The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-03-02
A HORRIBLE CRIME.
The NEGRO POSTMASTER AT LAKE
CITY, s, C. KILLED.
ais Infant Child Shot Dead IL Its mother'

Arms, and the Same Bullet Manned tho
woman-The Housa and Bodies Burned.
One Of the most horrible and brutal
crimes occurred ct Lake City in Viii
liamsburg county on Tuesday night
of last week. The negro postmaster
and his infant daughter were killed
and their bodies burned, and his wife
and three other children. two OF the
latter grown, we're horribly shot. The
affair is undoubtedly one of the most
horrible that ever was prepetrated IN
South CAROLINA
Frazier B. Baker, a black negro,
was appointed postmaster at Lake
City BY President Mckinley last Au
gust He was at that time resident
Of Florence county, but moved to
Lake City to take charge of the Office.
Shortly afterwards he was shot and
slightly wounded. Some time later
his assistant was shot but not serious
ly hurt. In January the postof6ce
with its contents was burned. a few
weeks ago the negro re established the
Office in rude hut about mile from
town.
One night week before last a mob
attacked the building and several
shots were fred into it, but Baker held
on to his job and the next day spoke
in a braggadccia manner about not
being scared, and said that he would
have 10 be killed to get him out OF the
postohce. The tragedy Tuesday night
is the sequel. Baker lived with his
family, consisting OF q wife, three
daughters and one son, in the rear OF
the rude hut used also as the past
Office.
The coroner's inquest brought out
the following facts: Bakers wife was
sroused about l o'clock this morning
by some unaccountable sounds. Upon
arising she discovered that the house
vas on fire aud Immediately awak-
ened her husband. Just as she did so,
there was a volley of rife shots fired
upon the building and the bullets
came clear through the walls and
made things not for the occupants.
By this time the entire household
was aroused and efforts were made to
check the flames. All this time the
firing outside was kept up, when the
man saw that there was no chance to
check the fire. He told his family to
follow him and he rushed TO the front
door of the house. Just as ne opened
the door he was shot down. Instantly
the woman, the three girls and the
boy were shot. a ball passed through
the baby who was in the mothers arms
and struck the woman's arm, break.
ing it.
The little fellow was dead and the
mothers fractured limb could no
longer support it. so it fell. The dead
father fell upon the dead body of the
child. Those Of the household who
were still able to walk ran from the
burning building right into the faces
OF the assassins. Tne mob quickly
dispsrsed.
The next morning the charred re-
mains of the postmaster and the baoy
were found and examinations oy ply
sicians showed that the woman was
shot in the let arm and in the right
thigh. The Oldest girl was shot through
the groin and her right hand is shot
off. The other girl was shot through
the left elbow and may lose her arm.
The boy was shot through tie abdo-
men and through the right arm. He
and the Oldest daughter may die. |
None OF the family recognized any
one in the mob. Il is said that several !
hundred shots were fired into the /
burning building. The wounded ne
gross are receiving the best Of treat
ment at the hands OF the white people
OF the town. Food, raiment and med
ical attention are being given them
gratis.
The coroner's jury was adjourned
Tor few days and they will make
every effort to get some clue to the
assassins. Tee people of Lake City
seemed to be awed by the dreadful cc-
currence.
At first it was thought that the body
of the baby was entirely consumed
by the flames but further search de-
7eloped the fact that the remains OF
the child were directly underneath
the charred remains of its father.
The surviving members OF Bakers
family are: Luvenia, his wife, gun
shot wound in left arm and leg.
RoselIe, eldest daughter, gunshot
wound in left arm and leg.
Cora, next eldest daughter, gunshot
wound in right hand.
Linkum, eldest son, gunshot wound
in left arm and abdomen.
They are all doing as well as can be
expected.
Sarah and Willie, still younger, es-
capped unhurt.
The white as well as the colored
citizens of the town are contributing
literally 10 the necessities of the sur
7iving members OF the Baker family.
Tne citizens of Lake City are now
sending and receiving their mail from
Scranton, S. c., which is three miles
away.
Wednesday the negroes made threats
OF burning, ETC., but up to this time
everything has remained quiet and
noW there seems to be no further
trouble anticipated.
The parties who committed this
atrocious crime, SO far rs your cores
oondent can learn, are yet unsuspect-