Evening journal., 1889-09-30
LIGHT ON THE MYSTERY.
Alleged Revelations in the Smell
Murder Case.
WERE TASCOTT AND GILLIAN ONEl

Or Was the Former Guiltless Of Million
aire snell's Murder?-The Alleged Ante
Mortem Confession of Convict James
Gillian TO Father Sullivan.
CHICAGO, Sept. s0-The Tribune says it is
at last able to throw new and positive light
on the mystery OF Millionaire Smells murder
It has discovered that three men took part
in the crime One stood guard outside the
house, two went in, cracked the safe in
the basement, and together shot Mr.. Smell.
One of these two was James Gillian.
noted thief and ex-convict. It has ascer-
tanned that Gillian made full confession Of
the crime to Father Sullivan, Of the st, Jar
latte's church, the night before his death,
six months ago, at the county hospital.
More important still, statement made by
Gillian the morning after the murder to an
old and reputable lawyer whose services he
wished to retain in the event Of his arrest,
has been obtained in the lawyers writing. A
mass OF collateral details, though not needed
to verify the fact Of Gillan's guilt, which is
established by the confession and statement,
has been collected with view to the detec-
tion Of his accomplices.
Were Tascott and Gillian one2
If the result Of these discoveries does not
show that the Tascott Of the Smell case and
Gillian were the same person it will show
that Tascott was merely catspaw used by
Gillian for the purchase of tools and the Sc
cretion and disposition Of stolen property and
that others, hitherto as free from suspicion
as Gillian, were the latter's partners in tine
murder. Gillian in his statement to his law
yer describes the shooting Of Millionaire
Smell as follows;
GiIlan's Alleged Statement.
Gust as / got the parlor door open looked
up and there stood the old man at the head
of the stairs He saw me and swore at me.
| lost no time in getting inside Of the parlor,
and was about TO try to open the connecting
doors when a shot was fired from the hall
or stairway. This ratified me little, and
not daring to make noise by forcing the
doors, went back to the door / had come in
by from the hall When Smell saw me the
second time at the parlor door he again be-
gan his loud talk, saying he had me in a hole
and he would catch me and break every bone
in my body. just then my companion showed
at the rear Of the hall and head Of the base
ment stairs The old man had been trying
to fire his revolver at me, but could not max,
it go of for some reason. He now turned L
the man at the head Of the stairs though
to take advantage Of this diversion and stel
past Smell through the hall, but could not
At this time he succeeded iIf again firing Ii
+ revolver, and toward me.
s How Smell was Murdered.
q 81 had not shown mine, but finding hi
working again and fearing my life ! she
without sighting on taking other aim tha
q by holding the pistol toward him. Almos
= at the same instant 1 saw his flash my CON
; panion fired, and it was evident Smell wa
q badly wounded by ono or both Of US, for
4 staggered and in a short time fell in the hall
e Was Tascott Innocent?
], The Tribune says: "As to Tascotts part i
n the tragedy there are excellent reasons 70
Q believing that Gillau's statement exoneratiu
: him from direct completely may be correct
: 1t is known from Gillan's former associate
that he had been in the habit of using Tas
3 colt, who was not under the suspicion Of tn
police, as an agent between himself and th
purchasers Of his stolen goods. 1t is th
opinion Of those who knew Gillian best that
he being aware that Tascott had left til
city about the time of the murder, put til
!. papers from the Smell safe in Tascott's stow,
where they were found sixteen days latei
, There were special reasons why suspicion
once directed toward Tascott would tax
root, and they were not unknown to Gillar
: They related to the fact that Tascott was az
quainted with the familyn
x why Tascott Fled from Chicago.
In this connection it is said on the authorit
of Tascotts brother that Tascott on henrin
while in Madison, Wis, that he was charge
. with the murder came to Chicago on funC
n supplied by the brother to declare his inni
cence and stand trial He consulted a /
Sale street attorney. The attorney invest
gated the circumstantial evidence which ha
ID been heralded as sufficient to convict hin
q and advised him to stand trial Tasco
q learned, however, Of the discovery Of K
Of stolen property in his closet which he be
been secreting for Gillian. He learned thi
this property, consisting Of fine guitars, mai
dolins and silverware, had been identife
by various west side residents whose hous
Gillian had pillaged. He realized that if |
escaped on the charge of murder he woul
be convicted for receiving stolen goods, if n
for robbery. He determined to leave Chicag
again and did So