The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-03-27
ILLINOIS FARMER KILLS FOUR
Shocking MurGerOHs Frenzy OF
Thomas Baldwin, Of CoifaX.
One OF the Old Mans Victims Was 3
Fourteen-Year-Old Niece Whom
He Had Mistreated.

Bloomington, III. - Enraged by
Grand Jury proceedings to punish
him for mistreating his fourteen
year-old niece, Thomas Baldwin, a
wealthy farmer, sizty-eight years old,
recently made a widower, began a
campaign of vengeance, and when he
concluded four personshad been MUIR
dered, including the little girl whom
he bad so outrageously wronged.
The child, Cora Eiseman. was his
last victim and his murder of her was
most cruel. She had just seen her
mother shot to death and was striv-
ing to escape by crawling through a
thorny hedge when Baldwin ran up
and shot her to death.
- Baldwin resides near ColfaX and
is one of the best known men in the
county. He was one Of the leading
merchants of the town until he re-
tired to live on his farm. His large
interests in various enterprises made
him OF Importance commercially, and
he was n of the most conspicuous
church members in the place.
Last October his wife died and he
seemed to mourn her deeply. His lit
tie niece. Cora Eiseman, lived with
her mother and sister about three
miles northeast of Arrowsmith, ten
miles from Baldwin's home. He went
there a week after his wife's death
and persuaded Mrs. Simeon Eissman
to let Cora live with him, saying he
would take the best of care of her
and provide literally for her i'll his
will. Soon after the girl became an
inmate of his home he mistreated her
on O lonely country road between Col
fax and Arrowsmith. The girl told
her mother, and Mrs. Eiseman, being
averse to the notogiety which would
attend prosecution, refrained from
making formal complaint. Baldwin
in the meantime gave her $500 in set
Element.
Baldwin then supposed the matter
had been finally disposed OF, but the
news of his offense was carried to
States Attorney w. R. Bach, aud he
propmtly submitted the case to The
Grand Jury and Baldwin was indicted.
On being arrested Baldwin vowed
vengeance upon everybody connected
with the proceedings to punish him.
Nevertheless he was released On
$1,000 bond.
During the morning Baldwin took
a revolver, a supply of cartridges and
a quart bottle of whisky and drove to
Arrowsmith. He first went to the
home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Ken
nedy, friends of the Eisemars, whom
he suspected Of giving the facts to
the States Attorney, and shot them
both dead. ...
. Then he re-entered his buggy and
drove to the Eiseman home. Mrs.
Eiseman saw him coming and, fear
ing him, called Cora and the other
children into the house and locked
the door. Presently, however, she
opened the door and tried to mollify
Baldwin, but his answer was to fire
two bullets into her breast, killing
her instantly.
Cora and the other children started
to run. Baldwin paid no attention
to the others, but with curses fol-
lowed the little girl whom he had
wronged. She had reached a hedge
and was crawling through to reach
some neighbors when he reached her.
He shot her dead while she was beg
ging for mercy. =.
Baldwin then hunted up a deputy
sheriff at Arrowsmith and surren-
dered.