The Columbus journal., 1881-11-09
Foul Murder.


the startling announcement was
made that Col. Watson b. Smith,
clerk of the United States district
court. had been foully assassinated
during the night by an unknown
william, which sent thrill of horror
through the community of Omaha.
Col. Smith was found in the third
story of the court house about mid
night, lying upon the marble floor,
with his head to the north, and his
legs stretching part way across the
opening of the door. His left arm
lay upon his breast, and his right
arm lay stretched out upon the floor,
with the hand partly doubled up,
particularly the first finger. His
head was close to the wall, and was
surrounded by large pool of blood
and brains which had become clot-
ted. The blood covered surface
of three or four feet. His hat lay
under his head and was partly filled
with blood. A deep hole in his
head was found over the left tenn
pie.
The butt-end of a revolver was
discovered sticking out of the left
pantaloons leg near the foot, a very
curious place for it to be found, and
upon examining the weapon it was
discovered that one chamber had
been discharged. 1t was a big self
cooking revolver, of the bulldog
pattern. At his feet lay bundle of
newspapers, a postal card and two
business letters directed, ready for
mailing. In the partly opened door
was his bunch of keys, and every
thing goes to show that be had just
concluded his business and was
about to lock the door and depart
when hc was set upon and killed by
an unknown assassin, under cover
of the darkness, and who had been
lying in wait for him.
Upon close inspection of the de-
ceased large bullet hole was found
clear through the head, from left to
right, entering above the temple and
passing out in a diagonal direction
on the other side further back on the
head. The hole, at the entrance was
very large and jagged, and appeared
as if it had been made by a blow
from a heavy instrument. The hole
at the exit was also quite large and
ragged. Powder marks were on
his face, showing that the revolver
had been placed close to him. The
bullet was found on the floor in the
northwest corner of the hall, badly
battered.
After full investigation of the
evidence, the jury returned ver-
dict that the deceased came to his
death by a gun-shot wound through
the head, inflicted by some person
or persons, to the jurors unknown,
and we do further find that the kill
ling was premeditated and ma
licious murder.
A citizens meeting was called and
five thousand dollars reward offered
for the arrest and conviction of the
The people of Omaha purpose to
raise ten thousand dollars in the
for a reward, and for fer
reting out the guilty party.
The cause of his death is not yet
known, but a strong suspicion exists
that he has fallen a martyr because
Of an endeavOr to enforce a law of
the state, and should it thus turn
out, then must the highest sense of
justice demand remedy.
We find the following additional
facts given in the dailies, developed
upon the coroner's inquest of a case
that promises to be celebrated in the
annals of this state. 1t was at first
that the murder was due
to some low character in the whisky
interest, as the deceased had been
very active in making prosecutions
of violations of law, but the journals |
state that there are reasons (though
they do not say what they sre) for |
looking to an entirely different
source for the melting cause. The +!
Good Templars offer reward of
5000, the liqsor mems association
$500, and at a meeting of citizens of |
Omaha $4,000 was pledged. The
Bee says:
TRACKS SEEN.
The doors leading from the hall
way into the United States court |
room, and from the clerks office |
into the court room were all found |
by the officers upon their arrival to
be locked.
The north door fronting on Fif-
teenth street, was found unlocked, as
it had probably been left for the
Colonel to get out. The Bee report
er discovered the back window, on
the northwest corner of the building
raised. The janitor left it down last
night. On the stone sill were plain
boot marks, quite fresh, and along
the stone coping the muddy marks
of boots, leading to the corner from
which the assassin leaped to the
sidewalk. This was undoubtedly
the asssssin's pre-arranged exit. The