The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-10-16
HE RETURNS HOME
GEORGE BAKER AFTER SIXTEEN
YEARS VISITS WICHITA.


Dis.ppearance-Hei is Found and Finally
Confined in an Insane Asyium-The Wife
Keeps the Farm and Raises the Children
The Happy Meeting Yesterday in
wichita with His Wife, Son and
Daughter.
George Baker is the guest Of his fam
sly near Goddard in this county. This
seems like a strange announcement TO
make concerning a man and his own
family. Strange as it may seem 1T is
nevertheless true and tonight VIII be
the first for sixteen long years that Mr.
Baker has spent with his family. his
little 2-year-o1d daughter, who was al
most too young to remember papa when
he left home is now young lady OF Is.
The story connected with Mr.. Baker
life is a strange but true one and is as
follows:
In 1872, George Baker, young man
who had just arrived at his majority.
came to Wichita, and appearing at the
land Office at that time located In the
builCdng adjoining that on the west
were the hate State National bank was
Kept liIEu upOh a PASNO - $1,000 -
rica township.
He was industrious and soon had a
fine farm. He continued to live the NE
of a bachelor or his place until the IalI
of1S75, when he again visited his eastern
home and returned with wife. The
two continued to live on the farm and
prosper. Two children were born TO
the household and Mr.. Baker was one
of the most substantial farmers IN the
county at that time.
During the fall of 1879. while engaged
in hauling wheat TO Wichita he failed
to return home as usual The wife felt
some uneasineSs, but the next morning
she inquired of some Of his neighborS
who uuieted her fears, by informing
her that they had seen her husband at
town and he was all right and had
doubtlessly concluded to remain dur
ing the night and would doubtleSsly re-
turn during the day.
All day the wife and her young chill
tiren awaited the return of the husband
and father. but in vain. The wife ap-
pealed to her neighbors to go in search
OF the missing man, and that night a
party started for Wichita, were they
made diligent inquiry, but in vain. An
other day dawned and yet the search
ing party could learn nothing of the
man.
1t was found that he had sold his
Had of wheat to Todd & Royal, who
wtsre then buying grain near where the
Santa Fe depot now stands, but had
failed to call and get his check. 1t was
finally ascertaGned that he had crossed
the Oh d Second street bridge across the
Arkan sas river, the one on Douglas
avenue being a toll bridge at that time
and was met by a man near the west
end of the bridge.
+ This " as on the evening of fine dav
on which he should have returned
1rome Two days and a night had
elapsed since ,the time he had crossed
the bridge and the time the information
was given to his neighbors. Where
could he have gone? Why had he not
called for his check at the elevator. A
VISIT was made to the Wichita Savings
bank, where il was known that he
transacted business. All was straight
here. He had not drawn a cent.
He was not a drinking man, and
never played cards. The interest in the
case grew from a neighborhood ques-
ton until every citizen in Wichita was
interested in finding the man. The wife
was distracted with grief, There was
but one explanation that could be given
of his disappeara nee, which threw any
light upon the subject She stated that
during the previous summer he was
sunstruck one day in the harvest field
and although he had apparently recov-
cred, yet said that when he was
over9neated that he complained greatly
OF his head, and acted strangely
A VISIT was made TO the firm who had
purchased the wheat and 1T was found
that he had been compelled to shovel
ahe grain into a high window. on the
south side of the building and had
tioub tleSSly became overheated and
temporarily insane Searching parties
were formed and Willing men started in
every direction in search of the poor
man.
No tidings were received from the
parties until the end of the fifth day
after his strange disappearance. when
- man who came in on the evening
.itage from Fort Sill. said that he had
seen the searching party a few miles
'iouth of Caldwell, and that the party
had learned that person answering
the DESCRIPTION of Baker had driven the
day previous I'm the direction of Skele-
ton creek in the territory.
The party in pursuit came upon Baker
camped near the stage depot on the
then regular stage line between Wichi-
ia and Fort Sill. He was so emaciated
that his neighbors could hardly believe
he was the man for whom they were
searching. He then had A raging fever
tluu IL WAS SOfilt Time before lneN could
make the man believe that they intend
nd him no harm. His sufferings were
very great and one of the men had some
morphine with him and by great effort
this vas given the poor man, and thus
he was kept quiet during the homeward
Journey.
1t was evident that during the entire
TIM since he had left home he had not
psrtaken of any nourishment, as no
place was found on the route where he
had stopped either to cook or get some
thing TO eat. The high fever had dss-
troyed his appetite. His team had re-
manned hitched TO the wagon evidently
since he left home. and had been kept
alive by the grass and water they Sc
cured by the roadside. one thing was
considered strange and that was why
the team, which appeared 10 travel AT
their own will had not started in the
direction of home, but this was ex-
planned by DR.. Oatly. who treated the
man. saying that the insane state %
the mans mind had kept him on the
alert, and that person in this con-
dFtion invariably turns against his best
friends and home
At length the poor man was brought
home Oh, what a change ? week had
wrought in that happy household, The
father and husband was worse than
dead, Had ne been found and nursed
when first taken. medical skill could
probably have saved him. but the fever
exposure and privagion had done its
work, and the man was pronounced
hopelessly insane by the attending ply
sicians.
The examination was held in October
1873, before Probate Judge Jewett and
George Baker was sent 10 Osawottau,ie
for admission 10 the insane asylum.
This was sixteen years ago. Al that
time the two children were but mere
babes The little girl could but Just
talk in broken sentences The wife