The Omaha guide., 1945-03-10
Is YOUR LIFE AND MY LIFE SAFE?

Is anyone's life safe in a community with a MUIR
derer or murderers running loose after committing
a crime of cold-blOoded murder upon a man who
lived a clean, Cristian life IN our community: Who
was Thomas Douglas? In our opinion Thomas
Douglas was one Of Omaha's No. / citizens. We
had known him for 80 years. and we In the newspa-
per business do have occasion to go III and out OF
all kinds of places of business and observe the good
and bad in all walks of life. Thomas Douglas was a
hard working, honest, Christian citizen. lie would
not harm a hair on a cat, and in the 30 yearsl had
known him and in the many conversations l have
had with him, l have never heard him express an Ill
word about any individual in the whole of my ac-
quaintance with him. He was a self-made man and
a hard worker. He taught himself the jewelry
business and III my opinion, he was as good as any
iewelry smith as | have ever met. He has done
work on clocks and watches for me for 30 years,
and [ have never had to return one for poor work
manship. When the jewelry repair work was dull,
he was found looking for and doing odd jobs to
make an honest living. [ never saw Mr.. Douglas
anywhere in mr. entire acquaintance with h1m eX-
cept around in the block where his place OF business
was located, in a restaurant getting his meals or at
the Morning Star Baptist Church, where he was a
deacon for sometime. He was liked and respected
by everyone who knew him.. l claim he was one OF
Omaha's outstanding, Christian gentlemen.
The man or men who murdered him should be APP
pretended. This is why The Omaha Guide Publish
ING Company, 1920 Grant street, today IS offering a
5000 Cash Reward for information that Will lead TO
the arrest and conviction of the man or men who XIII
ed Thomas DOublas. Say what you will or may,
but one ones life in the community is safe where
such vicious crimes are committed and the one who
committed it walking the streets as a free man. Not
even you. Mr.. Reader are safe.
Thomas Douglas was brutally murdered by a
crack Drained assailant. On the witness stand the
County physician said that either of the blows that
Mr.. DOUGLAS received on his head would have re
suled in death. 1t was also brought out in the trial
that the lick he received on the head, crushed his
skull IN three different places, sufficiently for brain
matter TO ooze from the wounds. The Hicks Thomas
DOUGLAS received and which caused his death were
fully unexpected. Evidence showed that he was
sitting on his stool at a workbench, working on a
watch. and when he was turned over by the detect
i've and his hand was opened. a watch was clasped
in-fis hand and the face of the watch was found on
the workbench where he was working. The stool
he was sitting upon was turned over near where his
body fell. Now. what does this Indicate to anyone
with common sense. 1t indicates that the man who
murdered Thomas Douglas was someone he knew
and someone he least exepcted was going to strike
him 1t was someone he thought he knew well
enough to hold a conversation with while he was do
ing his work, and someone whom he did not think
intended to harm him.
I am sure that the Omaha Negro citizens of this
community want to see a hard criminal of this type
put behind the bars for life where he belongs. Do
you know that there is someone IN this community
who knows who killed Thomas Douglas? If you do
and read the above item, we hope your conscience
and justice will prevail upon You to let us have the
information which will lead to the arrest and con-
victiOn of the criminal.
1t was revealed on the witness stand that Thomas