The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-09
MURDER OF A MILLIONAIRE
Amos ]. Smell Found Dead in His House
with a Bullet-HOle in His Breast.
He Surprises Several Burglars in His Prem
ises and Opens Fire Upon Them. Which Is
Promptly Returned with Fatal Effect.


Promptly Returned with Fatal Effect.
CHICAGO, Feb. S-Amos j. Smell. million
aire, who 10 the owner OF the toll road running
through Jefferson, was found murdered In his
bed, this morning, at his residence, 40 wash
tneton boulevard. About o'clock this morning
Q servant girl heard noise like pistol shot
coming from Mr.. SHELLS room, but paid no at
tention to it. La6sr 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 out the lock- Chief Of Detect
Ives Henshaw and four detectives from the Cen
trail Station are now working up the case.
Mr. Smell was one of the largest real estate
owners in Chicago. owning grsat rumber Of
houses, which he renred. and all his business
was transacted in the basement OF his own house,
which was fitted M as an Office. The windows
and doors were heavily barricaded, and there
were several large safes in the rooms in which
the Dnillionaire's business was done. The theory
in regard 90 the murder is that carefully
planned robbery had been arranged. It was
known that during the first part of each month
large sums of money-the proceeds from Mr..
SHELLS houses-were kept in the basement. 1t
Ia believed that the burglars effected entrance
in the house and were at work at the safe when
Mr.. Smell, hearing the noise, went down to the
basement 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.. SHELLS house made a raid dur
ing the night on several houses in the neiehbor-
hood, the tracks in the snow showing that they
went from one back yard to another. Upon
reaching Mr.. SHELLS house they bored
sixteen or seventeen anger holes through
the kitchen door, and finally effected an
entrance. From the kitchen they proceeded to
the Office. which was in the front of the house.
Here it appears there was nothing Of any value
to them TO be found. The safe and desks were
filed with papers. and after ransacking these
they proceeded up the stairs to the parlor floor.
The door at the head OF the basement stairs was
skillfully forced and the men were in the front
parlor, when it is supposed that Mr. Smell. who
sleeps directly above this room. heard them He
left his bedroom and, taking revolver, went
down the front stairs. The folding doors lead
ing into the parlor were shut but it is supposed
be heard the noise in the room, for he fred
shot through the door. The burglars opened
the door and returned the fire, the bullet strlk-
ing the woodwork and, rebounding, struck Mr.
Smell in the breast, who then ran back toward
the rear Of the hall. The burglars must have
followed him and fred again, for the
murdered man was found at the head OF the base
ment stairs with a bullet-hole just behind the
ear. The Smell house is a large, tbree-story
basement structure, solidly built OF brick and
stone, and one of the most imposing residences
in q neighborhood noted for its fine architecture,
but its only occupants last night were its owner.
a man sixty-four years old. two servant girls
and two little girls, grandchildren OF Mr.. Smell
who were spending few days there. There is
as yet no clew whatever to the burglars. All
during the winter Chicago has been ovsrrun
with crooks ana thieves of every description,
and many daring burglaries have been com
mitted, the police being apparently unable to
stop them or discover the criminals.
Mr.. Smell leaves wife, two married daugh-
ters and son. Mrs. Smell and one OF the
daughters, Mrs Frank Coffin. are at present on
a visit in Milwaukee. Mrs. Smell is very ill,
and the news Of her husbands death will be
kent from her for the present Mr.. Smell was
of the West side, and had been connected with
Chicaeos history for great many years. He
was born in Little Falls. N. T., and came West
In 1874, stopping for a few months in Cincin-
pati and then coming to this city. little
later he went to Milwaukee, returning here in
about year and opening hotel at Schaum-
berg. After residence of six years there he
removed TO jefferson, and there laid the founda-
ton OF the fortune, which at his death
amounted to about So 600. 600.
A most extraordinary feature OF the crime il
the fact that, although the murder was COM
mitted about o'clock, and the noise of the
heard by two servant girls. at that
time, they paid no attention to 1T. explaining
their action, after the murder bad been dis
covered by saying that they thought Mr.. Smell
had accidently fred the shot. 1t was, therefore,
not until about o'clock that the coachman, who
elept In the barn, and who entered the house to
look after the furnace. discovered the body of
Mr.. SMELL
Later in the day II was discovered that the
burglars had taken a check for S.. 200, made by
A. j. Stone Mr.. SHELLS son-in law. payable to
Mr.. Smell, from the iron box in the Office What
else they secured will probably never be known,
ms Mr.. SEel himself was the only one to whom
the content is of his strong 5ox was known 1t
To- said by all who knew him that there was
no money negotiable papers In the box, as he
never took such papers to his house
Tonight q young man who was carrying q
large bundle was arrested . downtown street
by two detectives. The fellow failed TO account
for himself satisfactorily, and he was taken to
the Central station and the bundle examined.
Ii found to contain six dark lanterns six
chilled augers, one extension Bit six slung-shors,
SIX steel kuuckles two ounces of dynamite, two
ounces of giant powder. three dirk knives, three
alarm whistles, four holsters, four 3S-calibre
Colts revolvers. four jimmies, six boxes of fuse
a lot of mail pouch keys, a large bunch
of skeleton keys and several skeleton
that his name was Charles ". w. Bene-
diet; that he was nineteen years old, and
his home is in Marshalltown, la. He said
that Frank McCord. eighteen years old; George
Dunn, seventeen years; Thaddeus Hall, twenty
one, and himself. all residents OF Marshalltown,
had agreed to form gang of burglars, and he
bad been sent TO this city to purchase the neceS-
sary tools with which to begin work. He firmly
denied having anything to do with the Smell
murder. and insisted that his accomplices were
all in Marshalltown, awaiting his return. Chief
Ebersold telegraphed the chief of police at
Marshalltown asking to tbs whereabouts of
the men named, and received an answer that
they were not at that place. They all known
TO the chief Of police in MnrehalItown, bat
he does not know their present where
nbouts. The extension-bit found in
possession is new one. but bears
evidence ofsuse and talles in size with the one
1sed in the boring of the holes in the back door of
Mr.. SHELLS residence. One revolver Benedict
had upon his person was not loaded, but each
chamber had in IL an empty shell and the revolt
YER showed signs of having recently been fired.
The bullets in Mr. SHELLS body were thirty eight
,aliber. which is the same size used in the
simply ravolver in Benedict's pocket Benedict
was 70; ,1erly postal clerk on the Chicago,
Burlington g. Quincy railroad. The police re-
fuse to say that they think he is the murderer.
1t was rumored tonight that A. j. Shell, jr.,
Intended Offering a reward of $40 900 for the
,f tha "a ofh is fafhar