St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-16
TASCOTT ONCE MORE.
A New Fake Out---Persecuting
Mrs. Smell.

CHICAGO, FeD. ia story which
was published here this afternoon has
caused a great deal of sensation among
those who are interested in the famous
Smell murder. The first branch of this
story is that an eX-city detective, who
has been quietly at work on this affair.
has at length succeeded in getting
photograph of Tascott, for which the
world has hitherto been secured in vain,
and this he proposes to have copy
rignted. With this likeness then made
public it is believed that the capture of
the $4,000 Tascott would soon follow.
Further, this detective says Tascott has
been in Chicago four or five
times since the murder, each time
disguised as all old man. He
it is said, in easy telegraph and mail
communication with his friends. 1t
will interest all who have ever heard of
this great mystery to know that very
recently Mrs. Henrietta Smell, widow of
the murdered millionaire A. j. Smell,
has been in state of nervous prOSIra-
ton, which it was for some days feared
might lead to her untimely demise. The
cause of this was the receipt by her of
threatening letter, written by I'M
known parties, who declared that unless
que IL tfiCul tllt Suitl Vi
she would be blown up with dynamite.
The story of this affair is strange one,
and furnishes another act in the tragic
drama that was begun when Amos j.
Smell was laid low by the bullet of
rObber assassin. Every effort has been
made by the police department to keep
the matter secret, and it was only to-
day that the affair became public. 1t
was about four weeks ago today that
Mrs. Smell received a letter that threw
her into all agony of terror. 1t was
written on plain white note paper III an
uncOuth hand writing, and ran about as
follows:
Madam Unless you send US the sum of
$4,000 we shall take steps to murder you We
will blow you up with dynamite some day
when you are stepping into your carriage 10
take your morning ride. Now treat US fairly
and we will treat you the same If you ac-
cept this offer insert a personal in the (nam-
ing daily paperl, saying: send for your
hat, Ed We will take this as evidence that
you intend to deal with US in good faith.
The letter was not signed and there
was not the slightest clew to indicate
the identity of the men who sent the
missive. Neither was there anything
to indicate whether or not the communi-
cation of foolish crank or some des-
perate scoundrel who was prepared to
carry ont the threat he made. But it
was enough to throw the aged widow,
already greatly enfeebled by serious
winter illness, into spasm of fright.
She at once placed the letters in the
hands of A. j. Stone, her son-in-law,
who in turn promptly comm unicated
with Inspector Marsh. Two of Capt.
Jack Shea's oldest and shrewdest men
we're called in and shown the letter. A
plan of action was quickly formed and
it was this:
1t was decided not to answer the let
ter, but to pay no attention to the mat
ter and trust to luck that the writer's of
the communication would be heard
from i'll another way that would lead to
his detection and capture. In the mean
time the two detectives took up their
quarters in the Smell house, but nothing
was heard from the men who made the
threats. After a week of watching the
detectives were called off, and that very
night an. A. ID. L. boy came for the
money. The police were notified, but
the boy could tell nothing that would
lead to the capture of the men who had
sent him. They had evidently planned
to take the money from him just as he
left the house, but the detectives could
find no trace of them, the fellows hav-
ing taken flight on the first alarm. The
police are still looking for the dynami-
tiers. and Mrs. Smell is slowly sinking
into her grave under the weight of a
new terror