The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-02-10
N0LIND'S STORY
Logan County Clerk Shot In
Crane Street House.
Says He Was Following Pick
pocket Who Robbed Him.

In following a pickpocket INTO
building occupied by negroes in the
bottoms late Sunday afternoon
Charles H. Nolind, county clerk OF
by the pickpocket, SCATTERING ms lett
forearm. The pickpocket had rop-
bed him of his pocketbook containing
$40, all the money he had with hlNl:
Nolind declares, and he proposed II
possible to secure the money. Blind
with anger he followed the stranger
into the house at 22O East CIane
street, through a front room ana up
a back stairway. At the head OF the
stairs the stranger turned and pulleo q
a nasty looking gun, an automatic 80
caliber revolver, and in clinchlng with
his assailant the weapon was dis
The police have been unable to To-
cate IL stranger, who ran out OF the
building Immediately after the assault,
declaring to the residents that ms
friend had accidentally shot himself y
Every effort is being made to discover
who the unknown man may be, ana
to cause his arrest Nohnd says ne Is
sure he would know him again II he
saw him.
Talking of the accident Nolind says
he was wandering about the city aim
lessly killing time, when down near
the Rock Island depot he was accosted
by the stranger. The man was tall
and slender, he says, and wore a
dark brown suit. The stranger walk
ed with him a short distance and then
snatched his leather wallet out of No
lind'S pocket and ran. NOlind fol-
lowed.
Reports to the effect that No1ind
went to the house with the stranger in
search of women he had met at the
time of the state fair. and also that he
had shot himself were branded as
grossly in error by the young victim.
The indications are that they were ut
terly false, the officers believe, cir
nc fa
own story.
For one thing NoIind says he was
not here at all during the fair, which
easily may be proved, the officers say.
Then he was evidently shot from the
back of his left arm, the bullet hole
in his coat sleeve showing that the
bullet entered about half way from his
elbow to his wrist at the back. 1t
passed through the arm and came out
a little nearer the wrist, making quite
a tear in the sleeve where it emerged.
1t is believed it would have been i'm
possible for him to have thus shot
himself if the gun had been in his own
possession, as was first reported.
81 kept telling the fellow to STOP"
NOlind said to a reporter for the State
Journal at noon today as he lay on his
cot at st. Francis hospital. IF l had
thought 1 would not have followed
him, but I thought perhaps 1 could
get my money. When he got to the
head of the stairs he turned around
ed the gun and I thought he meant to
shot me. L grabbed for the gun and
1t went off in the scuffle. 1 don't re-
member any more until I woke up
here about midnight last night
The accident occurred shortly after
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. Nolind
had left the hotel in company with a.
travelling man from Fort Wayne, Ind
by the name OF Gilbert. He parted
from Gilbert shortly afterward, how
ever, and did not see him again No
lind admits that he had taken a
drink or two during the afternoon,
but declares he was not drunk in any
sense of the word.
He is improving rapidly at the hos
pital, and unless complications set in
will be up in a few days. His arm is
badly shattered, but it is believed it
Will knit all right. He has wife and
small baby at home, and comes of a
good family. He recently was elected
to third term as county clerk of Lo-
gan county with one of the biggest
nlaJor1tles ever given county official
there.