parish in st. Pau
he did not escape his prosecutor
From time to time Mrs. Dndek. al
noyed him with her visits. He
grievances were aired in certai
weekly publication. and the story /
her alleged relations with her forms
pastor was told in all their sordi
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