The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-07
DEATH H0yERlUG over
MYSTERIOUS Chris
FEARED BY ALL NEGROES
Members OF His Race Believed He
Bore Charmed Life and Thought
He Was a "Conjurcr"-Tried to
Kill Him.

Death is about to claim the figure
of Chris Baker. who in his time has
been more closely associated with
death. perhaps. than any other man
in the history of the South Chris has
been for about fifty years connected
with the Medical College of Virginia
as caretaker of the "stiffs." and is
well known to every doctor who has
come out of the school since the Civil
war. For twenty-five years he has
been away from the college campus
but once, 1t is said. since he is feared
by the other members Of his race with
a horror equal to the dread of a fatal
disease. He has been shot at scores
of times. and negroes believe he bears
charmed life. He is now in the
shadow of death, and it is doubtful il
he will ever return to his habitaal
haunts again.
"Ole Chris" as he has been called
since the memory of Richmonds old
stitution himself about the medical
college for these many years. He
came there when but a boy. for one
reason or another. no one seems 10
know why The rumors that followed
him all his life were in themselves an
explanation why he. member OF the
most superstitious of all races. should
choose a life which consisted in an
abode among cold still. lifeiess forms.
About himself he said little. but In
the numerous decades Of his pursuits
among the dead he built up philoso-
ply OF his own which was not at
all without it's merits. He grew UP
in the dissecting room. and for years
has been in charge OF the college
"stffrs," those cold. cherries forms
OF the dead brought there to be dis
played to teach young doctors. often
by grim example, the means TO combat
the ravages OF death. Then. as the
years grew on the awfulness of his
life. in daily and nightly contact With
these clammy. speeehless forms, had
it's effect on the other members of
his race. until he became surrounded
with a mysterious cloud of super
natural import. Other negroes began
TO fear him. and to speak his name in
whispers.
Wielder Of Black Magic.
This grew and grew. until rumors
f.oated about concerning him and his
practices. Children listened with
wide-open eyes to stories of how "Oie
Chris" talked with the dead. and knew
the secrets of the grave. and all the
other dread but Fascinating things that
are wrapped in the same hush that
goes with superstition. Negroes feared
him more and more, until they held
him in such awe they would not pass
him in the night. They feared SO
they would not pass the college at
night because he was there. 1t is
said that he used TO so TO visit the
sick and would heal them BY some
mysterious power OF his own. II was
whispered. too What by contrast some
magic words Of his could blight a.
well as cure. and that 10 incur his
enmity was TO destroy all hopes Of
happiness and life.
"Oie Christi get YOU became the
admonition to little children abou.
the city. and many are the times some
child has been deferred from way
wardness by the dread OF Chris aw
f9l punishment II his wrath were
aroused To the students who came
each year 10 study there Ole Chris
became at once the most familiar
figure As his continued daily con-
forms grew his knowledge of the
human anatomy took on large pro-
portions. until even years ago. II is
said. he was the most expert anato-
mist in the country This, too
with no education whatever.
Long years ago. dark rumor has il
that Chris was used to visiting the
cemeteries Al night when the city was
asleep, Newmade graves would be
upturned and the form OF the silent
sleeper there would he removed to
the medical college to become the OBJ
iect OF study and research. From
Chris became an outcast among his
race. as we'll as the most dreaded
figure among them. The oldest ply
stefan in the city knows him well, and
can recite stories of his prowess that
would I'LL pages in book. If all the
stories about Ole Chris were to be
told. his biography would fill more
books than Lincoln's life or the his
tory of a nation.
Handled Hundreds OF COrpses.
1t will be a hard task to fill his
place. Hundreds, and perhaps thou
sands. OF dead bodies have been turn
ed over to his care. and with the
dexterity born OF long use, he has laid
them away in the brine to prepare
them for dissection. He was an adep'
IN his work. and knew each vein. each
bone, each tissue. in the human form
far better than the average student
instructed in the art for years.
Criminals OF the blacklist brand
having paid the laws penalty for then
evils, have found last resort in the
custody of Chris. Poor men who die
not lay up store of earthly good.
that would buy them resting place
beneath the sod when they returned
again to clay have drifted in to Chri!
to be laid away in the gruesome place
OF his preparation. Men, young ant
old. have been delivered first int
Chris hands. and silently. calmly. HI
has beiied all the characteristics of hi.
race. and in the night hours alone
and quietly he has labored over then
and laid them away. The subjects o
| his care mostly were the ends of som.
tragedy. some broken, misspent life
and perhaps this accounts for tn,
mysterious nature of Chris himself. L
In said that as he gazed into the cold
deathly face Of a newcomer he woult
read some story there. would gathe,
another bit into his store of philosc
ply.
The life of Chris has many of tn,
characteristics of a real. living ghos
| story. And for this reason he wa,
feared. Negroes, some of them. be