The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-12
AMBUSH MURDER OF BAKER
FEUD LEADER hSSASsINA TED IN THE
COURT YARD AT MANCHESTER, KY

Had just Got n Change of Venue and Was
Talking to His Son and wifc-Shot Came
from Sheriff's House-Troops Charge the
House and Get the sheriff and His Mon.
MANCHESTER. KY. June ll.--An unidentified
man shot and instantly killed Tom Baker.
leader Of his faction In the Baker-Howard
| feud. while he was talking to his wife in the
| Court House yard last evening about y O'Clock.
He had Just secured change Of venue from the
Clay county court to that OF Knox county. at Bar
| bourville. and he was talking to his son James
about the disposition OF his crops He had
| been remanded to the Knox County Jail with
out bail, and he was making his final arrange
| ments about his business affairs His wife soon
| came out Of the guard tent and Joined them.
| telling her husband that 1t was dangerous to
| stand ont in the open with his enemies
| around Her warning had been spoken not
! over two minutes when the crack Of rifle was
heard in the direction Of Sheriff Beverly p
Whites house. about seventy yards away
across the main street. Baker fell into his
! wfes arms exclalminR
My Godl They have killed me this time"
| Mrs. Baker is in delicate health and her grief
| over the tragic death Of her husband rendered
| her frantic She and the body were taken into
! the Court House and Dea Baker and his brother
| Al were also taken in and closely guard
| ed lest they should also be killed.
| Col. Roger Williams was sitting In his tent
giving orders regarding breaking camp and
leaving for Barbourvillc with the prisoners
| when the shot was fired. He ran out and
ordered the assembly sounded The troops
| came to order and formed line across the
| front OF the Court House yard. where they re-
manned until Capt LonRmire could get his
| Calling gun into position
Then Col. Williams ordered the men to
| charge the house OF Beverly White. for II was
conceded that the shot had been fired from
that building. Before the men reached the
| house they were met by Sheriff White and
about thirty heavily armed men. who tried
TO stop the soldiers. Col. Williams or
dered tlem to dispense. and when they
refused he ordered the men forward. They
| rushed on the friends OF White and Howard.
| who ran to the back OF the house. One man
| drew his pistol on guard. but did not shoot.
| The soldiers surrounded the house and orr
| dered the ten men inside to come out and sur
render. They refused. threatening to shoot
| ANYBODY who attempted to take them.
| Col. Williams had the Calling gun brought
| UP close and told the men inside that he would
| turn it on the house If they fired shot at the
soldiers. This threat had the desired effect
| and they gave up and submitted to arrest.
| Sheriff White was placed under arrest for OBJ
| structinR the State Guards In the prosecution
| OF their duty.
| He and his friends were opposed to the State
| Guards coming here, and last night he sent
messenger to Winchester for his brother. John
| q. White. who Is now on his way here. John is
| the bravest man OF the family and has been in
| several fights. He assisted his brother Daueh
| White in eXterminatng the Hackers here sew
eral years ago. and Beverly places much con-
tldence In him. John is in favor Of the law
| tnk inv itS pDurse and haa adyisel apainst ns-
sassination publicly. but he is accused OF pri-
| vately lending his assistance to the attempt to
| kill Tom Baker two weeks ago at Bakers
| home. whore he was fired Oh from ambush.
| The bullet then struck the door
| After the prisoners had been en- Col Will
| Jams deemed it bost to guard the house OF
| Daugh White. SO that noneNof the Howard
faction could take refuge In 1t and use it as
| place from which to fire on the soldiers. The
| Colonel was on his mettle.
The Bakers friends who were encamped
| near town are on the alert. Several OF Bakers
| relatives at other places have been notified and
| they are on their way here.
| Col. Williams and his troops left for Barbour
| vile this evening. having in custody Al Doe
| Wiley and Jim Baker. who Twill he put in jail
at Barbourve The body OF Tom Baker
was taken to the old family burying ground
| on Crane Creek for interment. Last night
| Wnen the troops entered tne Nnlte residence
| they discovered several guns. in one OF which
was an empty cartridge shell which had been
| recently exploded.
| LEXINGTON KY. June 1l.-There has been
great anxiety here to-day among the fathers
and mothers and friends OF the battalion Of
State troops. now at Manchester. All the one
| hundred men are citizens OF Lexington.
| including Col. Williams. They recently enlisted
| in the new State Guard. as the old Guard vol
unteered in the Spanish American War. They
compose the First Battalion of the First
| Regiment under the new organization
and this is their first campaign as
| an organization. Col Williams is an old
State Guard man. and 50 are his officers
as we'll as many Of the rank and file but tho
| majority Of the members are raw recruits and
| this Is the first service they have seen.
| IA despatch received here from London to-
| night says that John q. White passed
| through there this afternoon on his way
| to Manchester. and that number OF
| Bakers relatives living near London have
| gone over TO take part in any trouble that
| may arise. 1t il the opinion of leading men at
| London who know the details OF tho feud and
| the people that the trouble will not end until
| the Bakers are eIterminated