The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-08-06


right to benefit should the
!claims prove valid. He contends he is the true
land legal greatgrandsOn OF the man who 1t Is
alleged, owned the $SO0OOO,0O0 tract Of real es-
tate in the Quaker city. However. Mr.. Baker Is
lin no hurry.
Now, IL you will look on page 516 OF this
book" he said, taking down copy Of the BIO
graphical and Genealogical History Of Indiana"
'"you win discover my fathers name. 1t shows
that my fathers grandfather was Jacob Baker
land that he was born In Ludwigsburg. Baden.
Germany. He came to America and settled In
Pennsylvania
1T was this Jacob Baker who acquired all that
property In Philadelphia. 1 have many papers
and records and documents to prove 1t. There
will be no trouble about connecting up my rela-
hionship. There are II true great-grandchildren-
We will prove heirship."
Mr.. Baker said that his family several years
ago collected fund and had the entire history
of Jacob Baker traced even to his parents es-
tate In Germany.
"a cousin of mine has an of those records"
said Mr.. Baker. "They will be produced"
III you get the money. what then?"
.Well. have a long time to live. you know"
he said. .In take my daughter, Emma, and her
husband, and wen have little trip But there's
no use worrying about that now. There is no
hurry"
Some Of the Baker heirs are more impatient
about 1t than Chicagos Mr. Baker. This is but nat
nral inasmuch as Colonel Baker appears to have
been the family head from whom sprang null
titudinous progeny. His heirs seem to be scat
tered through every state in the Union and every
province Of Canada
One day recently the bureau Of legal aid, de-
pArtment OF public welfare Of Philadelphia, ac-
cording to the chief Of that bureau. Roman Hass-
rick received eight inquiries relative to the Baker
estate. In all correspondence 1t Is represented
as an estate worth more than $SOOOOO,0OO con-
sisting of $50 acres In the business center Of Phil
adelphia. Some add all the land occupied by the
city Of ChIllicothe, O.
The eight inquiries cited having been re
ceived on a single recent day came, respectively.
from Kansas City. No.; Alton, Ia; Dubuque, Ia;
Salt Lake City, Utah; Okamogan, Wash; Los
Angeles. CAL: Lebanon. Pa, and Tacoma, Wash
The inquiries were penned, some OF them on
embossed paper. others on mere scraps OF paper
saThe great majority Of persons who write
to the mayor of Philadelphia or to the director
of the department of public welfare relative to
Colonel Bakers holdings" said Mr.. Hassrick.
shave visions Of easy wealth.
sSome are more credulous than others Re
Gently there came to me from Portland, Ore- an
inquiry accompanied by newspaper clipping
which told Of the marvellous good luck Of a dti-
zen Of that town The article spoke of his hav-
ang founded an automobile school on capital
OF $50 i've years ago and added, To-day ne =
heir 20 millions, This alleged fortunate descend
ant OF the now famous Colonel Baker did not
seem to know exactly how large slice he was
70 ret out m this estate. But with hope burn
ing in his breast he settled up his affairs in Port
land ana started for Philadelphia to claim the
xoad that he thought there awaited him.
sFrom Alton, n, came IN inquiry from per
an who wants to get In touch with the at
tcrney. or attorneys, handling the billion-doliar
BAKER estate This Is one Of the highest APP
sraisements OF the value OF this estate that has
reached the olice Of the bureau
"A western newspaper printed general state-
r,ent about this Baker estate which was trans
nitted ron the East and Immediately there
.Drane m q retinue Of claimantA with names
rans,nr nom Shroades to Anderson, and ell ap-
uerently evincing IN earnest interest In the e.
fate of Colonel Baker.
~Onay the other day there came to the city
lavver from Kansas City bent on getting the
s,,e facts relative to Colonel Baker and his vast
wealth. This attorney insisted upon digging
throush the court records and ascertaining what
ne the real facts
Il the Baker estate idea i sound. Philadelphia's
eemed CITY han, with its massive stone tower.
town clock and bronze statue Of ye esteemed
WIlliam Penn, belongs to . thousand or more
taruners Of the Northwest and Canada
Such I tribe q Scottish Rite Cathedral one
u tie most famous homes Of Free Masonry IN
TIE United States. = to provide spending money
kor folks ont along the Pacific coast
Broad street Station. home terminal Of
Ma Pennsylvania railroad. e 70 3 split up
$500 the axriculturists Of the middle West
~ r,uaker cffy,s Skyscraper belt the modern
/ -, "a cenerefe canyons that mnrk tha boun-
1srfas r Bruud ma CHESTNUT streetA. ara = ~
s