New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-08-17
THE TRIAL OF COL. BAKER.

-rERIIs OF RAILROAD TRAVELLING IN ENGLAND
nRon THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRIBUNE
LONDON. Aug. 3.-It would have been boon to
Che shipknackers il Col. Bakers case conld have
Been tried last week instead Of this. That public
opinion which proved such mighty reinforcement
70 Mr.. Plmsoll might have been less unanimous and
less in earnest. 1t swung away to Croydon on Mon
day, and Miss Kate Dickinson has quite superseded
the sailor as an object Of intersection the moment
might state the case much more strongly than that
The truth is that ever since the assault by Col.
Valentine Baker on Miss Dickinson 1t has been
topic of eager conversation. II has been talked
over among every class of people who ever talk
about anything except the crops and the weather III
has been pretty much the same in the highest and
the lowest classes and in the middle. which Dor
rows something from either extreme. Not, you VIII
say precisely the subject one would choose for dis
enssicn in mixed company. Perhaps not, but people
are q shade less particular in such matters here than
IN America. / don't mean less particular about the
thing but less particular-ess prudish if you like
about commenting on matters which involve a men
ton Of the relations between the sexes. BE that as
Il may, the Baker case has been talked over with
atleast as much freedom as the Beecher case was
among you, and the details of the former were not
much sweeter than those which Englishmen have so
long found an easy of reproach to us. shall
venture to suppose that the facts of the Baker
outrage are known even in America. What have
80 say touches, for the most part the way in which
they have been received here.
Col. Bakers position was a very brilliant one in
his profession, and very good one in society 1t is
the fashion to speak of him Sir Samuel Bakers
brother, but fancy that in the army Sir Samuel
was best known as Col. Valentine Bakers brother.
BE was one of the few officers who, without incur
ring the reproach of being bOokworm, made the
study of in some sense scientific Competent
Judges thought him a very capable soldier; not
merely brave, which most men are. Perhaps his
actual services at the Cape and in the Crmea made
him less famous of late years than his adventures
during the war of 1870 He is Colonel of the 10th
Hussars-the Prince of Wales's regiment-and he
took that opportunity to study cavalry tactics with
the most famous practitioners Of modern times, the
Uhlans of Germany People spoke of him
something as Internationally years ago the
lamented Capt. Nolan was spoken of. His
relations with the Prince of Wales so intimate
As to give rise to the story that the Prince had used
his personal efforts to prevent the case from coming
10 trial do not know whether that story is true,
or only probable. 1t was believed, and the Prince,
who must have known it was believed, seems to have
taken no pans to have it disbelieved. There were
queer reports about the pressure put upon the young
ladys relatives. AT time it was said openly that
the prosecution would be abandoned but to this
thought the wish was the only father. 1t
would he difficult TO imagine what temptation
could have induced her or her friends to
listen for one moment to proposal which
amounted TO nothing less for her than life ruined
by suspicion and scandal. 1t is difficult to imagine
how such propositions could he made. But Col.
Baker was of the suite chosen to accompany the
Prince on his Indian tour. He popular among
his brother oficers-so popular that they stood by
him in a way that almost brought discredit on the
army; in way that almost seemed to imply deter
mination to vindicate Col Baker, right wrong.
Under legal advice, and in the face of the general
feeling that purpose, if il existed had to be reln
quished. But the attitude of the men to whom it
was imputed explains the belief in the persistent
attempts to hush the matter up.
Putting aside Col. Bakers war friends and the
officers who thought the honor of the army might
be upheld by compromise in behalf of dishOnor
the general feeling about the 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 skeptcisms about
women but even in the clubs the 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-that he would not have lost his head
II she had shown that she suspected him
before the attempt was made. The comment is alb
snrd for all the evidence shows that Bakers conduct
changed all in a moment, and that Miss Dickinson
resented the first approach to familiarity. But /
put down the criticism as the only one made. The
Judge who tried the case expressed no more than
most people have thought when he repealed the sug
gestiOn that this lbertine attempt had deilcd her
81 say distinctly it has not and that she walks out
Of this court as pure and innocent she was
and rs indebted as she nay, more that the
courage and spirit she displayed have added q now
ray of glory to her youth, her innocence, and her
beauty" An outbreak Of manly feeling which not
even the spirit of decorum pervading an 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 ones country, arc
oil reasons that ought 10 have saved Col. Baker
from crime, but not reasons which ought to shield
him from the penalty of the crime But it is idle TO
deny that social influences are strong with the
English bench. The constant disclaimer of them
would prove il. judge thinks twice before he
sentences IAN officer and gentleman" to quite the
ZANE fate which he would unhestatingy iniiict on
man who was neither. And, having thought
twice, be does not do it. To Col Baker him
Nf it cannot make much difference. With
or without hard labor, twelve months in
jail mean ruiu TO him. 1t means Of course being
eaShered from the army. His career is ended |
hoagh Nh Justice Brett was weak enough to init |
nate some sort of hope that it might not be. Society
dare not receive him. Even friends must fall of
nom hnn-the very friends whO wrongly but |
bravely, stood beside him in the dock. Tho one |
'hingthcy can remember TO his credit is hs conduct
sler the outrage. No attempt was made to dscrcdft
Miss Dickinson. Mr. Hawkins was careful to tell