Haldon Baker Fink murder investigation June 14, 1939 News Messenger

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SCENES OF CLYDE KIDNAP-MURDER CASE ]
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at
Clyde home of Mr. and Mrs. Oren Baker, maternal grandparents of 10-weeks-old Haldon  Fink,   whose
kidnaping late Tuesday night ended in death, is pictured above.   The infant was taken  while sleeping
in a front room off the porch shown  in  the  photograph.
Empty now is the cradle-carriage from which tiny Haldon Fink was
snatched while sleeping Tuesday night to be thrown to its death in
Green Creek. Picture of the vehicle was taken in the Clyde home
of the infant's maternal grandparents, where the kidnaping occurred.
INJURIES FATAL
TO HITCH-HIKER
William   Crawford,   New
York, Dies In Memorial Hospital
The body of William Crawford,
39, of New York City, who died at
4 p. m. Tuesday in Memorial hospital after having been injured in
an unusual accident at Clyde, was
being held Wednesday at the Fiser
& Son funeral home, Clyde pending
further investigation.
Efforts are being made to locate
possible relatives or friends and
Dr. D. W. Philo, Sandusky county
coroner and the state patrol are
conducting an investigation ;n the
accident and death.
Crawford died suddenly in the
hospital as he was coming out of
the anesthetic, after having undergone an operation for a compound
fractured leg, sustained in the accident. It was thought death was
caused by embolism or inhalation.
Is New Yorker
Address of the deceased man was
given as 17 east 42nd street, Hew
York, where it was thought he
lived with E. M. Cameron. It was
reported that he was a paint salesman  and  was  hitch-hiking  home
(Continued on Page 14, Column 8)
EARL AVERILL IS
TRincn t- -
G-MEN ASKED
TO JOIN HUNT
FOR   SLAYER
10-Week-Old Haldon Baker Fink Snatched   Prom
Carriage Crib At Grandparents' Home; Mother
Had Gone To Store; No Clues Found In Slaying
The body of 10-weeks-old Haldon Baker Fink was
found in the slow-moving waters of Green Creek, just north
of U. S. Highway 20 bridge spanning the stream, three
miles east of Fremont at approximately 11 a. m., Wednesday, just 13 hours after it had been snatched from its cradle
in a Clyde home.
Deputy Sheriffs Ted Paul and Roy Krugh, working westward from Clyde in close search for the infant, came upon the
tiny body at 10:51 a. m. It was partly submerged, caught in
a willow clump bordering the creek, 71 feet north of the
bridge on the west bank.
The two officers, who had combed every ravine and rivulet between Green Creek and Clyde, first thought they espied
a chicken or a fowl in the river. Deputy Paul proceeded down
the west bank and Deputy Krugh investigated.the east bank.
The former came upon the body, still clothed in a baby's
shirt, nightgown and diaper.
No Marks Seen
The body bore no marks of violence, except for an abrasion on
the lip and a trickle of blood from
its mouth. Deputy Paul theorized
the body had been thrown from the
bridge. A bootee and blanket taken
with the infant when it was
snatched from its cradle in a front
room of the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Oren Baker, of Maple street, Clyde,
maternal grandparents, were missing.
The discovery ended an all-night
search throughout the district after report that the baby was taken from the Clyde residence between 10 and 11 p. m. The child's
parents are Velma Ruth Fink, 22,
of Clyde, and Ervin B. Fink, 23, of
Fremont, who were divorced in
Sandusky county common pleas
court, June 6.
Crowd Gathers
Body of the child was placed on
the heavily wooded creek bank adjoining the George H. Thomsen
property on U. S. Highway 20. As
news of the discovery spread, a
large crowd gathered. Passing automobiles halted and traffic was
slowed on the busy highway. However, few ventured into the glen
where the infant lay with Deputies Paul and Krugh standing
watch pending arrival of Coroner
D. W. Philo.
Deputy Paul reported the infant
was face up, its tiny hands tightly
clenched when found. Although
death was attributed to drowning,
the body apparently floated from
the bridge and was caught by an
overhanging willow clump.
Baby Was Asleep
The baby was asleep in a first-
floor room, adjoining a front porch
and living room of the residence.
The grandfather, slightly hard of
hearing, said he heard no disturbance while he was in the adjoining room.
Members of the family told officers the abductor entered through
Mother Overcome
]
Grief-stricken, Mrs. Ervin Fink,
22-year-old mother of tiny Haldon Fink, required opiates to
calm her after kidnaping of her
child in Clyde Tuesday night. Her
hysteria was renewed at noon
Wednesday when she learned of
the child's death.
a seldom-used door opening into
the room where the baby was
sleeping. The door had been left
unlocked. An open archway extends between the two rooms. Mr.
Baker said he had visited the
kitchen of the modest home during
the 45 minutes the mother and
grandmother were away.
Door through which the kidnaper entered and left the home was
found open after the child's mother discovered    him   missing.    Mr.
(Continued on Page 2. Column 5)
Kidnaped Baby's Mother is
Overcome by Grief, Anguish
"Is my baby out there? Where
is my baby?" cried an attractive
young mother, Mrs. Velma Ruth
Fink, of Clyde, as she shook off the
affects early Wednesday morning
of opiates given to quiet her sorrowing for the loss of her kidnaped
10-week-old son, Haldon.
"Why can't they find my baby?"
sobbed the grief-stricken woman,
as a few friends and members of
the family tried to comfort her.
She was overcome by loss of her
child shortly after she walked into
the room where she had placed him
and found an empty cradle.
Physician Called
A physician was called to care
for the mother and grandmother.
Mrs. Oren Baker had recovered
from the shock Wednesday and patiently answered questions of reporters. She also admitted cameramen to the residence to photograph the carriage-crib from which
the abductor had snatched the infant.
One pink bootee, left behind by
the kidnaper, a tiny pillow and the
cradle's undercushion remaind just
as they had been when the discovery was made. The baby's mother
late Wednesday morning was still
too grief-stricken to answer questions.
Was Family Idol
Mrs. Fink kept sobbing for "Buster/' nickname given the infant
following his removal to the Clyde
residence from Memorial hospital
here. The baby had steadily gained
weight until he passed the 12-
pound mark. With light hair and
blue eyes, "Buster" had quickly
become the idol of the family and
neighborhood.
The 22-year-old mother is well-
known in Clyde, having graduated
from the high school there two
years ago. She had been married
exactly 13 months on the day she
obtained a divorce in Sandusky
county common pleas court. Until
her marriage, she had been employed in Leidy's candy store at
Clyde.
Throughout the day, Clyde residents and Fremont friends of the
family visited the modest home to
extend their sympathy. Although
showing visible signs of terrific suspense and strain, Mrs. Baker was
able to greet callers.
Recalls Confusion
The baby's grandfather is a well-
known garage man of Clyde. "I
don't know why anybody would
want to take our baby," he said
shortly after officers reached the
home. He had spent much of the
time during the 45 minutes that
Mrs. Fink and Mrs. Baker were
away from the home Tuesday night
on a davenport in a living room adjoining the room in which the baby
was asleep.
He told officers there was somq
confusion about the home and garage at the rear of the residence
during the women's absence, but
he had not seen or heard anything
unusual in the room where tha
baby had been placed.
Sleepless hours and terrific suspense of waiting for word about
the infant were wearing down phy>
sical resistence of both the matern-
al grandparents, paternal grandmother and their families in Clyd«
and Fremont. A constant vigil foi
some faint encouragement of tha
child's safety was being kept at th«
two homes, none abandoning'.hop*
that the baby would be found alive,