The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1905-09-21
BULLET. In HIS HEART.
Though Man Carried 1t There for
Eight Years II Finally Claimed
Its Victim.

jsTH1HTGSS
Its Victim.
Chicago, Sept. 20.-Tragedy's coil
frightened to5the center yesterday when!
Nelson in Cadillac, Mich. The last
previous act in the cheerless drama
came Monday, when Mrs. Nelson. the
Wife, advised by telegram thai her
husband was dying, committed suicide
in Milwaukee, after hi had for weeks
held her husbands position as secre-
tary of the Milwaukee Gas company.
Death dealing Fate laid her hand
on Nelson eight years ago In Washing
ton park, Chicago. when he fell be-
meath the bullets of an assassin whose
identify is still a mystery. Fol- eight
years he had been one of the marveIs
in the world Of medicine and surgery.
he refused to loose his hold on life. and
though the wound claimed its victim
at the last, Nelson for a battled
successfully against a condition that
drew forth the wonder of the medical
profession.
Case Is Remarkable.
Nelson's case, from the purely scien-
tific standpoint, was one of the most
remarkable in the history Of the west,
1t was during the height Of the bicycle
craze that the shooting took place.
Nelson was an enthusiastic wheelman.
fNHiic 110AiAS dDOuI Ile City He lldQG
the acquaintance of Mrs. Edith Mar
garet Staples, 1857 Michigan avenue.
Mrs. Staples, a young woman, had sep
arated from her husband, a travelling
salesman. She and Nelson became
friendly and frequently took rides to-
gether.
It was on the night of July 1, 1897,
that Nelson, then % years old, and
Mrs. Staples started on a ride through
the South Side parks. Shortly after
IL o'clock they halted at the fountain
at Fifty-second street and a few mo-
ments later strolled to a bench near by
to rest.
Five minutes later, according to the
story told by Nelson and Mrs. Staples,
the negro ran up, grappled with Mel
son, aid, after a short struggle, drew
J a revolver and fired three shots. Two
Nelson in the back of the neck and
the other piercing his breast and i'm
bedding itself in his heart.
Strikes Woman in Face.
The negro, according to the story
told the police, abandoned his attack
on Nelson n turned his attention to
Mrs. Staples. He struck her In the
face n attempted to choke her. The
young woman screamed and her cries.
combined with the sounds of the shots,
which, apparently, nobody had been
able to locate, attracted a number of
wheelmen. AS they came dashing up
the negro ran and escaped. Though
rested, the police, so far as they knew,
never found the right man.
AS soon as the surgeons had de-
termined that one bullet had pierced
the heart they announced that the pa
tient was the same as dead.
To the surprise of not only the medi-
cal profession, but of the public-for
general attention had been attracted
both by the nature of the mans wound
and the mystery attending the shoot
ing-Nelson steadily continued to grow
better. A week after the tragedy he
had SO far recovered as to be able to
sit up in bed and talk with ease to his
visitors, while it was not long after
ward that he was able to leave the
hospital and go about as though no
bullet was imbedded in his heart.
Both Fade from View.
For some little time after his dis
charge from the hospital Nelson was
noticed in newspaper paragraphs which
commented on his condition and then
he faded from the public eye, as did
Mrs. Staples. The bullet encased in
the flesh OF his heart, however, failed
to prevent Nelson from again entering
the field of work. He returned to his
native town, Cadillac, Mich. and for
two or three years was a clerk in a law
and abstract Office.
He married and about a year ago
went to Milwaukee to become the sec
rotary of the Milwaukee Gas
A few weeks g he gave indications
of failing health, and returned to the
home of his parents in Cadillac, his
wife bravely taking up and perform
ing his duties as secretary of the gas
company.
When the telegram came telling Mrs.
Nelson that her husband was dying,
the wife went to her home, ana after
writing a note declaring she had no
wish to live without her husband, killed
herself by turning on the gas.