Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-09
MURDERED.
4 Chicago Millionaire Shot Down in HiS
Own Home.
Burglars Garry OFF the Contents of the
Cash Box OF Hin Safe

NHfCAGo, req .. t
Amos J. Smell, millionaire, who is the
owner Of the toll road running through JEFF
ferson, Illinois, was found murdered this
morning at his residence in Chicago.
About two o'clock a servant girl heard q
noise like pistol shot coming from Mr..
SHELLS room, but paid no attention to it,
Later he was found with bullet hole in his
left breast and one behind the left ear.
Entrance was effected by the murderers
through back door they having taken out
the panel and sawed through the lock.
Mr.. Smell was one of the largest real es-
tate owners in Chicago, owning great num-
Der of houses which he rented. All his bus
iness was transacted in the basement of his
own house, which was fitted up as an office.
The windows and doors were heavily barri-
caded and there were several large safes in
the rooms.
The theory in regard TO the murder il
that carefully planned robbery was ar
ranged. Ii was known that during the first
part of each month large sums of money,
the proceeds from SMELLS houses, were kept
in the basement. 1t is believed that the bur-
glars were at work on the safe when Mr..
Smell, hearing a noise, went down to the
basement and surprised the thieves at their
work. His body was found in the hail. just
at the entrance of his office door.
Later it was discovered that the burglars
had taken check for $1,000, made by A. j.
Stone, SMELLS son-in-law, payable to Smell,
fro y the iron box in the office. What else
they secured will probably never be known,
as Smell himself was the only one to whom
the contents of the box were known. 1t is
said by all who knew him that there was no
money or negotiable papers in the box, as he
never took such papers to his house.
Tonight "A young man carrying large
bundle, was arrested ON a down town street
lie failed to account for himself satisfacto-
rily and was taken to the central station.
The bundle was opened and found to contain
six dark lanterns, six chilled augers, one ex-
tension bit, six slung shots, six steel knuck-
les, two ounces of dynamite, two ounces of
giant powder, three dirk knives, three alarm
whistles, four holsters, four IS calibre Colts
revolvers, four jimmies, six boxes of fuse
matches, a lot of mail pouch keys, large
bunch of skeleton keys and several skeleton
saws.
The prisoner told Chief IIenshaw that his
name was Charles ii. Benedict, that he was
nineteen years old and resided in Marshall
town, la. He said Frank McCord aged Is,
George Dunn aged Il, Thaddeus Hall, aged
2l, and himself, all residents of MARSHALL
town, had agreed to form gang of burglars
and he had been sent to this city to purchase
the necessary tools. He firmly denied that
he had anything to do with the Smell mur-
der and insisted that his accomplices were
all in Marshaltown, awaiting his return.
The chief Ebersold telegraphed to the
chief of police at Marshaltown, asking as to
the whereabouts of the men named and re-
ceved answer that they were not at that
place. They are all known to the chief of
police of Marshalltown, but he doesn't know
of their whereabouts.
The extension bit in Benedict's possession
bears evidence to recent use of tallies in size
with one used to boring holes in the back
door of Smells residence.
One revolver was not loaded, each cham
Der had in it an empty shell and the revolver
shove signs of having recently been fired.
The bullets in SMELLS body were 80 cali
hre, the same size used in the empty revOl-
yer found in Benedict's pocket. Benedict
was formerly postal clerk on the Chicago,
Burlington 4 Quincy railroad.