The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1880-11-02

Capt. Baker, Of the Garfield
Guards, Slaughters the
Pittsfiel6 Chief Of
Police,
Shoots Another Man. Breaks q
Drunkard's Skull, Whips q
Constable and School
Teacher.

A sp -cial from Pitts6eld, Illinois
under the date Of yesterday, says:
Saturday evening last witnessed the
killing Of Elias simpkins. chief Of pc.
lice Of this place, under the following
circumstances: About 5 p. M. Elliott
Baker, a wellto-do farmer. living
abont four miles southwest from town
drove in four mule team with large
flag flying and his wagon loaded with
men in the Garfield uniform. aud bear
ing lamps. all IN their way to u Gar
field meeting to be held that might at
Detroit, seven miles east from here.
Stopping in town to get their suppers,
some halt hour after their arrival Ba-
ker. who was the captain AMI dressed
in a captains suit. saw sitting in front
Of the Oregon house a slim, weakly
school teacher BY the name of Ander.
son who. he is said to believe, wrote
some time since letter to the Missouri
Republican accusing him Baker, Of
tearing down the democratic pole at
Martinsburg raised there several
weeks since. H Immediately attack.
ed Anderson and
BE'T HIN MOST TERRIB ".
kicking him in the head after he had
fallen helpless. Leaving him. and
learning that he would be arrested, he
went to a Justices office to give him.
self up. The justice not being in. as
he left the Office he met Constable
Henry NJ. Chetwood. and asked il he
had any writ for him. Chetwood re-
piled, 'No," and wordy war ensued.
when Baker knocked ChetwoOd down,
the latter falling ON his face on the
sidewalk. AMI Biker, throwing him
seifupon him, commenced beating him
tn the head Just then Chief Of Po-
lice Elias Simpkins came up. and COM
the peace, sought to pull
Baker IF Chetwood. Simpkins
struck Baker twice OH the head with
his lilly, when Baker sprang up.
wrenche,l the club from Simpkins, and
beating him on the right
shoulder and arm. finally knocking
ham down. Simpkins, raising. sue
eeeded in drawing his revolver. when
Baker turned and fled into q grocery
store, Simpkins firing through the
window ut him, but not hitting him.
Baker. as be entered, changed the
club he had taken from Simpkins, and
drawing his revolver, cooked it, and
stood apparently waiting for Simpkins
10 enter. In the meantime SlmPklns
had withdrawn some ten feet from
the door. i, facing south, and was
leaning against a post. with his pistol
IN his hard by s>ide. Parties in the
store insisted that Baker should 60
nut the buck way, and save all trouble
here. They begged him not to 60
,ut in front. but after two minutes
rad elapsed he suddenly stepped out
II the door. and instantly
the ball missing the pOliceman's star
about one half All iuch. Baker then
exclaimed, by Cd. that will settle
rou." Simpkirs fell. and Baker fired
.wo more shots without effect, one
after he was clear down, saying Il
Cd d-n you, I believe l will give
you another" Bakers companions
Ihen rallied around him, and with
irawn pistols swore. that he should
not be arrested. He Immediately
paraded up the streets, with several
% his friends accompanying him. and
proclaiming that he would not he ar
rested. In the meantime Simpkins
Was carried to drug store. dying BE-
fore he reached it. and never uttering
q word from the time he Was shot.
after Baker submitted to ar
res. by the deputy sheriff. He wss
accompanied by Constable Chetwood.
who BY this time had obtained . re-
volver. having none at the time Of his
encounter with Baker. Baker was
taken to Jail, where he now is, and
where he Is the constant recipient Of
friendly calls from his republican
friends. He is
A MAN OF ENORMOUS STRENGTH,
has had many rough and ready fights.
and was looked upon as their captain
by the republican party. His exami-
nation, it Is now said. will be held. to-
morrow, ss the coroner's jury merely
found that Simpkins was killed by
Baker. and did not pass upon the
character Of the act, he being then in
custody Of the law.
Simpkins was buried Sunday after
noon, the town bearing all the ex-
pense. the town trustees marching at
the head of the hea rse and the nolice