Newspapers: Murder Suicide, Sept 1939, Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ********************************************************************************* Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Elizabeth Corethers 17 Nov 2002 ********************************************************************************* Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Sunday, 24 Sep 1939, p. 1 AUTO CAMP DOUBLE TRAGEDY SCENE George Baker, 60, and Wife Murder, Suicide Victims Domestic Quarrels Cause of Bloody Deed at Pine Tree Auto Camp Saturday Continual domestic quarrels were believed by Coroner Frank A. Perl to be responsible for the murder and suicide of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Baker Saturday afternoon between 3 and 4 o'clock. Mrs. Baker was about 50 and her husband about 60. The tragedy took place at the Pine Tree auto camp owned by the couple and located five miles south of Gold Hill on the Pacific highway a short distance from the over-head bridge. The shooting was reported by George Vincent, 13-year-old Central Point high school freshman, who was burning brush on the Joe Collins place near Bear Creek and directly across the road from the auto camp. Young Vincent said he heard Mrs. Baker scream and then heard two shots. With Collins, he went to the camp to investigate but apparently saw no one around so returned to the creek. A little while later, the boy said, he returned to the filling station alone and looked in the screen porch where he saw Mrs. Baker's body. He then went to a neighbor's home, John Houlihan, who lives north of the Baker place, and phoned the [illegible]. He and Houlihan then went back to the auto camp where they became assured of the tragedy. Sheriff Sid I. Brown, two state policemen and County Coroners Frank Perl and Art Larsen rushed to the scene of the shooting. Already there were Bert Hedgepeth, Central Point marshal and C. A. Tharp, Central Point phone operator. Coroner Perl said that apparently Baker shot his wife twice when they were quarreling on the screen porch, one bullet hit her in the mouth on the left upper lip, knocking out a gold bridge and a tooth by the roots, and came out the back of her neck. She then apparently turned to run out the screen door, which was locked, and the other bullet struck her in the middle of the back and came out the right breast. She fell flat on her face in a prone position. Then it is believed that Mr. Baker shot himself through the right temple. He was lying in a deep pool of blood face upward with his arm outstretched. A powder burn on Baker's right leg coverall indicated that a struggle had taken place prior to the fatal shootings. The bullet was found in the floor. The bullet which evidently went through Mrs. Baker's back went through the screen door leaving little spots of blood around the hole. Five bullets had been fired from the old-time .41 calibre Colt pistol, Coroner Perl stated. Baker's body was lying about four and a half feet from that of his wife. The screen on the door leading into the store room was locked as well as the one where the shooting took place. Neighbors living in the vicinity of the Baker place said that they had often heard the couple quarrel and that Mr. Baker was extremely hard of hearing. They said that he generally had the gun with him. Mr. Houlihan stated that Mr. Baker went into town Saturday morning and returned to his home at the auto camp about 2:30 in the afternoon. Mr. Houlihan also said that Mrs. Baker had received a telephone call at his home while Mr. Baker was in town, from a son who lives in Montana. The neighbor said that he thought that Mrs. Baker was planning on going to Montana to see her son because he was ill. It was thought that this matter might have precipitated the couple's quarrel. Neighbors also said that Mr. Baker had lived in Springfield, Colo., for a number of years before coming to Ashland about five years ago, at which time he purchased the Pine Tree camp near Kirtland road. He was married to Mrs. Baker, his second wife, about a year and a half ago. Baker's grandson, Donald Lundy of Murphy, stopped at the auto camp several hours after the fatal shootings. His mother, Baker's daughter, Mrs. Nellie Willey, lives also at Murphy. Among other relatives of the dead man are two sons, Victor and Frank, of Oakland, Calif. An inquest of the killings is pending. - - - - - Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Monday, 25 Sep 1939 - Plan No Inquest in Baker