The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-03-02
WILKINS is A HERO
DISPLAYS RARE NERVE WHEN he
Is BRUTALLY ASSAULTED.

l
Though Knocked Down by a "sandbag," He
Gets Out His Revolver and Shoots One
of His Assailanfs-Ths Other Highway
man Takes the Victims Revolver aud
Money and Escapes - The Wounded
Hiehwayman Seeks Surgeon and 10
Subsequently Arrested A Third Party
Implicated in tho DeviIish Deed.
One Of the most brutal highway rob-
berries ever known in Wichita. and one
of the best exhibitions Of nerve ever
shown by a held-up person occurred on
First street on Sunday morning between
l and O'Clock.
Charles Wilkins, a young barber, has
shop at 24i North Main street He and
| Charles Short, his assistant, worked un-
Ill after midnight Saturday and then pro-
| ceeded to clean I'D the shop and adjust
cash matters. When they separated for
their respective homes il was nearly half
past one o'ciock Sunday morning. Mr..
Wilkins walked south on Main street to
First and turned eastward TO reach his
fathers residence, which is at 135 North
Lawrence. The electric lights were all
out and Egyptian darkness hung over
the city. wilkins, as he approached the
inky darkness near the Masonic consist
Dry, drew his revolver and carried ii in
his right hand, while his box of tools and
a mandolin were carried under his left
arm, and his crooked cane hung upon his
left wrist. Once he stepped out into the
street for easier travel, but found the sur
face so rough that he got back on the
sidewalk. When about the middle Of the
length of the consstory two figures ap-
peared before him, and a voice said:
Mister, where IS Main street? We
are strangers here"
ITS only block west" replied Mr..
Wilkins, shying off the sidewalk 10 give
them plenty of room TO pass. Then ne
could see that they were crouching threat
eningly and approaching him. He kept
stepping backward, and all Of a sudden
they rushed upon him, one dealing him
bow with a sandbag or a billy. AS he
fell they grabbed him and the three fell
together.
On first sight of the figures Wilkins
had replaced his revolver in his overcoat
pocket, thinking he might be making an
undue display of 1t, and now that he was
attacked ard knocked down his efforts
were directed to getting the revolver
from the r;ght-hand coat pocket. The
lapel of the pocket retarded his efforts
briefly, during which time the man who
had dealt him the first blow made an
other savage blow at him with the billy.
which was warded off by wilkins throw
ing up his mandolin in his left hand and
the descent of the billy smashed the mu-
steal instrument to splinters. Meantime
Wilkins had gotten his gun free from
the pocket and quickly fired upon the
man above him. The assailant then
dropped the billy and recoiled from the
struggle Wilkins fired a second shot at
the man who was. during al this time,
trying to get at the pocket containing
Wilkins money. The shot missed and
the assailant grabbed the hand contain
ing the revolver, and, possessing superior
strength, finally wrenched it away, al
most breaking one OF Wilkins fingers.
with break to throw out shells. and in
the grapple for It 1t became unshipped,
and the cartridges were thrown out upon
the ground. The robber readjusted the
cylinder. and then it was that the help
less victim began 10 scream for hep. The
robber put the pistol in his pocket, all the
while cursing Wilkins and threatening
him with death if he did not cease his
cries losing no time meanwhile TO tear
his pantaloons down from the waistband
until ne got hold Of the pocket and tore
it out with Its contents. Then he Joined
his companion and they disappeared east
ward on First street, and evidently turn
ed north on Lawrence avenue, as the
rif1ed pants pocket was found on that
thoroughfare some distance from the cor
FER.
Wilkins has been an invalid from rheu-
ma tism for a year, and his affliction and
the blow he had received rendered him
unable to regain his feet, so he could do
nothing but cry out for help. People rail-
led from various quarters, mostly color
ed men and women. and stood at a dis
lance, feaiiag to go forward, as one ex-
pressed 1t, lest they should get mixed
w in a bad scrape." Finally, Jack Da-
wilson, who resides on Lawrence avenue
near Wilkins. came around the corner
with his two famous bulldogs and a big
forty-five. The dogs ran and stood over |
Wilkins as Jack approached. Wilkins j
knew the dogs and called out for Jack |
Mr.. Davidson approached nearer and |
called out:
Who is Ii? ?"
IT'S me-" said Charley. "Come and !
help me up. I've been slugged.''
Mr.. Davidson struck a match. by the |
light of which he recognized his neighbor |
and readily assisted him 10 his feet, |
thence leading him to his Davidson's) |
home, where he washed the blood from !
his head and face before allowing him to |
go to his parents next door.
The question will be asked here: |
Where were the police?'' In txplana-
ton it should be stated that Officer Gam |
BILE and Patrolnian Aspey were on Main |
street near Norris fruit stand, and when 1
the two shots rang out the echo against |
the walls OF the buildings on the west |
side Of Main deceived them. They were |