The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1908-09-08
BOTH BODIES
FOUND IN BUGGY
Murderer and Suicide Was Formerly
Employed as Carpenter By Con-
tractor M. A. Dickover and Was
Well Liked By Many Hammond
People.

Woman's fickleness last Saturday
caused her own death and that of her
disappointed lover, Joel f. Baker, form
erly of Hammond, and well known
here in trades and labor circles.
The double tragedy took place at
Wabash, Ind, Saturday night.
Because Mrs. Sylvia Null Hernice did
not know which of two suftors she
liked best. and because she whispered
soft words to one while planning to
elope with the other, she is dead
Joel F. Baker, son of a well-to-d
merchant and one of the most popular
men in Wabash, is also dead the slay-
er of Mrs. Hernice and a suicide
Employed by Contractor.
Baker came to Hammond about
year ago from Wabash where his young
wife had died in 1906. In Hammond
he was employed by Contractor NJ A.
Dickover, as a carpenter and he was
we'll liked. He had steady and sober
=habite and made many friends here
Abaut two months ago he left for his
former home in Wabash where he met
the young widow Mrs. Hernice. Learn
ing that she had another suitor, Baker
PiCSSSQ suit all the HdTQeT with the
idea of proposing last Saturday night.
The widow instead of listening to his
plea told him that she preferred an
other man. 1t developed later that she
had agreed to elope with another man
on the following day and that she had
agreed to ride mainly because she
wanted to tell him of her other suitor
What words and what arguments
nnl rNlo 6a%r
an, nobody will ever know, for they
were both found dead.
Bodies FOnud In Buggy.
Bakers body was found in a buggy
which was standing in front of a livery
stable in the early morning. Beside
the man, propped up on a seat, was the
body of Mrs. Hernice A revolver yith
two cartridges exploded, was found on
the road beside the buggy
At $50 a travelling man went to a
livery stable to hire a rig. In front of
the barn he noticed a horse standing.
with man and woman in the buggy.
both apparently asleep. He aroused the
hostler, who opened the doors and the
horse entered the stable.
No attempt was made to arouse the
occupants of the vehicle, but later the
were intoxicated, sent for an officer,
and an investigation was made. Over
the woman a laprobe had been thrown
and when this was removed 1t was seen
that she was covered with blood
Five bullets had been shot into her
body. Bakers hat was upon his head
and he was sitting in natural position.
An investigation of the affair shows
that Baker killed Mrs. Hernice about
midnight and then drove about with
her body in the buggy until near day
light.
Holds Corpse In His Arms.
When the buggy was on the main
road a short distance from the town,
Baker placed his arm about the corpse
of his dead sweetheart, and shot him
self through the brain.
When found the mans stiffened arm
was around the body of the woman,
and kept it from falling out of the rig.
When the tragedy was first discov-
cred it was thought that a double muir
der had been committed. Mrs Her
nice's love affairs have been commented
upon lately, and suspicion attached 1t
self at once to a rival of Bakers for the
young woman's affections.
Suspect Proves AIibi.
He at once proved an alibi showing
that he had been at his home the even
ing before. He also declared that the
woman had agreed to elope with him
the next evening, and that she took a
last ride with Baker to tell him of the
fruitlessness of his suit
After the man told his story, a fur
ther investigation was made, and the
revolver used by Baker was found later
in the bottom of the buggy
No Arerst Is Made.
A short note was found in the buggy
1t read: My God. what have done,e
and was apparently scribbled immedi-
ately after Baker shot the woman.
No arrest was made and the two
bodies were taken to local undertak-
ing establishment. coroner's inquest
will be held today. Relatives of Baker
declare that they are not certain that
he killed himself and may insist upon a
full investigation of the case.