The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-19
STILL A MYSTERY
MURDER OF SAMUEL BAKER LIKE
LIZ TO REMAIN UNsoLvED.
MANY THEORIES ADVANCED.
TAILOR HYMAN CLAIMS TO HAVE
BEEN HELD UP, TOO.

Accosted by Two Men at the Same
Spot in Colonial Park, but Got Ont
with His RevoIver-Negro Report
ed to Have witnessed the Homi-
eide and Detectives Are at Work.
Not Believed That Crime viii
Ever Be OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Think
Mr.. Baker Was Murdered by Mis-
take and That Highwaymen Were
Not Guilty of the Crime-Funerai
Largely Attended From His Late
Residence.
There were no new developments
Yesterday in the murder of sam
uel T. Baker although the detectives
are at work on a slight clue, which
may result in some arrests. This is
regarded as extremely doubtful, how
ever. and the murder may always re
main a mystery.
The officers who investigated the
tragedy have no doubt that Mr.. Baker
was murdered, and according to
the physicians, under no possible
hypothesis could his wounds have been
received from a fall. They are unani-
nous in the opinion that he was as
saulted, and that the blows admins
tered on the head caused his death.
Sam Hyman, a Broughton street tail
or, claims that he was accost-
ed by two men at an early
hour yesterday morning at the same
spot in Colonial Park where Mr.. Baker
lost his life. Hyman talked about his
experience to several people, and men
toned the incident to one of the city
detectives. He claimed that almost
simultaneously two men approached
him from either side.
The first man asked him what time
it was and the second asked him for a
match. Hyman flashed his revolver IN
the face of the man who asked him
the time and replied that it was
o'clock. He stated that he passed on
unmolested, but, however. with his
pistol ready.
While it is not generally believed
that the parties who committed the
assault will ever be run to cover the
officers received some little information
yesterday upon which they are work
ing, and which may lead to arrests. 1t
was stated that the crime was wit
messed by a negro, and that he might
be able to throw additional light ON it.
Just how much the negro is supposed
to know was not made known.
It was reported to Supt Reilly yes
@o..3 T,u a rol five IF Mr. PakQF
that the latter had an experience with
a man near where he was killed sew
eral weeks ago, and that he related the
incident to his wife. He was returning
home when a white man jumped out
in front of him. Mr.. Baker grasped
his walking stick tightly. and holding
it in a striking attitude went past the
man. who moved to one side. He
laughed at the fear expressed by some
for his safety, and said that a similar
incident would not occur to him in a
lifetime. 1t was his custom to go
through the park, and he had no fear
of being held up, despite his first ex-
perience.
A young man named Murphy passed
through the park at 11:50 o'clock Sat
urday night, and saw a man lying on
was drunk, and mentioned the matter
to his family, when he reached home,
remarking that the fellow would have
a cold night of it. 1t is probable that
several people passed the wounded
man before the matter was reported
to the police.
The alarm was given by Harry Fer
ris, G.. A. Price and Thomas Melon
ell, who passed the place at about
a. - l.
No. 316 Park avenue, east, and not
until yesterday was it known who
either of them were. Mr.. Price stated
to representative of the Morning
News, that he. was returning home
with his friends when their attention
was attracted by groans. They made
an examination and discovered large
pool of blood. They saw at once that
the man had been assaulted, and that
he had not sustained the wounds from
a fall. Two remained with him while
the third ran over to police headquar-
ters. Mr.. Price said that the bottle
spoken of was wrapped in a piece of
paper, and while it was broken the
glass was not scattered, and had not
been out of the wrapper. 1t was
probably scattered by those who were
attracted to the scene afterwards. Mr.
Price is positive on this point, and
with Ills SldlclieHL oil OOuDL as TO the
theory that some of the cuts were
made by the broken bottle, after Mr..
Baker fell. vanishes.
The opinion is expressed in some cir
Giles that Mr.. Baker was not murdered
for the purpose of robbery, but that he
was probably killed by mistake. AS
far as is known he had no enemies and
there are some who believe that think
ing that he was some one else he was
slain, and that his pockets were turned
wrong side out as a blind. 1t is point
ed out that he was a man who would
not have attracted the attention of
highwaymen and that, too, the small
change he had on his person was not
disturbed. The watch and chain were
not very valuable, and the bunch of
keys were of no use to those who COM
mitted the crime. Dozens of theories
were advanced, but no definite infor-
nation could be obtained upon whicn
they could be based.
The theory advanced that Mr.. Baker
might have been murdered so that the
robbers could secure the keys to Mr..
Lyons store was not accepted by those
who gave the matter any thought. 1t
was pointed out that IL that had been
the purpose of the robbery the MUIR
derers would have used the keys at
once, and would have entered Mr..
Lyons store. AS far as is known
there is nothing missing from the
store and II is not thought that the
place was visited after the murder.
Since then the locks on the doors have
been changed.
Mr.. Bakers funeral was largely at
tended from his late residence No 4fg