Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-08-22

markablo murder mysteries of the day.
Albert ], Smell, son of the million
aire Amos ], Smell who was murdered
! in the year 1850 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 delusions 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 20.
lice for protection, and since then has
exhibited signs of demenua. 1t was
only day or two ago, though, that his
confinement was decided upon,
This is the latest episode in the
tragic history of a family, the names
J of whose members have been in the
newspapers frequently for many years,
always in connection with something
more or less sensational
Amos j. Smell was found murdered
in his home one night late in the year
1890 and it is supposed that he was
slain while facing a 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 ono
! 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 rs If
he had never existed,
TIL ce 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
rem and there were wranglcs and sinis-
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 a 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
It 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 10
| A. j. 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. It 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
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
mis- daughter, but Mary Hughes, who
had been adopted, though never legally
and formally. and who thus had no
! claim upon the estate.
So is briefly summarized up TO date
the morbid history Of a family There
exists a marriage certificate written
on blue paper, its Ink yellowed with
age, In which II is set forth that on
December 2, 1876, NJ NJ. Dill justice
Of the peace at Paris, Ill, united in
marriage Amos J, Smell and Henrietta
/ Sedan.
What incidents! A man who strug-
gled hard and gained fortune lies in
| his grave a murderer's victim. An
aged woman dragging out vexed and
unhappy years has but lately found
rest. and man still In the prime OF
| life is held In Confinement until bis
sanity or insanity Is determined And