The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1910-10-06
ATTACKS JUDGE BAKER
Demented Woman in Chicago Tries
to Kill Judge Frank Baker, a
Well Known Jurist.

a brother of Ralph Baker, for many
years resident of this county, came
near being murdered by a woman
who is evidently insane,s near his
home in Chicago last Saturday morn
ing. Judge Baker is we'll known
by many Decatur county people, hav-
ing visited here on several occasions.
The following account of the affair
is taken from Sundays Chicago
Journal:
Associate Judge Frank Baker of
the Appellate court of Cook county
had hand-to-hand struggle Saturday
with a woman who attempted to
take his life by stabbing him with a
butcher knife in front of his home
3542 Lake avenue.
The justice after a desperate strug-
gle, in which he was aided by his
wife, and which lasted ten minutes,
succeeded in disarming the enraged
woman and turned her over to the
police.
The attacking woman was Mrs.
Elizabeth Burke, As years old, who
roomed until recently at 1926 Evans
avenue.
During the struggle, Mrs. Burke,
who is a seamstress, was cut on the
right hand.
Both the Judge and his wife had
considerable trouble in escaping in
jury at the hands of the woman,
who welded five inch blade, be-
fore she was thrown to the ground
and oyerpowered.
Exhausted from the combat with
the armed woman, Mrs. Baker was
compelled to return to her home
while her husband accompanied the
police who had placed Mrs. Burke
under arrest and took her to the
Stanton avenue police station.
Mrs. Burke said she had waited in
ambush for the judge from a. m.
Mrs. Baker, who was walking be-
side her husband, was the first to
notice the woman approach the jur-
ist.
.'You have my money and l want
it." shouted the woman, as she drew
a big butcher knife from the folds
Of her dress and rushed at the jurist
Look out Frank" screamed Mrs.
Baker when she saw the weapon di-
rected at her husband.
Judge and Mrs. Baker had ten
minute struggle with the armed wo-
man before the policeman arrived on
the scene. H., u s,S ~,
with great difficulty that,
Mrs. Burke was subdued
Let me kill him. shouted Mrs.
Burke, after Policeman Sullivan had
taken her to a patrol box.
Mrs. Baker was fatigued after the
struggle.
II never saw the. woman before
and neither.did the judge" said Mrs.
Baker at her home. "She evidently
l.; demented.'
At the Harrison street police
station Mrs. Burke declared that
Judge Baker had her money and she
wanted it,
She mentioned the name of Attorn-
ey John M. Blackeley, 153 La Sale
street, as her legal adviser. She
said it was he who had told her Judge
Baker had received money to be
turned over to her.
Attorney Blakeley said: 81 do
not know the woman and never had
any legal business with her How
she ever got my name is more than
/ can understand. Her mind evil
IDENTIFY is unbalanced"
II received a judgment of $4,000
against Michael Cudahy, the million
aire packer, and / wanted some of
the money from Judge Baker," said
the prisoner.
Attorney Blakeley told me that
Judge Baker had 500 for me, and
| went to his home to get it. When
he refused, l decided to get by force
and ] took the butcher knife along
so as to compel the judge to turn
over my money to me-" said the
prisoner.
During the struggle, the jurist,
his wife and the would-be assassin
grappled back and forth on the side
walk, the judge managing to keep
the knife away from his body. The
woman kept screaming and her cries
attracted "a number of persons who
were near by.
Judge Baker clung to the woman
and finally managed to wrest the
butcher knife from her.
The jurist escaped injury, but
Mrs. Burke's hands were lacerated
by the knife in the struggle and she
was bleeding from the wounds when
Policeman Sullivan reached the
scene.
According to neighbors living near
the Baker home, Mrs. Burke was
seen lettering in the vicinity of the
judges residence as early as a..
m. She lurked in the hallway Of q
nearby building and often looked out
in the direction of the jurist's house
to watch his exit.
When the jurist, accompanied by
his wife, appeared on the steps the
armed woman ran toward them.
Judge Baker had gone only few feet
from his domicile when she attacked.
Mrs. Burke rooms at the home of
Mrs. O. L. Christensen, 1926 Evans
avenue. She came there two months
ago. Mrs. Christensen said she knew
nothing about the woman.
Judge Baker in discussing the at
tack said: The woman evidently
is demented. No judgment of the
kind she mentions was even rendered
against Mr.. Cudahy? l feel sorry for
the poor woman. =
Mrs. Baker and I had been to
breakfast at restaurant near by
and were in front of our home on