The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-05
Energetic Measures Agreed ON for
Bringing the CoIored Postmaster's
sIayers to Justice.
REWARD INCREASED TO $500
BRIEF REVIEW OF THE CRIME BY
POSTMASTER GENERAL GARY.
Two Appropriation Bills Passed by
the House, and an Agreement
Reached as to War Claims.

WASHINGTON, March 4.-An hour or
more of the time of the Cabinet session to-
day was occupied in the reading of a long
report from the special agent of the Post
office Department on the killing Of Baker
the colored postmaster at Lake City. S. c.
In view of the peculiar circumstances con-
nected with the murder, and the enormity
of the crime, it was decided to increase the
governments reward tc s1,5O0 in each case.
Every effort will be made by the federal
authorities to bring the guilty parties to
justice.
The report on the case was presented by
Postmaster General Gary and the action
taken by the Cabinet in the Offering of re-
wards for the apprehension and conviction
of the guilty persons is said to be the most
energetic ever agreed on by any admins
tration in a similar case. 1t is probable that
the Postoffice Department will detail other
inspectors to assist those now on the field
in fGrretng out the murderers and the large
amount Of reward offered, 1t is thought, will
induce private detectives to work on the
case 1t is said that Attorney Griggs holds
to the opinion that the federal government
viii have jurisdiction over the murderers
when captured unless they are first taken
by the state authorities. Baker, it is held,
was an officer of the government in the
UisC1dISS VI Ills Quiy Gnu the dlldCh ou lliil
similar to an attack on a deputy mar
shall or other official.
Postmaster General Gary expresses the
determination to do everything in his power
to ascertain. the identity of the guilty
parties. In response to Inquiries he made
public the following statement in regard to
tho case:
1.-THE department is in possession of
preliminary report from it's representa-
tives in regard to this sad tragedy, from
which a few details may be given. The
widow of the murdered postmaster has bean
interviewed and her story in brief is about
as follows: They We're awakened some
time in the early morning by smell of fire
and smoke, and on 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 that he would go to the door and call
fer 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 protection. The heat and smoke
became so unbearabIe 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
baby in it's mothers arms, a bullet striking
it in the side. Mrs. Baker 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 We're
struck by the bullets at this time or just
as they escaped 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 into a neighboring field and remained
there until they heard no more SOUNDS from
the vicinity of their old dwelling. 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 to recognize any one.
Mrs. Baker is reported to be a small,
frail woman, about thrty-five years of age.
She has a gunshot wound in the left fore
arm and the bones are fractured. Rosa, the
eldest daughter aged about sixteen years,
received a gunshot wound which broke the
bones above the left elbow. Cora, the next
girl, was shot in the right hand and wrist.
A son, about eleven years of age, has one
serious wound in the abdomen and another
wound in the right forearm, both bones of
the arm being broken and badly shattered.
His condition is serious and he is not ex-
pected to live. Two very young girls, COM
peting the family, escaped unhurt.
1T is needless for me to add that the adj
ministration. together will all good citizens
of the country, in whatever section they may
reside, fully appreciates the enormity of
the crime which was committed not only
against this unoffending man and his fam
lily, but against the government as repre-
scented by the postmaster, and I-assure you
that the Postoffice Department, in co-opera-
ton with the Department OF Justice. will
do everything in it's power to apprehend
and convict the men who committed this
terrible outrage. Both of the departments
mentioned are using every means in their
power to the end that justice may be melted
out to the criminals