The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-03-05
AWFUL. TRAGEDY
iThat'Resuitcd il the Killing o. Lake
/. City Postmaster.
DECISION OF: l1IIE CABINET
inssrta,ins ,ha Reward for Iii, cap,urssss
the sInrtisrefs4- -ro.lna,,sr Gen, GARY
Make. u Statement OF, ,Ilr g,inrisr-one (
eftho Most Da,iardiy Grimes Commit.
ted In a civilized Co,nnanalty-rhsP Pest.
oflies Department. will Pro.eeats the
Case 10 the Hitter End.

49, : 4
WASHINGTON, March An hour
or moro ot the time OF the cabinet ses-
sion was occupied In the reading OF 4
lons report from the special agent OF The (.
possoillce department, on the killing OF
Baker the colorcd postmaster at Lake
City. $. G. In view OF the peculiar cir
cumstanees connected with the murder.
and the enormi.y OF the crime Il was de-
cided to increase she governments re- 1
ward TO 81, 500 IN each case. Every effort
VIII be made by the federal authorities
TO bring the guilty parties to Justice.
e The report on the case was presented
oy postmaster General Gary and the ne
ton taken by the cabinet In the offering
OF rewards for the apprehension and
CONVICTION OF the guilty persons Is said
10 DC the moot energetic ever agreed on
by any administrator In similar case.
II IS probable that the postnfilcc depart
nient will detail other inspectors TO assist
those now on the field In terretlng outs
the murderers and the large amount Of
reward offered, II Is thought, viii induce
private deteotivesto work on the case.
lt is said that Attorney General GrlSEs
holds to the opinion that the federal
government will have jurisdiction over
the murderers when captured unless
they are first taken blythe state author
ties. Baker 1t Is held, was an officer
of the government in the discharge OF
MS duty and the attack on him was sim
liar 10 an attack on, a deputy marshal
or other official. 81 8. s I.
Postmaster General Gary expressed 4
4 Atat. -. al ~
his power to ascertain the identity OF, the z
guilty parties. In nrasponsc to inquiries
he made public the following statement
In regard to the case: q y Z. :
The department is in possession OF a
preliminary report from i,s representa-
tives in regard to this sad tragedy from 4
whichia few details may be given The I
widow OF the murdered postmaster has
been interviewed and her story in brief
Is about as follows: i7!s
They 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 a
tempted TO extinguish the fire, but soon
discovered that this would be impossible.
He then told his wife that he would go
10 the door and call for help. As soon as s
ne opened the door, the firing began and 7,
@: storm OF bullets struck the door and Z
house. Mrs. Baker said that her hus.
band then fell on his knees and prayed
for protection. The heat and smoke be-
came SO ,unhearahle al, lelgt tn that they.
could no longer remain In the house. On
again appearing at the door, they We're
greeted with another volley OF bullets.
The first one Of the family to be kill =
ed was the baby In Its mothers arms, a {
bullet striking 1t In the side. Mrs. Baker 4
saw the wound and told her husband
that the baby was killed. A second later
he fell back against her. dead. She and
the other children were struck by the
bullets at this time or just as they es-s
capped from the building. Mrs. Baker
had the younger girls with her when
they got out and they ran until they
were exhausted and fell down. The
older girls went 10 q neighboring field
and remained there until they heard no
more sounds from the vicinity OF their
home. Late, at night all found shelter
at the house OF some OF their colored
friends.
THE mother and children say they.
saw men standing about the trees and
bushes near the house but were unable
oiis viz.
Mrs. Baker is reported 10 be n small.
frail woman about thirty-five years of s
age. She has gun shot wound In the
left forearm and the bones are frac-
tured. Rosa, the oldest daughter. aged
about sixteen years, received gun5hot
wound which broke the bones above the )
left elbow. Cora, the next girl, was shot
in the right hand and wrist. son.
about eleven years OF age, has one seri-
GUS wound in the abdomen and another
wound in the rgh. forearm, both. bones
OF the arm being broken and badly
shattered. His condition Is serious and
he Is not expected 10 live. TWO very. =
young girls, completing the family, es--
capped unhurt. Is
1T IS needless for me to add that the
administration, together with all good
citizens OF the country in whatever sec
.tlon they may reside, fully appreciate
the enorInity OF the crime which has =
been committed not only against this un- y
offending man and his family, but
against the government as represented
by the postmaster, and assure you that
the pos;ofiice department, In co-opera.-
ton with the department. OF justice. will
do everything In Its power TO apprehend
and convict the men who Commute thts
terrible outrage. Both OF the, depart
ments mentioned are using every means
in their power 20 the end ehat Justice
may be metcd out TO the criminals"
Insane 4Nvomau's Deed.