Huntsville gazette., 1886-03-20
A BLOODY DEED.
An Express Messenger Murdered
and His Gar Robbed.
a Terrible Crime Committed on the Rock
Island Road Between Joliet and Nor
riss, Illinois--The Miscreants
Secure About $4,000.


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 $35, 900 were stolen.
Nichols attended to his duties at Joliet
out 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
gagcman 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 1.-THE news of the
robbery of the express Ger and the muir
der of the messenger produced the
greatest excitement in the Rock Island
office in this city yesterday. Division
Superintendent e. III. Chamberlin was III
receipt of dozen dispatches detailin.
the particulars of the affair The officers
of the road held a consultation and agreed
to send special detectives on the track OF
the rufiians at once. The train, No. 5,
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. Kellog 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
inc along the c>lge 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 a
weapon. Superintendent Chamberln left
! for Morris yesterday to investigate the
affair and take charge of the body Nichols
was forty-five years of age and unmarried
He lived on the North side.
A MEssENGER's STATEMENT
The first authentic information of the
Washington street, when the incoming
messenger, w NJ. Turner, reached here
His train met the one OH 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 a Jagged,
uneven cash, as If it had beer
inflicted with hatchet. Turner had tC
leave for Chicago before the investigation
was well under way. 1t was found, how.
ever, that everything was all right wher
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 ii is thought
the murdereys boarded the train at Joliet.
Arriving at Morris, Nichols, as was his
won't did not appear at the door of the
express car to deliver his packages. The
agent waited on the platform for several
minutes, and, firing of the delay, opened
the door himself. The sight that met his
eyes was a horrible one.
Nichols body, covered with blood, was
wing in one corner Of the car, the safe
was open and the valuables found miss
ing The United States express officials
l.ere say that Nichols had in his custody
from $50, 900 to $4,000 and some forty
packages of jewclry consigned to jcwelry
firms in the country. The value of this
iewelry is unknown, but the express
people say it can not be less than $4,000
and may be worth double that amount.
Tie express company acted promptly
as soon as they heard of the murder.
1;afa TONS
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 tile express agent, Kellogg Nichols,
was murdered, saws: Gas the train came
TO standstill at Morris at 80 this morn
ing, got out OH the platform. About the
same time Watt jumped off the baggage
car as white as sheet and gasped
ont. "AIy Godi Look in there. The
money is all gone and the papers
all over the carl" l looked in with
nv lantern and the safe was standing
omen: the way-bills were all scattered
around and the drafts and other papers,
some of them torn, were all around Oh
the floor took my key and went to the
other car and called Nick! Nick" but
there was no answer. AS L swung my
lantern IN Jne car nOTTiDit SlSHt "u'
seen. There was blood scattered around
everywhere and on the trunks. The loca,
way-bills were all covered with blood
and the legs of the chairs were bloody,
In the forward part of the car
fonnd the body of Nick. The face was
covered with blood and great pool was
underneath him. The body was stu
YARN The car showed that there had
been biz fight, from nearly one end %
tho other. On hook hung big poker
which was also covered rs,,s with ,.ad1od blood
"Nick'' lay with both hands clenched;
md between the fingers of one hanc
ha held a lock of black hair, while in the
atber hand was a lock of red hair" The
conductor thinks the ROBBERS got, on al
he coal chute, near Joliet, and had
Jumped off just as the train slowed up at
Morris.
II is understood that the Rock ISLAM
road Will offer reward OF 10000 1"f
the capturo Of the men who commlttel
tho robbery and $4,000 for the arrest u
any 0na nt thf;Ils