The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-05
THE CABINET MEETING.
Reward for Killing Of Negro Postmaster
Increased-Unusual Effort to Ferre
Murders.

Reward for Killing Of Negro Postmaster
Murders.
Washington. March 4.-To-day's cab
met meeting occupied about three hours
ana al us CONCLUSION it was announced
that nothing of an important nature had
occurred No information of any char
acter. il was stated, had been received,
either from General Lee or the Court ol
Inquiry.
An hour or more of the time of the
Cabinet session was occupied in the read
ing OF q long report from the special
agent lf the Pot office Department on
the killing Of Baker, the colOred post
master at Lake City, $. c. In view o1
the peculiar circumstances connected
with the murder and the enormity oI
the crane, 1t was decided TO increase the
governments reward to 81 800 in each
case. r.yery EFFORT will be made by
the Federal authorities to bring the gull
ty parties to justice.
The report on the case was presented
by Postmaster General Gary and the
action taken by the Cabinet in the Of
fering of rewards for the apprehension
and conviction Of the guilty persons is
said to be the most energetic ever agreed
on by any administration in a similar
case. 1t is probable that the Postoffice
Department will detail other inspectors
10 assist these now on the field III fer
rcting out the murderers and the large
amount of reward offer it is Thought
will induce private detectives to work
ON the case.
tx, hot Al
Griggs holds 10 the opinion that the Fed
eral government will have jurisdiction
over the murderers when captured unless
they are first taken by the State au-
thorities Baker, it is held was an
office of the government in the discharge
of his duty and the attack on him was
similar to an attack on a deputy marshal
or other official.
Postmaster General Gary expresses tho
determination to do everything i'm his
power TO ascertain the identity of the
guilty parties. In response to inquiries
he made public the following statement
i'm regard to the case:
..The department is i'll possession of Il
preliminary report from it's reprcsen-
tatiyc in regard to this sad tragedy, from
which a few details may be given. The
widow of the murdered postmaster has
been interviewed and her story in brief
is about as follows:
''1ney were awakened some time in the
early morning by the smell of fire and
smoke and upon rising found that the
house was in flames. Baker attempted
to extinguish the fire, but soon discovered
that this would be impossible. He then
told his wife he would go to the door
and call for help. AS soon as he opened
the door the firing began and storm
of bullets struck the door and house.
Mrs. Baker said that her husband then
fell on his knees and prayed for prOtec-
ton. The heat and smoke became so
nnbearable at length that they could no
longer remain in the house. On again
appearing at the door they were greeted
with another volley Of bullets.
-" The first one of the family to be
killed was the baby in dts mothers arms,
u bullet striking it in the side. Bakers
wife saw the wound and told her bus
band that the baby was killed. A sec
ond later he fell back against her dead.
She and the other children were struck
by the bullets at this time or just as they
escaped from the building She had
the younger girls with her when they
got out. They ran until they were eH-
haalsted and fell down. The older girls
went into neighbOring field and remain
ed there until they heard no more
sounds from the vicinity of their old
dwelling. Late at night, all found shell
tef. at the house OF some OF their e0lored
friends.
:" The mother Of the children say they