The Detroit times., 1908-05-07
A VI 0 MA n WIT /
GUNS FOUGHT
INDIANS
DEFENDED HER HOME UNTIL
OVERWHELMED BY SAVAGE
YA0UIs-HER HUSBAND SHOT
DEAD BEFORE HER EYES.

! COMSTOCK, Tex. May suffer
ig from wounds inflicted by band o
Yaqui Indians, and after having pass
ed through one OF the most trying OF
deals that ever fell to the lot OF |
woman. Mrs. w. K. Baker has arrived
here TO make her home with her broth
erin-law, ID. s. Baker. and family. Thu
husband OF Mrs. Baker was murdered
In her sight, her beautiful nine-year
old daughter. Frances. was lifted from
a sick bed by the Indians and carried
into the forest with the announces
purpose of killing her. and II was onl.
by rare strategem and the kind aid o
Providence that the distracted woman
was able to make her escape Will
four small children, who were with he
In the house. by fleeing through the
mountains.
The husband OF Mrs. Baker was su
perintendent or the Nina mine. which
is owned by the Yaqui Copper com
pany, OF New York This mine was
shut down some time ago, but Mr.
Baker remained In charge OF IL pend
ing resumption OF operations. The
mining camp was deserted with the
exception OF the Baker family. II ii
100 miles from the mine to Minas
Prietas. the nearest railroad point, and
is miles TO the nearest neighbor. II
is one OF the most lonesome spots In
the state OF Sonora, and that is say
ing a good deal
Mr.. Baker and his wife and seven
children lived a quiet life there They
were a happy family. despite their re
moteness from civilization. They felt
they were secure from attack by the
Yaqui Indians. as these murderous red
skins had heretofore confined
their operations TO the coun.
| try much TO the north and
east of them Even now
ii is question whether It was va
quis or Mexican outlaws who made
the bloody onslaught upon the little
home OF the Americans. MRS. Baker
is outspoken in her assertion that
some of the 80 men who composed the
band were Mexicans. The Mexican
authorities. however, say that the va
Quis did the work. and II is known
officially as an Indian raid.
Il had no warning THAI the attack
upon my home was going to be made.
Mrs. Baker said In relating her terri
BILE experience to friends upon arrival
here. Along In the afternoon two
Mexican ranchmen whom We knew
and who were our friends, arrived at
the house and requested my two older
| boys, Marion and Alva, both OF whom
are In their teens, TO accompany them
TO a high elevation upon a neighbor-
ing mountain, from which they could
obtain a view OF the Yaqui river and
OF the country for many miles around
The boys took the field glasses OF
their father and went with the ranch.
men.
After the departure of my two old
err boys | busted myself with the
household duties. My two little boys
Grin and Owen, who are twins. were
! playing in the yard in front OF the open
door. when the band Of Indians or
Mexicans dashed out OF the forest and
began firing on them. The boys rush.
ed into the house. | surmised in.
stantly that We were being attacked
| by robbers. I barricaded the door and
huddled the children around me.
grabbed my husbands rife and pistol
and began firing at the robbers
through the window. | am unable TO
say whether hit any OF them or not.
! They kept on firing into the room.
was shot twice through the wrists and
once through the feshy part OF my
| left arm. | continued TO make a de-
| fence until the outlaws had reached
/ the door and were about TO break II
| In. / then grabbed two OF my young
er children into my wounded arms and
told the other two 20 hold on to my
skirts | rushed to the back door, ex.
pecting to make a dash through II and
| into the forest. found the house
completely surrounded and that there
was no way TO make my escape.
The Indians broke down the door
and entered the house. My little
daughter. Frances, was lying upon the
bed, sick. They took hold OF her and
told me they were going to kill her.
They carried her into the forest and
heard a shot. supposed that they
had killed her. My other children and
| were then placed under guard and
the looting of the house was begun.
The robbers secured $3.50 in money
! and all the provisions and clothing
1they could load upon their horses
They went about their work slowly
|
through and were preparing 10 depart
Suddenly Mr.. Baker appeared
around the corner OF the house, riding
a horse and leading two pack mules
Before he could realize what was hap
pening the outlaws had fired a dozen
bullets into his body and he fell dead
from his horse. The Indians then fell
upon the packs which my husband was
bringing home from town. They were
very much interested In these add
lions to their spells, and while the
whole crowd OF 80 men we're gathered
around dividing the booty took my
children and fed through the back
door and into the forest close by.
expected every minute TO hear shot:
or the yells of pursuers. fed as fast
as could through the underbrush
picking out the most impenetrable
places la which to make my way, eau
tioning my children to remain quiet
In this manner we soon covered a con
siderable distance. | would stop and
listen now and then to see II the In
dams were following, but could hear
nothing of them. The raid was made
about o'clock In the afternoon and Il
was growing dark before we had gone
far We continued to travel over the
mountains all night and until some
time the next forenoon we were found
by my son Alva, who had followed oul
trail. We were about 10 miles from
our devastated home when found.
mo attention was paid TO the blood,
raid by the Mexican troops. No effort
was made by them to pursue or cap
II ture the nends."