The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-09-01
AFTER MANY MONTHS.
The Nichols Murderers Brought to
Justice.
Who they Are. and How they
We're Captured.
The Memorable Express Robbery on
the Rock Island Road.

ger Nichols, but it is among the proba-
bilities that the perpetrators of the tiend-
ISL deed will soon be brought to the bar
of justice. The men are known The
first step in the case was to fix their
identity. and it has been done after sew
eral months patient work. While all of
the details cannot be given, enough is
known 10 warrant publication without
interfering with the ends of justice.
Today's Chicago iRter> Ocean is author.
lty for this statement, and from it the
following is taken:
| The detectives of the Rock Island COM
pany, the force of Chicago, Mooney Il
| Boland, and the Pinkerton corps have
been at work endeavoring to solve the
mystery, and are now nearer the prin.
cipals than they have ever been before
Clews have been followed, side tracks
worked, the haunts of train robbers in
| Kansas City and st. Louis visited but no
clew to the men could be obtained. Af-
| ter hunt of a month in each of the
| above named cities it appears to the Off
| GERS that western men were not the rob
bers. Charley or Bob Ford were seen
whichever one it was-and told stright
story and volunteered to assist the
detectives in hunting down all
of Jesse james gang But he
was told not to worry himself as
the case was well 10 hand. Tue Ford
boys talked and gave the officers
valuable Information as TO the doings of
the gang in the southwest. and after they
were convinced that the men wanted were
not there, they returned to Chicago.
| There were so many officers on the hunt
that the case came near being spoiled, but
it was finally decided that the thieves
were products of Chicago, and great men
in their line of business. No doubt it
| will surprise some old Chicago crooks
who have reformed, to hear that their old
comrades "CleyelaDd" Charley and Cap
| tain EbbS have gone astray, but such is
said to be the case. Charley is now in
Jail in Milwaukee and Ebbs is in place
that he will not leave until he is MANY
years older. These men were the plan
ners of the great robbery, and although
their coufederates are not as Yet in the
| tolls it is a satisfaction to know that the
| principals are Bigger and more desper-
ate crooks never breathed, aud shooting
at the drop of bat is their forte On
| the afternoon of the night of March Is,
| 1886. five mem left the Chicago house,
on Clark street. They had been stop
ping at the place for two days previously.
aud appeared as if they were men in in
digent circumstances They attracted no
attention among the other habitueS, but
the proprietor sized them us rs ii queer
quintet. Where they took their meals is
unknown, but they didn't eat at the Chi
cago house. They lodged there. how
ever, paid their way. and among the
tramps were said to be well fixed.
The Inter Ocean says the proprietor of
the Chicago house was attracted to these
men because they were in close c0mmu-
nication with each other all the tine.
When they left. they did so suddenly.
The following morning, the bigger of the
two, Cleveland Charley" returned with
bundle of clothes and asked the pro
prietor to keep it for him until he should
return The clothes were blood stained
He had on new suit, and was flushed
and excited. The article continues:
The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific ex-
press train left the depot on Sherman
street at 1 1 o'clock on the night of March
IS. When it reached Englewood five
men took passage. They didn't 60 into
sleeper, second or first-ciass coach;
they rode on the trucks. The men were
"Cleveland" Charley, Capt" Ebbs,
''Brick Henry, "Jack" Williams and
Eat en- up Jack, and great robber
Tie other man is unknown. The run 10
Joliet was void of interest, but when the
train arrived in Morris the startling dis
cOvery was made that the express mes
sengcr Nichols, in the cmploye of the
United Sta'es express company, had been
murdered, and S2l 900 and quantity of
valuables and Jewelry had been taken
from the safe. Morris is sixteen miles
from Joliet The details of the crime are
still fresh in mind.
BE ready to jump when the train
slows up going into Morris. said Ebbs
They jumped, hurried back to the waters
tank, boarded freight train which
passed north a few minutes later, and
got off at Joliet, and in a farm yard . few
miles from the center of the city, can
vas bag lined with wool was planted
deep in the ground. 1t contained the
money, which was in large bills, aud diff
ticult to handle. Three of the robbers
went east from Joliet, and arrived in
Michigan City on the morning of the
18th. On q Michigan Central train from
Detroit they reached Chicago, got off at
Twenty second street, and went to the
Chicago house, on Clark street, their
former resort.
Keep this bundle till | call for it,"
said Charley. as he reached the lodging
house that morning of the crime. The
bundle contained two shirts, a collar,
necktie, and pair of pantalo0ns Ebbs
wore no suspenders. While stopping
over Nichols in the Car and taking the
money from his pocket his hands became
smeared with blood Then his panta-
looms fell down over his hips, and in pull
ing them up by his thumbs and fingers
the stains were left on the upper. inner,
and outer edges of the garment. This
was what aroused the suspicion of the
proprietor of the Chicago lodging house.
He questioned Charley, and the latter
said that he had been out doing little
Job with the boys Then Detective
Granger was notified and he arrested
Charley. unfortunately too soon ne
was pumped by Shea and Pinkerton. but
wouldn't give up as he knew that BY
squealing, his neck would be placed in
jeopardy. After being under lock and
key for two weeks, he was discharged
He met Ebbs. aid both went to Milwau-
kee. being afraid 10 return for the satehel.
In Milwaukee, however, they both burg>
larized store close TO the Sentinel office,
and are under sentence to the prison at
Waupan Williams is where no one