Omaha daily bee., 1894-01-22
ONLY TO SHIELD HIMSELF
Why Williams Charged Higgins and Murphy
with Highway Robbery.
WHIPPED IN A FIGHT WHILE DRUNK
And It Was Convenient to Manufacture tho
Footpad Taie-Pawncd the Watch and
Oveecoat Himseif-Tbo Pawn
Brokers story.

John higgins ana steve murphy, aTEeSOSu
and bound over for highway robbery and as
saut last week, prove to be innocent OF the
charge and steps will be taken today to have
them released.
William Williams, residing at Thirty
eighth and Western streets, Is the man
whom they assaulted and robbed, according
to his story. Yesterday, however, some new
facts came to light which seem to prove his
statement untrue. Officer Davis has been,
during the past few days, making careful
search of all the pawn shops in order to dis
cover, If possible, the watch and overcoat
which Williams said were taken from him
on the night of the robbery.
| Yesterday morning Davis visited Pawn
Broker j. Keplan's place, 4l2 South Tenth
street. After the book was produced and
| given a careful scanning memorandum was
discovered of the pawning of an overcoat
there also a silver watch. The goods were
next produced and Mr.. Keplan was asked
| something of the appearance Of the indi-
| vidual who put them there. Mr.. Keplan
| said he was tall man with light mus
| tache and gave some little idea of his gen.
| eral appearance. A trip to the county jail,
| where the alleged robbers are confined, was
| decided on, MIR. Keplan being requested to
! accompany the officers; the, overcoat and
watch were taken along. At the jail Hig-
| gins and Murphy were brought out
| and Mr.. Keplan asked If either of them had
| visited his place the past month. The pawn
| broker looked sharply at the men in front OF
| him and was very emphatic in saying that
| he had never seen either of these men in
his store or, in fact, anywhere else. That
| settled it for the present; they returned to
| the station and. after short consultation,
| trip to Mr.. Williams residence was decided
| upon. Mr.. Keplan was very urgently re-
nttn ad RI M N
| cason also. bringing, too the watch and
| overcoat All got in the wagon and were
| driven rapidly northward to the Williams
| residence.
said Williams Was tho Man.
| The place reached, a knock at the door
| elected the response to enter. Here Will
| liams and some Scotch friends reside, and
MIR. Keplan was asked if any of those in the
| room had been in his place of business re-
| Gently and, If so, If an overcoat and watch
had been left there.
Without even glance at the other occu-
pants of the room Mr.. Keplan said, That's
the man." pointing to Williams
You are sure he is the one?" said the
officer.
why, as certain as am that am alive"
said Mr.. keplan. He has been doing
pawnbroking business with me for some
time and this same overcoat and watch have
been pawned and redeemed several times"
A trip back to the shop was made and the
UOOh again COuSulIeu, anu IL SuOWel Judb ID.
Williams had pawned mis- watch October 10.
This time he received 81 on 1t; again on
November 27, at 8 o'clock in the morning,
Williams brought in his watch and coat. He
got 1915 on both articles. Each of these
times the goodsswere redeemed Nothing
again was seen of Williams till January 16,
the night of that day being the night of the
alleged robbery. On that date Williams
came to Keplan's place about IN the after
noon and put up his watch, and at he re-
turned and secured 80 on his coat. This
was the last seen or heard of Williams till
some bold headlines in an Omaha paper an
nounced that be had been robbed and beaten
| into insensibilitv near the fort. When
to have occurred, 1t will be remembered he
did not bear scar of any sort and only COM
piained of an awful pain in his side.
Strange Part of the Story.
or the man Higgins. Williams gave per-
feet description, and this is the strange part
of the story. He also described Murphy,
but could only say that Murphy had kicked
him in the stomach and he was not SO pos
tive about him as about Higgins. just why
he selected these two men and identi
them as having slugged and robbed him, will
probably never be known, but the conclu-
sion was drawn by tho police that as Hig-.
gins and Murphy had been in the habit of
going to the fort very frequently to get
something to eat, and as Williams lives near
the fort, he met these two men in that way.
The true facts in the case are that Will
| liams pawned the overcoat and watch him.
self, and, becoming drunk, he and his Scotch
| friend started home. They quarreled and
nearly came to blows several Times, and
when near home it is thought that they
finally did fight, Williams coming out second
best, and as he knew Higgins and Murphy
and could describe them. he thought it
would be good way out of his difficulty
and to recover his property.
1t was with difficulty that MIR Keplan was
kept from harm while in the house, and
Williams and his friend both promised to do
him violence
What steps will be taken in regard to
Williams Is not announced