Richmond daily register. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1917-1978, 1919-12-29
CHARCEOFF|ClALS a
RELEASED MURDERER
Ohio Authorities Make Serious
Charge Against jackson
County Sheriffs


and Deputy Sheriff George Baker
of Jackson county, KY, by the
Mayor and officials of Hamilton
Ohio, who have taken steps to
place the matter complained OF
before Gov. Morrow, OF Kentuc-
ky. 1t is charged by the Hamil-
ton officials that the Jackson
county officers named, released
without bond. a son OF Deputy
Sheriff George Baker and relative
of the Sheriff, who is charged
with murder in Ohio.
Reports have it that the new
constitutional amendment adopt
cd at the last election in Kentuc-
ky, by which an official may be
removed who failed to do his duty
may be invoked in the case of the
sheriff and deputy sheriff named,
and that'a prompt appeal is to be
made to Gov. Morrow in the mat
ter. The Ohio officers have al
ready placed the affair in the
hands of Gov. Cox, of Ohio, ac-
cording to Hamilton paper,
which has just been received here.
Kimber Baker is the name of
the Jackson county boy who is
charged with completely in a MUIR
der in Hamilton, Ohio. Detec-
tives Herman and Hetterich, of
that city went up into Jackson
county after him, but had to re-
turn empty handed. The Hamil-
ton, O., Journal tells the story
under flaring headlines, with the
salient facts in the matter boxed
at the head of the first column,
declaring that Kentucky officials
are guilty of helping murderers,"
etc. The Hamilton paper said:
Hamilton, O., Papers Story
Released from custody by men,
bers of his own family, Kimber
Baker, one of the murderers of
Harry E. Baker, is today at large
in the hills of Kentucky City De-
tectivc Charles w. Herman, re-
turned from Kentucky Sunday
morning when he saw that any
further efforts to apprehend the
criminal would be futile.
This great crime against socie-
ty committed by the Kentucky
authorities will not be allowed to
pass umoticed and today Mayor
c. ]. Smith placed the case in the
hands of Gov. James Cox. The
city executive asked the governor
to Immediately communicate the
facts to Gov. Morrow of Kentuc-
ky.
When interviewed by a repre-
sentative of the Evening Journal,
Detective Herman gave the fol-
lowing version of the arrest and
subsequent release of Kimber
Baker.
On Thursday, December 18th,
Detectives Herman and Hetter-
ich took log train and went to
Bond, county seat of Jackson.
They arrived in that town at 7 80
o'clock in the evening and were
met by L. c. Baldwin, county at
torney. This official stated that
Kimber Baker was under arrest
in the county Jail and would be
turned over to, the Hamilton Off
GERS on Friday morning, Deccm-
Der 10Th.
Y Thursday evening by carrying
on secret investigation, Detec-
tive Herman discovered that the
high sheriff was William Baker, a
relative of the murderer, and the
high deputy sheriff was George
Baker father of the murderer.
In spite of this information there
was nothing the local officers
could do as the Kentucky author
tiles refused to turn Kimber Ba-
ker over until Friday morning.
On Friday morning Kimber Ba-
ker could not be found. The coun-
ty attorney came to the Hamilton
officers and said that he was sor-
ry but that Kimber Baker had
been released. He stated that the
sheriff and his deputy had relcas-
ed Baker on, his own recogniz-
iance but that they both promised
to have him back for the Hamil-
ton detectives.
4 No Kimber Baker appeared on
Friday and Sheriff William Baker
stated that he was "up in the
mountains somewhere" He felt
confident that the boy would
show up but he made no apparent
effort to find him.
* With these conditions staring
them in the face and seeing that
the situation was hopeless, Detec-
tives Herman and Hettcrich left
Jackson county. BcforS leaving
I.f Il 4