The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-23

Tn the spring of 1897 my father discov- cred that Tom Baker was giving him the worse of a deal by which Baker han coi tracted to take off some timber on shares. When he remonstrated Baker are" |" pistol and made threats. I went to Baker house, met the old man, Tom s father' III the front yard and opened negotlauoli9' which resulted in the settlement or the matter in our favor, by the arpltratioh me thod.
 "No thought of further trouble entered our minds and the logging proceeded. on the morning of April z, 1897, my father my brother Wilson and my foster brother, Burch Stores, rode down to the lumber yard. Soon after their arrival the Bakers left Amiable greetings had been ex- changed on both sides, and it was with no suspicion of danger that our folks started home to dinner
 "As they cantered past the home of Gardner Baker the latter's wife came out of the house and vigorously rang a large dinner bell which hung on tall post They took no notice of this, although it proved Ito be a death knell. It was a warning to the assassins, who lurked at the top of brush covered cliff hanking a deep ravine which ran at right angles to the road few hundred yards ahead. When they reached the ambush volley of rifle shots rang out.
 Stores fell dead. his head almost blown from his body. Wilson fell from his horse shot through the abdomen. Father was aStride spirited horse, which bolt ed ana carried fim past the house of Tom Bak- CT. three hundred yards above the ravine where he fell with a bullet between the shoulders. Fathers clothes had been al most shot off of him by volleys, which broke twigs along the roadside to the point whore his swaying form disappeared. Ills horse followed by those of my brothers, ran home.
 The assassins rushed from their place of concealment and shot the dead body of Stores full of holes. Against the pltiful
 pleadings of Wilson they were deaf, and they fired five or six more shots into the
 limp and bleeding form of their victim
 who retained consciousness until his death
 at four o'clock that afternoon and gave d detailed description of the assassination.
 Honorable Family Record.
 "When the news of the shooting spread neighbOrs feared to attempt the recovery of the bodies lest they should be included in the slaughter. I was emerging from the Court House at Manchester that afternoon
 wher. I recognized my brother Wilson s
 favorite saddle horse being hard ridden up the street by a neighbor. As the tired ami nal was spurred directly toward me l saw
 blood on it's coat and was prepared for the greeting.
 T " Bad news, Jim, said the rider, as he brought the horse to his hauuches. T ''I pressed him for details. and he finally blurted out that father Wilson and Burch Stores had all been waylaid and killed by the Bakers and that their bodies were lying in the road. where they would be prey for hogs and stock.
 "I hurried to the County Judge and , Sheriff and they promised they would dc
 what they could, but after waiting d long 2 time l besought men of the town to ac- ! company me to the scene of the tragedy : None cared to go, and I finally loaded my
 rife and set out alone on foot, resolved . that all the cowardly bushwhackers or
 earth should not prveent me from al r least attempting to recover the bodies ot !. my folks 1 thought I could pick up as a sistance along the road. but in this I wa. al disappointed, so great was the dread O. :, the Bakers among the country peolpe 1 All endeavored to dissuade me from walk s ing into what they considered certain
 death. At one house several men agreet 8 to accompany me If I would wait unti @ morning, and I remained there all night t but they also failed me, and started oI e alone again.
 e Arriving at Laurel Creek Post Oftice k two miles from fathers home, fount
 men digging graves for my three rela