Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-12-13

BAKER INTERVIEWED.
In order to ge. Van Bakers opinion
about the letter, reporter for the REGIS
TER went down 20 MOundsville yesterday.
and proceeding to the penitentiary Was
granted an interview with Baker by Col.
johnson, the genial superintendent. Van
IL now employed ia the broom factory and
he was sent for, aud tie talk took place
in the immense cell room. Baker is look
isg well, aud he seemed somewhat sur
orised to gee a visitor who wanted TO talk
to him.
Have you seen the letter published in
this mornings REGISTER, ssked the re-
porter.
No, l haven't read this mornings pa
per, " responded Baker, with questioning
look. The reporter pulled paper from his
pocket and pointing to the headlines OF
the article, asked Baker TO read. He took
the paper Slowly, still with tina, question
ing look on his face, pat Cd h.s eye glasses,
which were attached to \ piece OF red
braid aud fastened 10 bis jacket, ard
wheeling himself around to the light he
commenced to read the article. Ia mo-
ment his look became eager and he read
nnrriedly down the introduction until he
came to the letter As he read few lines
down the letter his lips began TO culver
and his giip frightened on the paper, which
ae held steadily in front of him, while
bic lips novel faster and faster AID
quiv, red more and more Then the
tesrs soruug to his eYes a0d sObs shook
A. 4 L.. H. has f.na auuou hnf
be never uttered WORD.
His glasses fell from his nose, while
be arose aud pulling out handkerchief
hastily wiped the tears from his eyes,
and then went closer TO the window,
where he flashed reading the letter and
the article becoming calmer as he pro-
cseded. When ne end of the letter was
reached q disappointed look came into
his fsce. as very probably ne had
hoped that name would be signed. BE
then glanced over the letter several times
again and seemed to be studying points IN
IL. and when the reporter asked what he
tho ught of it he said in rather inditter-
ent manner;
81 don't know whether there is much in
it or not.'
How about the money spoken OFF,"
"Well, in regard to the $3.50 which he
claims be found in one OF the trunks, that
ia correct. That was my tru3k and thai
is exactly the amount of money had IN
the trunk. also had between s. aud 50
in the till, and that is the S. "A he speaks
Of l could identify almost any Of those
coins il they could be fOund. A detective
has been looking for them and he IS at
work now The piece Of gold was mug
yet which I dug myself, aod a pin had
heen put on it, bat bad bsen broken ttf
IL DON'T knO = about any money In the
clothes press My wife Was in the habit
of throwing the pOeketbOOk she used every
day in the lower drawer. About two
weeks before the murder, when my wife
went TO town to get medicine for Mother
McWbs, l gave her a > note to get gro
ceries. When abe clme back she had two
one dollar bills and wanted to give them to
me but told her 10 keep them. She said
iokiuyly: Then take one for fixing the
run, referring to little work l had done.
Sac might have had s., COO in her pocket
book at the time for all | know, for l
didn't see iuto it.
There is one thing the writer accounts
for and that is the wooden shit. ! testified
there were TIN ee shirts missing, end although
l heard some one say they had the wooden
one. though / never saw It. That was
rather a remarkable statement the writer
made about digging the women mp to ex-
anime thsir wounds. The doctors testified
that my wife was struck seven times, i've
before death and twice afterwards and that
mother McWha wss struck i've or seven
time'. About TIE number they did not
agree. la reference TO the night caps, i
always had an idea they were put on their
heads after the deed was committed. 6s-
heve too they we're murdered jast "a they
we're and that they were not dressed III
their night clothes sfterwNds.
THE woman whom the writer states he
saw take OF her false hair and corset, IVES
undoubtedly my wife, because Mother
McWha did not wear false hair. Ole
thing strange about the whole thing IL,
that / cannot for TIE life OF me remember
ever seeing my wife wear q comb in her
hair. although the doctors Evidence would
indicate che did.
"Fhe men they saw ST the stable were
evidently the stable boys mentioned in the
evidence as being there about o'clock
There is oze ci two things certain The
writer OF that letter must be either telling
the truth, or he is acquainted with the
tscts in the case. "
"what 90 you kGow about any three
mem"
"Well, as I testified, three men came
and rented the stable to put their hoHes
in. and got privilege to bnild alittle shauty
to live IN. II was no. long after they
went away when three other men came
and asked to rent the stable, bat l told
them that they were little too late; that
il had inst been rented. Thomls Garden,
one OF toe S a,e's witnesses in my first
trial, iestf ID TO having sten my wife and
me talking to three men in the orchard