The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-11-11
DETAILS
IF The LYNCRING

Bismarck Tribune: Baker had but
little opportunity to clothe himself
when taken from the Jail by the mob.
1t is said that he was asleep on his
bunk and had on but little more than
a sweater, and when warned of the
approaching mob he had only time to
pull on his pants and one shoe.
The mob had been thoroughly and
Systematically organized before reach
ing Steele. They had prepared the
rope and yer tied the moose. They
easily opened the iron door of the jail
leading into the cell room. The moose
was thrown over Bakers neck, while
his pleadings for mercy r said TO
have been something hideous.
He succeeded in keeping his feet
while the mob took him down the long
stairway, but after he reached the
steps leading from the back door porch
he evidently swooned from fright, but
the mob paid no attention, and he was
| dragged with his face in the street TO
the stock yards, and The Tribune re-
porters could easily follow the tracks
his body had made along the middle Of
the street through which he had been
taken. .
What clothes he had on were no
doubt easily torn off, and when his
body was viewed at the courthouse 1t
was seen that his skin from the top
of his head and down the entire front
Of his body had been torn off while
being dragged over the stones and
frozen dirt in the streets.
Short work was made of the lynch
ing of Baker, and after his body had
been hung in the doorway of the stock
yard and several bullets fired into him
as he swung by the neck they dis
appeared in buggies and automobiles.
John Neil, who was the only other
prisoner in the Jail at the time told
a Tribune reporter Of what he saw.
He stated that he heard the mob at
the door down stairs and that he told
Baker some was trying to break
into the building and that they were
probably after him, Baker arose from
his bed and started tt 9dress, but it
was only an instant until the'mob was
storming the outer door of the Jail
room and had broken the lock and
were working at the door of the cell
in which Baker was confined. With
sledge hammers and chisels they made
quick work of the lock and grabbed
the terrified man and putting a rope
around his neck started down stairs
with him. When they were breaking
open the cell door Baker said:
For Gods sake, give me chance
/ am not guilty of the crime Of which
l am charged"
Some one in the mob replied:
you showed your wife no mercy
and we have come for you and are
going to get you"
This was about all that was said by
any member of the mob in the hear
ing of anyone not in the iynching.
In talking of Baker and his actions
since he has been in jail Neil said,
Baker was very talkative and was al
ways claiming he WIS innocent at
tempting to explain the shooting with
a story that he and Glass were fooling
with the gun when 1t was discharged
a couple of times and killed both his
wife and Glass. When asked how the
other bullets were fired he had no ex-
PLANTATION. Neil stated that Baker con-
sumed innumerahle cigarettes and as
he was not allowed any matches in
his cell he was lighting matches and
handing to him and that according to
his estimates Baker must have aver
aged three cigarettes an hour during
all the time he was awake. According
to the story of Neil. Baker claims that
he was never in the United States
army or the navy, but that he had
worked for sometime with Ringlings
circus and other big road shows as q
lahcrer.