Murder of W. H. Baker Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by T. D. Hudson, 8/2001 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================== ================================================================================== Murder of W. H. Baker From the "Ouachita Telegraph", issue of 25 July 1879, page 3, column 2 ================================================================================== ================================================================================== The Ouachita Telegraph Friday, 25 July 1879, page 3, column 2 Killing of W.H. Baker. Mr. W.H. Baker, a citizen of this parish for twenty-five years, or more, was killed on his place on the Ouachita, in this parish, on Saturday evening last. The main facts in the killing were elicited at the inquest held by Coroner Locke of this parish. We copy the Coroner's process verbal: I, J.W. Locke, coroner of the parish of Ouachita, State of Louisiana, having been duly notified of the death of W.H. Baker, and having received the body of said W.H. Baker, and made inquiry respecting the death, did on this 20th day of July, 1879, summon the following jury of inquest, to each of whom I administered the following oath, to-wit: You do solemnly swear that you will well and truly inquire and a true verdict render as to what means the deceased W.H. Baker came to his death, to the best of your ability and understanding, so help you God. W.P. SMITH, C.M. TIDWELL, J.O. BARR, R.B. BUFORD, Peter ARRANT (his mark) And the said jurors, after being thus sworn to inquire on behalf of the State when and by what means the said W.H. Baker came to his death, upon their oaths do say, that the said W.H. Baker came to his death from six gunshot wounds in his head, apparently made by a load of buckshot from a shotgun, in hands one Willis Wright (according to the evidence shown to this jury). W.P. SMITH C.M. TIDWELL, J.O. BARR, R.B. BUFORD, Peter ARRANT (his mark) ISLAND, OUACHITA PARISH, LA., July 20, 1879 This is to certify that I was summoned by J.W. Locke, coroner for said parish, to examine the body of W.H. Baker of this parish. I found that he came to his death by a gunshot wound in the head, the shot tearing the skull and brain very much two shot passing out, but the remaining shot doing the greatest mischief still lodged in the brain. Such a wound is necessarily and quickly fatal. This given under my hand and seal, this day and date above written. S.C. MURPHY, M.D. John L. Daniel, being duly sworn, deposeth and says: I saw Mr. W.H. Baker walk down the lane and seen him walk up to the gate of Willis Wright. He stood at the gate about three minutes; then I heard a gun fire and seen Mr. Baker fall. Willis Wright was the one who fired the gun. I then went to where the gun was fired, and found Mr. Baker lying dead in front of Willis Wright's gate. I seen Willis Wright come out the gate and run by Mr. Baker. I was about three hundred yards from the house (Wright's house) when I saw the gun fire. I am positive that Willis Wright was the man who fired the gun. I saw Wright last when he was wading the river. J.L. DANIEL. Willis Wright, when a slave, belonged to Mr. John Bass of Union parish. He was employed by Mr. Baker on his plantation. It seems that on the day of the killing, early in the morning, Baker ordered Willis off his place, because Willis had been intermeddling with Mr. Baker's cook, a colored woman. About sundown Baker walked down to Willis's cabin, and at the yard gate was shot down as related in the evidence of Mr. Daniels, a step-son of Mr. Baker. Willis left immediately. About eighteen hours subsequent a number of men started in pursuit of the murderer, but up to Wednesday morning the search had proved fruitless." ###########################################################################