BALLATI

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 at 04:28:18 :

Marin County Tocsin
Saturday, April 13, 1914
Page 1

Victim Of Jokers Blows Out Brains

After brooding for months over threats of persistent practical jokers, John Ballati, laborer, 49 years old, ended his life Tuesday behind the hotel at Corte Madera while in a fit of despondency. Ballati tied a rope to the trigger of a shot gun, pulled the rope with his foot and blew out his brains.

Ballati left a note explaining that he had been “hounded “by three countrymen, and was “afraid of them.” Last fall a relative of Ballati’s hanged himself. Ballati, who found him, cut him down and reported the case to the authorities. His companions, as a joke, accused him of complicity in the tragedy and promised him that he would be hung “next Turkey Day.” Several months ago the carpets and furniture in Ray’s house was slashed by a miscreant and these practical jokers had accused Ballati of being the man, which so preyed upon his mind that he became despondent and took his life.