American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-12-12
reported for the American Republican,

WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, I845.
CRIMINAL COURT-REMARKABLE TRIAL.
United States ps James Baker. The trial of
James Baker, charged with burglariousy and
feloniously entering the led room of VIM. w.
Masterson of Tennessee, and concealing him
self under the bed of that gentleman, in Cole
mans Hotel, on the night of the 9Th of July
last, came on to-day in the Criminal Court
Great curiosity prevailed among our citizens,
not only to hear the trial of Baker, but to look
at the daring burglar, who, in his eagerness to
escape the grasp Of justice, jumped or dropped
out of window in the fourth story of Cole
mans Hotel, a very lofty building in the city
of Washington, and afterwards (being injured
by the leap, )concealec himsslcin an out building
where he was arrested chiefly by the vigilance
and resolution of Captain Dewey, boarder at
Coleman's and the friend Of Mr.. Masterson.-
The court room was densely crowded during
this interesting trial. Messrs. Carlisle and Rat
cliffe defended the prisoner, who was young
man about twenty-five years of age, rather low
IN stature, and of bad countenance. 1t is need
less to say, that when the prisoner, who was
respectfully dressed, held up his hand at the
bar, in obodience 10 the required form of tho
law in criminal cases, he was indeed ''the OBJ
served Of all observers"
The following is synopsis of the testimony
produced by the United States on this singular
and interesting trial:
w. w. Masterson of Tennessee, stated that
ne became acquainted with the prisoner at
Richmond, Va. in June, while he was staying
there at the Eagle Hotel, the landlord Of that
house having introduced Baker to him as a
Tennessean and gentleman. They formed
an acquaintance at Richmond, the prisoner
having told him, the witness, that he had mar
,oI, .,,b IL,
be of a respectable family in Tennessee. The
prisoner had an opportunity Of knowing, while
the witness was in Richmond, that he had two
or three thousand dollars with him, which he
had brought for the purpose of purchasing nc
groes. When the witness told Baker, II was
his (witness) intention to leave Richmond and
return to Tennessee, by way OF Washington,
the prisoner, who had intended to remain in
Richmond until September, proposed to a.
bridge his stay in Richmond and accompany
witness to Washington, and travel thence with
witness to Tennessee.
The witness and the prisoner came to this
city together from Richmond, and first put IN
at the United States Hotel. The witness, az
ter short stay at the United States Hotel, re-
moved to Coleman's, and the prisoner, after
Directing to the removal, ordered his trunk at
the same time to be carried with that of wit
mess to Coleman's Hotel. On Sunday, the 9th
of July, witness intended to leave Washington
by the cars for Baltimore; but Baker strongly
opposed this, and in the evening of that day
proposed that they should go and bathe togeth-
er, aHd afterwards to take walk with the wit
ness, some distance out of the city, to all of
which witness objected, on the ground of other
engagements.
On the same night, the witness having de-
To h,,n G.. d. Al.
next morning, remained up till IL o'clock-a
friend Of his, MIR. Wharton, being engaged
in writing letters for Tennessee, in witnesses
room. At about l2 O'Clock witness accompa-
MED his friend Wharton to the front door of
Coleman's Hotel, and there took leave of him.
Witness recollects boiling bis room door after
him when he went out with MIR. Wharton to
the street door, On his return to his room, af.
ter Mr.. Wharton had gone, witness stepped
into Bakers room (No. 30) and found thatthe |
prisoner was not there, although witness saw
the prisoners coat, vest, shoes and suspenders
left in tho room. Witness then went into his
own room, and undressed to 60 TO bed. In
looking under the bed for particular purpose,
witness thought he heard some one breathe
he found the csunterpane drawn on one sido
and nearly on the floor. Lifting up the coun-
tsfpsne witness saw the prisoner under the bed
-he was without shoes, coat, and vest. Wit
ness is certain that the person under his bed
was the prisoner at the bar. Witness immedi-
ately left his room to give the alarm, being un.
der the Impression the prisoner intended to rob,
and perhaps murder him. Witness, after ho
left his room, heard the door shut suddenly
and the window opened. The prisoner then
jumped or dropped out OF the window upon a
shed, and slid down from the shed into the
yard.
Captain Dewey occupied room at Cole.