Arthur Baker

BAKER

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 5/23/2021 at 17:43:28

20 September 1917 - The Clinton Advertiser page 1

Arthur Daniel Baker, aged 29, proprietor of the A. D. Baker Electric company, 321 South Second street, was found this noon in the basement of the shop, with a bullet hole in his right temple, and a revolver lying nearby, indicating suicide. He died at Mercy hospital about 1:30 this afternoon. It is believed that Mr. Baker was temporarily deranged when he committed the act, as his actions of late had not been normal.

The suicide is one of the saddest occurring in the city in many months.

The last seen of Mr. Baker alive was about 9 o'clock this morning, when some of his men saw him go out of the rear door of the shop. He did not return. As no shot was heard it is believed that he shot himself some time between 12:30 and 12:45 o'clock this noon, while the men were away from the shop.

Peter Anderson, one of the employees, was working in the basement of the shop about quarter of one, when Mrs. Baker telephone to inquire regarding Mr. Baker as he had failed to come home for luncheon. Miles Rockwood answered the telephone, and he and Mr. Anderson set out to find Mr. Baker.

They found the door unlocked leading to the front part of the basement which is unused except for the throwing of rubbish, and thought the circumstance strange as it was usually kept locked. Going into the room with a flash light, they discovered Mr. Baker lying on the floor unconscious, with a small pool of blood.

Thinking that he had taken poison, the two electricians called Dr. J. C. Langan, whose office is in the same building. It was only upon the arrival of the physician that the bullet wound was found. The hole was located immediately below the right temple, and as there was no other wound, the bullet evidently had lodged in the head.

A search revealed the revolver with which the deed was committed, lying nearby.

The police department was notified, and Officers Lorenz and Phillips hurried the ambulance to the shop and the dying man was rushed to Mercy hospital. He died soon after his arrival at the hospital, without regained consciousness after he was found.

Mrs. Baker had been notified and was taken to the hospital, and after Mr. Baker had breathed his last was taken back home. They resided on Ash street between Third and Fourth.

Friends and employees state that Mr. Baker, who was naturally of a nervous temperament, had acted strangely of late, apparently suffering with a temporary mental derangement. He had purchased a new revolver but very recently, which fact indicates that the deed may have been contemplated for days.

The untimely death of the young business man was especially sad, as he leaves to mourn his loss, his wife, and a little four weeks' old baby son, Ambrose Daniel Baker. There are also surviving him his mother and three brothers, who reside in the east.

During the short period that Mr. Baker was in business in this city, he made many friends. He came here during the early part of the summer from Owego, N.Y. He was a graduate in electrical engineering from Michigan university, and when he came to this city took over the K. D. Slocum Electric business under the name of the A. D. Baker Electric company.

Mr. Baker had registered for the draft and his name had been called. He was exempted, however, on account of his dependent family, and had been notified of his exemption a number of days ago.

Dr. M. E. Anderson, the coroner, investigated the death this afternoon and decided that as the circumstances all clearly pointed to suicide, no inquest was necessary.

The funeral arrangements will be made later.

21 September 1917 - The Clinton Advertiser page 7

The body of Arthur D. Baker, accompanied by the widow and baby, Mrs. Herbert Pehrs and K. D. Slocum was taken to Owego, New York, on the noon train. Mr. Slocum will make the trip as far as Chicago and assist in transferring the body, while Mrs. Pehrs will make the entire trip. Funeral services will probably he held Sunday at Owego.

Surviving to mourn his untimely death are the wife and child, and his mother, and three brothers, residing in the east. His father died three months ago.