The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1886-03-20

CHICAGO, March l9.-The express car
Of the Chicago & Rock Island train which
leaves this city at ii p. M, was boarded
by robbers at Joliet, at one O'Clock this
morning, Kellogg Nichols, express mes
senger of the United States Express
Company was killed, and money and jew
erly valued at about $4,000 were stolen.
Nichols attended to his duties at Joliet.
but when the train arrived at Morris,
twenty miles beyond Joliet, he did not
open the door Of the car. The local agent
at Morris forced open the door, and found
Nichols lying dead on the floor of the car
with his throat cut from ear to ear, and his
head horribly cut and crushed. The bag
gageman was found bound and gagged in
the next car. The safe was broken open
and its contents gone. AS the train does
not stop between Joliet and Morris, it is.
approximately certain that the robbers
boarded the cars at the former place.
CHICAGO, March l4.-The news Of the
robbery of the express car and the muir
der of the messenger produced the
greatest excitement in the Rock Island
office in this city yesterday Division
Superintendent e. H. Chanberlin was in
receipt of dozen dispatches detailing
the particulars of the affair. The officers
of the road held consultation and agreed
to send special detectives on the track of
the rufilans at once. The train, No. 8,
left the depot Friday night at eleven
o'clock. 1t consisted of the locomotive,
two baggage cars, two sleepers and three
coaches, in charge of Conductor Wag-
ner. kellogg Nichols, of this city, was
| the express messenger. 1t is thought
that the men who committed the robbery
and murder are convicts, lately released
from Joliet penitentiary. The brakeman
of train No. l6 says he saw six men walk
ing along the edge of the woods near Au
Sable, which is close to Morris Officers
from Joliet are out after the men. They
left nothing in the car by which they
might be identified, except stove poker,
which was used by one of them as q
weapon. Superintendent Chamberlin left
for Morris yesterday to investigate the
affair and take charge of the body Nichols
!
He lived on the North side.
A MEssENGER's STATEMENT.
The first authentic Information of the
murder reached the express Office on
Washington street. when the incoming
messenger w M. Turner, reached here.
His train met the one on which Nichols
was killed, at Morris, and Mr.. Turner
reached the place soon after the murder
was discovered The widest excitement
prevailed about the depot at the time.
Nichols was found with his throat cut
from ear to ear, the wound being Jagged,
uneven cash, as If it had been
inflicted with a Ratchet. Turner had to
leave for Chicago before the investigation
was well under way 1t was found, how.
ever, that everything was all right when
the train drew up at Joliet. | started
promptly, and according to schedule time
was due to arrive at Morris at 80 a. m.
No stops were made between these
places, and for that reason it is thought
the murderers boarded the train at Joliet.
Arriving at Morris, Nichols, as was his
wont, did not appear at the door Of the
express car to deliver his packages The
agent waited on the platform for several
!
the door himself. The sight that met his
eyes was horrible one.
Nichols body, covered with blood was
living in one corner of the car, the safe
was open and the valuabeS found miss
ing. The United States express officials
here say that Nichols had in his custody
from $40 900 to $25,0OO and some forty
packages of jewelry consigned to iewelry
firms in the country. The value of this
iewelry is unknown, but the express
people say it can not be less than $1,000
and may be worth double that amount.
The express company acted promptly
as soon as they heard Of the murder.
They took immediate steps to track the
murderers, and large force of detectives
was set to work on the case.
, special from Morris says: Conductor
Wagner, who had charge of the train on
which the express agent, Kellogg Nichols,
, was murdered, says: GAS the train came
to a standstill at Morris at l 80 this morn
ing, got out on the platform. About the
same time Watt jumped off the baggage
car as white as a sheet and gasped
out: "My God Look in there. The
money is all gone and the papers
all over the carl" | looked in with
my lantern and the safe was standing
open; the way-bills were all scattered
around and the drafts and other papers,
[ some of them torn, were all around on
e the floor. | took my key and went to the
a other car and called Nick! Nickp but
o there was no answer. As | swung my
g lantern I'm the car a horrible sight was
y seen. There was blood scattered around
everywhere and on the trunks. The local
way-bills were all covered with blood
and the legs of the chairs were bloody.
In the forward part of the car |
T. found the body of Nick. The face was
S covered with blood and a great pool was
: underneath him. The body was still
n warm. The car showed that there had
j been big fight, from nearly one end to
e the other. On hook hung a big poker,
which was also covered with blood
\ "Nick" lay with both hands clenched
= and between the fingers of one hand
: he held a lock of black hair, while in the
a other hand was a lock of red hair" The
. conductor thinks the robbers got on al
. the coal chute, near Joliet, and had
X lumDp6 off inst a tho train cI.vraI -, -