Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-09-01
The English Scandal Case.
THE TRIAL OF col. BAKER FOR I.D,cExr Ass

LONDON, Aug. 3.-Ever since the as
Sault by Col. Valentine Baker on Miss
Dickinson, 1t has been Il topic of eager
conversation. 1t has been talked over
among every class of people who ever
talked about anything except the crops
and the weather. 1t has been pretty much
the same in the highest and the lowest
classes. Not. you viii say. precisely the
subject one would choose for discussion in
mixed company. Perhaps not. but peo-
pie are n shade less particular in such
matters here than in Americ;,-less prud-
ish, if you like-about commenting on the
matters which involve mention of the re-
latlon between the sexes. BE that rs i.
may, the Baker case has been talked over
with at least as much freedom rs the
Beecher case was among you. and the de-
tails of the former were not much sweeter
than those which EngliShmen have so long
found an easy means of reproach to Us
Col. Bakers position was very brill
liant one in his profession, and Il very good
one in society. 1t is the fashion to speak OF
him rs Sir Samuel Bakers brother. bat !
fancy that in the army Sir Samuel was
best known us Col. Valentine Baker.
brother. He was one of the few officers
who, without incurring the rcproach oi
being book worm, made the study OF
war in some sense scientific. Competent
Judges thought him a very capable sol
der; not merely brave, which most men
are. Perhaps his actual services at the
Cape and in the Crimea made. him less
famous of late years than his adventures
during the war of 1870. He is Colonel OF
the l0th IIussars-the Prince of Wales
regiment-and he took the opportunity to
study cavalry tactics with the most famous
practitioners of modern times. the Uhlans
of Germany. People spoke of him some
thing rs, tive-and-twenty years ago. the
lamented Capt Nolan was spoken Of
His relations with the Prince of Wales
were so:lntimate rs to give rise to the story
that the Prince had used his personal
efforts to prevent the case from coming to
trial. 1t was believed, and the Prince,
who must have known it was believed.
seems to have taken no pains to have it
disbelieved. There We're queer reports
about the pressure put upon the young Ia
dv's relatives. 1t is difficult TO imagine
how such propositions could be made. But
Col. Baker was one of the suite chosen TO
accompany the Prince on his Indian
tour. He was popular among his broth
er otficers-so popular that they stood by
him in 4 way that almost brought dis
credit on the army; in way that almost
seemed to implya determination to vindi-
cate Col. Baker, right or wrong.
Putting aside Col. Bakers war friends
and the officers who thought the honor of
the army might be upheld by 4 comprom-
iSe in behalf of dishonor. the general feel
/ ING about the case has been right one.
The condemnation of Col. Baker has been
( nearly unanimous; admiration and respect
for Miss Dickinson have been not less so.
The clubs are supposed to be the home of
cynical >kepticisms about a woman, but
even in the clubs the name of that heroic
and stainless girl has been treated with
respect The worst thing ever heard said
about her was that she ought to have seen
what Col. Baker meant sooner. and have
stopped talking with him. The comment
is absurd for all the evidence shows that
Bakers conduct changed all in 4 moment
! and that Miss Dickinson resented the first
approach to familiarity. The Judge who
tried the case expressed no more than
most people have thought when he re
! PEELED the suggestion that this libertine at
tempt had detiled her. &" say distinctly
it has not; and that she walks out of this
court rs pure and rs innocent As She ever
was: nav. more, that the courage and
spirit she displayed have added a new ray
of glory to her youth. her innocence. and
her beautv,"-an outbreak of manly feel
ing which not even the spirit of decorum
pcrvading IN English court could prevent
the audience from applauding.
The sentence passed on Baker is thought
to err on the side Of mercy. The reasons
which Mr.. Justice Brett gives for not
sending him to hard labor seem to most
people reasons the other way. High rank
brilliant reputation. services to one :
country are all reasons that ought to have
saved Col Baker from crime. but not
reasons which ought to shield him from
the penalty of the crime But it is idle
with the English bench. The constant
disclaimer Of them would prove it \
Judge thinks twice before he sentences
an officer and gentleman " to quite the
same fate which he would unheSitatinglv
intiict on Il man who was neither. And,
having thought twice. he does not do it.
To Col Baker himself it cannot make
much difference. With or without hard
! labor, twelve months in all mean ruin to
him. 1t means of course being cashiered
from the army. His career * ended.
Even friends must fall off from him-the
very friends who, wrongly. but bravey,
stood beside him in the dock. The one
thing they can remember TO his credit IS
his conduct after the outrage. No attempt
WAS made to discredit Miss Dickinson.
Mr. Hawkins was careful to tell the jury
that the instructions he had received on
this point came from Col. Bakers own
lips He added in bare Justice to himself,
that had the defendant instructed him to
take a different course his services would
not have been at his command. That is
right, vet it had better have been left un-
said. Inquiry had shown at once that
Miss Dickensons character was absolutely
unassailable, and the slightest hint in a
contrary sense would have been destruc-
tive to whoever made it.
A GOOD deal might be said on the nc
quittal of Col. Baker on the most serious
charge of the three-that of assault with
intent to violate-and on the means by
which it was obtained. If Mr.. Justice
Brett's statement of the law on this matter
be good, it is difficult to see on what
evidence Il conviction could ever be OBJ.
tanned To justify it according to him, 4
jury must he satisfied. not merely of ar
intent, in the ordinary sense. but an intent
to accomplish his purpose no matter what
force might be necessary. That may be
the law. but if it is. there might rs wei
90 no law at all against that particular
offence. The jury convicted for an in
decent assault simply, and no other course
was left open to them by the Judge.
One more remark only. 1t is the eX
isting railway system of unconnecte'
carriages. unprovided with means of SIG
mailing the guard which made this outrag
possible. Suppose the system existed. anc
outrage had happened in America. Wha
homilies should we not have heard agains
the imperfect civilization which left pas
sengcrs thus unprotected9-Cor ".
TriJu,4e.
! AN ENGLISH INVENTION" Primin.,