William Mackay to This morning Charles O. Brown reports having learned the names of the murderers, as follows:—Francisco,—Serbantes, and José Moritez; the latter two reside at El Rial de Guadaloupe, and all in Sonora, December 30, 1871

The Baker Family Massacre.

Following is the report of the coroner’s jury that investigated the circumstances of this frightful atrocity:

Territory of Arizona, County of Pima, Blue Water Station, December 24, 1871.

Before John S. Thayer, coroner, in the matter of inquisition upon the bodies of John W. Baker, Mrs. Julia Baker, William Baker, and John Baker, deceased.

We, the undersigned, the jurors summoned to appear before John S. Thayer, coroner of Pima County, on this 24th day of December, 1871, to inquire into the circumstances of the death of the parties aforesaid, whose bodies now lie before us, find that John W. Baker was a native of New London, in the state of Iowa, aged about thirty-one years; that he died from the effects of two gunshot wounds, one in the breast and the other through the throat; that said wounds were inflicted by persons whose names are unknown in the jury. That Mrs. Julia Baker, wife of J. W. Baker, was from New London, Iowa, aged about thirty years; that she died from the effects of six buckshot wounds in the left breast; that said wounds were inflicted by persons the names of whom are unknown in the jury. We find that William Baker was a son of J.W. and Julia Baker, aged eight years; that he died from the effects of a pistol-shot wound in the back, inflicted by unknown persons to the jury. We find that John Baker was an infant-son of J. W. and Julia Baker, aged five months; that he died from exposure to the weather, while lying on the ground near his dead mother. We find that the deceased, one and all, died on the evening of the 21st of December, 1871.

We further find that the deceased, John W. Baker, had, on the 19th, 20th, and 21st instant, four Mexicans employed in cutting and hauling hay to his house; that on the evening of the 21st, said Mexicans had unloaded their hay, leaving their tools on the wagon; that said four Mexicans were seen the night of the 21st in possession of the two horses belonging to said Baker, and on the road to Sonora; that on the morning of the 22d said Mexicans were seen on the road, in possession of said horses, and about forty miles from Blue Water Station, the home of deceased.

It appears to the jury, in tracing the effects to the causes which produced them, that Mr. Baker was about eight feet from the kitchen-door, and while in the act of delivering some provisions, with his scales in hand, to one of the Mexicans, he was shot by two others from behind a wall about eight feet distant, and he fell where he stood. Mrs. Baker was putting supper on the table, and, hearing a noise, ran out of the door with her babe in her arms, and was confronted by the assassins with the double-barreled shot-gun belonging to the station. She seized the muzzle of the gun in her left hand, and while holding to it, it was discharged, one shot passing through her left hand, between the thumb and fore-finger, the powder burn ins her arm, and setting her sleeve on fire, six shot taking effect in her left breast. She had dropped the child about six feet from her husband, and fell about two feet from it. Their little boy had run out at the time, and, in the act of running back, was shot in the back by a pistol-ball. He lived for some minutes, his little boots being full of blood, and the wall being bloody in several places where he had leaned against it. The Mexicans then broke open two trunks, searching the house generally for money, but took away but little, if any, clothing, and it is believed but very little money. Two of them mounted the two horses, and the others followed behind, holding to the horses, and thus made long and rapid strides for Sonora.