The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-03-23
The Lake City Inquest.

Baker and His Baby Shot,
But Nobody Knows by
Whom.
Lake City, March 10 The jury of
inquest on the Baker postofice
tragedy met to- day in the tobacco
warehouse Coroner 81. NJ. Bur-
rows, Solicitor j 8. Wilson and Mr
Abial Lathrop, district attorney for
the State, we're present In addi-
ton to these and the jury there we're
about one hundred and fifty people !;
good many colored citizens among
them, to hear the verdict of the jury.
The members of the jury being seat
ed, the coroner asked if they bad
heard anything new in reference to
the killing of Baker and his infant
They answered, mo p The same
question was put to the others pres
ent, and the same response was
given. The following witnesses
were examined as to what they saw
upon the scene the morning after
the tragedy : Mr.. Lewis j Bristow,
editor Of the County Record, said he
was there and saw the remains of q
human body. which he supposed to
be that of a grown person. He saw
also the remains of the infant, but
both were so badly marred and char
red tha. it was hard to tell what they
were.
DR. 4 H. Williams testified that
he was upon the scene the next
morning, and that he saw the char
red remains of what he took to be a
grown person He said he did not
examine it closely. but noticed that
parts of the body had been destroyed
by the 6re, only from the shoulder
down being left BE did not see the
infant
DR.. J C. Fillmore said he was
present the next morning and saw
the remains of the body of a grown
person He saw also the remains of
baby, and both were so badly dis
figured that it was hard to tell what
they were He could tell that the
infant was colored, but could not tell
what was the color of the other
Mr. w. T. Askins. with the per-
mission of the solicitor. had his testi
mony, as given before. corrected.
He said he had been misquoted, that
he bad testified that he heard two
squads, with at least half.a-dozen.
possibly twenty, in each squad, going
out in a direction opposite from the
postofice. However. this doesn't ma
terially change his former testimony
Mr. 81 81 Singletary stated as in.
formation that he had heard
it rumored that the brother
of Frazier B. Baker went
to the latter's Office on the afternoon
before the fatal night. and begged
his brother to give up the Office and
go with him that very night, be-
cause he knew that some one would
kill him if he remained. After re
fusing to listen to all his entreaties
he babe him goodbye, saying thai
he did not expect to see hira alive
any more.
After receiving instructions from
Solicitor Wilson as to how their yer
dict should be framed, the jury re-
tired for about fifteen minutes, ane
returned with the following verdict
State Of South Carolina-County o.
Wrlliamsburg-An inquisition in
} dented, taken at Lake City, February
, % and 26, and March 10, 1898, be
fore 81 M. Burrows for said county
, upon view of the body of Frazier B
Baker, there and then being dead
!, by the oath of the members of thi'
jury being lawful jury of inques
, who. being charged and sworn to in
quire for the State OF South Carolina
| where and by what means the sale
, Frazier B. Baker came to his death
upon their oath do say That th'
said Frazier B. Baker came tt
, his death on the night of February
} 81, 1898, by gunshot wounds from
the hands of parties unknown to tn,
, jury.
: Signed: II Fl. singletary. fore
, man; J T Woods, j 81 Webster, 3
F. Prosser, II. C Edwards, NJ. B
Spring. w. W. Moore. Josiah Ora
t ham. Tom Henderson, Esseck Brown
f II E Moody, P. E Severance.
State of South Carolina Count,
of Williamsburg-An inquisition, in
dented, taken at Lake City. Febra
ary % and 26, and March l9, 1898
before Fl NJ. Burrows for said coun
~ rnoy, viaw of the hodv Of the in