The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-08-25
ERGLISH JUSTICE,
The Trial, Conviction and Sentence of
Col. Valentine Baker for AN Inilc-
cent Assault Upon Il Lady i'm a Rail-
way Carriage. ~>

Ceht ASsauAs upon u Lazy IN q Kali
! way Carriage. ~>
The London Times OF the Sd inst. pub.
fishes full account Of the trial at Croy.
don, Eng, on the I'd, in the Crown Court,
before Mr.. Justice Brett, Of Col, Valen-
tine Baker, who appeared to take his
trial on the threefold <hargc Of attempt
to ravish, indecent assault and common
assault ON Miss Dickinson.
THE SCENE IN COURT.
From as early as clock IN the morn.
ing people had begun to assemble around
the doors of the court, and long before
the time for opening them dense crowd
had congregated before the court house,
and not only obstructed the entrances,
but completely blocked up the roadway
before and for some distance on each side
Of the court house. No case has ever
been tried within living memory which
appears to have caused such excitement.
1t is hardly necessary to say that the
court was densely crowded in every part.
THE EVIDENCE.
Miss Dickinson described her ride in
locked compartment Of railway carriage,
into which Colonel Baker was admitted
during her Journey; the conversation
which occurred between the two for the
next hour, such as might properly occur
between fellow travellers at any time and
throughout which the lady certainly
gave no manner of encouragement for
what followed; his closing the window
she had opened and assault upon her.
forcibly embracing and kissing her and
demanding she should kiss him; his
crowding her backward, pressing his per-
son against hers, etc. !; her successful re-
sistance ana escape through the outer
door where she maintained a precarious
footing until the next station was reached,
when she was relieved and on her COM
plant Baker was taken into custody
Other witnesses confirmed her story as to
her hanging outside the door, her COM
plant against Baker, his excitement and
alarm, and his clothing being disar.
ranged.
/ Following the Judges charge, as given
below, evidence was heard as to Colonel
Bakers character, and it was shown that
he had brilliant record as cavalry
officer and in other respects stood high
in military circles.
! THE JUDGE CHARGE TO THE JURY.
! The learned Judge, in addressing the
jury, reminded them that they had only
to answer the questions he should put to
them, and even though their answers
might lead to result, different from that
which they desired, they must not or
that account shrink from giving them
freely according to the evidence. 1t is
for me to tell you, he said, what the
| questions are which you are to answer:
and it is for you to answer them faith
fully-whether the effect is to acquit or
convict. That part Of the matter rests
with you. The defendant is charged
first, with an assault, and if, without any
ili-feeling in his mind. he laid his hands
asult. But he is charged next under a
statue with an indecent assault, and, as
to that, have no right to tell you what
particular act according to law will or
will not amount to an indecent assault.
The only definition I can give you is
that, if a man assaults a woman in such
a way that ordinary rjght-min1ed men
would say it was indecent, then it is an
indecent assault. I cannot lay down the
law as to what is or is not Indecent"
beyond saying that it is what all right
minded men, men Of sound and
wholesome feelings, would say was
indecent. The lady says he kissed her
on the mouth. say to you, as I said
to the Grand Jury, that if q man kisses
a woman against her will for the purpose
Of gratifying any carnal feeling in his
own mind, or to excite carnal feeling on
hers, it is for you to say whether it is not
an indecent assault. So that, If you are
satisfied that the defendant kissed the
lady with such feelings, even though you
were not satisfied that he put his hand
under her dress, then there would be an
indecent assault. But+thcn comes the
other and gravcr accusation, which, let
me tell you, is one of the highest import.
ance.. The defendant is charged under a
statute with assault with intent to commit
a felony-that is, in this instance, rape.
Now, as to that, it is not correct to say
that the question is whether he had de-
termined to- stop if he found her resist
ance go beyond certain point; but the
question is whether he intended to violate
her, and he cannot be convicted of that
ofense unless you are satisfied that he
had it in his mind to have carnal connec-
ton with her, notwithstanding any resist.
ance she might make. If you are salts
fed of that; then it is your duty to con.
vict him; but if not, then to acquit. You,
of course, can only tell what was
in his mind by his acts or
words. He never said he had that inten-
ton; on the contrary he has always de-
MED it; and, therefore, it must be infer
red, if at all, from what he did. The
young lady entered an empty carriage and