New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-12-22
Father Shot as He Comes
to Aid Girl Beaten
Unconscious.
ASSAILANT SETS FIRE
TO HOUSE AND FLEES
Bloodhounds Trailing Unknown
Slayer-Robbery Not the
Motive of Crime.
by Telegraph to The Tribune. !

Amsterdam, y. Y. Dec. 21.-Blood-
hounds are being used tonight in an
effort to trace a man who last night
broke into the home Of John Baird
wel-to-do farmer living near Sprak-
ers Baird, who is about sixty years
old. was shot dead. and his twenty
five-year- daughter. Helen, was
beaten into Inconsistencies with an
iron bar. The house was then set ahre.
The motive Of the crime is mys-
terry. as Is the identity Of the assailant
There was several hundred dollars in
the house al the time of the attack
but the intruder made no attempt TO
secure the money.
The crime was committed shortly
after 9 o'clocl; last night. AT that time
Baird and his son, James were in bed
asleep and Miss Baird was sitting IN
a room downstairs reading. Suddenly
the front door was forced open and
man armed with an iron bar sprang
upon the young woman.
Girl Beaten Unconscious.
Screaming for help, Miss Baird
turned To fee. but the man felled her
with one stroke Of his bludgeon and
continued TO rain blows upon her head
and body until she became uncon-
scious.
Then. going To the kitchen, the burg
lar tool; a can of kerosene and poured
its contents over the furniture, touched
a match to it and overturned the stove
in which a fire was burning.
Aroused by the noise made by the
falling stovepipes. Baird hurried down
stairs in his night clothing. AS he
entered the kitchen the burglar met
him and fred upon him, the bullet en-
tering Baird's breast and killing MIN
almost instantly. The farmers as
sailart then struck him several times
ON the head with the iron bar and fled.
Brother Comes Too Late.
lanes Baird was awakened by the
sounds of the struggle. but did not
gather sufficient courage to come
downstairs until after the burglar had
gone.
Baird found the kitchen ablaze' bus
was able TO extinguish the flames.
Then. dressing he ran to neighboring
farmhouse and gave the alarm.
Miss Baird was taken to the house
of q friend near Paatne Bridge.
/ PHYSICIANS found that her skull was
fractured and that she had been fright
/ fully beaten. She has been unconscious
| ever. since the attack. and her death is
n,omentarilv expected. 1t has there
fore been impossible for the authorities
tn get any description If the murderer.
Revenue Advanced as Motive.
Baird was reruted to be a man Of
considerable means, and the son thinks
! the man entered the house 20 steal.
| The Sheriff. however, is OF the opinion
/ that robbery was not the motive.
| The fact that the man did not ran.
sack the house but. instead, set fire TO
it, gives the impression that II might
/ have been his intention 10 burn the
house and it's occupants. So far as
could be learned, the Bairds had no
enemies.
The Baird home is located in re-
mote district, and news Of the crime
I did MOI reach the Sheriff's Office until
carly this morning.
The Sheriff. deputies and an assist
ant District Attorney made frutesG
efforts all day to strike trail, blood
! hounds being put on the scent as one
/ cXpedient.
The state is building highways IN
/ the vicinity Of the Barrett home, and
many foreigners are employed on the
/ work.