The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-07
THE YOUNG MAN COMES FROM MAINE
But He Is Hardly a Credit to His
state.
Hiram A. Baker In the Arms of Mas
sachusetts IS Law.
A Career of Crookedness In Eastern
Maine.

Hiram A. Baker Of Maine. Baker spent last
night at police headquarters, and as he finds
his arrest based on warrant issued by
County Attorney Charles Peabody of WASH
ington county, Me-, he has consented to
waive the question of requisition and will
return with the Maine officer to the scene OF
his exploits tonight, via steamer John
Brooks.
During the past four years charges OF ar
son, burglary, forgery and robberies have
been made against Baker. According to
Detective Mcnamara some four years ago
Baker came into prominence by swindling
certain smelt dealers in Steuben. by chang
ing the cards on consignments Of fish, so as
to make the property appear as If shipped
by him instead of the real owners. In this
way Baker would receive checks in payment
for the fish from the consignees, who thus
were led naturally into the mistake OF sup
posing him to be the shipper. Being of
highly respectable family, the matter was
hushed up by the victims having things ar
ranged to their satisfaction.
A series of fires of incendiary origin fol-
lowed, and Baker soon came under the ban
of suspicion. In one week there were no
less than seven fires in Steuben, and three
instances where the buildings were destroy
ed-two of them residences and one barn
containing valuable stock. In another case
it was a mill house, and in another case was
barn belonging to Judson Parrott, one of
the selectmen of the town. Fires were set
to such an extent that the people for while
stood guard over their property during the
night, armed with powder and ball int the
hope Of meeting the misereants.
A man claiming to be detective from
Portland was finally employed, at salary
of $40 day, to catch the rascal; but he, be-
ing over Jealous, upset everything by pre-
cipitating Bakers arrest before becoming
possessed of the necessary evidence to insure
a conviction. Baker was arrested on suspi-
cion of incendiarism, and placed under
bonds of $4,000. The case slumped after
the county had been put to the expense Of
some $780,
blaze on a certain night, and then begun
series Of burglaries, no less than five stores
of the town being broken into and robbed in
single night. Later Brker took trip to
Boston for change of scene, and while here
attempted some jimmy work with those with
about the first of last May. He happened to
remember man from Steuben, who was
employed at Keeler's furniture building, and
after calling there walked off with valuable
lUOIo DtlO0SIuB 10 HIS lIltuu.
Baker continued to reside in Massachu-
setts. Detective Mcnamara in the meantime
was procuring evidence to show Bakers par
ticipation in the fires and burglaries COM
mitted n Steuben. 1t was found that the
tools used in the burglaries were stolen
from the wheelwright shop of an uncle of
Baker. The uncle identified the tools, and
further evidence showed that they were
stolen by Hiram from that shop. Hiram al
so left hat in one of the stores after he had
replenished his head gear with new cady
out of the stock of one of his victims.
Hiram's old hat thus became sort Of tell
tale upon him. The officer during the last
six weeks has been busy tracing his move
ments. Baker was supposed by. some peo-
pie to be sojourning among certain friends
al. .Hayerhill, and to test that opinion, GER
tain mail for Baker was sent to that city.
The detective. however, heard of this man
having been seen at Bar Harbor. Landing
there, the officer found Baker had been
lowing the thread, Baker was traced through
Bucksport and Portland, and thence to Bos-
ton. Several times the detective was close
on his heels, but Hiram, suspicious of dan
ger, by doubling or by hiding, continued to
ing the past week has been close sto Hiram,
who continued to electrify people at Nan
taket beach by giving electric battery
shocks, as well as putting up other fakes to
catch pennies.
reason Of the rain, so that Hiram found It
convenient to take his battery for repairs to
his friend at Keeler'S factory. While there
the officers introduced themselves and their
business, and Hiram was soon under the
stern grip of the law. Hiram went all to
pieces, literally speaking, at police head
quarters, and seemed so confused as to be
unable to write telegram to his brother in
Harrington, Me. BE became finally so over
come that the chief inspector had to write
telegram for him. In discussing the crimin-
al act Of which he Is suspected, he appeared
somewhat confused, saying that the officer
would find out all later on. He gave the i'm
preston also that during the time of the
fires in Stauben he felt that the people there
were all down upon him, and he said that all
the people of the town were his enemies.
Upon searching Hiram an interesting col
lection Of miscellaneous articles were found
ON his person. Obscene literature was
found in the collection. Blank checks in
abundance were found ON the Bucksport Ma
tional Bank. Also note for $50, payable to
Miss Cora b. French. and dated Boston, JAM
uary 81, 1889, was found on him. A bill Of
signed Andrew Lewis" and witnessed by
Thomas Jackson and George Flint" was al
so found.
The officer suspects that Hiram has been
engaged in horse swindling. There were
number of pawn tickets, one for a watch
with the case number 5S5, ,209, which he evi-
IDENTIFY put to soak at Lamprey's, at 169 Mer-
rimac street, Hayerhill.
Last October. it is said, Hiram forged the
Louisburg Hotel at Bar HarbOr, to check
for S60.42 L. B. Noyes of Steuben, cashed
the check after the rogue had failed to real
iZe on il in Boston.