The sun., 1908-02-21
CORNERED YEGG OWNS up
ROBBED ~ POST OFFICES,
KILLED A POSTMASTER


Chased Him 900 NaIIcs. Makes Coed
on Tale Ito Make YOu sc Up. Boys"
A mild appearing we'll dressed man
describing himself as J. A. Baker. % years
old. Of Columbus. Ohio. after being arrested
yesterday afternoon while calling for
mail In the General Post ONCE confessed
last night that he had murdered E.
Hutchinson, postmaster at Clarington
Station, W. Va. and robbed the post
Offices OF many small towns in Pennsyl-
vania, West Virginia. New Jersey, Ohio.
and as far West as Nebraska. His opera
tions started last November. he said, and
robbed the post Office at Waterloo. Neb.
Post ONCE Inspector f. L. Kincaid was
called into the case yesterday. but D. Miles
Rigor. chief Of the detectives Of the Penn
sylvania Railroad service. and his assist
ants. z. s. Rigor and W. c. Nuss, have been
on Bakers trail since the Pennsylvania
Railroad station at Hays. Pa. was robbed
on December ~. d. NJ Rigor said last
night that he had travelled 1000 miles on
the case.
Baker got to New York at O'Clock
yesterday afternoon from New London,
Conn. The Pennsylvania detectives in
their hunt through the West had got good
descriptions Of the robber and they tailed
very nearly with that Of man who had
had quantity OF mail sent to New York
and who had been signing interchangeable
mileage tickets known to have been robbed
from railroad stations. Rigor got word
from Boston that Baker would be in New
York yesterday and notified Inspector
Kincaid.
The four men we're waiting at the general
delivery window. as they had been all day.
when Baker walked up at 4 o'clock and
asked for his mail. D. NJ. Rigor pulled
a photograph from his pocket that the
Pittsburg police had given him OF a man
whose features seemed to jibe with those
OF the one he wanted. He signalled to
Kincaid, and just as Baker was reaching
for the mail that was handed out to him
the detectives made known their identity.
That's not my mail.' yelled Baker.
throwing the letters on the door.
Baker started for the Park row entrance.
but his escape was cut on by Kincaid. Hus-
tied upstairs 70 che postal inspectors rooms
on the fourth floor. he at first denied all
knowledge Of thefts. but after an hours
questioning he broke down suddenly and
said:
We'll, boys, give me a little time to think.
guess it's all up. You've got me right.
III tell you story that viii make you sit
up and take notice" >
In half an hour he dictated a statement
which he signed, admitting the robberies.
He said that he entered the post office and
railroad station ut ClaringtOn at about
1890 at night. Hutchinson was asleep in
the postal room, a part OF the small wooden
building. When Baker pried his way in
with a jimmy the postmaster awoke and
started after Baker with a reviewer. and
while holding him at bay tried 70 telegraph
for assistance with his free hand. Baker
attacked him and In the struggle the post
master was shot through the heart. Baker
says he then robbed the station and sst
1t on fire.
According to his confession the other
places robbed and the dates we're
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad station.
Thomas, Pa. November 2S, 1907: Under
wood West Va.) post once and Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad station. December 1;
Bruoetown (Pa.) post ONCE. December 2l;
Pennsylvania Railroad station. Hays, Pa.
December %; Powhatan (West Va.) station
OF the Baltimore and Ohio and the post
offloe. the same night Of the killing of the
postmaster, December 20; Boothwyn Pa.)
station Of the Baltimore and Ohio. January
3, and the same nj ght the Baltimore and
Ohio station at Ogden, Pa; Fairlong IN. j.
station Of the Erie Railroad. January 8;
Garfield IN. j. station Of the Erie, January
Q; Carleton Hill station On. J.) post Office.
January IL Justice (0hio) station. Balti-
more and Ohio, January "A: Era (0hio)
station Of the Baltimore and Ohio, January
rs; Waterloo (Seb.) station, Southern
Pacific Railroad. February 8. and Bound
Brook IN. j. Lehigh Valley Railroad sta
ton, February IL.
Baker was taken to Police Headquarters
by Inspector Kncaid and Detective Rgor.
On the way he admitted oashing stolen
money orders in Philadelphia, Pttsburg,
Boston, Oakland. Cal. and Chicago. This
leads the authorities TO believe that more
Of Bakers operations win come 70 light.
The prisoner will be &rraigned before
United States Commissioner Shields at
10 o'clock this morning upon the charge
Of having murdered Postmaster Hutchin-
son.
Joseph Kelly. who has a long string OF
aliases in the ysgg profession. was before
United States Commissioner Shields yester-
day on the charge Of stealing Sl4S worth Of
stamps from the post once at Salisbury.
Mass, on February 5. He was remanded
for removal to Boston. Kelly was picked
up on Wednesday night by Central 0fflos
Detectives 0Neil. Riley and SChOenich at
Grand street and the Bowery.
The police say that Kelley Il also wanted
in Kansas City. where after blowing up
safe he shot and killed three members OF
one family. For his capture a reward Of
q 500 was offered. It is said that he is
also wanted in Texas for a murder Oom-
mitted in 1893.
w. GOULD BROKAW NOT so WE'LL.
Said to He Suffering From 6oFioup Nervous