Stillwater, Minn., Sept 23. - Pasquale Barrella, of Duluth, serving a sentence of 12 years for manslaughter in the first degree, committed suicide in a cell in the state prison Monday afternoon. He was 20 years old and killed a companion with an axe in a drunken brawl. He was received at the prison two weeks ago.
A guard passing his cell saw him partly suspended, with a towel over his face. Opening the door, it was found that the Italian had tied a towel around his neck and fastened it with a piece of binder twine to the cell door and squatted down so that the noose tightened around the neck and caused slow death. He had not put enough weight on the twine to break it.
Dr. Trenckle, the intern at the prison, was summoned after the guard cut the man down. It was found that his heart was still fluttering and some time was spent in efforts to save his life, but he died.
Source: Crookston Times
Updated: 16 NOV 2005
Updated: 21 APR 2015, K.KittlesonSubmitted by Brenda G.