The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-24
FRANK BAKER KILLED.
HE VAS SHOT BY SOME UN-
KNOWN PERSON.

SATURDAY NIEnt al i~uoh1} $780,
Fued, Growing Out of the incorpcr-
| alton of the Town by the tate Legis
lature, Led to His Assas sination.
| Frank Baker, colored, of Dudley, who
! is Will known throughout the county as
a turbulent politician, and who has had
MANY disturbances among his own race
at his own home in Dudley, and has
| made many enemies in that locality
| and especially by his recent activity in
! having that town Incorporated by the late
, Legislature against the expressed wishes
| of a majority of the citizens of the place,
most cf whom are colored. was shot there
| Saturday night about 8 o'clock, and in
stantly killed, by SINE unknown person.
AT the time the rife fired Baker was
in his grocery store, which is situated
just short distance from the railroad
warehouse, and had Just finished draw
ing wine for two customers. He set the
wine down on the counter, and as the
men were drinking the loud report OF
some firearm was heard and Baker fell
to his knees ON the floor and never
breathed again. The ball struck the spin
al column and ranged downward
The report was so sudden THAI the
eight or ten people in the store at the
time did not know just who had been
killed, and great confusion followed for
few minutes.
The building in which the killing oc-
CURED has broad piazza in front, and it
is thought that the assassin hid himself
hah md oft ba fs hat
roof of the piazza to do the deed No
one saw who he was or from whence
he came, and he disappeared as sudden
~ and mysteriusly as he came.
The town was thronged all day yes
terday with visitors from the rural dis
trict roundabout to learn Of the tragic af-
fair.
The coroner was summoned yesterday
morning and he impanelled jury to in
vestigate the case. but they adjourned
in short while without learning any
thing about who the assassin was. If
there is any new developments they will
be called together again.
In conversation with an Argus repre-
sentative. who was sent down to the
scene of the murder this morning to
gather all possible facts in the case w.
B. Baker, a brother of the dead man,
made the following statement, which is
doubtless true solution Of the unfortun-
ate affair:
"Me and my brother Frank disagreed
on politics and we had not been very in
innate for the past few years. This
strained relation between US was brought
about when the Populist party came into
existence and Frank wanted me to en-
dorse by my vote the Populist candidates
that were placed on the Republican tick
ct. u refused to do this and voted the
Democratic ticket when there was no
straight Republican ticket in the field.
Frank had made great many enemies
in his life by his tongue and / have
often told him that sooner or later
somebody would kill him for the way in
which he run down everybody that dis
agreed with him. l have heard him say
several times in the past few years that
he expected he would be killed some day.
/ was not at home Saturday night when
he was killed, but when 1 arrived about
an hour afterwards, on the train, was
not at all surprised. He had been in
attendance upon the recent session of
the Legislature at Raleigh and had Sc
cured the passage of bill before that
body to incorporate the town of Dudley,
which was contrary to the wishes of
great many of the citizens. The Board
Of Town Commissioners, which was APP
pointed by the Legislature to hold Of
fee until the first Monday in May, when
a new board was to be elected, held a
meeting Friday night and there was some
little trouble and one of the members
resigned. Frank was put ON in his place
and this caused right much dissatisfac-
ton. His action about incorpora ting the
town no doubt made new enemies out Of
old ones. I'm this matter, as in everything
else, he did not fail to abuse those who
differed with him am not prepared to
say who did the killing, neither do 1
care to know. / am satisfied that his
death was the result of some of his big
brags, and if he had taken my advice
and kept his mouth shut he would have
been living man to-day. His death
causes me great pain, and feel for him
with all of brothers love, but have
feared for some time that his ambitious,
rebellious spirit would cause just such a
sad ending Of his life"
There is no doubt that the great ma
jority of the people of Dudley were OPP
posed to Frank Bakers having the town
incorporated, and thereby he engendered
the deadly hatred that led to his death;
and the late fusion Legislature, in enact
ing laws rough shod over the known
wishes and earnest petitions OF the ma
jority, are directly responsible for Frank
Bakers death; but this does not excuse
the dastardly assassin who in the dark
ness of the night stealthily crept upon
his victim unawares and pulled upon
him the trigger OF sudden and unprovided
death.
No mans Life is safe in any community,
be he high or lowly, where assassination
Is tolerated or condoned. OF all things