The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-09
HE REFUSED TO RETRACT.
PROF. &. ID. WOOD ASSAULTED By
". FRED BAKER.

Charges of. Immoral Conduct
Against superintendent of schools
W. u. Baker before the Board Of
Education-YOunE Baker Fined
$50 In Police Court and Mr. II. +.
Burdem Fined s15-The story Of
the AFFAIR a. Told by the ParticI-
pants.
llr. W. T. Baker was fined SD and Mr
r. F. Buritu SIS by Mayor Myers in police
court yesterday for assaulting Mr. O.. b.
Wool. assistant teacher ia the High
school.
The assault was committed between 10
and II o'clock sunday night and grew
cut of the recent charges Of immoral
conduct against Mr.. Bakers father. Su-
perintendent w. II. Baker of the public
schools, before the board of education,
60 which Mr. Wood, with other teachers,
was witness.
Mr Burdeu Is Superintendent Bakers
soa-ln-law Mr.. II. II. Hun. another som
-.n-.aw. and Mr.. J. VI. Baker were ia the
neigh5orhood and quickly arrived on the
Mr. Wood boards at the home Of NIr.
W. S. Wilson, principal Of Chatham Gram
mar School, No. ?. No. 169 Waldburg
street, and was sitting on the porch with
several ladies' when young Baker
called him out on the street. After
a few words the assault was made.
Mr. Wood ran into the house and
called for Mr.. Wilson, pursued there.
other members Of the part party. Who Ssio elaine 9
cd, however, that they were merely en-
deavoring to deter Baker from following
The two Pakers ana Mr. Rurdeu were
day morning. The statements made
n fars court by the principals DIFF
pected. Mr. Wood stated that he was sit
ting on the porch of Mr.. Wilson's house
in company with several ladies, having
just returned from church, when some one
came up the steps and asked for him.
He did not know who IL was and walked
down the steps and out on the street.
MT. Wood proposed mat they go
over to his room at Mr.. Laurence A
McCarthys residence, across the street
This Baker refused to do and requested
Young Baker who had introduced him
self, then drew a paper from his pocket
which he demanded that Mr.. Wood sign,
the paper being a retractlon Of the charges
Of immoral conduct against Supt. w. II.
Baker, testified to before the board of
education by Mr.. Wood. Mr.. Wood stated
per without reading Il, and drew back
toward the light AS he did
80, he said, Baker struck him In the
blow. As Baker had been Joined by a
companion, and as he saw two more run
ming up, he ran into the house. He was
pursued by all four, who followed him
into the house and continued to assault
Mr.. Wilson testified that he had gone
into the house with Mr.. Wood and had
gone through to the rear, while the latter
stopped on the front porch He was in
ire hallway when Mr.. Wood rushed in
with the men in pursuit OF him. He caught
hold Of W. F. Baker and showed him back,
but the latter continued his attempts TO
get at Wood. Mr.. Wilson testified that
Mr.. Burdell struck Wood once in the
house. Mr.. Hun and J. NJ. Baker, he said,
took no part in the assault Mr.. Hull only
came to the door. Mr.. Wilson said he was
very indignant at the manner in when
his house had been invaded and showed
all parties to the door, closing the door
upon them. He then went out and demand
ed of the parties how they dared to in
wade his house at that time of the night
Dut received no satisfactory explanation.
Mr. Burden stated that the letter Of
retraction had been prepared in the af-
ternoon, and that all Of them knew Of it
and approved w. f. Bakers going there
but they understood that it was to be
only an amicable interview between gen.
tlemen.
The statement made by w F. Baker,
and which he afterward repeated to a
Morning News reporter, was in substance
that he felt he had good cause for grew
not do otherwise than resent the charges
made against his father by the latter. He
did not know Mr.. Wood. and the only way
to ind him was to go to his house. He
and for that reason asked Mr. Wood to
walk down the street. Mr. Wood only
went short distance with him. He told
him that he had paper which he
wished him to sigh.
Il Will sign nothing" said Wood, ac-
cOrding 10 Mr.. Baker.
IN he ~nf
Wood refused to read the paper. Then
I struck him." said Baker "He ran like
a cur and l followed him into the house.
l was by myself a the time and the otn-
ers had nothing to do with the matter
whatever. They did not even know what
my intentions We're, and l am sorry that
they came up at all l had much rather
they had not. am very sorry that the
disorder occurred in Mr.. Wilson's house,
but my blood was up, and was not salts
fled to let the matter stop where il was"
After hearing me case Mavor NIyets
fined w. L. Baker $50 and Mr.. Burden $l5
and dismissed the charges against J. NJ.
Baker.
In passing sentence, Mayor Myers told
Baker that he was entirely wrong, and
that he should not have gone to Mr.
Wilson's house at that hour of the night
10 see Mr. Wood. He also told Mr.. Burdell
that he should not have permitted Mr.
Baker to go to the house.
Mr. wilson's position IN the, matter IS
that Mr.. Baker and his friends had had
plenty of opportunity to see Mr.. Wood
during the last several days without com
ing TO his house. The four men, he said
had been seen around the house for an
hour, and their actions had been such as
10 cause alarm to the ladies'. Mr. BAKER
he said, knew OF the presence of the la
dies because he had seen them on the
porch and when he came UP on the porch
he spoke to the ladies and inquired for
Mr.. Wood. Under no 'circums tances, he
said, We're they justified in entering his
house and assaulting Mr.. Wood there
Mr.. Hull stated last night that he and
Mr., Burdell were standing at the corner
of Barnard street. and they did not leave
the corner until they heard some one run
into Mr.. Wilson's house. They then Went
down the street and up the steps into the
house. Mr.. W. +. Baker was being held
by his brother Mr.. Hull siezed him and
| got him out of the door as soon as posi-
BILE. Mr.. HUI said that he was aware
| that Mr.. Baker intended to see Mr. Wood
/ and while he had no knowledge of what
was TO take place he feared that there
might be trouble, and for that reason he
| and Mr.. Burdell followed him across the
! park extension to the corner of Barnard
| and Waldburg streets.
TO MEET AT WARM SPRINGS.