The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-01-08

Death Of VIM. Baker at Lamonte
YeotordAy.

"WilIiam Baker passed into etemit
without . struggle At half-past eleve
o'clock yesterday morning. He had bee'
unconscious for several days. seldom n
cognizing even those Who nused him. H
leaves Q wife AMI three children"
Such vas the information received thi
morning from the BAzoo correspondent .
Lamonte.
THE ORIGIN
Of the events which led to the death Of thi
man. are probably familiar to most Of oul
readers. Baker vas one Of those Wild, tur
bulent spirits that are . trouble both Il
themselves and to the community. Wher
intoxicated he has always been considered
. dangerous man. Last spring be sprane
into local nosoriety - . wrestler, but afteI
ta-kling Mr.. Ira Hinedale. Of this CITY, Last
April, he retired to his home in Lamonte
Here he 40 conducted himself - to gain the
ill-vill Of the people. and when
HE STABBED r. O. YOCoN,
on the 18th of last October, public indigna'
ton vas intensely excited, and he narrowly
escaped being lynched.
Yocums wound Vas at the time consider.
ed mortal. and Baker waa arrested and
brought to our Jail, in which he was incar-
cerated. Yocum vas . peaceable, law
abiding citizen, and great sympathy VA
manifested for him, - Bakers act Was con-
sidered little les than
AcoLD-BIOODED ASSASSINATION.
In time Yocum slowly recovered from his
terrible wound, and Baker Was indicted for
assault With intent to kill. His case came
up at the last term Of the Criminal court,
and his counsel obtained . continuance Of
his case. After which he procured bail
and returned to his home in the same town
in which his victim lay suffering from his
deadly knife.
THE BITTER FEELING
which Baker knew to be entertained against
HIM BY the people among whom he dwelt.
he regarded with contempt and it is said
his conduct Wa far from prudent under
the circumstances.
On the morning Of Dec. 9TH, word vas
brought to this city that
BAKER HAD BEEN SHOT
the night before. A BAzoo reporter re-
paired to the scene, to whom Baker made
the following statement:
II had come out Of the post Office and
was coming home when vas shot. The
revolver was fired three times. The 6rst
shot went through my right arm, between
the elbow and shoulder and into my body,
supposed to have passed through my lungs
and probably into my stomach. l think It
was Boone Howard or William Yocom
that shot me-"
In conversing With the people Of La
monte it was found that there were many
who
POSITIVELY ASSERTED
that William Yocom Vas in the drug
store at the time Of the shooting. Not
wiihstanding the assertion Of Baker that
il was either Yocom or Howard Who shot
him. it is probable that it was neither Of
them, and it is the prevailing opinion that
Boone Howard would not, a he hears a
good character and il REGARDED ~ STEADY
sort Of hoy"
1t il supposed that Baker cannot tell
positively Who did the shooting for Who
ever il Vas, was crouched behind an empty
hogshead close to the corner of J. ]. Pen
quite's drug store.
From that time to this Baker struggled
manfully for his life, although his physi-
clans thought
HIS WOUNDS NoRfAL
At the time. Being . man OF indomitable
nerve and great vitality, he has fought of
the grim monster until yesterday. when he
Whatever may have been Bakers char.
acter-vhatever may have been his crimes
nothing can Justify his cowardly assasi-
nation. But the matter rested there, and his
assailants we're not arrested, il known.
Yesterday the fact Of Bakers death vas
TO
CORONER EVANS,
with request that he come on At once and
hold an inquest. DR.. Evans being very
busy, and the Law not compelling him to 90
beyond certain distance from the county
seat, he sent word for them to procure .
justice of the peace to of6c,ate - coroner.