George Baptiste Dies

On December 1, 1938 at 5:15 pm, former professional wrestler and all-around athlete George Baptiste passed away at 74 years of age.  While enjoying robust strength his whole life, Baptiste’s doctor discovered he had stomach cancer in June 1938.  The doctor operated on Baptiste but was unable to remove all the cancer.

Baptiste had been living at his country home in Gerald, Missouri but decided to stay in St. Louis to recover.  He died at his brother-in-law Raymond Slingwein’s home at 5519 Hebert Street.  Five days before his death, he married longtime companion Lillian Slingwein.  This marriage would lead to strife and lawsuits after his death.

Baptiste was born on September 19, 1864 in St. Louis, Missouri to Alexander Baptiste and his wife Marie Baptiste nee Hansehier.  Alexander was one of St. Louis’ earliest residents and lived to be 100 years old.  His father Stephen lived to be 114 years old.

George Baptiste intended to break his father’s and grandfather’s longevity records.  Like his father, Baptiste worked out daily until his surgery for stomach cancer.  He never recovered from the surgery though.

After his father’s death in 1919, George Baptiste took over as president of the Baptiste Tent and Awning Company.  Like his father, George Baptiste was an astute businessman and further built onto the success of the business.  At the time of his death, George Baptiste’s estate was valued at $180,000.00.

Baptiste’s financial success led to his heirs contesting the will.  Baptiste’s original will was acceptable to his family because his wife of 5 days inherited $5,000 and $600 a year annually.  However, due to their recent marriage, Lillian Baptiste was able to claim the widow’s share or $90,000.00.

Baptiste’s half-brothers and nephew immediately contested the will.  They claimed George Baptiste was not in his right mind prior to his death.  If George Baptiste did have an altered mental state, he could not have legally entered into the marriage.

In 1939, a St. Louis jury sided with heirs.  Their verdict called for Mrs. Baptiste to receive her original inheritance.  However, errors at the initial trial led to a second court case.  At the second trial, Mrs. Baptiste’s lawyers called George Baptiste’s doctor.  The doctor tended to Baptiste in his last few weeks.  He believed Baptiste was sane at the time of the wedding.

A second jury decided George Baptiste was sane.  In June 1941, Judge Ernest F. Oakley set aside the will and awarded Mrs. Baptiste half of the estate.  The remaining $90,000.00 went to George Baptiste’s niece Alexia Hulse Palmer, his lawyer and long time friend Frank J. Quinn as well as the tent company employees.

With the end of the case, George Baptiste was finally off the pages of the newspaper.  He probably never saw his life ending with an estate fight.   He also never saw his life ending “so early”.

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Sources: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 7, 1938 edition, p. 23 and St. Louis Star-Times, December 2, 1938 edition, p. 25 and  June 10, 1941 edition, p. 5

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