Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-02-15
IN DEFENSE OF HIS HOME.

IN DEFENSE OF HIS HOME.
millionaire Smell, Of Chicago, Ki,,sd ,y
Burglars Bullet = His dul,ierers Es-
cape.
CHICAGO Feb. 0.-Burglars entered the
residence Of Amos J. Smell, we!l-known
capitalist, living at 425 Washington Roule-
ward, this city, about 2 O'clock yesterday
morning They pried open the Marvin !"
safe in Mr.. SHELLS private room, in the
ssc,nent and abs:racsed therefrom o
check for SIS. 600 and various otter valua-
bic papers No cash was secured, so far ;,s
known Proceeding from the basement to
the fioor above, they burst open the doors
that opened from the front parlor into the
hail. The noise Of the crashing doors
aroused Mr.: Smell, who was sleep
ing on tho floor above. Selling
his revolver, he proceeded down the
stairs and seeing the light in tbs parlor
shouted tor the intrudsrs 10 leave. Re-
cesying no answer, Mr. Smell fired through
the nearly CLOSED door. The thieves in the
parlor returned the fire. two bullets striking
hun. one In the head and the other in the
left breast In the region OF tho heart The
unfortunate man fell dc ID without word,
and the murderers made good their escape
The noise created by the fusilade Of shots
awakened two female servants in the
house. They CLAIM that Elr. Smell was in
the habit of talking and making consider
able noise in his sleep, and they came to
the conclusion that in his dreams he had
arisen and had perhaps fired several shots
from his revolver They returned to their
beds and resumed their slnmbers. making
no effort to investigate About O'Clock
In tho morning, when the coachman came
In from the stable, where he slept, to build
the fires as was customary, he dis
covered that the residence had been
entered during the nigh, and hasten
Ing to arouse the inmates. stumbled
over the do;sd body of his employer. Hor-
rjfied, he gave the alarm. The police au-
thorit!es were notified. and have since been
hard at work endeavoring 10 discover
some clew TO the perpetrators of the
foul crime, but 80 far without
definite SUCCESS. Several arrests have been
made, the most important being that OF a
young man Cap ured last night on Clark
street carrying a bundle which was found
to contain six dark lanterns, six chilled
nusers, one extension bit, six slung-shots
SIX steel knuckles two ounces Of dynamite,
two ounces Of giant powder, three dirk
knives. three alarm whistles, four holsters.
four thirJy-egh -caliber Colts reviewers
four 5immies, g X boxes Of fuse ma ches, q
lot OF mafl-pouch k'.ys, a large bunch Of
skeleton keys and several skeleton sawA
The prisoner was turned over to Chief OF
Detectives Henshaw. He told that officer
chat his name was Charles v
". Benedict that he WIS 10
years old, and his home was in Marshall
town, Ia. H. said that Frank McCoru is
Is years old; George Dunn, II years old;
Thaddeus Hall, II years old, and himself,
all residents of Marshalltown had agreed
to form Il gang of burglars. and he had been
sent to this city to pur b $50 thu necessary
'ools with which to beg work He was
closely questioned, buu firmly denied h "
Ing any thing to do with the Smell murder
1t WAS rumored in polio, circles last
night chat Mr.: A. J. Smell, Jr, Intended
Offering reward of $4,000 for the
c;.p.ure OF the murderer, or murdcrers,
toned concerning tie truth of the "a
port he said that he had no. as yet d cded
upon what course to pursue However, e
did not deny that large reward would be
offered in c..se the city police nude no DIS
coveriea The inquest has been postponed
for week Tn;s crime is the Gu min alton
OF the work of gang of burglars who lave
been commi ting n 6 tly depred .tions IN
all parts of the city for the past thr e
months to the complete d scomtiture OF the
police force.
tAmos j. Smell was born IN Little Falls, N.
Y, m 1924, and came to Chicago in 1882. He
went into the real estate business before the
fire. and had accumulated Il fortune estimated
ut II, ;N0,OO He owned large tracts Of land in
Jefrerso l, and also owned the Jefferson toll
road. from which he derived 4 lnrca income
Mr.. Smell leaves wife, two daughters and a
son. His children are all married A couple
Of years ago MIR. Smell owned 1O) houses on the
West side. He made his money first as con-
tractor IN the construction OF the Northwest
ern raIlroaa.]