'A self-confessed specialist in the rt of murder went into the clusion of the Detvoit city gaol n-day to await investigation into ig round-the-world tour as a killer. this name is James Baker. New rk, police requested local at horities to make the aryest. He ha living in seclusion on a Miigan farm for the past year but preceding months had been very.
According to Baker's story as told 9 officials here, he murdered eight nen during recent years simply be~ ouse he "liked to see them suffer." olson was the cause of death in all ases.
Baker admitted that-he started ut with the murder of one Henry jaw, a night watchman—in the juggenheim Laboratories in New fork city. He had stolen cyanide or this and he kept a supply on and when he set forth immediately afterward for a trip around the yarld as a sailor.
During the course of his travels, cording to Baker's narration, he isoned members of ships' crews at houston, Texas, at Bombay, at hamburg, at Manila and at Tioilo, who names of the victims were not revealed. Part of the grand tour murder was on board a freighter, vhich he joined at Balboa, Canal jone, about the middle of 1928. While visiting Uloilo, Baker attend-da native fiesta where he saw a lupino drinking tuba, Baker slipped ome cyanide in the glass and the nan died immediately, The slayer ad never seen his victim before and mow nothing of him.
Subsequently Baker visited Hong-ong and Shanghai but he says he Filled nobody at either port, New and extraordinary details concerning James Baker were rewined that the discovery ity and record was cidental, The curiosity of Thomas smith, a newly-fledged New York detective who came here in conneeion with another case, led to the eking' up of the trail and the fin rest of Baker after he had lived iwietly for months on a secluded arn, Baker has told the police that nce studied chemistry and became interested in poisons. As a result, 10 found himself unable to resist ho impulse to "kill someone every mee in a while."
The identity of the victim was a matter of complete indifference to iim, Baker made clea Physicians who examined Baker aid that he was suffering from a lolont phase of paranoia, Police characterize him as "one the most dangerous homicide maniaes the country has harbuurce for yenrs Feb. 21.
Police to-day began to doubt the ruth of James Baker's "pleasure" niutders around the world although they still believe in the authenticity his confession that he poisoned Henry Gaw, night watchman in the Guggenheim Laboratories in New York City.
'A strong odour of fish began to surround the "thrill killer's" tales when police inquiries at points in the United States failed to coincide with Baker's own recital of how he slew for the fun of it, Houston, Texas, authorities here failed to find records dealing with the alleged murder by Baker of a man named Honeycutt. In Warren, Ohio, the police have similarly been unable to find a record of the ki of Baker's step-father, H. T. Parker, Baker had "confessed" in detail concerning both these alleged crimes. Information concerning other alleged slayings at such remote points as Bombay, Hamburg, Manila, and Iloilo is still lacking.
While this checking-up of a total of nine confessed murders was in progress, Baker awaited the arrival of detectives who are to take him to New York, and he registered evident enjoyment of the tremendous sensation caused throughout the country by newspaper accounts of his "mental pleasure poisonings."
Baker has issued several signed stories concerning his life and has Leen bargaining for the use of his signature in other articles, One reporter who wanted an interview was told by Baker that the latter wanted enough money. educate a Miss Elinor Roy; a companion of whom he recounted many
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