Omaha daily bee., 1891-02-01
OTTwAY G. BAKERS CRIME.
Ii is Re ecalled by Land Suit In Judge
WakcIeys Court.

Wakciey's Court
The second legal execution that occurred
in Omaha is recalled by SUIT now pending
in Judge Wakeley's court.
The execution was that of Ottway G.
Baker, who killed Woolsey ID. Higgins FOR
the purpose of robbery. The murder was
committed on the night of December 81, 1866,
in the grocery store Of Will X. King, at the
southeast corner of Twelfth and Farnam
streets
Higgins was bookkeeper and Baker porter
OF the establishment, and they slept together
in the store. Higgins had received 81 800 in
currency after ban king hours and placed itin
the safe, the key of which he carried Baker,
who was aware of this deposit of money, got
out of bed and with an AK instantly killed his
sleeping companion with two well directed
blows.
Securing the keys of the safe he easily OBJ
tanned possession of the money, which he
placed in tin can and hid under the side
walk in the immediate vicinity Returning
to the store he set fire to the building, and
when the flames had gained considerable
headway he fired a shot into his arm In order
to support statement he intended to make
to the effect that the store had been burglar
lied and fired by some unknown party, who
had shot him.
Throwing the pistol away, he ran out and
| yelled ''Firci murder! thievesr' The fire
was eytinguished ana the butchered body Of
| Higgins found Suspicion pointed at once to
| Baker, whose story was not believed. He
| was arrested, tried and convicted. Hon. e.
| w. Doane and Hon. John |. Redick conducted
| the prosecution and the prisoner was de-
| Tended by Col. Savage, Ben Sheiks, Mr.
| Hopkins and Mr.. Parks.
| The supreme court ov erruled the motion for
| a new trial and affirmed the sentence of
| death. Seeing that there was no longer any
| hope Baker made full confession, not only
| of his crime but of setting fire to the block of
| frame buildings, the site of which is now COW
cred by the Central block on the south side
| of Farnam street between Thirteenth and
| Fourteenth. He YVES hanged February IA,
| 1868, about a quarter of a mile west of the
high school grounds, in the presenceo of about
| eight thousand people.
The case above referred to as now pending
| in court was instituted by Samuel Price, an
abstracter in the Office of "a local abstract
| company. Ed Sehaar, another abstracter,
| discovered that an undivided half of a block
| in West Omaha had been sold for tax es. 1t
was also ascertained that the title to the
| property previous to the sale rested in Mrs.
| Higgins, the mother of the young man muir
| dered by Baker The files of the
| local papers of nearly QUAR-
ter of a century, ago, We're consulted,
| and the address of the old lady learned in
that manner. She was corresponded with
and induced for nominal consideration to
| quit claim her interest in the property.
| Price was then promised quarter in the un-
divided half IN case he brought suit to COM
| pei the owners under the tax title to offer the
property for redemption. This is the case
as now before the court.
Price, however, has disappeared from the
| scene, although case No. 1924 occupies
| its wonted place on the court docket
| 1t developes that shortly before his departure
Price disposed of his prospective equity for
small sum to young man named Smith o.
| Boston.
Price when last heard from was in New
| York, and was preparing to leave for Soutf
| America or Australia, and it is believed tha
he has already quilted these shores.