New-York tribune., 1899-03-26

legal and constitutional nerves with "h'cm ."7
rights OF the States are still surTouhueI
was a Federal servant. holding feue'dl 0''O0'
and II was in the discharge OF his Federai IuH
that he met his terrible death. II was VII" "o
adninistration Of a Federal department that 'he
mob ,nterfered and against which 1t cohspr'u'
TIC case fell without question within the Jursdic-
,,on OF the United States court and the proS'o"-
zion Of the galty men was undoubtedly Hs P'N
rogative. 49,,
So clear was all this that from the ou'sel '"e
only cognizance which the Governor OF 9o"e"
Carolina has ever taken of the Lake lily "'s0-'
was in n proclamation deploring It's occurrence
ga rro,nisire n reward to any one who would
hri,s the r,ltv men to justice. Public opinion ana
the prcs= of the State have from the hrSt Ie'oe
rized the Governments responsibility ana u'seu
unon the Federal prosecuting officers 10 Poc'eu
with vigor II an accepted time is ever 10 "'''Ee
,or tho vindication Of the law against mob rule
49,. ,ro,ld seer to be IT, If Bakers death Is not
avenged then lynchers need never lear III '"e
future.
The killing Of Baker was the most deliberate ana
brutal crime ever committed In this state Al "o
beginning OF the year 1898 the negro was appol'ou
postmartor AZ Lake city. little hamie' situate"
on the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad III W ''''"I'
ture County about sixty miles from this city. Inc
man was prominent politically and had mace MN
self offensive TO the people OF the village. lie was
not native Of The town county. and moved 10
the place but few weeks before his appointment
Whitecaps warned him OF his danger; masS-hee
tngs protested against his installation IN once H'S
annointuent was for a time held up In the United
States Senate: no one IN the village "oulo 'e"'
him house in which TO open an office Baker as
regarded these tokens of popular disapprovaL ana
finally went 70 work in shanty which ne fouhd
vacant few hundred yards outside OF the town
The cabin IN which he opened his office had been
newly constructed. and banked against IL were
shavings on the night Of February p. lsS' mop
surrounded the place OH was poured over the
shaytngs and match was touched to the IN,
1ammable material The flames quickly climbed
ana roared about the roof. Baker and his family
an az uskeneI bv The noise Crazed by fear and
half sufIocated by smoke. they rushed TO the Go9I
Of the building there 10 be met Py iuI5l,IHr
!M M hd ht Ie 81 b nfant son and buried itself in the
breast Of his wife. 4 girl in her teens was shot
down and a younger brother fell across neT, sho,
tbroueb The stomach The VIE and the girl and
bow Mere not fatally injured however They
dragged themselves into the neghoorng WoodS:
and lay there throughout the night. The bodies OF
Baker and the baby were burned in the house
The crime was such shocking one that horror
was excited throughout the Nation. II was the
subtect OF more than one speech in Congress. Re
wards were offered by the stat" ana Federal "u-
thorities The press Of the country as well as
that of South Carolina united in demanding a
vigorous prosecution. In response 70 ulls cl"moI
the Tinted states District Attorney for this circuit
tnstituted an Investigation Special agents and in
epectors Of the Postofficc Department were placed
at his command. Having once taken action the
autborities went TO work in earnest. 1t was "a
long time before any arrests We're made. but when
the trap sprung a sensation was created IN
Lake CITY Fifteen men OF that town and vicinity.
all more or Jess prominent locally. were taken IN
custody They were brought before United States
commissioner and were allowed 10 give bond.
The case against them has been postponed from
time TO time. but II will be called peremporiy at
ire rext term Of tho Federal Court D.strict-At-
torney Iathrop will b. assisted In the prosecution
by ] T. X Rryan Of this city. and by cX-Arorney-
General Barber. The POstoficc inspectors declare
that the evidence they have against some Of tho
accused men Is direct and conclusive. They had
much trouble in getting their best witnesses 10
testify These men feared for Their ives. and In
more than one instance they were quietly taken
away from Lake City. and are now In Washington,
being maintained al the Governments expense.
All In all the trial OF the Lake city lynChers
promises TO be a notable and interesting one