Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-03-26
| E AT HIS POST,

A Heavy Reward Offered-No Ara.
Made.
MoRR1s, ILL.,, March ia most horr,
murder a committed at Morris .t
O'Clock Saturday morning on the Kan
City express, No. 8, which left Chicago
eleven O'Clock Friday night. AS the fra
was nearing Morris the baggageman, wi
was in the second baggage-car, heard F.,
door from the forward baggage-car ON
| and found himself covered with a revolt
and was ordered not to stir and inform
| that another revolver was covering u,
| He then saw a hand with a revo,v
pointing toward him from the
| of the car. The robbers then wcntthrou
| the express safe. When the train stopn
it was found that the express agent, Nid
ola, in the other car, had been murders
| His body showed that a desperate STIR
| Gle had taken place.
He had, indeed, sold Iris life dear
/ Three bullet wounds were found, one pal
ing from the right side OF his nd
| through, coming out near the car
| the lett side. A second bullet st.u
him near the right collar-bone,
came out on the left side of
breast. while a third passed through
left arm. He had evidently defend
himself with his right arm by rais
it to shield himself from the bid
that were aimed at his head, for the rid
hand was cut and bruised, while
wrist was broken. The wound, howeJ
that caused the messengers death (
! dealt with an axe, which caused a cut (
inches in length, extending from the earl
/ the top OF the head. The sharp edge OF [
axe had penetrated deep into the head, I
ing the brain open and covering the hi
with blood. In addition there vi
twenty-six cuts on the face and head, sol
of which were delivered with the d
and some with the butt end OF the |
~volvers. The men were. evidently afraid
fire, except as a last resort, lest the nd
might be heard outside the car. The fiji
must have lasted fifteen minutes at LEAD
the messenger defending himself as best |
could against such odds. In the id
mans right hand was clutched II tufa
hair, pulled from the head Of his assd
ants. The hair is straight. about thI
inches in length and OF q light sa,i
color. This was taken by the d
turned Oven to the detectives as q valua1
and the only clue to the perpetratord
the outrage. Nichols leaves ~ wife, Wild
residence is in Chicago. /
TheValue of the money and jewclryst0
from the safe in the express car is repor1
to be 900. Nichols, the murdered aga
is an old employee OF the road, and had [
respect and confidence OF the compaa
Conducta T. L. Wagner, who had CHAD
OF the train on which the express agd
Kellogg Nichols, was murdered, arriS
here at 1890 o'clock Saturday, with3
II. Watt, the baggage man, who wai|
charge OF the express business with Nich(
Conductor Wagner said: n
l left the coal chutcs just below JoliefS
1855 this morning and passed MinookaA
l:l5: ] am positive OF this time, as l looked
my watch as we whistled going by. Wei
to Il stop | got out on the platform. About
same instant Mattjumped ost OF the bagg4
MY God, my God, look in there. 4
safe is all gone and the papers are all over
car" looked III with my lantern. n |
all scattered around and the drafts and cd
papers, some OF them torn up, were all arou
on the floor. l took my key and went to
other car and called Mick! Nick!" but thl
| "uS III dIS"CI. u i IL lantern III
the car a horrible sight was seen. There \
the Tins' local sia'' way.bil!s s'0 We're all eier eovs'
with blood, and the legs OF the CHI
the car l found the body of Nlchol
The face was covered with blood. and Il grt
pool was underneath him. The body was s.
warm; The cur showed that there had beef
big fight from nearly one end to t
other. On a hook hung u big pok
which was also covered will blood.
The baggagcman, N. II. Watt, who
about t~wenty-four years of age, told t
following story in response to vario
questions:
was sitting in the car: the chains were
on the door which went back to the train, b
locked, US the car ahead was the one in viii
was the messenger. He was checking
after they had whistled for Minoo
on tho floor, but not much just as thou.
someone had rubbed his foot on the foo
Before ] could turn around a big gun W
p0ked over my shoulder, and a maj sal
You open yOur mouth or move Il muse
and I'll blow your brains out" l cou
only see the lower part Of his face; it W
covered with some cloth or paper. l S
looking toward the back part of the c
heard someone ut the safe, which was behil
me, and could hear the rustl ng and teuril
OF papers. This wentson Tor a While, and II
man who stood over me said to me, 'if "
stops ut Morris that man up there W
blow the top OF your lead Off"
rolled my eyes up, and there was
mans hand stuck through the vent.lut,
It seemed to me. the train slowed up for Nc
ris. and ! looked up. The hand was gone, al
Jumped out OF the car, / heard no noise III
any shooting. The first 1 heard was, as
SA1G. ma man 2Canly,ur fr mo uy,l OF ~
same time putting the gun over my shoulde
Ihey u have gotten into Nichols car fir
and got the key to the safe before they can
into mine.
CHICAGO, March 15.-The United STATE
Express Company, by its Chicago agen
states that the currency in the safe va
about S21,5oO, besides a large quantity
Jewelry, value not known.
What at present seems the most favorc
theory is that the act was committed b
trainmen, in whole or in part. They III
Chemically hung up the poker which the
had used as Il weapon. They went to I'll
proper place to get the key to the safe, nc
disturbing the bunch of keys which r
manned in the pocket of the deceased. II
watch was not taken.
Conductor Wagner says that four ne
lett his train at Joliet after drinking an
playing cards on the way down. Two
them he put off because he discovered tina
the pass which they gave him had bee
altered from 1885 to 1856. The pass Wa
made out for "R. d. Martin and one.
three OF the men in question got on at tn
lineage depot and the fourth II at Blu
Island. AT Joliet one OF the men asked tn
telegraph operator where he could find
cheap bOardiur-hOuse. Flo did not 20 a