St. Paul daily globe., 1888-02-23
Irwin Murrell, the Proprietor
Of a st. Paul News Depot,
Told a Reporter
That the Supposed Murderer
Of Amos j. Smell, the Chi
cago Millionaire,
Called on Him at His Place Of
Business Last Thursday
Morning.
Tascott Was an Old Acquaint-
ance and Murrell Knew
Him Well.

The story telegraphed from Chicago
yesterday morning that w. B. Tascott,
the supposed murderer of Amos j.
Smell, of Chicago, had been seen in St.
Paul, is believed by some people. The
police, of course, as in probably every
other city in the country, know that
he is wanted and are familiar with his
appearance as sent out by the Chicago
officials. But they say nothing as to
their knowledge of his being in these
parts. a GLOBE reporter, however,
found man who says he saw Tas-
colt here last week and had a
talk with him. The man was
Irwin Murrell. who was found
in a plain old frame building at the foot
of ROsabel street, directly opposite the
American Express cOmpany'S ware
house. The place was formerly a saloon,
but is now occupied by Mr.. Murrell as
news depot. He owns fran
chiSeS on all the railroads out of st.
Paul, and employs a large number of
news boys, or butchers" as they are
commonly known. A GLOBE reporter
called Oh Mr.. Murrell yesterday after
noon and asked him
If HE WAS ACQUAINTED
Will w lllialil ID. L ldScOtl, lIic UiUIUtTtI
of Amos Smell, the Chicago millionaire.
Yes. Sir" Mr.. Murrell promptly re-
piled, Il was very well acquainted with
TascOtt, and he called to see me last
Thursday morning"
''TascOtt called to see you here?"
Eyes, sir, he was with me in the Office
over an hour"
''You, of conrse, did not know at the
time that he was wanted for any
thing?"
''Certainly not, for it was not until
Saturday that it was known"
Tell me the circumstances, please"
'Well, he came here to my office, and
| took him in my private room. did
not recognize him at first, and told him
"'What?' said he; why, 1 am Will
lam TaScott; don't you remember
me"
Are you William B. Tascott, of
Chicago" | asked.
"'That's what / am he replied"
"Yes," said Mr.. Murrell's wife, 'that's
exactly what he said"
II recognized him then" continued
MI. Murrell, land we had quite a
pleasant talk together. He was dud-
iShIy dressed, and had on a Derby hat.
He appeared quite jolly, though
at times slightly restless. He
had little or no money at all. You see
TascOtt and | were very intimate in
Chicago, until 1 found cut what sort of
a duck he was, then [ shook him. He
worked on the Rock Island road, the
Chicago, Milwaukee IL st. Paul,
and another, as newsbOy and
brakeman. He then got a job as con-
ductor on Pullman car, but in trying
IN snn nm thn firad on6
arrested, though the matter was after
ward compromised. Tascott was a
wild, reckless sort of a devil, and
was constantly getting into some scrape.
His parents are quite well off, and the
old man was constantly putting up for
Billy to get him out Of some Scrape. L
guess he has been in all sorts of posi-
tiOnS, and was also news
paper reporter. He told me here
that he was with the adj
vance advertising squad of Kiralfy's
Around the World in Eighty Days
and had been since October last. He
said that he was going to take eIocution
lessons during the summer and next
season go Oh the stage at Chicago. L
didn't see him after that, and the tele-
gram from Chicago to the KiralfyS
proved that he was lying about being
with that company.
HE WAS IN THE CITY
on Sunday, to my knowledge. When
he made his call on me, two or three of
my newSbOyS were in the outer room
there, and saw him. They came to me
on Monday and remarked that
they had seen my friend on
the street on Sunday, wearing a
light spring OvercOat. He has
many friends here, having often
stopped while running in here
Oil the Chicago, Milwaukee & ST.
Paul. Judging from his manner
he never committed that murder.
| knew him well, and worked with
him, and always knew him to be a
coward of the first degree. He was a
petty thief, but any sane man that
knows him would say that he never
even thought of numbering anybody, to
say nothing of committing the deed. A
slight mustache disguised him, and
that's the reason | did not recognize
him at once. He tallies with the pict-
ures and descriptions 1 have seen in
the papers,