The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-01
Was Murderer of Millionaire Shell in Chicago
DIES IN 4 WRETCHEO HOVEL
Had Fled to Alaska to Escape Officers Who Were In Pursuit of Him for Many
 Years.

Chicago May S1.-A special to the News from Victoria, B. C.. says; l If the voluntary declaration of a dying I man is to be believed. "finis" has been ! written to the historic Shell tragedy of | fifteen years ago and Tascott, the long sought murderer. self-identi1ed. has. paid Il the penalty of his crime with penitence, and now fills an unmarked grave in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness, whither he had fled for the effacement of his in- 1 dividuality.
 Philip Robertson, a strictly reliable l man, prospector and miner. received the | dying mans confession, and tells the story simply and dramatically. Robert son left the Klondike capital, he says. late last fall in a small boat bound for the new placer grounds. He reached point near Dahl river in particularly desolate and forbidding region when the fororn wailng of dog reached his ears. He found the dog, half starved Shep- herd, seemingly in much distress. Follow ing this animal Robertson was brought to seemingly deserted cabin. q ventured to the door of the shack | and knocked" says Robertson. and there was a feeble come in All was darkness inside and there was no sign | of a fire. I caught sight of a bit of candle which I lighted, and then advanced | to where a man lay"
 Stares at Him. With a feeble effert he turned and satred at me for full minute and then said, Are you an ofhcer?
 "The question amazed me
 No I said. I am miper and if wasslo do 1t N
 T 500 rhad fire going and Ass:f ap- I preached the bed. The mans hair was white as snow. His face had AiIvia color in it that looked like death and his eyes had the most terrified. hopeleas expression I have seen In a human be- | ing
 Partner he said, finally rolling over on his side and little more than whisper. I ing. I'm leaving q world that did <,r6t Il appreciate. I'm going to where I~be- | long
 He lapsed into silence again and what I though was sleep came over him Two hours passed and he suddenly wakened
 with a shriek and then sank back in bed.
 Tn a few minutes he gave another wild scream and strengthened Up in bed. | Then in a voice you would think came from a good strong man, he said: See | here boys, my name Is Tascott. I'm Taseott. Do you understand. I'm Tas- colt that they've been hunting like a. wolf for years. l cannot run any more. Ift44 f..
 know I'm dying and know where I'll ] go. Tell the boys when they come back | that l am Tascott and you can tell the world. too for the world has hunted me Q long time
 rnds the Man Dead.
 About o'clock in the morning rushed over to the bed and felt the mans pulse and heart. He was dead The next day his partners got back and told them what happened. They were the strangest fellows l ever met in the north. They did not say who they were. They did not even thank me for staying with their dead They did not even ask me to join them at their meal. put they buried the man, and rolling up their things in blanket pack they started across the country in the direc- ton of the Koyuhuku.
 Before going. one of them came to me abruptly. See here he said you've seen and heard what you heard You can't make anything by talking about 1t. He's dead and that's all there Is to it.
 Before l could ask him anything, he had struck the trail and that was the last saw of him. I have never told about this until now, but that dead man asked me to make his story public and so I did so. l solemnly believe that he was tortured to death by thinking of his own life and the belief that he was always the object of pursuit, and assuredv bcleve that he told the truth in saying he was Tascott It is my opinion that his part ners knew it, too"