The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-06
First BrattlebOrO Boy to
Give His Life on
Battle Front
DEATH CAUSED BY
BLOOD POISONING
Telegram to His Father from Adiutant
General Says Death Occurred Feb. %
Was but Lad in Years-Enlisted at

Age Ol 10.
Ildlngs came late yesterday that one
OF Brattleboro's sons had given his life
IN France in the cause of liberty and
world democracy. He is Private Ed
ward NJ. Baker of Company E, l03d In
fantry, goth division, American expedi-
tionary force, and he is the first Brat
tleboro boy TO be sacrificed on European
soil IN the world war. Large in stature.
he was but lad in years-not II wears
.of age-yet the present conflict was not
the first in which he had served his
country, as TWO years ago, when he was
only y, he went with the Vermont reg
iment TO the Mexican border.
Private Baker died on Thursday of
last week, of septicemia, which is gen.
eral blood poisoning. No information is
at hand TO show how he contracted sep
tlcemla. All the facts which are known
mere concerning his death came to his
father. Michael j. Baker of 146 Elliot
street, after o clock Yesterday after
noon IN telegram from the adiutant
general at Washington, D. c., which
read as follows:
Deeply regret to inform Won that =
is officially reported that Private Ed.
ward NJ. Baker, Infantry, died of sep
tieemia February twentv-eight.
The 103d regiment is in active serv-
ice IN the trenches, but no mention of
Private Baker having been wounded has
been made in the lists of casualties.
There are variety of ways, however, of
contracting blood poisoning. so in the
| hight OF the few facts contained in the
adJutant generals message it is futile
TO speculate as to its cause in this in
stance. The young man enjoyed the
army, and if there was any fighting to
be done he was ready to do his part.
Private Baker was born in Brattle-
boro May 10, 1901, the oldest of nine
children of Michael J. and Bridget
| (Griffin) Baker. He attended st. Mi
chael s paroehial school, took an active
part in the school athletics and gradu-
ated in 1916. That same wear he en-
listed in Company /, lst Vermont regi-
ment, and after being in camp at the
state camp ground near Fort Ethan Al
len went with the regiment 10 Eagle
Pass, Texas, for guard duty at the bor-
der
On his return he was employed for a
! ~ Inv piNos iooui Nv the eTUONI
Printing Co., and then entered ST. Mi
chael's college at Winooski, later going
TO st. John 5 preparatory school in
Danvers, Mass. 1t was while he was at
home on vacation from Danvers that
the call came for the regiment to
mobilize in the service of the govern
ment IN the war against Germany, and
he went with the regiment to Fort
Ethan Allen. thence TO Camp Bartlett in
Westfield, Mass, and from there over
seas, as member of Company E, 1O3d
! regiment, landing in France last Octo-
Der.
) Besides his parents, who have the
} comfort and satisfaction of the knowl-
edge that he died in the noblest cause
his country ever undertook, Private
Baker leaves eight brothers and sisters.
James, John, Joseph, Loretta, Mary,
Margaret, Frances and Rita Baker. all
+ living at homo.
) Private Baker carried 81 500 of life
: insurance through a Brattleboro agency.
IN addition to any war insurance he
l may have carried