The Washington times., 1909-03-18
MISTAKE IS MADE,
NORD|N'S DEFENSE
At THE STATION
Man Claiming Friendship of
Prominent Persons
Still Held.
POLICE GET TRACK
OF HIS PAST LIFE
Letters From Atlantic City-He
Tells of Wonderful
Discovery.

Held on nominal charge o. orac-
ticing medicine without a license, who
posed as friend OF the Rev. DR.. L. G.
B. Pierce and other well-known Wash
.ngtonians, whom he says he was at
tempting TO interest in a most wonder
ful scientific discovery, DR.. John A.
Nordin, OF Berlin. Germany. according
to his story, Is this afternoon chafine
under restraint at the Eighth precincl
station while the police are inxestiEsc<
Ing what appears to be a most mysti
fyIng career.
The arrest OF the man who calls him
self physician and who has a some
what distinguished appearance. cane
last night as the result OF Charges
lodged by Attorney Charles C Red
wood, who asked an investigation OF the
Doctors plans because he had written
10 client Offering TO cure her son OF
an afticton. without the use OF medi-
cine, for sl.eO. This letter, il was ex-
piained by those at work on the case
today, was so worded as to imply that
there had been a verbal understanding
that the treatment was to De given
whereas the suspicious client reported
mat there had been no such agreement
Boarding House Claims.
The police also say DR.. Nordin is in
debted to two local boarding houses in
an aggregate sum amounting 10 some
thing like $i0o. and that the physician
probably will have to face these
charges also. Mrs Mcdonald. pro-
pr1etress Of the Dolly Madison hotel.
caI1eo al headquarters this morning
and informed the police what she knew
OF Dr. Nordin.
The letter which brought about Dr..
l9ordin's arrest Is said 10 have been ad-
dressed TO Mrs E NJ Todd, OF I1Z2 Yer
mont avenue. whose country place on
the Tenleytown road Dr. Nordin Is re-
ported 70 have rented, although the
physician has been getting his mail al
the Y NJ c. A. Mrs Todd today denied
that she knew DR.. Nordin in a profes-
stonal way and would not discuss the
him once or twice in the company OF
an acquaintance.
The Rev Pierce, pastor Of the Presi-
dents church, at whose house the doc
tor was arrested last night. spent sew
eral hours in consultation with Inspec-
tor Boardman, at -sadQuarters this
morning. DR.. Pierce became Interested
IN the foreign physician soon after hs
came to Washington and gave him a
letter OF introduction TO Dr. George NJ
Kober, who In turn introduced him e
superintendent White. of the Govern
ment Hospital for the Insane
Sought Prominent Men.
Dr. Nordin makes no secret of the
fact that he came TO washington for
the purpose OF meeting prominent men
with view to interesting them in his
discovery. II is said he has frequently
used the name OF Senator Money for
reference and that he IS also an ac-
Quaintance of Commissioner AIacfar-
land.
at IS an outrage said the physician
in an excited manner this afternoon
I am not the man they at first seemed
TO take me for have no record to in
veSugate. I can make tie State pay
dearly for defamation Of character and
the undoinS of twenty-eight years OF
research.
Il am a native Of Stockholm. sweden
and pracuced medicine in Berlin. Ger
many, for many years have never
ing 70 the United States. / have not
attempted to practice medicine IN
washington I wanted no money for
the treatment OF what was called q
hopeless case until cure was effected
Do other physicians do that2
His Discovery.
Il have been at work for twenty-eight
years on this discovery that wan do
away with drugs. Elements Of force
call it. One can be cured by the eie-
mentS about them Do you understand
I came here to interest men OF sci
ence ana learning IN my discovery. If T.
can DO what l claim the honor should
be mine If : cannot do ii. then I am
a failure
Inspector Boapdman gave the entire
Of the strange case and the physicians
identity. In this he has been aided b.
Pharmacy Inspector Van Zant. Dr. Ko-
Der and the Rev. Dr. Pierce ShortlS
before noon a woman giving her name
as Mrs Nordin entered the Inspector
office She was evidently much wor-
ried, and talked for more than an hour
with the Rev DR.. Pierce and Dr. Ko-
her. During this conversation, IL IS
said, the physician and minister Sug-
gested that Nordin might have become
mentally unbalanced over his discov-
cry.
Atlantic City Letters.
The police have In their possession
papers sent from the Atlantic City pc
lice department. from which place d.
Nordin came to Washington. One, a let
ter of complaint from a woman in Cal-
ifornia declares Nordin Obtained several
thousand dollars from Ier which has
never been repaid. The story from this
was that DR.. Nor lin agreed t.
marry her as soon as Re obtained
divorce.
1t appears, however, that the mar
riage never occurred, but that about
present wife at Atlantic City, and the
protesting California woman has since
to interest the Atlantic
City police in an effort to regain the
doctor.
"a blackmaning scheme" Ms. Nor
lin Is said TO have remarked to DIT
I<ober and the Rev. DR., Pierce v,|ben
physician and minister seemed in sym
Dathy with the wife, and the police
records were shown her in order that
she might throw any light she might
choose upon the investigation now ia
pro gTeSs-
Mrs Nordin left police headurarters
in tears this afternoon and after her
long talk with Dr. Pierce and Dr. Kober