The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-03-13
SOME NEW EVIDENCE
That Will Be Developed in the
Van Baker Case.
AN UNKNOWN NEW WITNESS
who VIII Give Some Direct Testi-
mony that the Counsel for the
Defense Hope will Result in
New Trial for the Prisoner.

On the 10Th inst, two weeks from ye:,
terday, Judge Boyd, OF 1.-THE Circuit Court,
sitting at New Cumberland, Hancock
county, will hear the arguments ofcoun-
sci on the motion made for new trial
by the defense in the celebrated Van
Baker murder case-a case which
was the prevailing sensationin
this section from the time Mrs.
Baker and her aged mother, Mrs.
McWha, were SO brutally murder
ed, during the month OF Alay Inst, mp
till late last fall after the longtrial and
conviction OF Baker.
As the time draws near for the hear
ing on the motion for new trial, the
interest in the case is being re-awaken-
ed. It Is said that there has been, to Il
certain extent, revulsion of the in
tensely bitter feeling that was shown
towards Baker by many during the
trial. Some of those who still believe
him to have been guilty Of the double
crime are reported to admit that in their
judgment,the evidence on which he was
convicted was not strong enough to war
rant conviction, and there are others
who have changed their views entirely
and do not believe that Baker is the
murderer.
There has been a rumor aaoat for the
past two or three days to the
effect that in support of their
motion for a new trial, the attor-
neys for the defense would introduce
some new and startling evidence. Last
evening reporter met Col. w. w. Ar
nett, one of Bakers counsel, and asked
him as to the truth OF this rumor. AZ
ter thinking over the matter for a
moment or two he admitted
that it was. For obvious reasons
he declined to give the name
Of the witness who is n man who went
to Holidays Cove on the day OF the muir
der to seek work on the new railroad.
He passed the McWha house and had
gone on some distance when he decided
to turn back and go in the direction from
which he had came. About this time
the rain storm that was talked about so
much in the trial came up and he sought
shelter in certain spot. After the
shower was over he came out OF his
shelter and stood looking about. The
McWha house was in plain view OF
where he was standing. AS he stood
there woman came out OF the house
with what he took TO be IN apron thrown
over her head; it may have been q sun
bonnet. She walked past the end OF the
house toward Steubenville and then
started toward the stable. All this time
she seemed to be looking for something.
Suddenly she turned and shouted
something back to some one who was,
he supposes, in the house, The only
thing he caught OF what she shouted was
the word dry" The inference is that
either Mrs. Baker or Mrs. McWha
started out to look after the young
chickens, and ascertained that they
were dry and had not been injured by
the storm.
This being after the rain must have
been some four or five hours after
Baker had left to 60 to his fathers. This
unknown witness tells OF other things
that he saw that day, and that 1t is
known were not to be seen on any other
day but the one on which the murder
was committed; he tells Of what the rail-
road men were doing, and in other cir
cumstantial ways gives much strength
To his story.
He left that vicinity that day, but re.
turned about three weeks utter and
went to work. He has been working in
Hancock county ever since until very
recently. It was not until about four
weeks after the murder, and after he
had been working aweek or ten days, that
helearned that the house he had observed
vast the one the murder was committedin
and that the woman he saw was presume
bly, one THOSE murdered. His first i'm
pulse was to tell that he had seen wo-
man about the house after the rain
then came the thought that he was
stranger and that II he told his story he
would be liable to arrest us the murderer.
So he kept his evidence TO
himself till recently; finally
he became so worried over the matter
that he told friend and at the advice Of
that friend no went to Col. Arnett and
told him, hoping thereby to save man
he believes to be innocent OF the crime
with which he is charged.
Col. Arnett is very much impressed
with the story and its truthfulnesS
Baker is still In jail here; his long con-
finement has Worn on him and he looks
pale and thin.