Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-08-22
is THE HISTORY OF THE SMELL
FAMILY.
CHAPTER ADDED
NEW
Son Held as lnsane-Fa famous Murder
Recalled by Recent Episode in Chi
cago-Unknown Marriage, No VIII
and Disinheritance a Few of the
Striking Features.

IuOSe lOllOWluS Ole Oh the MOSl IS-
markable murder mysteries of the day.
Albert J. Smell, son of the million
aire Amos ]. Smell who was murdered !
in the year 1880 in his Chicago home, |
has been taken by the police from his |!
home to the detention hospital, where |
he is held awaiting an examination as
to his sanity He has for some time
been conducting himself strangely.
. The man had decisions of various
sorts, especially to the effect that sus-
picious looking men were lurking
around his house and that he was in
danger. \ He recently applied to the po-
lice for protection, and since then has
exhibited signs of dementia. 1t was
only day OF tao ago, though, that his
confinement was decided upon.
This is the latest episode in the
tragic history of a family, the names
of whose members have been in the
newspapers frequently for many years,
always in connection with something
more or less sensational.
Amos ]. Smell was found murdered
in his home one night late in the year
1880, and it is supposed that he was
slain while facing burglar who had
aroused him. There was, at first, no
clew to the murderer, though the en-
tire energy of the detective force of
the city was exerted upon the case.
Finally attention was attracted to one
William Tascott whose landlady had
noticed his remarkable behavior after
the murder and who found that he
sought to destroy certain papers. The
police sought the man at once. but he
had disappeared as completely as if
he had never existed.
Thence the search became one Of the
most famous in the annals of criminal
history. The authorities of this and
foreign countries were advised, re-
wards were offered and portraits of
the fugitive were sent out by thou
sands and tens of thousands.
From time to time the reports would
come of his capture, his Identification
in the far northwest seeming at one
time assuring, but to this day no trace
has been secured of William Tascott.
He has disappeared as completely and
mysteriously as Schnabe, the Haymar-
ket bomb thrower. The police of the
world are looking for each man today.
| The murdered millionaire left no
will. The fortune of Amos ]. Smell
passed under the control of his widow
Henrietta Smell. There were certain
divisions of property among the child
| Il prrln nd cintc.
ter reports to the effect that Tascott
was not the murderer or that if he
were, he was inspired by some one in
terested in the division of the estate.
These allegations came to nothing,
but engendered thousand suspicious
and added to the family's notoriety
| The feeling between the heirs became
most bitter, and it may be that among
them these remarkable changes orig
mated, possibly in the mind of the &C.
centric man just committed to the de-
tention hospital. There were strange
scenes in the miserable household of
the widow, who kept queer diary and
seemed most unsettled of mind.
1t is alleged that her son, Albert, as
sailed her with threatening letters, in
timating that he would write her up"
in the newspapers, threatening to burn
the family barn and otherwise annoy
ing her. The very acme of bitterness
was shown by him toward other mem
bers of the family.
In the family of Amos j. and Hen
rietta Smell was one supposed to be
their daughter, May, now married to
A. ]. Stone of Chicago. 1t was toward
her. for some reason, not at the time
apparent, that the wrath of Albert j.
Smell seemed especially directed. This
hatred was extended to the husband.
The widow, Henrietta Smell, died
February 20, 1900 and her will was
admitted to probate. 1t distributed
about 100000 In the will the daugh-
ter. Mary, Mrs. A. j. Stone, was disin-
herited. Suit to set the will aside was
at once begun in the courts and re-
markable legal struggle ensued and a
story developed the details of which
are yet fresh in the public mind.
The defenders of the will asserted
that Mrs. Stone, who had been counted
daughter of the millionaire. was not
his daughter, but a Mary Hughes, who
had been adopted, though never legally
and formally. and who thus had nc
claim upon the estate.
So is briefly summarized up to date
the morbid history of family. There
exists a marriage certificate written
on blue paper, its ink yellowed with
age, in which it is set forth that Oh
December 2, 1916, NJ. NJ. Dill Justice
of the peace at Paris, ILL.,, united in
marriage Amos ]. Smell and Henrietta
Sedan.
What incidentsl A man who strug
gled hard and gained fortune lies in
his grave murderer's victim. An
aged woman dragging out vexed and
unhappy years has but lately found
rest, and a man still In the prime OF
life is held in Confinement until his
J sanity or insanity is determined And
somewhere upon the earth there wan.
, ders q murderer with the shadow of