The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1921-03-01
NELSON'S CONDITION

@ Constable Nelson had a good :.
@ night last night and at the time :.
9 of going to press this afternoon Z.
9 he was reported to be resting !.
Q well. not suffering and perfectly /.
@ ratiotal. According to physi- {.
=. clans reports 1t will be two or Z.
| y three days more before it is Z.
(. definitely determined what the .
@ outcome of Nelson's wound win .
9 be, but at this time he has !.
@ good chance for recovery" !.
@ @ @ @ @ @ g O O @ @ o @ o @ .
Search for thieves connected with
boxcar robbery came to a climax
at the Western Pacific roundhouse
here early Monday morning when
Constable Jack" X. Nelson attempted
to arrest an unknown Negro connect
ed with the crime and was shot and
desperately wounded. Nelson, how
ever killing his assailant.
Facts in the case. as brought out
principally by the coroner's inquest
held yesterday, are that several days
ago Sheriff Brady and Nelson re-
ceived letter from a Western Pa
cific detective, telling of the theft of
four cases of shoes from a boxcar on
track a short distance east of the
Western Pacific depot in this city, and
asking that officers here be on the
lookout for the culprits. There were
twelve pairs of shoes in each case,
and 1t was reasonable to suppose
these shoes were cached away some
where until a chance to sell them
should appear.
Day before yesterday Sunday
Nelson learned that a Negro had been
in the Western Pacific roundhouse
here trying to sell pair of shoes to
couple of colored boiler washers,
Elbert and Harry Robinson, brothers,
the shoes corresponding in make and
consigned to the same Reno firm as
the ones stolen from the box car.
According to the stories of these
brothers, the thief had said to them,
Il suppose you know where l got
these Shoes" and for that reason
they refused to buy.
Upon being told this. Nelson asked
them to watch for the Negroes return
and TO purchase pair of shoes from
him. At 1880 o'clock Sunday night.
Night Officer Hickam, deputy of Mel
son, talked the case over with Nelson,
told Nelson he didn't know what he
might be "up against" and advised
that he take someone with him to
capture the alleged thieves. Nelson.
however, felt Hickam should remain
with his duties in the central section
of the city. Hickam says that before
s o'clock Sunday night Nelson was
house, alone, to make the arrests.
This staement by Hickam is corrob-
Grated by employees at the round
house, who state Nelson was in the
roundhouse from approximately eight
o'clock Sunday night until the shoot
ing occurred.
About midnight the suspected Ne
gro went to the roundhouse, and in
accordance with Nelson's instruc-
tions. the colored boilerwashers
told him they wanted to buy pair
Of shoes. The Negro went to ge get
them, returning about 130 with the
shoes. for which he received $780,
In the meantime Nelson had kept in
the dark in the roundhouse until the
sale was made. There is conflict in
stories as to whether Nelson stepped
out of the roundhouse just prior to
the time the Negro was to leave or
just how Nelson accosted him. At
any rate, the Negro Immediately
opened fire. Out of four shots fired
by the colored degenerate one struck
Nelson, passing through his right
lung. After hit, Nelson fired once,
the bullet hitting his assailant in the
chest and perhaps killing him in
stantly. AT the time of the shooting
the two men were not more than six
feet apart.
After being hit and making sure he
had killed his man, Nelson walked or
ran away from the roundhouse to-
ward the turntable, evidently looking
for a man he believed to be the Ne
gro's companion, white man who
had been seen with the Negro before