The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-06-03
Twelve Men Are Sitting On
The NogteI Case
DECIDE MONEY ACTION
Say Whether Insurance Conn.,
panies Must Pay Ducats to
His Heirs

the insurance money he had placed
on his life will be decided by jury
in the Brown county district court.
One Of the interesting bits of evil
dencs is the picture Of finger prints
alleged 10 have been made by Nog-
tel ON the Window sill and ledge. 1t
is claimed that. the fingers pointed
toward the window.
The defendant insurance company,
the Equitable Life Insurance COM
pany OF Iowa, by the nature OF the
case OF Vogtel, ct al, executors of
the estate OF Charles Nogtel, deceased.
against this company, must convince
the jury in the action that Mr.. Nog-
tel came TO his death by suicide to
escape paying the face OF the policy,
S5U,UUU carried IL the iowa company.
Inc case was called Wednesday al
ternoon and almost the whole OF rne
afternoon WAS required IN securing d
Iury. Attorney All. w. Mueller MADE
4 main statement OF the 1actS TO the
luiy at the opening or the case OUT
ling that ii was brought 10 secure
me payment OF the face OF the policy
CARED by the deceased Charles Vog-
tel III the Equitable Llte insurance
company OF Iowa.
Burden On the Defense
Attorney Hoke OF Minneapolis, for
the defense, in his statement 10 the
larry outlined that the burden OF PROOF
rested with the defense TO prove tnaL
MI. NogIel committed suicide on NO
vember 5, 1920, by plunging from the
ninth story OF the Raoisson MOTEL III
Minneapolis. He was emphatic III ms
remarks that the life of the deceased
was beyond reproach and that there
would be nothing brought out in the
evidence submitted by the witnesses
of the defense that would in any way
, initiate against this TACT.
The pending action IS but one o.
three similar cases contained on the
present calendar OF civil actions in
this county. During last year three
policies, aggregating $4,000 were
written upon Mr.. Nogters life. Inc
companies other than the Equitable
Life Insurance company, in when ne
carried $4,000. are in the Connecn do
cut Life Insurance company, $4,000
and the Aetna Life Insurance Co.,
100000. The other two actions are
against the above two companies,
and were brought by the widow to
recover the insurance.
The Star Witness Appears.
One of the defense's star witnesses
is Charles ,Ikenberry, a taxi owner OF
Minneapolis. He was put on the stand
Thursday afternoon and recited/how
he had been standing across the
street from the alley in which Nj.
Vogters body fell, from the Raids,
son hotel. He stated that ne mad
noticed a person come to the window
and look out Later the body pitch
ed forward feet first. He was OF the
impression that the body turned over
after falling some distance and struck
the pavement head first.
The cross examination was lengthy
and the witness attempted to elude
positive statements by making deduc-
lions.
The witness stated that the de-
ceased's coat was lifted up over his
head, by the draft caused by the tai-
ling body through the air. From this.
fact he deducted that Mr.. Vogtel must
have left the window feet first
j. R. Fitch, clerk at the Radlsson,
testified that Mr. Vogtel had entered
the hotel and asked for room at
9:2S o'clock on the fateful morning
sHe stated that Mr.. Vogtel did not ash
for room high up in the hotel, and
that he did not appear pefturbed or
did not act uneasy in any way: MI.
Vogtel was assigned to room 9O2, on
the ninth floor and which fronts on
the alley between the Radisson and
the Dayton store building.
William SAKE, travelling millinery
salesman, and porter in the Raids
son were called as witnesses and tes-
titled that they saw Mr.. Vogtel in his
room at the hotel on the morning in
Members of Family On Stand
DR.. Melvin and Harold Vogtel, sons
of the deceased and Mrs. Ida Vogtel,
his wife were called as witnesses. The
latter S told of Mr.. Vogteps leaving for
Minneapolis on the morning of No
vember 8, last. He had asked her to
accompany him, but she had declined,
stating that she had been TO the Cities
the week previous and would drive
down Tuesday, the next day, with
questioned Mrs. Vogtel as to the con
tents of the letter, written to her, by
Mr Vogtel, which was found on the
stand stamped for mailing, by those,
trho entered the room, after his death.
Mrs. Vogtel stated she had not known
Of any trouble, Mr.. Vogtel was hav-
= ing, greater than that of an ordinary
was not conwersant with the details
of his business affairs. The letter
reads as follows:
My Dear Ida: OF course, you
know that l am having trouble,
but so far have said nothing To
patch up matters and still believe
so. Have an appointment at 10
o'clock with Mr. HoidaIe. If we
lose. everything, thank God, | have
my good health and we will get
along in good shape, as the Eagle
is strong and can stand up and
will not be implicated to any great
extent with the Century, if l can't
get help. Am glad that am getting
this off my mind, as the strain is
terrible and is beginning to tell on
my health, as just now l had a
dizzy spell and had to run to the
window for air, as it seemed l was
getting short of air. AS yet, don't
know whether / will go to Chicago
1t all depends on our conference.
with love, your husband, Chas.
"Wfll telephone you this after
noon as to what / will do"
vogteI Appeared Himself.
Mrs. Vogtel affirmed that he did
OF seem depressed nor worried and
hat she had not noticed that he was
undergoing any unusual strain. She
gas questioned as to when she would
,Sceive the letter, written by him if
tAhad been mailed the morning of
Mr. Voqte1's death She stated that