Imperial Valley press., 1927-06-16
COUNTY JAIL PRISONER IN
TWO ATTEMPTS ON HIS LIFE

". G. Btrnal Of Miami, Afi2.,
twice attempted to end his own life
Yesterday afternoon while he was
being brought to the county jail
from Brawley, according to Deputy
ShcriftS Pat Thaanum and sam
Wise. Catching his foot on the door
Of machine saved him from beng
dashed beneath the wheels Of an
automobile the first time while
quick work on the part Of Thaanum
saved him from smashing his head
on the radiator of the police ear in
the second Incident.
The police ear containing the two
deputies, Bcrnall, another prisoner
and Richard Cohen, court intrrpre-
ter. was about five miles north Of
Imperial at the time The ear was
travelling along at 4 rate of speed
between 80 and 70 miles an hour
when suddenly Bernal made 4 dive
over the door leading into the rear
seat.
He had attempted 10 dive from
the machine onto the pavement IN
front of another ear being driven
past in the opposite direction by ?.
kokomato, 4 Japanese. But Ber-
nal Is foot caught on the door of the
police ear. Jerking him back just
far enough to avoid hitting the 9th
ed machine and landing him on his
head and shoulder on the pavement.
Bernal is huge man. weighing 22O
pounds and after the dive lie lay fer
moment stretched out ON the pave
meut.
A. the police car was brought to
4 stop some distance ahead. Bernal
got to his feet and started running.
lie ran of the highway through 4
field in an effort to make a foot
race OF il. Wise fired several shots
over his head in an effort to stop
him but Ii, paid no heed to the fly
ing bullets and Thaanum drove tie
car into the field after him.
As the ear neared Bernal. Wise.
who had been standing On the run
ming board hoped OF the machine
and ran ON ahead. cornering Bernal
between himself and the machine.
Makes Second Try
Then B~rnal made his second trv.
He wheeled suddenly and made q
dive for the automobile, apparently
with the intent to dash his brains
out on the radiator of the car. Blu;
Thaanum saw the act and iammed
on the brakes. He was just in time,
the dive made by Bernal falling
Just short of the car, the man strik-
ing his head on part Of the machine
as he fell.
Bcrnal was rushed to the county
jail and a physician was summoned.
The man was unconscious when
thev arrived at the Jail $and was
still unconscious at 5 clock last
night. The deputies then resum-
moned the physician and after an
examination he ordered the man
removed to the hospital.
Bernal was arrested in FL Centre
Monday charged with Vi ing
PASSED two worthless checks, one
for Sl,l00 and second for $500 IN
Brawlev. He was arraigned Mon,
aav afternoon before Judge Grit
fin and preliminary hearing in th-
case was set for yesterday.
1t was brought cut yesterday az
ternoon that Berual had purchased
tomatoes, squash and cantaloupt
from growers in and about Braw-
lev. giving checks and shipping the
goods to Arizona. He is said to
have then stopped payment ON the
checks. The hearing Yesterday
was continued one week when Ber-
nal told the court that he would
make an effort 10 make good the
checks. Only two charges had been
brought against him bat there are
q number of smaller checks, gwen
NV Bernal. that had likewise been
refused at the banks.