Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-09
Robbers Believed to Have Secured
Strong Box Containing Jewels Worth
Several Hundred thousand Dollars
Murdered Woman Widow Of Pioneer
Wholesaler, James e. Nichols, and
Possessed Of Fortune Of $1,000, 900.

hdVAh6 pAoJSA q pau AAA sAAS ~ AN'~S'
was formally charged with murder
Half the police detectives in New
York were at work today trying to
find who murdered Mrs. Nichols, a
wealthy widow, and robbed her house
Of valuable jewels.
Mrs. Nichols, after a desperate
struggle, was strangled to death about
8 o'clock last night In her home on
East Seventy ninth street, just or
Fifth avenue. in the heart OF the
millionaire residence district.
Secured Much Loot.
The murderers stripped diamond
tore valuable Jewels from her ears. It
u strong box containing Jewels worth
several hundred thousand dollars.
The murdered woman was the widow
OF James E. Nichols. one Of the found
ers Of the wholesale grocery house OF
Austin Nichols & Co. She was SO
years old. When her husband died a
year ago he left her property valued at
nearly 100000
The police devoted most Of. their at
tsntion 20 Owney Tallas, the house
UOys VINO D0k10 IUtAI u0 u0O .00AA1ALsSN
:hree men when they rang the front
basement door bell.
Woman Put Up Fight.
Detectives asserted soon after reach
ing the house that they believed the
robbers had some assistant on the
premises. They soush: .Ae friends Of
the hall boy, found five OF them in
Harlem, and took them to the station.
h,,tl Of
the house at the time. The maid and
the hall boy told virtually the same
story, that the men had forced their
way into the house and had bound
them and then attacked the aged
woman. The maid. however, said there
were two masked men. and the boy
said there were three.
Mrs. Nichols, in the opinion Of the
police, resisted the burglars with all
the strength her age permitted. An
examination today showed that she
had died OF fright and exertion and,
the cloth drawn about
her neck, she had not been strangled
strip Soay d .s"s!:=.
Mrs. Nichols, lying dead on the floor,
the hall boy apparently unconscious
from blow on the head, and the maid
bound and gagged in the servants
quarters. the masked men looted the
premises. Apparently the first act was
to strip the rings from their victims
fingers. The earrings also were taken.
The value Of these gems was placed
today at about $4,000 by Mrs. Nichols
nephew. Maitland F. Griggs.
The key to the Nichols strong box.
which was carried on string around
her neck. was reported missing. The
stron. box. IN safe IN the house. con-
tanned, It was estimated, gems worth
$25o.o00 to 100000. At first it was
feared the burglars, knowing that she
had these Jewels in the safe, had rifled
1t, but an examination today showed
the strongbox with its contents was
intact.
Maid Fress Herself.
After the maid, according to the
story told the police. had struggled half
IN hour she freed herself and liberated
Talas, who also had been bound. and
the alarm was given. Ta1as and the
maid were kept up virtually all night
by detectives. who made them repeat
their stories again and again. Com
missioner Lord said today there were
only minor discrepancies In their ac-
counts.
Leona Tiovonen. the cook. said to-
day that on leaving the house she met
q former employe Of Mrs. Nichols, who
had frequently called at the house.
Two other men, she said, were lettering
near by.
Mrs. Nichols was the widow Of
James Edwin Nichols. founder Of the
wholesale grocery firm Of Austin
Nichols Il Co. She, was reputed to
be worth about $4,000, 900. and it was
known that much Of this was In
vested in gems, which she kept in the
house General alarm and description
of the valuables were telephoned from
police headquarters as far north as
Buffalo and as far south as Phila-
aelphia.
Confession Of Talas.
Talas in what the police claim was
his confession, Is alleged to have said
MAT for some time several men had
been endeavoring to get him to "stand
In with them" to rob Mrs. Nichols, but
he had refused such advances until
Tuesday night, when he consented on
the understanding that AIRS. Nichols
was not to be harmed. He said only
the Jewels his employer wore on her
person were to be taken.
The police's version Of the confess
sion quotes Talas ~ saying the men
arrived ct the Nichols home 1t O'Clock