Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-04
Walter F. Baker Believed
to Have Been Slain,
Traces Of Poison Found IN
Rich Young Mans Body.
Attorneys For Family Confident
There Was Foul Play.

Boston, Nov. 3.-According to a state-
nent made by attorneys for the fam
lily Of Walter Farnsworth Baker.
clubm%n. millionaire and Harvard
graduate, who died suddenly at the
residence of Frank H. Hurd at Rogo-
Ia, n. j.. last Sunday morning, there
is every indication of foul play in the
case.
The autopsy performed by State Med
zeal Examiner Ma grath after the body
arrived in Boston Monday disclosed
superficial traces OF poison in the
stomach. The internal organs were at
once sent to the chemists of the Har-
ward Medical School and the report Of
the analysis as it has progressed has
Confirmed the belief Of the brother.
Edward Baker, and other members Of
the family
According to the attorneys. the Bak-
ers are acting on the theory that some
person or persons got the easily led
young man under their influence, in
duced him to make a will or transfer
part of his property to them and
then took some subtitle means Of get
ting rid of him. The poison, it is
thought. was given to him after he left
MIR. ana Mrs. Hurd with whom he had
come to the city, and before he ap-
ncared i'll Brownies chop house at $50
=. NJ. and greeted several old friends.
Baker, apparently, was then in per-
feet health, according to Harry Lee
and Others. He was still normal at
lo2o O'Clock after he had enga ged the
automobile at kid" McCoy's garage
in West 43d street. He was in the
Hotel Rialto in West 4th street when he
looked at his watch and annunced that
it was still40 minutes until II o'clock,
the time for him to meet Mr.. and Mrs
Hurd. Mrs. Young and the fourth man
and take them out to Bogota. There
was nothing wrong with him then, ac
cording to Harry Tanner, Mrs. Mulligan
and Mr.. Lee, but little later as he
was lifting a glass of bromo- seller TO
his lips he became ill.,
1t was while he was in a bedrooms
Of the chop-house, suffering intensely.
that the young man repeated several
times. Il have been poisoned. I ann
TOO sick to go to Bogota tonight. / will
be there tomorrow morning"
Once in the presence of Mr.. Leo lie
said that he believed that he had been
poisoned hy acetanilid and described
his symptoms.
1T isn't that his friend replied.
'Acetaniid would not affect YOU that
way" Baker did not say with whom
he had been after he had left Mr.. and
Mrs. Hurd.
Mr. Hurd acknowledged in Bogota
yesterday that Mr.. Baker died without
medical attendance. but this was be-
cause no one suspected how serious his
condition WAS.
y1I<
had gone To bed" said Mr. Hurd.
"Walter's pains still continued. and I
left the room to get glass OF brandy
for him. l heard some sort of a sound
as | left and when I returned he was
dead.
Four doctors were called in immediate-
ly. Two of them. Dr. Charles +. Adams
and G. II. McFadden, said yesterday they
diagnosed the case from the report made
to them by Mr.. Hmd and gave a ccrtin-
cate that the clubman had died from
heart failure due to an aggravated attack
of Rright's disease. Mr. Bakers fast life
in New York mad given him a weak heart
and there We're some, of the external
symptoms of Bright's disease, and it was
not thought necessary to inform the COR
oner. The body was at once made ready
for shipment to his family home. 1t ar
rived in Boston Monday, and after the
autopsy WAS buried from the home of w.
Stickney. No. 269 Newbury street.
Tie detectives in the city yesterday at
tempted to learn the details of the mans
life in the city during the last three or
four years. This was made highly neces-
sary because some time ago Mr. Baker
wrote to his brother. Edward II have
Just made my will. I am leaving 100000
to my dear sweetheart" The name of
the sweetheart was not mentioned. The
family does not know where the will Ia.
and can only wait until it's custodian
comes forward.
In their efforts to learn who the sweet
(COntinlel IN pa0a cayoc