The police were in possession of apparently reliable information Wednesday to the effect that the assailant of John G. Nichols is still in the city. Officials of the American Trust Company, of which Mr. Nichols is vice president, are cooperating with the officers and every effort is being made to bring about his arrest.
Difficulty was being experienced in getting a description of the man, and information as to his residence here. His occupation and as to his movements following his attack Saturday night on Mr. Nichols, whom he mistook as a man who had an engagement to meet his wife, a manicurist at Stine’s Barber shop.
First information obtained by officers was to the effect that the assailant, whose name was given as Kellerman, left town on a train departing a short while after the attack occurred. Reports Wednesday were that he had not left the city, although he was in hiding Sunday.
Numerous reports were current Wednesday and some of these were being investigated by the police. Among these was information as to the woman claimed as Kellerman’s wife. She has introduced herself as a Miss Wolfe, the police learned, while all information thus far has given the man’s name as Kellerman, although no one seems to know his initials or his place of residence before coming to Charlotte.
Can’t Describe Him
The attack occurred on Mr. Nichols in front of Stine’s Barber Shop Saturday night around 9:30 o’clock and was witnessed by several people. Officers have been unable to locate anyone who could give a description of the man, however. Mr. Nichols was unable to describe him as the attack was made from the rear, as the banker was alighting form an automobile, and Kellerman fled after making a long, deep slash across the left of the face with a pocketknife.
Detectives conferred Wednesday morning with the man who had an engagement with this woman, and who was intended by Kellerman as the victim of his attack, but this man was unable to give a description, as he did not know Kellerman and did not know he was the husband of the woman.
Nothing is known as to the whereabouts of the woman. She was discharged Monday night from her position in the barber shop, and left the place without talking to anyone. Barbers of the shop told a representative of The Charlotte News Tuesday that they did not know the woman’s name and they knew nothing of events in connection with the attack on the bank official. Barbers also were said to have denied knowledge of the attack to policemen who are making the investigation.
One barber told a policeman that Kellerman left on a 10 o'clock train Saturday night, but that he knew nothing as to where he planned to go. Several people brought the report to police headquarters Wednesday morning that Kellerman was still in the city and that policemen dared not arrest him, but all who brought the report had heard it in a roundabout way and officers could get in touch with no one who would admit having seen Kellerman or heard his statement, except after it had been handed down by several persons.
There was some doubt about policemen as to Kellerman being the right name of the bank official’s assailant. All who could give any information as to the attack, however, reported Kellerman as the name by which he was known.
“Badger Game” Suggested
The man has resided in Charlotte only two weeks, it was reported, and his wife worked at Stine’s Barber Shop only a week or so. Kellerman had no occupation in so far as anyone new. The police were in possession of information that the woman had been seen in company with men on frequent occasions.
One bit of information which detectives were investigating Wednesday was to the effect that Kellerman had attempted a “badger game” on a young man of the city recently.
This young man, after a short acquaintance with the woman, was asked to accompany her to a swimming pool. They spent the early part of the night there, returning to the woman’s home on East Fifth Street some time between 10 and 11 o’clock. As the young man was about to leave, a man, said to be Kellerman, came from within the house carrying a pistol, which he leveled at the “victim.”
The young man backed off the porch and made a hasty getaway. A messenger called at his place of business the following morning to inform him that the woman’s husband was angry and had threatened to do him bodily harm. He was advised to “lay low.” A short while later the husband appeared. Seeing him approach the store, the young man retreated through a rear door.
A day or so later the man received a letter stating that his life would be left little unless he paid to the husband $1,500. He was persuaded by his business associates to ignore the letter, and nothing further was heard from the man.
Mistake in This Case
There was no indication, of course, that a similar scheme was planned preceding the attack on Mr. Nichols as all are sure he was the victim of an unfortunate mistake. A man had an engagement to meet the manicurist when she left her work for the night. Mr. Nichols alighted from a car in front of the barber shop and he was mistaken for the person who had arranged to meet the w3oman. The bank official was on his way to the Charlotte County Club, where he had an engagement.
If Kellerman can be located in Charlotte or anywhere else in the country, he will be tried for his assault, Police Chief Orr said Wednesday morning. The officers are making every effort to apprehend him and the assistance of police in other cities is being sought.
Mr. Nichols was said Wednesday to be getting along well at the Presbyterian hospital. He is expected to be out within a few days. The cut across the face, which was done with a pocketknife, extends from the left temple to the throat. Twenty-six stitches were required to close the gash.
From The Charlotte News, July 13, 1921
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