Foul Play is Suspected: Body Burned In Bakerton Shanty

BURNED TO DEATH; FOUL PLAY IS SEEN.
Charred Body of Negro Found in Ashes of Shanty.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
HAGERSTOWN, Md., April 5.– The burning to death of a negro known as “Babe” Carter in his shanty at the Bakerton, W. Va., quarries early today points to foul play and Berkeley county authorities, as well as the authorities here, are making an investigation. Bakerton is situated just across the Potomac river from Williamsport, Md.

Strike Trouble.
Various rumors have been rife today at the quarries, where a strike has been in effect since Monday morning, where all of the quarry employees walked out because they did not receive an increase in wages. Carter was one of the few people who did not strike, one report has it, and the authorities are of the opinion that strikers, angered by the negro’s failure to leave work, set fire to the shanty.

The house in which Carter and another negro lived was found on fire early yesterday. It had gained such headway then that it was impossible to enter it. When the blaze was extinguished the negro’s charred body was found on the floor. Carter’s roommate is serving a short sentence on a drunk charge and was not home.

Workers Quizzed.
A number of Carter’s fellow workers were questioned by the authorities, but all denied that they were near the scene of the fire and knew of no threats made against the negro’s life.

The Bakerton quarry, where the strike is in progress, is the only one in that district which did not grant an increase in wages to their workers on April 1.