Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-09
MURDEROUS THIEVES.
A CHICAGO MILLIONAIRE KILLED IN
HIS OWN HOUSE.
Found Dead III His Bed-Burglars Bent on
Plunder Commit the Deed-The
Theory Of the Crime.
rBy telegraph to the Dispa;ch.l

rBy telegraph to the Dispa;ch.l
CHICAGO, February S.-Amos j. Smell,
n millionaire, who is the owner of the
toll-road running through Jefferson, was
found murdered this morning at
his residence, 42j Washington boulevard.
About 2 o'clock a servant-girl heard
noise like plstol-shot coming from MIR.
Smells room, but paid no attention to It,
Later he was found with a bullet
hole in the left breast and one be-
hind the left ear. Entrance was
effected by the murdercrs through q
back door, they having t.ken out the
panel and sawed out the lock. Chief OF
Detectives Henshaw and four detectives
from the Central station are now work
ing no the case. Mr.. Smell was one Of
the largest real estate owners in Chicago,
owning n great number OF houses, which
he rented, and all tins business was trans
acted in the basement of his own house,
which was fitted mp as nm Office. The
windows and doors were heavily bar
ricaded and there we're several large
safes IN the room in which the mil-
lionaires business was done. The
theory in regard to the murder is that
carefully planned robbery had been
arranged. 10 was known that during
the tirst part OF each month large sums
of money, the proceeds from Mr.. Smells
houses. were kept in the basement. 1t
is believed that the burglars effected an
entrance into the house, and were at
work on the safe, when Mr. Smell, hear
ing the noise. went down 10 the base
ment and surprised the thieves at their
work. His body was found IN the hall
Just at the entrance of his Office door.
The burglars who entered Mr.. SMELLS
house made a raid during tue night on
several houses in the neighb0rho0d. the
tracks in the snow showing that they
went from one back yard to another.
Upon reaching Mr.. SMELLS they bored
sixteen or seventeen augur-h0Ies through
tho kitchen door, and finally effected an
entrance. From the kitchen they pro
cceded to the Office, which was IN the
front of the house Here, 1t appears,
there was nothing o. value to be
found. The safe aod desks were
filed with papers, and, after mnsacking
ihese, they proceeded up the stars to
the parlor floor. The door at the head
Of the basement stairs was sIlliuliy
forced and the men were in the front
parlOr when it is supposed that Mr.
Smell, who sleeps directly above this
room, heard them. lie left hls bed
room, and, taking a revolver went
down the front stairs. The fold
ing doors leading into the parlor
were shut, but 1t Is supposed that
he heard the noise in the room. for be
fired shot through the door. The bur
glars opened the door ami returned the
fire. the bullet striking the w0od-work.
and. re6ounding, hit Mr.. Smell IN the
breast, who then ran back toward the
rear Of the hail. The burglars must
have followed him and shot again, for
the murdered man WAS found mt the head
Of the basement stairs. with a bullet hole
Just behind the ear
The Smell house is large thrce-stOry-
endorsement structure sOhdly bulit oil
brick aud stone, and one of the most
imposing residences IN % nelghb0rhood
noted Tor its fine architecture. But ITS
/ only occupants last night were its owner,
/ u man sixty-iour years old, two servant
/ girls. and two little girls. grandchildren
/ OF Mr. Smell, who were spending a Jew
/ days there. There IL as yet no clue
whatever to the burglars. All during
/ thc winter Chicago has been over
run with crooks and thieves OF every
description, and many daring burglaues
/ have been committed, the police beng
apparently unable to stop them or dis
cover the criminals.
Mr.. Smell leaves wife, two married
daughters, and son. Mrs Smell and
one of the daughters, Mrs. Frank Coffin,
are at present on visit IN Milwaukee.
Mrs. Smell is very i'll, and the news of
/ her husbands death will be kept from
| her for the present.
Mr. Smell was one Of the weathlest
and best-kuown residents Of the West
/ Side, and had been connected with CHI
cagos history for a great many years
| He was born in Little Falls, y. l., and
/ came West in 1874.
lis fortune at his death amounted to
about q, ,000,0 ,0O0 A most extraordinary
feature Of the crime Is tine fact that
although the murder WAS committed
about o'clock and the noise Of the
shooting heard by the seryaut-girls at
tina. time. they paid no attention to 1t, ex-
planning their action after the murder
| had been discovered by saying that they
thought Mr.. Smell had accidentally fired
the shot. 1t was, therefore, not until
about o'clock that the coachman, who
slept in the barn, entered the house to
look after the furnace and discovered TIE
body OF Mr.. Smell.