The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-01
]. \. WILSON CHARGED
WITH EMbEzz[EMENT
Attempts to Shoot Himself Be-
fore Arrest
BARRICADED IN CLOSET
Dened Ofrcers for Half nm Hcur--Ihe
Charge Is Preferred BY the Local
Manager of the Remington
Typewriter Company

| J. II. Wilson, agent Tor the ReininS
ton Typewriter Company at Mobile
was arrested at the offices of the Gem
pany in Birmingham yesterday after
noon and locked in the city Jail charg
ed with embezzlement of the com
pany's funds.
When the police were called to ar
rest him. Wilson attempted to shoe
himself with Al calibre Colt Derring
er. The bullet just grazed the side o
his head and he fled to the basemen
of the office where he locked himsel
| in a closet and held four detectives a
bay for 80 minutes, threatening to xii
the first man who attempted to fore
an entrance. He repeatedly asked tina
]. NJ Lumd, manager of the Birming
ham office who had ordered Wilson
arrest, should come to the basement
and he would surrender to him. 1t II
supposed that he intended to kill Lufnd
He Is held without bond until Man.
ager Lumd can communicate with the
headquarters of the company at New
York
Z Manager ]. M. Lumd came to Biz
mingham last December from Indian
apolis, to take charge of the Birmlng-
ham branch office of the Remington
Typewriter company. The office ct
Mobile under Mr.. Wilson is a sub-of
flee of the branch office here in Biz
mingham and Mr.. Wilson was working
under Mr.. Lumd. Mr.. Lumd detected
something wrong with Mr.. Wilson'S
accounts, and went to Mobile the first
part of the week to make an exam
nation. He learned, 1t is alleged, that
Mr.. Wilson was short in his accounts
from $1,000. to $4,000. The exact
amount will not be known until a
thorough examination of the books is
made
1t is claimed that Mr.. Wilson's mode
of operation was that several months
ago he appropriated money for his
own use from the collections he made
for the company. As he made collec-
lions since that time, it Is stated, he
would, keep a part OF them and pay
the old debt. In this way he made
the deficit on the office books appear
as If he had been using the money but
few days. Mr.. Lumd has telegraph
ed headquarters of the company to
ascertain whatNshan be done with Mr..
Wilson. In the meantime he Is locked
| in cell and will be denied bond.
Brought to Birmingham
When Mr.. Lumd discovered that
Wilson was short in his accounts he
brought him back to Birmingham from
Mobile. The accounts were gone over
again here yesterday by Mr.. Lumd
and Mr.. Wilson with the same result
| Mr.. Lumd offered to give Mr. Wilson
a chance to make good the deficit. Mr.
Wilson refused and 1t was then that
Manager Lumd called the police sta
ton and asked for officers to arrest
him.
Mr.. Lumd and Mr.. Wilson hal been
going over the accounts of Mr.. Wilson
| in q back room. When Wilson heard
Lumd call the police IT is thought that
he attempted to drink poison. FOL
when Lumd returned to the room VIII
| son was in the act Of drinking some
thing which, 1t Is alleged, he hat
placed in a glass of water. Mr.. Lumt
knocked the glass from his hands and
after rinsing 1t thoroughly gave VII
son a drink Of water. Wilson took th'
| water and as he did 80 Lumd turned
his back for moment,
Pistol Shot Rings Out
Instantly a pistol report rang GU
and Lumd turned to see Wilson fal
to the floor with the smoking pisto
In his hand. His first thought wal
for a physician and he rushed to thu
| telephone to call one. While he wal
gone Wilson jumped up and rushed t.
| the basement where he barricadet
himself in closet and defied any on
| to force an. entrance.
BY this ~ Detectives Nation
Wren, Moore and McDuff had arriv
ed Some of the officers stayed on TIN
outside in order to cut off any attemp
to escape on the part of Wilson. De
tectives Wren and Nation went to tn
basement They argued and coaxe'
with Wilson behind his fortress TO
nearly 80 minutes. All the time h
kept insisting that he wanted to Sc
Mr.. Lumd and that If anybody els
tried to enter the closet he woul'
shoot them in their tracks. The de
tectives would not allow Mr.. Lumd t
go to Wilson for they feared Wilson
| would kill him. Wilson finally prom
ised to come out Of the closet II the
would not arrest him. When he cam
out the officers seized him and tool
him to jail.
The detectives said that the littl
e-shot derringer which Wilson ha
Is one Of the most deadly weapons Il
existence. When Wilson shot at him
SELF the bullet just grazing the RICH
side of his head, burning and break
ing the skin in several places.
Wilson refused to make any state
/ ment last night when seen at the cit
jail except that he did not live eithe
| In Mobile or Rirmin9ham.