The San Francisco call., 1909-04-18
GEORGE ". BAKER
DIES IN OAKLAND
Attorney Passes Away After
Illness of Six Months, Sur
rounded by Family

OAKLAND. April 17.-After an illness
lsstNSS six months George w Baker
for fAahy years one of the most prom
inent attorneys in California and Ne
vada, died at his apartments, 1863 Wen
ster street this evening. His wife ana
children were at his bedside. lntestlnal
trouble was the cause of his death.
Baker was born in 1915 at Lake Ge-
neva. Wis. near Chicago. In his early
manhood he taught school and studied
law al night. He passed his law exam
nations when 20 years old and was ad-
mitted to the bar a year later Shoruy
afterward he was made assistant coun-
sci for the Chicago. St Paul and Nil
Waukee railroad and in 1867 he moved
to Eureka, New, during the silver eX-
citement there In 1872 he was married
10 Miss Mary Agnes Hall. daughter OF
Judge D. H Hall, who was for 30 years
registrar Of the United States land
Office at Carson, New.
LEADER IN BULLION TAX FIGHT
Baker was the first district attorney
Of Eureka county, Nevada, and served
for several years in the state senate.
He was the leader of the faction which
won the famous bullion tax nght III
the legislature against Flood. Mackay,
Fair and O'Brien. owners of the Com
stock lode. In 1876 he became one or
the promoters of the Eureka and Pail
sade railway and soon afterward he
was appointed attorney for the South
ern Pacific, serving in this capacity for
80 years. He moved TO California IN
1891 with his family locating in Oak
land. where he made his home until
his death.
As attorney for the Southern Pacific
in 1884 Baker introduced the gates on
The local trains in Alameda county. on
one side or the other he WAS con-
nected with every celebrated mining
case in Nevada from the time he went
there until the present year.
ASSOCIATED WITH HERRIN
Baker was associated with W F.
Herrin and Senator William Stewart Of
Nevada in the four years litigation
known as Richmond versus the Albion
mining company. in which several well
known principles of mining law were
established
In 1895 Baker was chairman of the
bimetalIic league and silver republican
party in California. and was sent as
delegate to the democratic national
convention in st. Louis in the same
year. When Bryan came to Oakland in
1894 he was Bakers guest, and was
introduced by him when he made his
first big silver speech in the Metropoli-
tan temple, in San Francisco.
PROMINENT IN FRATERNITIEs
Baker had extensive fraternaI con-
nections. He was q thirty second de-
gree Mason. a member of California
commandery No. ], San Francisco.
knights Templar- a member of the
Mystic Shrine of Eureka. New, lodge.
+. and A n. and of Oakland lodge No.
III. B. p. o. E.
He is survived by has widow and six
children-Harry L. Baker. an Oakland
attorney; Raymond T. Baker, a mining
man Of Tonopah; Cleveland H. Baker,
district attorney OF Nye county, Nevada,
who married Miss Pansy Perkins,
daughter Of Senator Perkins, last Octo-
Der; Rives NJ. Baker. real estate
broker OF Oakland; Earl D. Baker, a
student in the Oakland high school,
and Mrs. J. D. Grissim wife Of DR.. Girls
sim OF San Jose. A brother. Frank E.
Baker, judge Of the superior court in
St Paul, Mimi. and two sisters, Miss
Anna Baker and Mrs. Jane Mccartney
Of Anaconda, Mont, are also living.
No arrangements for the funeral have
yet been made.