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Mary Baldwin 1851 - 1909 |
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Mary Baldwin 1851 - 1909 |
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| A large stock-barn of the Calvin Whitney farm near Saugatuck
was destroyed by fire the first of the week. The origin of the fire is unknown but there is strong opinion that
it was set. The barn contained twenty-six cows, several horses, and about forty tons of hay, all of which were
destroyed, the fire getting such a start before being discovered that it was impossible to save anything. There
was but $700 insurance, about one third of the loss. Allegan Gazette - March 6, 1909 |
The remains of Mrs. Mary Baldwin, who was murdered by her son Elton in Saugatuck last Thursday morning, were brought here Saturday for burial in the Taylor cemetery. Allegan Gazette - March 13, 1909 |
Frank Baldwin of Fennvillle, a brother of Elton Baldwin who killed his mother recently, takes exception to the statement concerning him made in the Gazette last week. He declares he is not simple-minded, foolish, nor crazy. Our informant was evidently in error giving the information. We are glad to correct this impression in this way. Allegan Gazette - March 13, 1909 |
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------------------- ------------------- BRAINED IN HER SLEEP. ------------------- Baldwin in Jail -- Has Made Full Confession and Pleaded Guilty to Murder, also to Setting Fire to Calvin Whitney's Barns -- Seems to be a Degenerate -- Full Text of Confession -- Had Quarreled with Mother. ------------------- Elton Baldwin of Saugatuck is thirty two years old. His father was a soldier in the Civil war, and his mother, Mary Baldwin, aged 58 years, received a pension. There are three boys in the family and two of them are not overly endowed with reason, judgement, or sense. One of the boys, Frank, worked for the Citizens' Telephone company in Allegan about three years, and while he was well-be-haved he was not strong-minded. He was called "Sugar Beet" by the crew with whom he worked, and all realized that he was not right. Elton is the oldest of the boys and apparently his viciousness has been developing fast. When he stepped off the train in Allegan yesterday morning, degeneracy showed in his features and conduct. He wore a low, soiled, soft hat pulled down close to his ears. His eyes moved spasmodically from one object to another, and a weak smile showed through his dirty red mustache. His shoes were worn out and his feet scuffled along. A heavy, long, faded overcoat, into the pockets of which he shoved his horny hands, covered a large-boned, thin body. With him, were Deputy-sheriff Parr, Prosecutor Hoffman, and Dr. E.D. Osmun, who were called to Saugatuck by local officers Thursday morning. They at once went to the Calvin Whitney farm where the awful matrieid was committed, and found Elton Baldwin at work on the place. The mother lay in bed where she had been killed and there was no evidence of any struggle. Dr. Osmun found four wounds upon her head, two near the left ear, one on top of the head, and one behind at the base of the skull. All were deep, and the three on the head were the fatal blows, any one of them being sufficient to cause death. Because of his conflicting details in narrating events, suspicious quickly pointed to the son, and Prosecutor Hoffman began the work of wringing the confession from him. An inquest was held that afternoon at which he was the principle witness. He declared that the and his mother had intended to get up early Thursday morning and go to Saugatuck to attend to matters pertaining to her pension; that he got up about half-past four o'clock and started the fires after calling his mother. She answered him, he declared in his false story, and said she would get right up. He then left the house, he said, and went to the barn, about a half mile away, to do the morning chores. Later when he came back he noticed the smoke coming out of the kitchen stovepipe, so did not hurry. When he did finally reach the house he said, he thought it strange that his mother was not in the kitchen, and upon going into her bedroom discovered her unconscious and moaning. The real facts are as stated in his confession, which he has repeated and signed again since coming to Allegan, as follows: My mother was interfering
with my business with Whitney. She said she would squeal on me about the burning of that barn when I was out, if I did
not sue him (Whitney) for my wages, and I made up my mind she should not squeal on me, so I got her out of the way
with a hatchet. I got up about half-past four o'clock and settled it. I built the fires, then got the hatchet and
went back into her bed-room. She was there sleeping and I hit her in the head a few times, I can not tell how many,
with the hatchet. She just moved one hand, then laid still. Then I went and took the things out of the dresser
drawers to help myself with and let people think somone else had done it. From what has been learned it appears that Baldwin has a sullen, vicious disposition. When he is angered he loses self-control. When he thinks himself wronged he plots revenge and there is no limit to his vengeance, and he has a strong strain of degeneracy. He and his mother had lived on the Whitney farm about a year and he had had trouble about getting his wages. This unbalanced his little reason, and early last Saturday evening he put kerosene oil on some straw and rubbish under a corner of the big Whitney barn, and the flames destroyed the building and contents. He pretended to know nothing about it, but she suspected him. She wished him to sue Whitney for his pay but he felt that he had gotten even with him by burning the barn. There is evidence, too, that the mother is hard to get along with, that she is willful and ugly. There doubtless had been quarrels before and so often that the son no longer regarded her as anything but a tormentor. Yesterday soon after talking with Prosecutor Hoffman, during which he told everything (for he said he wanted to tell the truth and get the thing out of his mind), he was asked; "Well, don't you begin to feel a little sorry that you hit the old lady?" and he shook his head and remarked; "Nope, she abused me too much." He talked about the whole matter calmly and has not shown any emotion except when he was taken into the room where his dead mother lay. He would not look at the body and his voice faltered somewhat, that being the only evidence of feeling. Baldwin was arraigned before Judge Padgham yesterday afternoon and pleaded guilty to the charge of murder in the first degree. This morning the testimony of a number of persons connected in any way with the terrible affair will be taken. Mary Ann Baldwin was born July 4, 1851 to John and Olive (Dolbee) Barnett. Her husband John Horation Balwin died in 1902. On March 18, 1909 Mary Ann Baldwin was struck in the head with a hatchet and buried next to her husband in Taylor Cemetery in Ganges, Michigan. |
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