Tragedy District Attorney Frank J. Newman and County Coroner Frank Perl today stated that there would be no inquest in the murder and suicide of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Baker, which occurred late Saturday afternoon at the couple's Pine Tree auto camp five miles south of Gold Hill. It is believed by authorities that Mr. Baker, 60, shot Mrs. Baker once through the mouth and a second time through the back and then turned the old time .41 calibre Colt pistol to his temple and shot himself fatally. The tragedy is believed to have been the result of continual domestic quarrels. Neighbors reported that the couple had lived "a cat and dog life" since their marriage about a year and a half ago. - - - - - Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Tuesday, 26 Sep 1939 - Inquest Called in Tragedy at Pine Tree Camp A coroner's inquest was to be held this afternoon at 3:30 at the Perl Funeral Home in the murder and suicide of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Baker last Saturday afternoon at the couple's Pine Tree auto camp, five miles south of Gold Hill. The inquest, among other phases, will deal with a will which was revealed today as having been written by Mr. Baker on the day of the tragedy. The will, it is said, bequeaths two-thirds of the estate to Baker's children and one-third to Mrs. Baker, who died from two bullet wounds apparently inflicted by her husband. If it should be established that Mrs. Baker died before her husband snuffed out his own life with a bullet through the temple, it is said, her share of the property will revert back to him and on to his children. Mr. Baker was born in Jewell county, Kansas, July 5, 1876. He lived there until he was 22 years of age. He was married to Ruth Kemp in 1897 in Gaylord, Kas., and moved to Oklahoma. Later he went to Springfield, Colo., where he was a very successful business man and ranch owner for twenty years. In Springfield he was highly respected by many friends and business associates. He moved to Ashland in 1926, when he retired later, buying the Pine Tree auto camp where he had since resided. He was married to his late wife, Lila Emmett Baker, in 1937. Survivors are his former wife and four children, Nelly Willey, of Murphy; Victor and Frank, of California, and Earl of Colorado; six grandchildren and three sisters, Mrs. Rosanna Minett, Caldwell, Idaho; Mrs. Sara Watts, Portland; Mrs. Dora Evans of Walla Walla, Wash. Funeral services for Mr. Baker will take place from the chapel of the Perl Funeral Home on Wednesday morning at 10:30. The Rev. Joseph Knotts of the Methodist church will officiate and commitment services and interment will follow in Siskiyou Memorial Park. Friends are respectfully invited to attend the services. Funeral arrangements for Lila Emmett Baker pend arrival of her relatives. - - - - - Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Wednesday, 27 Sep 1939 - Coroner's Jury Eyes Evidence Baker Tragedy A coroner's inquest held yesterday afternoon at 3:30 at the Perl Funeral Home in the murder and suicide of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Baker last Saturday afternoon at the couple's Pine Tree auto camp, five miles south of Gold Hill, determined that the couple met their deaths by gun shot wounds from shots fired by Mr. Baker. The jury, composed of E. S. Sleight, A. G. Bishop, L. E. Watson, H. F. Platt, H. N. Butler and N. S. Young, did not find which of the two deceased died first. This phase of the inquest concerned a will which authorities revealed was written by Mr. Baker on the day of the tragedy. The will, it is said, bequeaths two-thirds of the estate to Baker's children and one-third to Mrs. Baker, who died from two bullet wounds. Witnesses giving testimony relative to the murder and suicide at the inquest included George Vincent, 13-year-old Central Point high school student, who was the first person to appear at the scene of the crime; Joe Collins who resides near Tolo; state police officer Clark Johnson, and Dr. William P. Holt who examined the bodies. Dr. Holt stated that he couldn't say positively which of the couple died first, but that it was probable that Mrs. Baker died first by bleeding from the gun shot wounds. She was shot through the mouth and the back. Mr. Baker called at the office of a Medford attorney Saturday morning to make out a new will, then took a bus back to his auto camp, arriving there after 2 o'clock. The shootings apparently took place between 3 and 4 o'clock.