Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-12-20
NUMBER TWO.
The Trial Of John s. Baker Com
menced.
For the Murder Of Mrs. Newell
Tuck Of Albion.
The Counsel for the Prosecution Rest
Their Case

term OF the oupeFlof Nourt,cOlnmeDced AT the
Court House. at o'clock yesterday morning
John S. Baker was brought before the bar Of
Justice for the murder Of Mrs. Julia Tack on
the 9Th day Of September last The details
Of this crime have not been forgotten by the
citizens Of Kenneoec county. Baker, on a
pleasant September day, entered the home of
A wel-to-do citizen Of Albion, and in his
absence attacked his wife to satisfy his lust.
Grabbing her by the throat, Internationally,
perhaps he choked the poor woman TO death,
and fed For many days the murderer re-
NAMED undiscovered, but suspicion rested on
Baker. Later he was arrested and made
full confession to several individuals.
The crowd in attendance was similar to
that Of the previous three days Of the Wallace
murder trial. The interest among the spec
tators was undated. Among those present
we're the prisoners father and brother.
Attorney General Cleaves and County At
torney Haines appeared as counsel for the
State; Herbert NJ. Heath, Esq, for the de-
fence.
At 10 o'clock the prisoner was placed at
the bar. As he entered the room he gazed at
the people stolidly, and did not vince in the
least. His personal appearance did not differ
materially from that of last September. He
wore the same checked dark suit AS when
arrested. A paper collar, minus a necktie,
was fastened around his neck above a white
shirt bosom. His boots were rather the
worse for wear, being out at the toes. His
make.u up generally was not as slick "a that of
VILLAGES. He remained in his seat very
quietly during the day, moving but little.
At 9 20 o'clock the drawing of jury was
proceeded with. The same list of names as
in the Wallace trial was used. The follow
ing Jury was secured: Elbridge BIaisdell,
Rome II. F. ID. Wyman, b lgrade w. II
Gilman, Monmouth; w. IL. Chick, Mon
mouth; Stilman II. Ring, Litchheld Nj. S.
Fiield, Manchester; Horatio C. Porter,
Vienna; Geo. IL. Seavey, Farmingdsle Geo.
Il. Moody, Pittston; Benz F. Charles, Rome /;
Augustus s Tuck, Fayette; Samuel W.
Bishop, Wayne.
The following names were drawn, but eth
er the jurors were net present were excused
or not accepted: Franklin w. Folsom,
Oakland; |. p. Fulsom, Monmouth; Alfred
W. Getchell, Winslow; VIM. A. Hodgdon,
FarminQdale Roscoe A. Bryant, Fayetre
VIM C. Lincoln, Wayne; Thomas II.
White. Winthrop Joshua Il. Davis, Read
field; C. G., Vosmus, Readfeld; Frank L.
Merrill, West Gardiner; Geo A. Wood.
Winthrop; s S. willard, Readfeld; Syl-
vester Powell, Clinton; L. II. Hammond,
Manchester Charles s. Downing, Augusta /;
Charles J. McCausland. West Gardiner; G..
X, Hastings, Sidney; Edward Dunn, Angus
Ia; Geo. Fairbanks, Mt. Vernon; Augustus
Thomas, Mt. Vernon; VIM A. Shaw, Sid
4.
Thurlow, Litchfed VIM. f. Eldred, Bel
Wayne; Charles w. Lunt, Gardiner.
The panel being filed at 10 o'clock, the
clerk called a roll of jurymen impanelled,
each juror answering to his name.
The jury, on balloting, selected Geo. II.
Seavey, of Farmingdale, as their foreman
Mr. Seavey was also foreman of the Wallace
jury.
All jurors, not on the panel, were excused
until Monday morning at 10 o'clock.
The clerk read the indictment
At II o'clock. County Attorney Haines
opened for the State as follows; The story
which have to relate to you is a sad and pitt
able one. 1t is the story of IN event, which
occurred in our midst, the like of which has
never happened before within the memory Of
any one in this court room. Ii is an extra
depravity on the part of human being.
MIR Haines related the facts as he under
stood them.
Previous to the 9Th day OF September last,
Mr. and Mrs Newell Tuck were living in
peace and security, as they supposed, in the
town Of Albion On the forenoon of that day
MIR. Tuck went out TO work upon the road.
He was employed in front OF Mr.. Bakers
house, and about II o'clock entered the house
and asked John Baker, the prisoner. who
was present, for drink of water Baker was
so nervous that Mr. Tuck was obliged to get
the water himself On returning to his
home at noon. he entered his house and
passing through the dining room and kitchen
was unable TO find his wife. lie called for
her. but 10 answer vas received. Continuing
on to the privy, he was horror-stricken to hGd
her partially reclining upon the seat, dead
At first he believed her in q fit, but on exam
iuation found tina, life had departed. Ply
sicians were summoned, who will appear
upon the stand. They inspected the body
and found marks upon it which indicated
beyond q doubt, that she had suffered
death from the hand of an assassin.
coroner's jury was impsneled. One man
was called TO testify, whose acts before the
jury caused suspicion. That man Is the
prisoner nj the bar The constsbles in going
after him were told by his mother that he
was out to the barn shoveling dirt. The OFF,
GERS went 10 the barn, hunted high and low,
but were unable to find him. Returning to the
house the constsbles were given permission
TO search the house. They entered, .nd pass
ing to an upper chamber, they found him
under an old bed guilt in a closet, the door
buttoned on the outside The prisoner
was SLOWED TO 90 at large two or three weeks
without arrest. Finally public suspicion
was so high against him that he was arrested,
brought TO Augusta and placed in jail The
first night of his stay in jail we shall prove
that he made an open, clear, and frank con-
tession to one Llewellyn Libby, who will APP
pear on the stand.
The attorney related Bakers confession to
Libby briefly, noting that portion, especially,
where he confessed his attempt to ravish
Mrs Tuck; and read from sec, :, chap, lis
OF the Revised Statutes as follows:
When murder Is committed in perpetrating or at
tempt'a9 to perpetrate crime punishable BY death.
or imprisonment for life for unlimited term of
years II shall be deemed murder of the first degree,
and punished with death.
He also read an extract from see IL of
the same chapter as follows:
Whoever ravishes or carnally knows, any female
over ten years Of age by force and against her WILL
shall be punished by imprisonment for life; other
wise Tor any term Of years or liie
II will be seen by the above, he said, that
Fermentation does not enter into this case at