, 1888-11-23
JNO. +. CARROLL. Editor
NOT VERY SATISFACTORY

NOT VERY SATISFACTORY
Probably the most mysterious murder
ever committed in the Western country
was that of Col. Watson d. Smith, in
Omaha, Nov. 5, 1881. Col. Smith was
clerk of the United States district court
and had an Office in the post office build
ing, then newly erected. He was a suave,
gentlemanly man, very courteous IN his
demeanor and apparently such a man as
would ordinarily have few, if any, enc
mics. He was, however, a pronounced
Prohibitionist, and as a recognized leader
of that Uovement, at a time when the
liquor question was creating quite a %furore,
naturally became the object of a good
deal of bitter prejudice.
When the excitement over the liquor
question was at its height Col. Smith was
one evening found brutallY murdered in
front OF the door leading to his Office.
His office was on the second floor Of the
building. That portion of the building
was seldom occupied after nightfall, ex-
cept the upper floor in which the signal
Office was located. The building is very
solidly constructed, and a shot might
have been fred in one of the corridors
without attracting any attention IN the
street.
The night in question Smith had SOM
business in his office and spent several
hours there alone. After awaiting until
about 10 o'clock for his return his
wife t~elephoned a friend and asked
him to step over to Col. Smiths
Office and inquirel when he would prob
ably get through with his work. The
friend went at once to the post office build
ing. The corridor was dimly lighted and
when he had CROPPED his way to the floor
above close to the rear of Smiths office
he stumbled over o PROSTATE body. Strik-
ing a match he was Mortified 20 find Col.
Smith dead but still warm, lying in a pool
of his own blood. The left side of his
head, Just over the ear, had been literally
mashed in. No other wound was dis
cernable. A revolver was found close at
hand, but it showed no evidence Of having
been recently discharged and disclosed no
blood stains. At first it was thought 1t
might be a case of suicide but the posi-
ton OF the body and Its relation to the
weapon o exploded the theory
The murder created a terrible sensa-
ton. Police and detectives followed up
Every imaginable clue for months after
wards but no possible trace of the assassin
could be discovered. No reasonable ex-
PLANTATION of the object of the murder ever
came to light. That it wasn't robbery
was evident from the fact that no object
of value was removed from his person.
For seven years the Smith murder has re-
NAMED as much of a mystery in Omaha
as the Nathan murder has remained in
New York.
1t is now believed that a clue to the
murder has ct last been obtained, but al
though it seems to satisfy some Omaha
people, is very far from completely salts
flying many others who were at the time
fully cCgnizant Of all the facts in the
case. The Glasgow (Scotland) MoH Of
Oct. 20, relates that one O'Connell, q
burglar, who was shot some time ago at
Melbourne, Australia. had on his dying
bed confessed the crime. The Mall says
that O'Connell was MORALLY wounded
while attempting to enter a house, anC
on being taken to the hospital sent for {
priest and, binding him under seal o.
confession in case of his (the burglars S,
recovery, confessed the crime of murder
ing Col. Smith. He claims that while in
Omaha he was a sneak thief, and on the
night mentioned went into the post office
building to see what he could pick up,
He was surprised to meet a man coming
out Of one of the offices. Under the din
light of the solitary gas jet the man saw
Col. Smith, who drew a pistol and de
manded what business he had there al
that hour of the night. 0'Connell al
once clinched him, took his revolver
away. shot him, laid the revolver dowr
by his side, and fed. When he reached
the pavement he discovered that he haC
dropped a package of papers, and know
ing that if found they woulG
lead to his discovery. waited ar
hour to be sure no one wa.
aware ofanV trouble, went back, secured
them and aed. From Omaha he went t
San Francisco aad thence to Australia
eh,nninr NO , corapaet hand
Even if this story is strictly true, anc
there seems to be a good deal of doub
about it, there are still left unexplained
many details of the crime, which viii
perhaps always remain a mystery.