Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-06-12
TOM BAKERS END
IT HAS EXCITED KENTUCkIANs TO
FIGHTING POINT.
A COLD BLooDED MURDER
BULLET PIERCED HIS HEART IN HIS
wIFE'S PRESENCE.
Militia Charged the Hiding Place of
Assassin, but Found Nothing but
Stock of Winchester Rifles
Change of Venue
Asked For.

Asked For.
BARBOURSVILLE, KY, June n.-Since |
the change of venue was granted at Man. |
chester. Clay county, yesterday for the
Baker murder trials to be held here in the
Knox county courts, this city has been In
a state of excitement. 1t will be impossi-
BILE in this place which has a population OF
between 1000 and 5000 inhabitants. with
good officers, for such a tragedy to occur
as that at the village Of Manchester yes
terday under the shadow of the court,
when Tom Baker. the principal defendant,
was shot dead while a prisoner of the
court. AS Tom Baker had killed William
White, a brother of Sheriff Beverly White,
of Clay county, and as the crowd saw the
rifle fired from a window in the sheriff $
Office at the time Baker fell dead into the
arms of his wife, it is thought that there
may be another trial soon for a change Of
venue to this place.
When Jesse Barrett turned states evil
dence last Friday Jim and Dee Baker and
Charles Wooton were released as well as
Barrett, the confession showing these par
| ties were not implicated.
The new indictments were returned
against Tom Baker and his son Jim and
Wiley Baker, a brother of Tom, for killing
Wilson Howard and Burch Storr and
shooting Bat Howard with intent TO kill
The four defendants were released by Bar
retts confession and now the fifth by as
sassination, leaving only Wiley and Jim
Baker to be transferred to the Jail here
| unless additional arrests have been made
| to-day at Manchester, point twenty-six
miles from railway, telegraph or tele-
phone station.
Colonel Williams, who had his battalion
and Calling gun at Manchester the past
| week and has done effective work not only
| in quelling the mob last night and in
| bringing refugees into court earlier in the
week, but also in holding back the fighting
feudists all week. was expected here to-day
with Wiley and Jim Baker, guarded by the
militia, but they have not yet arrived to-
night.
| LEXINGTON, KY, June n.-As is shown
from London, KY, the entire basis of ac
| tivity in the trial OF the Bakers has shifted
from Manchester to Barboursville, where.
will be held. The troops left Manchester
Sunday for Barboursville. taking Wiley
for their weapons on leaving. but were de-
MED them. A search of Sheriff Whites
house revealed lot of Winchester rifles
premeditated plot to kill Baker. One of
the rifles found in the house had a newly
exploded cartridge shell in it.. The trouble
factions seem to be cementing more closely
and conflict among the friends of those
under 6i;sr arrest csnnss, is not impro,bables
guard. tried to get in telegraphic communi-
cation with Colonel Williams tonight, but
there Is no telegraph office nearer Man
chester than London. twenty-six miles dis
tant, a:d no messenger could be found to
take 1t. as all are afraid of being taken
for To- me me n nbers Of the assembling clans. sher-
!: of the troops. John G. White. of Winches-
ter, KY, accompanied by Hiram Bolin and
rannh man named Prophet p who figured in the
scene, 1t is alleged to take the White end
of 1t.
Howards and. their allies, the Whites are
In possession of the ground at Manchester
in the Baker-Howard feud and few Bakers
or Baker sympathizers are left to molest
Them
/ After Tom Baker. the head Of the Baker
family, met his tragic death yesterday at
the hands Of an assassin, whose deed
! stands alone the coolest blooded in the his
tory of Kentucky feudal wars, the state
militia under Colonel Williams with Wiley,
Jim Dee and AL Baker. shorn of their arms,
left over the mountain road for Barbours-
Vile, where the charges of numbering
Burch Stores and Wilson Howard will be
tried on change of venue granted by
Judge Cook.
Baker, when shot, was in his tent within
: seventy feet of the assassin, who fired
from the porch of Sheriff Beverly Whites
= house, diagonaily across the street. Baker
stand up for fresh air and when he did sc
L a bullet pierced his breast. Colonel WI.
= liams sounded the assembly and the bat
e talon or militia charged Whites house.
They found the gates locked and the
\ \ doors barred, but the boys in blue broke
the locks and bars and found inside moth.
ing save stock OF Winchester rifles. Upor
q to contain a freshly exploded cartridge
y y and it is this which sent the ieaden missile
9 leader. The people of this place and alone
y the road to Manchester are wild with eX.
citement. Sympathy for the Bakers is ex
powerless under Kentucky law to protect
or execute the simplest duty. being sub
ject to the orders of the county sherlff
their purpose. John G. White, of Win
' chester, KY, brother of Sheriff Beverl.
Tfh te be h
tonight that Special Judge A. King Cool
= will order 9, special grand jury and attemp
= the fact that Judge Cook is not the regu
GaIGAG0 June Ne spscia! to tn
y Sheriff Beverly P. White is now unde
: arrest. charged with the murder Of Ton
Baker, leader Of his faction in the Baker
II Howard feud, in the court house yard yes
: terday afternoon The sheriff is under th
8 same military guard that was sent here il
endsay9s to protest gasses life bu
e tion to see that his new prisoner. II foun'
Is guilty, shall pay the penalty without tn
n premature fate of his alleged victim
4 Nevertheless, blood for blood is the cry O
" Bakers relatives, and those who knoy
y them say they are bound to get it.
q Thorough investigation has establishe,
n the fact beyond doubt that the shot tina
,f killed Baker was fired from the home o
y Sheriff White. It came from window Il
the front room on the left side of the hous
between seventy-five and one hundre,
yards from where the camp was pitched.
"A It develops that Baker was not stand
a ing outside the guard house tent whel
q killed. Though repeatedly warned not t
expose himself. Baker, too confident Of tn
= protection afforded him, walked to the en-
trance and leaned on the centerpole still
| keeping under canvas. But this much ex
poslIre was sufficient for the keen eye,
murderer concealed across the street.
= Bakers Guarded by Troops.
q MANCHESTER, KY. June n-colone
u Williams and his troops have left fo
Barboursville, having in custody AL De,
and Wiley and Jim Baker, who will b.
Jailed at Barboursville. The body of Ton
Is Baker was taken to the old family bury
ing ground at Crane creek for interment