10/15/2026
On the night of October 15th, 1902, Mrs. Nannie Baird, 36, of Boulder, was complaining of severe pains on her left side. Her husband, Dr. Rudolph Baird, 52, called for a pharmacist, and administered a hypodermic injection. Shortly, thereafter, she sank into unconsciousness, and died the following afternoon.
Initially, it was believed that Mrs. Baird had died from heart troubles, as she had been suffering for some time. However, the initial autopsy showed no signs of organ failure consistent with a heart attack. A month later, Dr. Baird was arrested for the murder of Mrs. Baird by poisoning.
Dr. Baird had a fine reputation as an osteopath, but several relationships prior to and including his marriage to Nannie were tumultuous. It was said that we was ruthless in affairs, when it came to money. Several years prior, his first wife died under mysterious circumstances. She had become ill, but he would not allow her family to know the nature of the illness. They did not believe her ensuing death was natural.
His second wife lived in fear of him, especially when he tried to insist she take out a life insurance policy. She believes she escaped him and was able to get a divorce after he sold her business. But, she also knew him under a few other aliases.
In June, 1903, Dr. Baird was tried for the murder of his wife. During expert testimony, it was noted that Mrs. Baird's stomach contained strychnine, but the witness did not believe there was enough to cause death, although, it can pass quickly if injected with several small doses during the night. Several expert witnesses testified over the effects of strychnine.
It was further learned that Mrs. Baird had retained an attorney as she was contemplating divorce. Dr. Baird had also attempted to prevent an autopsy of his wife. Her sister was the responsible party in requesting the examination.
However, after several days of testimony, the defense tried to prove that Mrs. Baird's symptoms were not caused by the effects of strychnine; no arched back, no contractions, or other similarities. A few doctors stated they did not believe her death was caused by poison.
The jury was given the case on June 11th, 1903, and after seven hours of deliberation, they returned a verdict of not guilty. Dr. Baird was a free man, but it was short-lived. He died just over a year later in 1904 from tuberculosis.
Was he truly an innocent man with poor spousal luck, or was he a cold-hearted spousal killer?
Nannie Baird rests in Columbia Cemetery in Boulder. Dr. Rudolph Baird is buried in Fairmount Cemetery in Denver.
