Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 March 1898 — BAKER’S ASSASSINS SOUGHT. [ARTICLE]

BAKER’S ASSASSINS SOUGHT.

Rewards Offered for Those Who Killed' the Negro Postmaster. The most revolting crime ever perpetrated by white men in South Carolina was committed at Lake City, Williamsburg County, at 1 o’clock Tuesday morning, when Postmaster Baker, a negro, and his family were burned out of their home, the postmaster and a babe in arms killed and the wife and three daughters shot and maimed for life. Baker was appointed postmaster three months ago. Lake City is a town of 500 inhabitants, and the negro population in the vicinity is large. There was a protest at Baker’s appointment, but it was not a very vigorous one. Information of the killing of the postmaster and the burning of his office'came to the Postofflee Department at Washington in a dispatch from Inspector Williams, in charge of the district, who has headquarters at Chattanooga. The latter’s telegram was very Brief, and merely told of the killing of the fiiau and the burning of the office. He’will send an inspector to the scene of the tragedy at once to investigate and make a full report of the case to the department. When this is obtained the Department of Justice will be asked to prosecute the persons engaged, in the crime. The Postmaster General has offered a reward of S3OO for the arrest and conviction of the persons who burned the postoffice, and a reward of SSOO for the arrest and conviction of the persons who murdered the postmaster at the same time. Gen. Gary has issued an order to discontinue the office at Lake City.