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Collection
Commonwealth vs. Edward L. Gibbs Records
Title
Commonwealth vs. Edward L. Gibbs
Object ID
MG0476
Date Range
1950-1951
  1 document  
Collection
Commonwealth vs. Edward L. Gibbs Records
Title
Commonwealth vs. Edward L. Gibbs
Description
On 10 January 1950, Marian L. Baker was brutally murdered by Edward Lester Gibbs. This collection contains W. Hensel Brown's copies of the clerk's file, transcripts, appeal briefs, and other court records from the murder trial of Edward L. Gibbs, 1950. Newspaper articles report on the 1950 trial and his 1951 electrocution.
Admin/Biographical History
Edward Lester Gibbs (1924-1951), veteran (98th Bombardment Group, 15th Air Force) and husband of Helen Woodward, was from Gloucester County, NJ. In 1950, he was a student at Franklin and Marshall College. (1)
Marian Louise Baker (1928-1950), the daughter of Walter M. Baker and Helen Beatrice Soule Britcher, was originally from New Bloomfield, Perry County, PA. (2) She had spent much of her childhood in Conestoga, PA with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. LeRoy O'Donel. (3) In 1950, she worked as a cashier and secretary in the treasurer's office at Franklin and Marshall College (4) and was engaged to Edward Rankin. (5)
W. Hensel Brown was the attorney chosen to defend Gibbs.
"On January 10, 1950, Marian Louise Baker was brutally slain by being
beaten to death with a lug wrench. Eight days later Edward Lester
Gibbs, defendant, confessed the killing. Thereafter, he was indicted in
Lancaster County, tried by a jury, and convicted of murder in the first
degree with the penalty fixed at death. Prior to his bringing this appeal, his motion for new trial was denied and sentence was imposed in accordance with the verdict.
At the time of the killing, defendant, a married war veteran twenty-five years of age, was a student at Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. *185 In the early afternoon of January 10, 1950, he was in downtown Lancaster when he saw Miss Baker, an employee of the college. He offered to drive her back to the campus in his car and she accepted. However, instead of returning directly to the college, they rode out of town and into the open country. When they reached an isolated spot several miles from the city she commented on the view and defendant stopped the car so that they both might enjoy it. While sitting there he suddenly reached over and began choking her. She broke away and got out of the car. He followed her and after choking her again, he returned to the car, unlocked and opened the luggage compartment, removed the lug wrench, and beat her over the head with it until she was dead. He then left but later returned to hide the body and remove any incriminating evidence. The body was not discovered until four days later.
On January 18, 1950, defendant admitted committing the crime and on that same day he signed a statement setting forth the facts as we have synopsized them here. Neither at the trial nor at any other time did he deny the truth of that confession and substantially all of the facts contained in it were verified by the independent investigation of the Pennsylvania State Police." (6)
1 "Edward Lester Gibbs," Find A Grave, accessed November 27, 2018, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76555590/edward-lester-gibbs.
2 "Marian Louise Baker," Find A Grave, accessed November 27, 2018, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76632108/marian-louise-baker.
3 "Vintage photos, the 1950 murder of an F&M secretary," PennLive.com, last modified January 8, 2016, https://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/01/vintage_photos_the_1950_murder.html.
4 "Marian Louise Baker," Find A Grave, accessed November 27, 2018, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/76632108/marian-louise-baker.
5 "Vintage photos, the 1950 murder of an F&M secretary," PennLive.com, last modified January 8, 2016, https://www.pennlive.com/news/2016/01/vintage_photos_the_1950_murder.html.
6 "Opinion by Mr. Chief Justice Drew, November 20, 1950," Justia, accessed November 27, 2018, https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/supreme-court/1950/366-pa-182-0.html.
Date Range
1950-1951
Creation Date
1950-1951
Year Range From
1950
Year Range To
1951
Date of Accumulation
1950-1951
Creator
Brown, W. Hensel, b.1902.
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 11
People
Brown, W. Hensel
Baker, Marian Louise
Gibbs, Edward Lester
Subjects
Murder
Trials (Murder)
Trial transcripts
Trials
Court records
Jury selection
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Search Terms
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Court records
Finding aids
Jury selection
Manuscript groups
Murder
Newspaper clippings
Trial transcripts
Trials
Trials (Murder)
Extent
1 box, 15 folders, 24 items, 1,081 pages to scan, .5 cubic feet
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0476
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Related Item Notes
Information about photographs used as evidence may be found in the Photograph Collection-many of the photographs are restricted.
ObjectID 2-15-04-01 to 2-15-04-21
Information about photographs used as evidence may be found in the Photograph Collection-many of the photographs are restricted.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Folders 12-15 are restricted. Use photocopies in Folders 8-11.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Number
MG-476
Classification
MG0476
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Processed and finding aid prepared by RC, May 2017.
