New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-08
LAKE CITY LYNCHING
THIRTEEN MEN INDICTED AT CHARLES
TON FOR KILLING POSTMAS-
TER BAKER
TRIAL TO BEGIN ON MoNDAY-JUDGE Draw

TRIAL TO BEGIN ON MONDAY-JUDGE BRAw-
LEY's CHARGE TO THE GRAND JURY.
WHICH RETURNED A TRUE BILL.
Try TELEGRAPH TO TRIBuNE.l
Charleston, s. c., April AFTER less than
| thirty minutes consideration, the Grand Jury OF
the United States Circuit Court brought In
true bill to-day against the thirteen merchants
and farmers OF Lake City, S. c., and its vicinity
who are charged with the lynching OF POST
master Fraser Il. Baker on February ~ 1898
There are fifteen men under Arrest. but for some
reason not explained by the District-Attorney
two names were omitted In the indictment.
The men who will now have to go on trial
for life Imprisonment for one of the most terrible
crimes ever committed In the South are Maruh
" Ward. William a. Webster, r Ezra NC
Knight Henry F. Stokes. Henry c. GOWN
Moultrie Epps. Charles ID. Joyner, oscar D
Kelly Marion n. Clark, Alonzo w. Rogers Ed
win VI. Rogers Joseph 2. Newman ana Ear!
p Lee. The last two have turned States evil
dence. and they will swear when placed upon
the stand that they, together with the other men
indicted composed the mob that went 10 BAKER
house. set It on fire and killed him ana MS
douch+er Julia. and wounded his wife and two
other children when they attempted 10 leave
the burning building.
The indictment which the jurors signed to-
day WAS drawn up by District Attorney La
throp II is long document, covering my
pages of typewriter matter. 1t recounts with
all the circumlocution known to the law the
crimes with which the accused men are chaise"
but even legal phraseology cannot OBSCURE INC
Nervousness OF the offence alleged Conspiracy
r,urder in its most revolving guse arson. inter
ference with the mails and assault and battery
~ q high and aggravated nature are Gil NUM-
hered in the counts. And they are repeate"
again and again, for not only was Baker MINI
self killed but his family OF five persons were
all victims OF the fury Of the lynchers'
JUDGE BRAwLEY's CHARGE
1udee w. II. Brawley. Of the United States
District Court for South Carolina, VINO IN tie
absence Of Judge Charles II. Simonton occupies
the Circuit bench. delivered an impressive
charge to the jury before 1t retired 10 consioeF
the case He said he did so because Oh the un-
usual character Of the case ana because Vi INC
gravity Of the crimes alleged. He defined con
spiracy' at length. and told the jurors what
their duties were in the premises and continu-
ing he said:
,rbo+ on oYence was committed there IS no
question. The only question is as to the guilty
parties No government In any c lNlIiHeu , 90
can suffer its officials or citizens no"eNea
BILE TO be done to death without eNhdus'Ine
every effort TO bring TO trial those likely 10 ndNe
offended against it. and 1t was ana IS inc dutS
Of the Government to make every eAeItio.- anu n
spare no trouble ana expense III D'i"e'"o Wv
parties to trial. 49,.
The specific charge in this indictment Is, tnat
there was an agreement among THESE pdiIeS W
iniure oppress threaten and intimidate fraser
Il Baker in the free exercise and enjoyment OF
the Office Of postmaster at Lake City to whlch
he had been duly appointed and Gommlsslonea'
and which. under the Laws OF the united states
ne had the right hold; and in the act or carry
ing into effect said unlawful agreement. the par
ties charged killed the said Baker. and II If also
charged that one OF his children was killed, and
others OF his family wounded; and that his house
was burned 1t is further charged that the let
ter boxes and mail matter in the postofiice build
ing burned. -,
A more heinous crime has rarely darkened the
history OF this State. II would be an everlasting
reproach to our Government and to our clvliiza.
ton IL those charged with the administration or
the law failed to bring otrial the perpetrators
Of this crime. II was stated In the newspapers
at the time and it Is probably true, that Fraser
B. Baker was obnoxious TO the community that
he was appointed TO serve. 1t is not for this
Court to express any opinion on that point or TO
attempt to measure the moral responsibility ot
those who brought about conditions which
aroused the popular fury TO such an extent that
that should be considered by any community as
in any measure an extenuation OF this dreadful
crime. No consideration OF that kind can fur
nish palliaton excuse for the horrible offence
charged in this indictment
Whatever reasons may have existed for the
feeling Of the community on this subject there
were other ard legal ways In which that feel
ing might manifest itself. and other and legal
remedies for such complaints. whether will or Ill
founded. and the very foundations Of society
will be broken up II the wild and lawless ele-
ments which in every community require the
wholesome restraints of law allowed upon
any pretext or for any reason to take to them
selves the right to say who shall discharge pub
lie functions and Kill and burn the objects Of
theid dlspleasure.
The most temperate statement OF the offence
charged in this indictment-the simplest detail
of the circumstances attending the execution of
the conspiracy therein charged-is go calculated
to excite the horror OF all just-rnnded men that
ment. 1t can have no opinion to the guilt or
innocence Of the parties charged until all the
evidence which in due course Of law will he
presented is before II. Its duty and yours is
simply to put in motion the machinery of law
which Will enable the Government TO present its |
proofs.
The jury retired at once, and. having been |
out less than half an hour brought in true
bill against all OF the defendants on all Of the
counts submitted by the Government. None Of
the alleged lynchers In court to-day. Messrs |
Legare e. Halman. of this city. represented |
them while District Attorney Lathrop. Assist |
ant District Attorneys Hagood and Cochran ex- |
Attorney General W. A. Barber and j. p. Ken
nedy Bryan OF the Charleston bar, appeared |
for the prosecution. The was set for trial |
on Monday at 10 a.
JURY TO TRY MRS. GEORGE SECURED. |