Smyrna times., 1920-08-04
FORMER DOVER POLICEMAN
]. ", BAKER HELD FOR CORT
CHARGED WITH TWO OFFENCES.
SHADOWED BY OFFICER
Accused of Breaking and Entering the
Offices of Charles w. Lord and of
Carrying Concealed Revolver.

Carrying Concealed Revolver.
John w. Baker, a former chief of
police in Dover, and at one time hold
ing the same position in Laurel, was
arraigned before Magistrate b. F.
Wood, at Dover, Thursday. There
were two charges against him-one
of breaking and entering the Offices
of Charles w. Lord, on which he was
held for trial in $1,000 bail, and The
other for carrying a revolver, bail in
that case benig $500. He contended
that he had permission to carry a
revolver. On the breaking and enter
ing charge he pleaded mot guilty"
but when the nurse attending Mr..
| Lord said she identified him as the
man who had come to the room of
Mr.. Lord early Thursday morning, he
admitted that he was in the room,
but said he did not wear a mask, as
she testified. The mask consisted of
torn handkerchief, the nurse said.
1t was proven at the hearing that
a pair of opera glasses, belonging to
the deceased wife of James Lord,
and in the possession of c. w. Lord,
as administrator, which We're taken
from Baker, had been stolen from
the Lord office. The glasses were
identified by the maiden name of Mrs.
Lord appearing on the inside of the
case of the glasses.
Because of Bakers record in Do
yer, when he was chief of police and
his alleged recent irregularities in
Sussex county, a large crowd of peO-
pie swarmed around the magistrate s
Office during the hearing.
: Night Watchman Dickerson, who
2 did not know Baker, saw him leave
the midnight train and saunter VI
Loockerman street. His suspicious
were aroused and he decided to fol
low the man. He was shadowed un
til the Bayard House was reached
3 where Dickerson lost sight of him
Thinking he had secured q room
there he waited for the appearance,
= Of a light in some room. He faile,
to locate the light where he expected
it, but did see a light in !lr. Lord
office. Going across the street quiet
ly he saw Baker making an eXami
nation of the drawers of a desk i
the Office
Withdrawing from the window
through which he had been loOkine
the watchman awaited develop
ments. He then saw Baker com
out and walk toward the post Office
Then Dickerson got in touch wit
Chief of Police Lane and COnstabl
Kingsbury The three got an auto
mobile and followed the man. Whe
near the music store of ].
Downes, State street, nearly OppOsit
the post office, they saw Baker. Coz
stable Kingsbury ordered Baker III
der arrest. He pleaded that ''thing!
. had been "fixed" in Laurel, meanir
/: it is thought, the incident there wi
IL which his name had been cOnnecte
he The three officers took Baker
the Jail, where he was locked up
M await the hearing. When search
nd at the jail a revolver was foUnd up
NV him.
~ ~ It was related that when Bah
- failed to find anything in the off
III where he was seen he went to
upstairs room of Mr.. Lord, in
len Bayard House. Mr.. Lord, who v
ect stricken with paralysis, few d;
by ago, was in care of a nurse. WI
Baker opened the door of the b
room it was further said, he had
face covered with a white ma
which fri0htened the nurse
caused the intruder to leave.