Bridgeton pioneer., 1903-01-29

oil declared tnat Mrs. Nichols was a
most amiable person and was very
domestic.
Mr.. Nichols has been sick for a
4 couple of months not seriously. but
he has been unable to do much work,
and has been confined much of the
time to the house under the care of
DIR. Hummell. The physician said
this morning that his patient had
been improving and was on fair road
to recovery and further he said he had
never noticed anything wrong with
his mental powers and capacity.
1t was perhaps five O'Clock, maybe
just few minutes after. when Levi
Pennington, coored man who lives
some little distance from the Nichols
place, was dressing Tor his days work
when he noticed light over at the
Nichols house. He paid no attention
to it, thinking it was from a lamp.
But few moments more and Charles
Bergen came along and calling to
Pennington said there was fire near
by. Pennington and Bergen hurried
over to the Nichols place By this
time there was blazing fire in one
of the three second floor rooms, and
when the men arrived, no signs of
life.
Pennington ran around the house to
the front door and found the net door
| Hod nh
door he thinks was fastened from the
inside. He forced his way in the
house. and says that behind the door,
almost at the foot of the stairway, lay
the body of Nichols. Pennington hur-
ried from the house and notified those
who were gathering about.
John Gibe, who had arrived by this
time, said the body should not be al
lowed to be burned, and he with Pen
nington, VIM. Camp and Charles Ber-
gen, carried the corpse from the
house.
By this time the second floor was
roar Of flames and no one saw Mrs.
Nichols. VIM. Camp says he heard a
scream from upstairs, but no one else
heard it. Camp says when he heard
q the scream he ran around back of the
house, climbed upon the shed but
could see nothing.
The building was soon DESTROYED,
and the watchers simply waited about
until they could carry from the ruins
the remains of the unfortunate
woman.
When the body of Nichols was found
ii was discovered that his throat had
been cut from ear to ear, the jugular
vein and windpipe severed, and the
head was nearly off the BODY. There
was no razor or knife noticed near the
body when it was picked up from the
floor of the house
ssRev. John Ed. Nichols, of Long
Island, who has been at Springtow
attending the funeral of his sister,
was seen by a reporter. He was
greatly overcome, and said the tragedy
was horrible. The reverend gentle
man was convinced that his brother
was neither murderer or suicide.
He believed that there had been foul
play and that both his brother and the
wife were the victims of an assassin.
He knew little of his brothers. cir
cumstances, but felt that an attempted
robbery had led to a greater crime.
Rev. Mr.. Hammond, pastor of
Frank Nichols, was not so certain
that there had not been suicide. Dur
ing his recent illness, Mr. Hammond
said, Nichols had been very nervous
and at times despondent, and there
was some reason at times to believe
that his mind was not entirely clear.
William Bryant said this morning
that about two weeks ago he drew
will for Nichols and all of the prop
erty was left to the wife. When he
made the will Nichols said to Bryant
that he thought he was soon to die.
There was not a, single person to be
found anywhere about this morning
who knew of Nichols having any
trouble with anyone, He was always
quiet and peaceful and not known to
have any enemies.
Examining the body of the dead
man revealed some curious facts.
Nichols was partially dressed. He
had put on black shirt which was
unbuttoned from the neck down. His
trousers had not been buttoned and he
wore no shoes. The right hand had
been bathed in blood, and the shirt
was soaked. There were many blood
spots upon the pantaloons. The left
hand was closed and in it were
clenched a handful of chicken feathers,
/ while feathers had clung to the bloody
clothing in profusion.
The feet of Nichols socks were