Documents
Less detail
Collection
Business and Industry Collection
Title
Business and Industry Collection
Object ID
MG0107
Date Range
1874-present
• www.LancasterHistory.org Coble’s Tire Service Columbia Electric Light and Power Company Connecticut Fire Insurance Co. Connecticut General Life Insurance Company DeWalt, Inc. Eby Fertilizer Eichholtz & Bowman's Art Store Engle & Hambright Ephemera Everite Pump and Manufacturing Company F. A. Erickson & Co. Finding aids
  1 document  
Collection
Business and Industry Collection
Title
Business and Industry Collection
Description
The Business and Industry Collection contains catalogs, newsletters, and ephemera for businesses in Lancaster County.
Date Range
1874-present
Date of Accumulation
1874-1970
Creator
LancasterHistory (Organization)
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 03
People
Burri, Eric
Deichler, Albert M.
Garden, William O.
Garman, Lewis
Groff, Isaac M.
Heilbron, Samuel L.
Hess, Conrad Z.
Hoffman, A. H.
Hoffman, Byron
Knox, Willis R.
Livingston, S. H.
Merlier, Franz de
Nissley, J. Richard
Miley, Frank D.
Barto, J. Wilson
Subjects
Advertisements
Business enterprises
Catalogs
Ephemera
Letters
Newsletters
Small business
Search Terms
A. Buch's Sons Company
A. H. Hoffman, Inc.
Advertisements
American Machine and Foundry Company
Amos Eby and Company
Amsco Music Publishing Company
Bards Gift Shop
Baumgardner Company
Burger's Music House
Business enterprises
Catalogs
Champion Blower and Forge Company
Co-operative Mutual Life Insurance Company
Coble's Tire Service
Columbia Electric Light and Power Company
Connecticut Fire Insurance Company
Connecticut General Life Insurance Company
DeWalt, Inc.
Eby Fertilizer
Eichholtz and Bowman's Art Store
Engle and Hambright
Ephemera
Everite Pump and Manufacturing Company
F. A. Erickson and Company
Finding aids
Gundaker's Emporium
H. A. Darrenkamp
Hammond Pretzel Bakery, Inc.
Herr and Schroyer's Gents' Furnishing Store
Hoffman's Farm Seeds
Huth Engineers, Inc.
Independent Telephone Company of Lancaster County
Industries
J. B. Martin and Company
J. O. Cunningham and Company
J. H. Troup's Music House
John S. Gleim and Company
Keystone Hide Company
Kitchen Kettle Foods, Inc.
Lancaster County Seed Company
Lancaster Real Estate Company
Lancaster Stockyards
Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
Leisure Miniature Golf Course
Lititz Mutual Insurance Company
Live Stock Commission
Manuscript groups
Mount Joy Fleet of Insurance Companies
New Holland Machine Company
Newsletters
Oblender's Furniture Store
Oblinger Brothers and Company
Permutit Company
Radio Corporation of America
Raub Supply Company
Rohrer's Liquor Store
Root's Nurseries, Inc.
Schroyer's Central Floral Depot
Sensenich Brothers
Small business
Southeastern Penna. Artificial Breeding Cooperative
Sperry New Holland
Stehli and Co., Inc.
Union Stock Yards
Utilities
Wenger Chiropractic Clinic
Wilson Laundry Machinery Company
Zook's Art Studio
Extent
1 box, 28 folders, 1 cubic ft.
Object Name
Archive
Language
English
Object ID
MG0107
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Access Conditions / Restrictions
No restrictions.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-107
Classification
MG0107
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Added to database 19 February 2019.
Documents
Less detail
Collection
Business and Industry Collection
Title
Letter from Raub Supply Company to J. Wilson Barto
Object ID
MG0107_F026
Date Range
1927/01/26
• www.LancasterHistory.org Coble’s Tire Service Columbia Electric Light and Power Company Connecticut Fire Insurance Co. Connecticut General Life Insurance Company DeWalt, Inc. Eby Fertilizer Eichholtz & Bowman's Art Store Engle & Hambright Ephemera Everite Pump and Manufacturing Company F. A. Erickson & Co. Finding aids
  1 document     2 images  
Collection
Business and Industry Collection
Title
Letter from Raub Supply Company to J. Wilson Barto
Description
Letter from F. D. Miley at Raub Supply Company to J. Wilson Barto in Pine Grove, PA regarding an order for Continental Classic Radiators. On Raub Supply Company letterhead. 26 January 1927.
Admin/Biographical History
Raub Supply Company manufactured and was a wholesale supplier of plumbing supplies, boilers, and radiators.
Date Range
1927/01/26
Creation Date
1927/01/26
Creator
Miley, Frank D., 1878-1945
Storage Location
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, PA
Storage Room
Archives South
Storage Wall
Side 03
People
Miley, Frank D.
Barto, John Wilson
Subjects
Letters
Letterheads
Search Terms
Letters
Correspondence
Letterheads
Raub Supply Company
Finding aids
Manuscript groups
Extent
1 item, 2 pages to scan
Object Name
Letter
Language
English
Condition
Good
Condition Date
2021-07-14
Object ID
MG0107_F026
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital image. Original document may be used by appointment--contact research@lancasterhistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes only. Please contact research@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Accession Number
2021.010
Other Numbers
MG-107, Folder 26
Other Number
MG-107, Folder 26
Classification
MG0107
Description Level
Item
Images
Documents
Less detail