The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-10-11

Chicago n lexe0 COMMISSION - Jams
0aliAn. : Nosed Thief ana Ex-Ceavics.
0nusy. AM u Denled ~ Those who
Ought IA Knew.
CnscAoo. Sept. 30.-Thc Tribune says u !
Is at last able 10 throw new aud positive
light on the mystery of Millionaire
SMELLS murder. II has discovered that !
three men took part In tho crime. One /,
stood guarl outside tho house; two went
IN. cracked the safe Ia the basement and
together shot Mr.. SEell. One or these
two was James Gillian. noted THIEF nnd
ex-convict. 1t has been nscertainci that
Gillian made q full confession OF tho
crime TO Father sullivan. Of 81. Jarlath's
Church. tho night before his death, six
months ago, at tho County Hospital.
More important still. q statement made
by Gillian. the murderer. the morning
after the murder % an old and reputable
lawyer whose services he wished 70 re.
tain in clse Of his arrest, has been Oh.
tanned in the lawyers writing. a mass
of collateral details. though not needed
10 verify the fact Of Giilan's guilt which
Is established by tho confession ana
stafemonf. has been collected with atiew
to tho detection Of his accomplices. II
the result Of these discoveries docs not
show the Tascott Of the Snell case and
Gillian 10 be tho Same person, II Will
slow thnt Tnscott was merely CATS
pew used by Gillian for the purchase OF
tools and the secretion aud disposition OF
stolen property, and that others. hither'
10 as free from suspicion as Gillian. were
the latter's partners In the murder.
Gillian, In his statement TO his lawyer,
described the shooting OF Saell as fol-
lows: "Just as I got the parlor door
open looked up aud there stood the old
man at the head of the stairs H. saw
me and swore at me. l lost no time In
getting insiie OF tho parlor. and vas
about to try to open the connec. ing
doors, when shot was fred from the
hall or stairway. This ratified me s lit
tie, and not daring to make a noise by
forcing the doors, went back 20 the
door I had come In by from tho hall.
when Smell saw me the second time at
the parlor door he again began his loud
talk, saying he had me in hole and he
would catch me and break every bono In
my body. Just then my companion
showed at the rear Of the hall and head
Of the basement stairs. The old man
had been trying to fire his revolver at
me, but could not make IT 90 of for some
reason. He now turned to the man at
the head OF the stairs. thought to take
advantage OF this diversion and step past
Smell through the hall, but could not. Al
this time he succeeded in again firing his
revolver, and toward me. had not
shown mine, but finding his working
again. and fearing for my life, shot with.
out sighting or taking other aim than by
holding the pistol toward him. Almost
- ~. tvx- 4 IA .
companion fred, and 1t was evident that
Snell was badly wounded by ono or both
Of US. for he staggered and in . short
time fell dead In the hall"
As 10 Tascotps part in tho tragedy.
the Tribune says there are excellent
reasons for believing that Gillan's state.
ment exonerating him from direct com.
plicity may be correct. 1t Is known from
Gillan's former associates at Kelleher's
that he had been In the habit OF using
Tascott, who was not under the suspicion
Of the police As an agent botween him.
self and the purchasers Of his stolen
Goods. 1t Is tho opinion Of those who
knew Gillian best that he. being aware
that Tascott had left the city about the
time OF the murder, put thu papers from
the Smell safe In Tascotrs store. which
was found there sixteen days later.
There were special reasons why sus.
picion once directed toward Tascott
would take root, and they wore unkrown
20 Gillian. They related :, the fact that
Tascott was acquainted with the family.
In this connection II II said. on the au.
thority of Tascotts brother, that Tas-
colt, on hearing while In Madison. Wis.,,
that be was charged with the murder.
came to Chicago on funds supplied by tine
brother to declare his innocence and
stand trial. He consulted La Sale
street attorney. Tho attorney investi.
gated the circumstantial evidence which
had been heralded IS SUFFICIENT to convict
him, and advised him to stand trial
Tascott learned, however, Of the discov-
cry Of lot Of stolen property In his
closet, which he had been secrsting for
Gillian. He learned that this property,
consisting Of nne guitars. mandolins
and silverware, had been identified by
various West-Side residents. whose
houses Gillian had pilIaged. He realized
that II he escaped on the charge Of muir.
der lie would be convicted for receiving
stolen goods. II not for robbery. He de-
.ermiued to leave Chicago, and did so.
only : Huge Hoax.
CHICAGO, Sept. 30.-Tho Herald to-day
says tnNt tuo wttEy Ra1iAshpA ~ stu
days Tribune charging Jimmy Gillar
with the murder Of Millionaire Smell and
the alleged confession by Gillian. Is al
together untrue. Rev. Father Sullivan,
OF ST. Jarlath's Charch. who II II said vis-
tied Gillian In the lower room OF he Coun
~ Hospital, denies in toto that he ever
\ saw q nam named Gillian or received I
h confession from him.
A. J. Stone, the murdered millionaire'l
family. Chief Of Police Hubbard ant
Sergeant Elliott all pronounce the pub
liz alton hinge hoax. with all the fact
perverted and distorted to make them II
the yarn.
The Washington Heights (li1.) Accident
CHICAGO, Sept. 29.-Thc coroner's ju ~
investigating tho Washington Heights
accident. completed their work ysster.
day BY holding Twombly the engineer.
and Lecloche, the fireman Of the freigh:
engine. responsible for the accident
The browning feature Of the investiga-
tion was the confession Of Fireman Le.
cioche, made after the verdict was
brought in, and In which he admitted
that his testimony was false and thai