The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-03-02

FRANKLIN PARK. N. J., March, This
township of Franklin Park is a slumber-
Gus sort of place, and has been for over a
: hundred years. In fact, there has been no
excitement here since the time George
Washington, in command of lot OF
ragged soldiers, was known to be In the
vicinity, not long before the happening of
Certain little events that have been re-
corded in history in connection with the
records of Princeton and Trenton. Not
since then, has there been any excitement
in this little place until this morning
There are only about 400 people in the
place; consequently the loss of four is felt.
and the manner of their taking off is
something that municipalities a hundred
times its size might boast OF, II they were
in the line of record-breaking for sensa-
tions. In word. two negroes attempted
TO rob a prosperous farmer. In their
attempt they killed a woman aud child
and were killed themselves. The woman
would have been the mother of another
child within few days ii she had been
allowed to live.
The Bakers have long been held as soci-
able and reputable members of this small
community Old John J. Baker has held
ground here for farming purposes longer
than the oldest inhabitant can tell about.
About two years ago his second son, Moore
Baker, married a pretty blonde named
Lucy Evans, daughter Of a neighborIng
farmer. The settlement that the old
Baker made upon the young people in.
Guided tract of many acres, and the son
built neat cottage upon the property.
The couple lived together up TO this morn
ing, with every prospect OF happiness and
success, and joyful old age when it
should come upon them
hAra oricf cfot haS
could not have been foreseen; nor could
any prophet have attached to its result the
terrible conclusion. The old Bakers had
bad as sort of a protege colored boy
named Henry Baker, whom they had
taken in and helped since the time he WAS
six years old. This boy had often been
employed by Moore Baker TO do chores
around his house. Yesterday afternoon
Moore Baker gave his colored namesake a
job at cutting some wood and paid him
Tor is. After receiving has pay the col
ored chap asked Mr.. Baker TO lena him
two dollars, saying he would return it on
Saturday. The farmer did not like to see
the young man with so much money, and
lie parleyed with him.
Hen" said Mr. Baker. "Fve only got
llundred-dollar bill; if you change that for
nle rll lend the 81. I"
"A hundred-dollar bill" said the negro.
u never saw one, Mr., Baker. Let's have
a look at it.
With that Moore Baker displayed note
of the denomination of 500, and, mad
vertently, some small bills. The negro said
nothing, but went away without getting
bis desired loan.
Later in the day Henry Baker and an
other negro, named Willard Thompson, a
lad of 13 years. We're seen by Boyd Baker,
a brother Of Moore's, to whom they said
they were going over to Dayton, about
fntlr mil " To fsiA
went to DayIon-as it has since transpired
but they went in a wagon drawn by a
horse out of Moore Bakers stable, and
without Bakers permission. IC was at 10
O'Clock at night that they started on this
trip. Exactly what they did in Dayton is
not known, but they certainly stopped at
Wines saloon and had several drinks |
They returned by the old plank road, and,
turning Off it to the northward, they drove |
TO the Baker barn and htched the horse.
That much of their movements is known |
by many What they did afterwards is |
lOld by Moore Baker
About I:30 o'clock this morning the |
negroes, having secured the axe with /
which Henry Baker had made his half /
dollar in chopping wood for Moore Baker |
Turing the afternoon. went to the entrance |
10 the cellar of young Bakers residence at |
he rear OF the house and broke it open.
They had taken off their shoes, and, in
their stocking feet, climbed down the |
narrow stairway into the cellar; then up
Into the parlor on the first floor, and SO on
through an entrance that led to stair.
way that landed at the rear of the bed
room in which Mr.. Moore Baker aud his
wife and child lay asleep. Do not think
they had forgotten the axe. Will Thomp
son had attended to that and Carried the
weapon.
They sneaked up the rear stairway. and
NY lad int, al \
the Baker family. Mrs. Baker heard the
noise, and, by the dim light of small
lamp that had been left burning, saw the
ngure Of the TWO negroes as they entered |
the rear door. She became almost para
iyzed with fear, but uttered a faint cry. |
Thompson the hatchet bearer. rushed
across the room and smote her in the fore
head with his weapon. Not satisfied that
he had killed her he struck her again.
Mr.. Baker had not yet awakened, but
the child, in crib alongside the bed, was
aroused and she, a little one OF IA months.
set up a CRY. The wretch Thompso II,
tnereupcn. with swinging blow
Baker became aroused. He saw his two
enemies. and recognized them both. lie
rolled out into narrow space between
the bed and the wall, and before he struck |
the floor, Hen Baker was upon him. The
negro grasped for his throat, and a strug
gle, Wn1cn cannot De described IN words, |
but can only be imagined, ensued. Mr.
Baker, who is a powerful man, not realiz-
ing what had been done to his loved ones,
but feeling that he must do something.
and do it quickly, grappled with the
negro. He got to his feet aud dealt |
Baker blow on the face that knocked
him ten feet away, and on the floor at the
foot of the bed.
Thompson. seeing that his pal was in
hlp ynada "a Mr. Ratar |
me axe. He swung the steel-headed
weapon like wind mill, aud had it not |
been that Mr. Baker felt his oncoming
through rush of air made by the assail-
ants quick motion toward him, the ne
groes would have added one more to their !
list OF murders. As it was. Mr. Baker |
I Ihrew his head back and the sharp edge of |
the blade merely cut his left forehead
enough To make it bleed
Now the farmer fels that he was Up
against double game. He made rush