Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-12
Harry Baker Receives Fatal Injuries i'll
Operating a Striking Machine
on the Public Square.
stricken Down in the Heyday of Youth
While Earning Money tor school
Books-TeIIing His Teacherto
Look for Him Monday.

AllOSl ever bouS WHO HAS pdNSeu hiC 4
postOffice corner of Saturday night has
observed peculiar looking machine, one
part of which extends upwarkS i'll the air
about ten feet, on which is scale of
figures. In the language of the street the
machine is
KNOWN As THE ''YANKEE BOY"
or striking machine" By striking
one part of the machine with
heavy maui. contriyance
called a dog" travels up the indicator and
the figure at which it stops indicates the
force Of the blow. The particular striker"
to which attention is now directed is the
property of John Arnett. the well-known
ex-city marshal. Mr.. Arnett sometimes
travels with the machine himself, visiting
fairs and kindred gatherings, and some
times lets it out in charge of some other
person. A nephew, named Harry Baker,
a boy about fifteen OF sixteen years old. had
the machine in charge last evening, his only
previous experience in this line being had
two nights last week. 1t murdered him
last night
At the hour mentioned above, two men,
named Frank NJ. Brown, son of George
W. Brown and W. q. DUNCAN. were taking
turns at striking. Brown had taken his
turn and had stepped aside 10 allow Dun
gan to strike. Young Baker had pulled
down the dog" with stick which is used
| for that purpose, having an iron hook on
one end. ThoughtleSsly. he allowed
one end 10 rest on the dog" while
RESTING HIS CHIN on THE HOOK END.
DUNCAN picked up the heavy maui, say
ing look out there" Baker answering.
according to Dungan'S testimony, ''all
right" Down came the maui on the
striker with terrific force and up went the
dog" on which rested the stick. The full
force of the blow was transferred to ths
stick pressing against the young mans chir
and throat and he was hurled over as il
shot the blood squirting from his mouth il
profusion. He was helped up and at tn,
suggestion of some of the by-standers as
sisted up stairs to DR.. Kennan'S Office il
the Arcade, almost over head. He wa
abe to get up stairs with little assistance
but on reaching the doctors office. yOuns
Baker sank into a chair and Immediately
became unconscious. In three minutes h,
was corpse. DIR. kennan die
all in his power towards resuscita
ton, scarcely believing that the youn.
man could be really dead, but when h'
found that it was indeed too true, he turneG
his attention towards investigating and de
termining the true cause of the death. Ill
found that
THE NECK WAS NOT BROKEN,
As he at first had cause to believe or a
least no displacement was apparent from
the external examination. The wimdpip
was diSlocated or broken, but the immediate
cause of death was probably the rupture o
a blood vessel or artery, and consequen
internal hemOrrhage. Very little bloo'
came out of his mouth after the squirt tha
followed the fall. To the eye there wa
but little to indicate where the murderOu
weapon had struck. Just at one side o
what is known as the Adams apple" wa
small blackish spot, and the under part o
the chin seemed bruised, but the skin wa:
not broken.
The coroner was telephoned for. and al
rived soon after the death took place. AM
made such investigation as was possible Ol
the ground. George and Andy Arnett. un
cleS of the deceased. came ia soon after tn
tItn,,, IaaruaI tbi
boy was the son of Mrs. Mary Baker, thei
sister, living on Fair street near Mechanic
The father, Edwin Baker, is living apar
from the family away from here.
W. o. DUNCAN, the man who was the un
doubted innocent cause of the death, wa
real frantic over the affair. and presente,
himself with tears in his eyes, to the cOrC
ner, of whom he asked what he should do
Coroner Bennett questioned him fully as +
how the accident occurred, and obtained
the information given above. subStantiatet
by the testimony Of Brown ant
other bystanders. The only questionable
point is rs TO whether Baker did say al
right when DUNCAN said look out there
| Inc all TlSnl IL IJullSdil OWL ttStiluOiiS y
II the boy really did say it he was dOubtles
under the impression that his stick wa
restfn. on the framework Of the machine
and
NOT on THE FATAL SPOT
il proved to be on. Otherwise il seems ut
terly unaccountable. The coroner tOlt
DUNCAN that from the slight examination
he had then made he believed that Will,
there had been evidently some carelessneS
displayed, the death WAS accidental, anC
that he would consequently release him OI
his own recognZance TO appear at his offic,
at D. IN. today. DUNCAN lives at 90 cas-
! Liberty street, and is apparently abou
4 thirty-five years old.
John Arnett who arrived soon after hi
| brothers, and who was even more >addeneC
by the occurance than they, from
his own connection with the cauS,
of the unfortunate death, as owne
of the death dealing machine, soon had i
| carried away. 1t is safe TO say that this
Yankee Boy" will not in the near future
again appear on Market Square. The
cornor indicated that he would himself take
occasion in connection with the verdict {
make some vigorous remarks about the