Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-09-24
SCHWARTZ IS FREED.
The Closing Chapter in a
Celebrated Murder
Case.
FATE OF MESSENGER NICHOLS.

Him in Order to Secure the Money Car
ried in His Car-story of the Capture
and Conviction of.the Guilty Parties One
of Whom Dies in Prison.
The closing chapter in n crime that
stirred this section in the S0's.Nas en-
acted Thursday. when Harry Schwartz,
convicted of the murder of United
States Express Messenger Kellogg
Nichols, was released from the peni-
Tertiary at Joliet a free man. The
murder occurred the night of March
y, 1886. Schwartz was given i life
sentence and entered on his term
June %, 1887. Gov. Altgeld reduced
the term to 20 years. The actual
time served by Schwartz was l years
and three months, the reduction due
to his exemplary conduct in the
prison.
The Chicago. Rock Island & Pacific
fast train. to which was attached the
United States express car in charge of
Nichols, left Chicago at l l O'Clock the
night of the murder. The train was
in charge of Fred Wagner conductor.
Harry Schwartz was front brakeman.
Newton Watt was baggageman. and
one Smith rear brakeman. At Joliet
Nichols was seen alive by mum Der
of men. The next stop was Morris,
so miles to the westward. The door
of the express car remaining closed
excited suspicion that all Vas not right
within, and Conductor Wagner caused
n forcible entrance.
On the floor lay Nichols shot
through the breast and his skull
haI IN, II hn
car was spattered with blood, giving
evidence of terrible struggle. The
KEYS to the safe, which stood in the
baggage car occupied by Watt. had
been taken from the dead mans
pocket. The contents of the safe,
S21 800 in money and a number of
checks, were gone.
There was Just one clew noted dur
ing the search that followed. 1t was
a peculiar one. The trainmen noticed
that the poker with which the dead
mans skull had been crushed, had
teen returned to the nail on which it
usually hung. This, il was argued.
suggested that the murderer was man
used to train service-in other words,
that he had unconsciously obeyed the
discipline of the railway service. which
had become a second nature to him.
"A place for everything and every
thing in its place. is practiced on
railway trains rigidly.
The case was put in Pinkerton's
hands. 4 mask made from black
dress goods was found on the tracks.
The night of the day on which the in
quest was held Schwartz asked Con-
ductor Danforth, of Il Rock Island
train about to leave Davenport for
Chicago, to .'deadhead'' him home.
Danforth agreed.
Then Schwartz prevailed upon one
of the brakemen to take rest, volun-
teering to do the work. AT Seneca
Danforth entered one of the lavatories,
where he found a portion of a cheap
valise. On the floor was tiny piece
of paper, torn from the corner of
bank check. While Danforth was
inquiries among the passen-
gers Schwartz came up and emarked:
If you think that has an ything to
do with the Nichols case you are
dead wrong Throw it away. It's
the work of some tramp"
Men Swallowed.
A Pinkerton man was introduced
into the train crew with Schwartz and
Watt as brakeman. The new man
and Schwartz became great friends. |
Soon Pinkerton knew that Schwartz |
was very ..hush" with money. fire.
quentlv gave Watt large sums, and |
was often seen to change bills of large |
Among other things |
Schwartz purchased two shotguns
and surprisingly great number of
The Pinkertohs found that Schwartz
had recently been married in Chicago, |
aud also that he had wife in Phila-
lelphia from whom he had never been
legally freed. The Chicago wife was
found to be expanding good deal of
money on fine clothes and jewelry. 1t
was decided TO arrest Schwartz on the
bigamy charge and hold him until the
murder could be fixed upon him.
schwartz sent for Philadelphia law
yer, who succeeded in getting him
Tree on bail.
Then the Pinkertons threw off the
mask and Schwartz was rearrested,
charged with the murder of Nichols.
His home was searched but no money
ound. Mrs. Schwartz admitted her
husband had brought home n large
sum of money he had found on the
ioor of the car Beyond that she
would not 60
The trial came on at Morris, and
10Th Schwartz and Watt were given
ife terms in Joliet 1t was not long
.fter that Mrs. Schwartz, finding
Ieath near to her, sent for Mr. Pink
rton and confessed her knowledge
hat Schwartz killed Nichols. The
money had been secreted in the cart
idges which had so puzzled the de-
ectives, by removing contents, slip
ing in a wadded bill and then reload
NO the shells. The shells. contain
ng SI3. 900. had been turned over to
=. aortasn PhiIadalnhia I.urer-t On