Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1908-02-22
TRACED BY POSTALS
Alleged Murderer and Bandit Con-
fesses to Many Crimes.
WROTE TO PlTTsBuRG BELLE

WnUIE ~ I'll ISDUn0 DELLE
James A. Baker, Accused Of Killing
West Virginia Postmaster and Many
Postoffice Lootinss, Is Held In Heavy
Bail In New York.
New York, Feb. 22.-The arrest at
the general postoffice in this city Of
James A. Baker, with many aliases
and self confessed murderer and rail
road station robber. was brought about
through souvenir postcards sent to
Miss Hilda Joyce. an estimable young
woman of Pittsburg, who knew moth
ing of the mans past life.
Baker last visited the Joyce home on
Feb. 13. During the Christmas holi-
days Baker, who knew every police
department in the country was look
ing for him, played the piano and sang
a duet at the Joyce home with the
mother of well known Baltimore and
Ohio officers who was active in the
search
Baker is also charged with having
robbed several postoffices in Pennsyl-
vania, Virginia and West Virginia.
He was arrested In the federal build
ing, where he had gone to get letter
from the Pittsburg girl.
He presented himself at the general
delivery window and asked If there
was any mail for "R. G. Noel" A let
ter was produced, and the clerk, who
had been instructed by Inspector Kin
caid, informed Noel that there was a
previous letter which was laid back in
a pile of mail which was to be con-
signed to the dead letter Office.
While the attendant was sorting over
this mail the inspector and detectives
appeared outside of the window and
took Baker into custody.
According to Inspector Kincaid and
Detectives Rigor and Nuss of the
Pennsylvania railroad, the chase for
Baker had led Them from the towns in
which he operated in the east to San
Francisco and back. So quickly had
the man jumped from place to place
that they had never been able to lay
their hands on him until he entered
the postoffice in this city.
5. His method has been for the most
part to pick ont some small and sell
dom frequented station in which no
night operator or agent was stationed
and rob it late at night when nobody
was. about
The first deal on which the authori-
ties saw his handiwork was late In
November whenafhe THOMAS TO- sta
tion on the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road was robbed Of about $500 worth
Of pay checks and express money or
ders. On Dec. Baker admitted he
robbed the station at Underwood, w.
Va. and from there he enumerates his
robberies as follows:
Dec q. station at Brucetown, Pa;
Dec. q. station at Hays, Pa. got in
terchangeable mileage books in both
places, which he sold in Pittsburg.
Robbed station in Parkersburg. W. Va.
Dec. % and on Dec. 20 the station at
Clarington. w. Va, where Postmaster
E. Y. Hutchinson was killed. He went
then to Powhatan, w. Va. where he
robbed neil pouch. On Dec. 30 he
robbed the express office at Mounds
vile. W. Va. He went to Pittsburg
and later to Philadelphia, cashing ex-
press and money orders in both cities.
On Jan. he robbed the station OF
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad at
Waverly, Pa. and at Ogden. Pa. and
at Boothwin. Pa. stole mileage books.
Other robberies he confessed 10
were: Fairlong IN. j. station of the
Erie railroad. Jan. =: Garfield IN. ~
station Of the Erie. jan o: Carleton
Hill station IN. ~ postoffice, Jan. IL;
Justice l0.) station. Baltimore and
Ohio. Jan. "a: Era (OJ station of the
Baltimore and Ohio. Jan. d: Waterloo
(Neb.l station. Southern Pacific rail-
road. Feb. s. and Bound Brook IN. ~
Iehigh Valley railroad station. Feb IL.
Then followed a trip 10 San Francis
co, apparently in the nature of a rest
from his strenuous efforts. because
was heard Of any thefts in the
far west. but ON Feb. 8 he appeared in
Neb.. where he robbed the
station Of express money orders and
some mileage books. some of which he
sold in Omaha and Chicago within the
week.
Feb. IL he pulled on small trick at
i little station near Bound Brook. y.
J.. on the Lehigh Valley railroad. and
Feb. Is and 10 he spent in Boston and
cashing some OF his stolen
express orders. In the latter city. he
says. he lost S2S5 in a poker game. and
hen he came TO New York TO receive
his accumulated mail.
Some Of the aliases under which .
Baker Travelled at various times were
y. {. cois." e. c. Rogers" u. II. .
Young" III. q. wilson and .R. e. .
Noel.- +
BGker's only expression Of soTOw.
ihe police say. Is for the murder Of
postmaster Hutchinson. which. he
Isys. was committed in self defense
earring that the desire for vengeance
4 the citizens Of CIarington would re-
nit in the lynching q their prisoner. 4
Sho shot aud killed the postmaster Of .
rIaf little mountain town In . dr~per- \
Ite struggle. the federal authorities In
lucel rri.eI STATES Commissioner
shie.ds e. rpu1and Baker 10 the To1nlss 1
lrtl Msrch . in Ssgo Isii. By that
ime they trust that public opinion
Iroused hr the arrest and so1fe<Sio1