Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-05-16
telegraphed for, and the train went 81,

piles had no effect, but that IN spite Of
her coldness his manner became mora
familiar and his language improper,
his offensive actions cnlmin ating in his
STOPPING down and grasping her BY one
Of her ankles; that thelup she jumped
up and tried to set the alarm in motion,
but being intercepted by Colonel Baker,
and not knowing what else to do, she;
sprang to the door, burst it open, and,
swung herself out upon the steps, the
train going at the rate Of forty miles an
hour that Colonel Baker sprang after
her, and unable to draw her back
into the compartment, held her firmly
from falling, as she might otherwise
have done. In reply, Colonel Baker
had not q word to say, except
to give an absolute denial to the Whols
story OF at least Miss Dickin-
sons version OF it. The af-
fair happening during the height Of the
London: season, md Colonel Baker being
so prominent member of society,
the CONSERVATION it created in all quar-
tiers can be imagined. Many people
simply wouldn't believe it, and Miss
Dickinson was sharply criticised, by
women especially. No young lady ey-
er travels by train alone in England--
at least, no parent who has his daught-
er's safety at heart would permit her to
do so-and that was advanced as ex,
cuse enough for whatever happened.
But at length at the Croydon Assizes,
before Mr.. Justice Tush OF the Queens
Bench, Colonel Baker Was tried for
criminal assault and Miss Dickinson re-
peated her tale under oath. Naturally,
in q case of the kind, woman, if she be
q lady, and especially if she be pretty,
has it all her own way. In England,
too, man can't testify in his
own behalf, and the stunning
beauty of Miss Dickinson cap
tured every heart. What were d mans
past services to his country, or future
career put in the balance with an in
jured woman like that, even though her
story lacked a tenable corroborative
circumstance to bear out her unsupport-
ed statements? Colonel Baker was de-.
Tended by Mr.. Hawkins, O. c., the
leading criminal lawyer at the time, who
has since become a Judge Of the High
Court Of Justice, and I remember that
his defense was thought to have been
far from an able one. Among many
points missed by him was failing to lay
any stress on the fact of Baker holding
Miss Dickinson from falling. Had he
been the scoundrel she described him,
or had he any reason to expect she
would accuse him OF anything, he
would not have been so anxious TO save
from injury the only witness against
him.
However, Colonel Baker WAS convict
ed, and sentenced to years inprison-
ment in Maidstone jail, and o fine Of
five hundred pounds. Until then public
opinion was, in measure, suspended;
but upon his conviction there vast
any punishment severe enough for him;
no degradation sufficient to show the
public detestation Of his conduct. He
was cashiered from the army, losing his
commission naoney-the same being the
modest sum of six thousand pounds he
was expelled from his clubs, and dis
graced in every way. The Queen, to
show her special resentment, sent for
Miss Dickinson to come and see her at
Buckingham Palace, and commlserated
WILL ASl. LII ldGt, Sue oiiSu w iAAnhC q
heroine Of her. But she coundn't make
that 60. If people were down upon
Baker, they had q lingering, admiration
for him that made them dislike the cause
of his downfall And besides, there
We're people who knew Miss Dickinson
pretty we'll, and though Colonel
Baker, neither at the trial nor
III ANY public manner, ever
said word to injure her, it somehow
got whispered about that she had given
more encouragement to his advances
than were in keeping with 1nodesty, and
that the anklegrasping episode had been
her to button her boot. So, altogether,
though she succeeded in running Valen-
tine Baker, she pretty effect,,ally ruined
herself into the bargain. There is one
thing that have heard, and / give it
for what it is worth: It has been said
that Colonel Baker got into a rather
similar scrape in India once. The
prince of Wales stood his friend through
the hole trouble, but when it was over
he could do no more. lie went to
Bakers cell before his term of confne-E
nlent began, and babe him goodbye,
and that was the last of him as q gentle-iI
man. - X s =
Baker underwent his sentence like a
stole, and upon it's termination left
England and offered his services to
Turkey. The war Of 1875, with Russia,
was just on, and the Sultan was only
too glad to get such man. He was
matte pasha and given the command Of
the cavalry, and from that day to the
present Valentine Baker has been in the
Sultan's service He introduced vari-
GUS reforms, and improved the Turkish
army in way and with q rpidity that
has excited the admiration of Europe.
When S1lleiman Pasha was defeated he
covered his retreat in q mastery man
sner, and with twenty-five hundred men
kept thirty thousand Russiansin check.
Since then his advice upon Eastern sub. :
iects, has been eagerly sought by the
British government. Hisrecent labors
in EgyptSare too well known torequire
comment A man who can do such
things in the face Of what would crush
most men must necessarily win
the admiration of his fellow
beings, and especially Of
his countrynen. A reaction in popular
feeling long since set IN and now it has
eliminated in pronounced movement
in favor Of his being reinstated in the
army. Naturally there is considerable
opposition In the main it may be said
to come from officers lferior TO him in
every way, who fear his superior ability.
The Prince Of W ales is working hard
but the Queen, true to her obstinate J
31,raindieas. 40 far ramaiIles oIdurata.