The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-01-03
Is WIN. B. TASJOTT DEAD?
SkfLLFUL DETECTIVES BELIEVE HE
is BEYOND HUMAN CAPTURE.

is BEYOND HUMAN CAPTURE.
Six Months Have Passed Without Bringing
to Light Any Tdings of millionaire Smells
Murderer, Despite the Immense Rewards
offered.
[Chicago speciall
William B. Tascott. the murderer of
Millionaire SHELL OF this city. is dead-at
least that is the deliberate opinion of some
OF the most skillful detectives in Chicago.
They say that beyond a doubt the Smell
family might just as we'll increase the
S5O,OOO reward now offered for the young
man to one of d million dollars. It will
never be paid.
What makes you think he is dead?"
asked Il reporter of the local Superintendent
OF well-known detective agency.
Because unquestionably if he were alive
he would have been caught long ago." was
the reply. In the whole history OF crime
there never was such a hunt made for man.
10 begin with, the reward offered for his
arrest is very much the biggest offered for
any criminal. That alone would probably
nave secured his capture If he were not in
his grave. Then think of the way his
description has been scattered over the
civilized world. There isn't Postoffice in
the United States where his appearance is
not as we'll known as it is here in Chicago
there is hardly such Postoffice in the wide
world. The circulars offering the enormous
rewards have been translated into every
European language and sent around the
globe. How Tascott looks and what he is
wanted for are known in Paris and Borneo,
in Vienna and Melbourne. Even the island
ers in the Pacific Ocean have heard of him.
There are spots he might hide in where he
would be safe, like Kamschatka or some
place OF that sort but it would be impos-
slble for him to reach any such place with
out being seen on the way by hundreds of
people who would afterward remember
him from the descriptions in the reward
circulars, even If they did notrecOgnize him
at first.
"One police official has been quoted as
saying that he thinks the murderer is hid
ing in the dense swanps or sloughs along
the Mississippi River on the borders of
Wisconsin. That would be a good place to
hide in. but he could not stay hidden there
all this time without somebody discovering
him. 1t is simply impossible. This. too,
brings up another point. If he is alive, how
does he live? All he got from Mr.. SMELLS
safe would not support him two weeks. Ii
his father or any other person here sent
him money, that fact would be
almost immediately discovered. He
without associating with the criminals
watched by the police, without being be-
trayed by some one of those he would
have to work with or without being cap
tured as d burglar long ago. AS to manual
labor he knew no honest occupation except
running an elevator. He could not work
without being employed by some one else.
and how could he do that anywhere without
discovery? At every hamlet and crossroads
he would be recognized. 1t has been sug-
gested that some woman or criminal friend
in big city is Keeping him in cOncealment.
Tascott was of such restless, uneasy ma
ture that it would be impossible for him to
remain concealed as long as this. Some
trace OF him would surely be found"
Couldn't he have gone abroad? Superin-
tendent Hubbard has been reported as
thinking he has slipped across the ocean,"
L don see how he could get abroad with
out leaving a trail which the extraordinary
search that has been made would surely
find"
Other detectives also supported the idea
that Tascott was dead. One OF them said
This is my theory: Inspector Bonfeld's
men positively traced Tascott to st. Paul
There they lost him. though they brought
back indisputable evidence that he had been
in the city. About month alter the MUIR
der a body was found under the ice some
distance below st. Paul which was said to
resemble Tascott [ never heard that the
matter was closely investigated. In my
jud gment, if that was not the body of Tas-
colt, he died about that time and in about
that way. think Tascott committed the
murder on sudden impulse. 1t
was the first time he had shed
blood, and he was dazed and half-crazed
by his crime. He hung about Chicago I'M
til he saw that the hunt was getting close
to his TRAIL which was two or three days
before he was positively identified as the
murderer. Then he fled to St. Paul.
While he was there the full iden-
LITIGATION came, and he killed himself. 1t
may be argued that he was not the kind of
IL man to commit suicide. Ii he had been
an ordinary old and hardened criminal that
would be true; but Tascott was young,
This was his first great crime. He was just
the man to make away with himself under
such circumstances. Of course, Inspector
Bonlield, who has done so much hard work
on tho case, does not like to own up beaten.
Eventually he will have to come to this con-
clusiOn."
There is an intimate friend of Colonel
TascOtt's, who was his adviser when his
son was first charged with the murder.
This friend was suspected by the police of
having young TaScOtt concealed in his
house or his office. For this reason he was
for long time carefully Swallowed by de-
tectiveS. He said to a friend one day: Il
i'm logged by detectives, who think have
young Tascott hidden somewhere. haven't,
but [ can assure you positively that the
young man will never he caught in this
world" from which it was inferred that he
knew Tascott was dead The man who
made this remark is a reputable citizen.
who stood in a delicate and confidential
position toward the elder Tascott. 1t would
be manfestly unjust to give his name.
Neither Inspector Bonfeld nor Superin-
tendent Hubbard any more than A. j. Stone,
Mr.. Smells SON law, will admit Il belief
that Tascott is dead. They still cherish
hopes that he will be caught some day.
Nevertheless, they do not assert that the
prospect is any brighter than it was six
months ago. The search has now been going
on ten months. 1t has cost in the neighbour
hood OF $4,000 for printing and postage
alone. As an evidence of the keen interest
that is taken in it all over the world. it may
be mentioned that Inspector Bonfield re-
ceives every day pile Of letters about
Tascott half as high as his desk. Superin-
tendent Hubbard and Mr.. Stone are also
deluged with correspondence. 1t is no ex-
aggeration to say that there arc many thou
@sand men scattered over the globe who are
Keeping keen watch for "a slender young
man with gold filling in his teeth" ETC. In
creaSing the reward has increased their
number and their vigilanct
He Wants His Money.
NJ. NJ. Gray, one of the lawyers for