Omaha daily bee., 1889-04-24
MURDERED WHILE SLEEPING
A Very Mysterious Tragedy at the
Capital City.
THE VICTIM A coLoREo MAN.
Strong Circumstantial Evidence
Leads to the Arrest of Two Per-
sons for Completely in
the Crime.
LINCOLN BUREAU OF THE OMAHA Bsa, !
1929 Il STREET,

JalR OF tue uay All day long the SIDEWALK
in front of Heaton's undertaking rooms was
crowded with people, most of whom were
colored, talking of the man, his oddities of
character, and the feudishness of the CRIME.
Last night, about II O'Clock, Sheriff Me-
lick and Coroner Shoemaker were notified
that a man had been found dead in bed at
426 A street. between Fourth aud Fifth, and
that foul play was suspected. The name Of
the victim was not given, and the informa-
tion on the whole was somewhat vague, but,
accompanied by the captain of the night DO
lice, they went to the scene. II was nearly
midnight when they arrived. But it took
but glance Tor them to determine that it
was not case of suicide, as they at first
supposed, and that a iiendish crime had been
committed.
Bob Woods was found lying IN his own
bed, with ghastly wounds in his shoulders
and at the base of his skull, cold in death,
and he had evidently been dead fully two
hours. A jury was speedily lmpanelcd, but
little could be done and adjournment was
taken until this morning.
The story of Mrs. Woods is substantially
this ~ went to church early IN the evening,
accompanied by all of the children with one
exception. We returned home about lO:30
o'clock, spoke to Bob on going into the
house, but as he made no reply thought he
was asleep, and sat down on the bed and
commenced to take off my shoes. I spoke to
him again, louder than did the first time,
and as he kept so still touched
with the blood. l called to the
children and told them that their father had
been killed and they ran for the neighbors.
This is all know about the matter" and as
the woman concluded her story she burst
into tears, and she was Joined in her sobs by
seven fatherless children, who for the first
time seemed to appreciate the situation.
Mrs. Wood also stated that she did not know
that Bob had an enemy in all the world But
she was evidently mistaken, for the gaping
wounds told very different story.
AS per adjournment the jury met this
morning at s o'clock, but soon after ad-
journed until o'clock this evening. In the
meantime two arrests were made John
Taylor and Charles Curtis, two colored men
of unsavory reputation. 1t is said that Curtis
and Woods have had more or less trouble dur
ing the past winter. They have been before
the police court for fighting and disturbing
the peace at least half dozen times. 1t is
said that Woods was jealous over the inti-
macy of Curtis ana Mrs. Woods. If the
word of their neighbors can be taken, there
was certainly IL liason between the two,
which Bob not only rebuked but took into
his own hands 10 mete out punishment. He
took his wife to task and in an alteration
with her over her alleged shortcomings ne
stabbed her with a knife, awhile ago, and
served Il term in the county Jail for his awk-
wardness. This was during the past winter.
For while matters went more smoothly
with Bob at home; still he occasionally had
an old fashioned tist-tight with Curtis, and
although past seventy years of age, he came
out first best.
Mrs. Woods is buxom woman, not more
than thirty years of age, and the apple of
Curtis eye. Curtis wanted Mrs. Woods and
her husbands little property. He and Tay-
lor are said be chums. Last night, Just
after Mrs. Woods and the children had gone
to church, TAYLOR called on Bob and want ed
him to drink with INN. This he declined 10
do. Taylor was persistent, when Bob, in
his characteristic way, accused him of want
ing to poison him. These facts are related
by the little girl who remained at home
with her father. Taylor went away in
passion, and in little while the father and
child went to bed, and evidently to sleep in
few moments, the child even failing 10 hear
the discharge of the gun that took her faith
ers life.
Eph Corneal states that he saw Taylor
loading shotgun day or two before the
was going TO shoot. Taylor, in,
significant way, said: II am
going to shoot 'niggcr. and if ] am SUCCESS
ful, I'll get $50 for it' Eph says there was
nothing much in this, only that the slugs and
buckshot that he loaded the gun with are
just like the ones that were taken from
Bob's wounds and the bed Tom Rogers,
another Colored man, also SAYS that Taylor
told him at one time tnat he could get $50 to
kill Woods, and that he had a mind TO take
it. He also says that Taylor almost told him
that Curtis offered him the money. 81 knew
he meant Curtis, any way, from the way he
said itn
These are the leading circumstances that
led tc the arrest of these men, and the opIn-
ion is becoming strong that the right parties
are in the hands of the authorities. 1t is also
strongly suspected that Mrs. Woods knows
more a0out the matter than she has told, and
that, Notwithstanding her straight story,
there is enough evidence in hand now TO
warrant her arrest for completely in the
crime In most parts of the city Woods has
been regarded as a harmless, inoTensve citi-
zen.
The coroner's jury commenced taking tes-
timony at s o'clock sharp this evening. The
story above told was substantially corroD-
Grated. In the testimony, however, it de-
veloped that the child Sleeping with Mr..
Woods was a sea instead OF a daughter.
Three other children were sleeping in an ad-
joining room, but the shot awakened none of
item. One of the children testified hearing
something falling like shattered glass but
nothing more. Shots are of too frequent
occurrence IN the neghborhood of the trag-
edy TO attract special attention. One
witness stated that he heard a
snot fired last night, but that il sounded
away off Mrs. Woods and two daughters,
Ella and Stella, -p-s. Robins, Payne, Eaton,
Hatch and, 8 Nj. Melliok, Edwin Proctor,
James M. Downing, A. Debos and j. G.
Woempner were put upon the stand. Tho
jury was out but short time and brought In
gunshot wound inflicted by John Taylor,
and that Amanda Woods and Charles Curtis,
We're accessories before the fact Further,
tnat the death wound was inflicted premcdi-
tatedly ana with intent TO kill.
Stockham q reamery Association.
,fhe Stockham Creamery association filed
articles of incorporation in tho Office Of the
secretary of state to-day. Principal place of
business, Stockham Hamilton county, Me-
braska Tho association authorizes capital
stock of "a 100, which is divided into -aIrcs
of $50 each. Business commences on the
date of certificate that the shares have been
subscribed and paid up. Tho manufacture
and sale of creamery products Is the purpose
for when the company was organized. In
corporators; +. J. Sharp, j. ID. Evans,
Joseph Stockham, George Siler A. >.
Hough, j. G. AdaIr, j. w. Stokerborg S. l..
Burgeson. William stephens, Gustave tsuss
and IL. T.. Wright.
City News and Notes.
Mrs. Henry Zimmerman, who lives three
miles southeast Of the city, was thrown from
a buggy on o street yesterday afternoon and
one of her legs was broken. She was other
wise severely bruised