The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1923-03-13
FATHER PLEADS FOR
LIVES OF TWO BOYS
RETURNS TO HIS HOME TO
AWAIT DECISION OF COM
MISSION AND GOVERNOR

ATLANTA, Ga.-With the lives OF
his two boys depending entirely upon
the mercy of the Georgia Prison Com
mission and Governor Hardwick, R.
D. Baker, Walker county farmer,
went back to his little cabin Thursday
to wait and pray.
Ma is up there praying now, and
| am going to join her. | have been
Sunday school teacher for years, and
have done my best to bring up my
own boys and other peoples boys to
do right. know God will hear our
prayers and help us in our time OF
deep trouble" he said.
Fathers Story.
Mr.. Baker had been in Atlanta to
appear before the prison commission,
asking clemency for his Oldest boy,
George, p, and Ralph, declared by
him to be only IS. They are under
sentence to be hanged March 10th tor
the murder of J. w Morton, depu-
ty sheriff, at Durham, Walker county,
several months ago.
Leaning against a column in the
state capitol after the prison comms-
sion had taken the cases under ad-
visement Mr.. Baker sobbed out the
first story of the killing from the
standpoint OF the Baker family.
Joe Morton was a good man. SAID
Mr.. Baker. HE was a good man and
good officer | am sorry that he
was killed, and am heartbroken be-
cause Ralph did the shooting. What
| know to be the events leading up
to the shooting have never been pub
hshed>
George, with his wife and Ralph,
left my house to go to Durham. They
said they would be back next day.
Ralph didn't have any money and
George didn't have much. They tried
| to get Georges wife to ride on the
train and let them walk all the way
to Durham. She would not do that,
and they all decided to walk up the
railroad few miles to station and
get the train there so as to have the
money to make the trip.
Rum Started Trouble.
George got to drinking, and made
whole lot of noise on the train. The
conductor told George to get quiet or
| he would get a warrant for him at
Durham Georges wife asked Ralph
to get the pistol George had, and
Ralph goc it,
when they got off the train at
/ Durham, Joe Morton was there, and
J George asked him if he, Joe, had a
warrant. Joe said he didn't have one.
| George, under the influence of the
whisky, started to teasing him and
PLAYING with Joe. Joe caught him by
the collar and gave him swing, tell
ing him 20 go on, that he was drunk.
George slapped at Morton, and miss
ing him. fell to the ground.
Joe began shotting at George, and
it was then that Ralph pulled out the
gun he took from George and shot
Morton, killing him. The undertaken
said the shots entered near Morton, S
chin, and just below the chin. That is
the way Ralph has told me many
times that it happened, and | know
he is telling the truth.
George has never said much about
it. He says he wants to suffer the
same penalty Ralph does.
Always Obeyed Laws.
"The people of Walker county
know that have always been a
worker for the right have taught
their children, and mine, in Sunday
school for years We have always been
law-abiding citizens. When this trou-
bic came along we didn't have any
one to help us. The people thought
lots of Joe Morton, and they had a
right to- But they have not tried to
find out the real facts about the case.
Ralph didn't shoot because he thought
Joe had a warrant for George, but
because he saw Joe shooting at George
and thought George was going to be
killed without chance to defend him
self.
Il know God will help me now in
our time OF trouble. Ralph's ma could
not come here because we have no
money to pay train fare. But she is
praying for the boys, and | know her
prayers will be heard
The application for clemency gave
the ages OF the Baker boys at p and
IA at the time of the shooting. A
sworn statement as to the ages OF all
the Baker children. was presented.
|