The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-03-05
MEETING OF TIRE CABINET.
Fimc Taken up Discussing the Mur-
der OF tho Postmaster nt LnItc Ci,y

der of Postmaster ut Lake Ciiy.
| Washington. ID. c., March Ito
days Cabinet meeting occupied
about 3 hours. and at It's conclusion n
was announced that nothing of an i'm
portant nature had occurred. No Infor-
nation OF any character 1t was stated,
had been received either from General
Lee or ths court OF inquiry.
AN hour on more OF the t.mc of the
| Cabinet session was occupied in the
reading OF Il long report from the spe-
c!t agent of the p0stoilicc Department
cn the killing Of Baker, the colorcd
| postmaster at Lake City, S. G. In view
of the peculiar circumstances connected
| with the murder and The cnormity Of the
| CRIME. 1t was decided To increase the
| Governments reward To 81 900 In each
| case Every effort will he made by the
| Federal authorities to bring the guilty
parties to Justice.
The report on the case was presented
| by fostmastcr General Gary and the
| action taken by the Cabinet in the
! oiiefinS of rewards for the apprehension
anu conviction of the guilty persons IS
sald To he the most energetic ever agreed
| on by any administration In il similar
case 1t is probable that the Fr.storlicc
bepar;m mt will detail C,her inspectors
| TO assist these now on the iia,l IN fer
reting out the murdercrs, ana the large
amount OF reward offered. It IS thought,
VIII induce private detectives to work
| on :hc case.
1t is said that AttoYncy-General
| GriE&s holds to the opinion that the
Federal Government will have juris-
! dic;ion over the murdcrc,s when cap
| lurcd, unless they arc first taken by
! hnr toe. l.,
hel%i, was an officer of the Governme ent
In the discharge OF his duty, and the
attack upon him was similar to any
aitacl; on deputy marshal or other
! Official.
Postmustcr-%'cncral Gary Expresses
| the determination TO do everything in
| ms pCWer TO ascertain the identity of
The guilty parties. In response to in
pul'ies he made public the following
| statements:
The Departments; is in possession of
Il preliminary report from its repre-
| sentative In regard tu this sad tragedy
| from which IL few details may be
given. The widow Of the murdered
postmaster has been interviewed and
! her story In brief, is about as follows:
| fhcy Were awakened some time
| III the early morning by the smell Of
| fire aud smoke ana upon rising found
! that the house was in flameS Baker
| attempted 10 cxtinsuish the fire. but,
| soon discovered that this would be
impossible. He then told his wife he
! would go 10 the door and call for help.
| AS soon as he opened the door the
! firing began and n storm of bullets
struck the door and house. Mrs. Baker
| said that her husband then fell OH his
| knees and prayed for protection. The
! heat ana smoke became so unbcarabc
at length that they could no longer
remain in the house. On again appear
| ing at the door they were greeted with
another vollcy Of bullets.
| THE first ;ne OF the family TO he
! killed was ihe baby in its mothers
arms, 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 other children were
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. They ran until
! they were exhausted and fell down. The
older girls wsnt into n ncighboring field
and remained there until they heard NJ
more sounds from the vicinity Of their
| old dwelling. Late at night all found
| shelter at the house OF some OF III ir
| cOlured friends
| 1.-The mother ana children say they
saw mon standing about the trees and
| bushes near the house. but were unable
| to recognize anyone.
Mrs. Eakcr is reported o be Il small
| fra:l woman. about 81 years of age She
| has a gunshot wound in the left fore
| aTpn and the bones arr, fractured Rosa
| the oldest daughter. aged aIgsut lG
| years, received a gunshot wound which
| broke the bones above the left elbow
| Cora, TIL next girl, was shot in tho right
| hand and wrist. y son, about II years
| 81 age. has one serious wound IN the
| abdomen and another wound in the
| right forearm both bones Cf the arm be-
ing broken and badly shattered He is
| net expected to live Two very Young
girls. completing the family, escaping
| unhurt F."
''lt is needless fer me to add that the
! administrator, together with all good
! citizens of the country. in whatever
| section they may reside. fully aDpre-
| ciateS the enormity iSf the crime which
| has been committed. not only against
this unoffend;ng man and his family.
| but against the Government, as repre-
stntcd by the postmaster, and / assure
you that the PostofIice Department, in
| cooperation with the Department of
Justice, will do everything in its powar
| TO apprchcnd and convict the men WIN
| committed this terrible outrage. Both
| of the departments mentioned are usin. .r
| every means in their power to the end
that justice may be metsd out TO the
! criminals.
| - p. i ,