Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-08-11

The Baker Trial.

| The Baker Trial.
A great crowd filed the court room at Alb
inRdon yesterday morning to hear the argu-
ment in the case of Dr.. John A. P. Baker,
charged with poisoning his wife. The argn-
ment wss opened by Mr.. Wyser for the
prosecution.
It lie incumbent upon the prosecution, ne
said, TO prove two things. First, that the
victim was poisoned, snd second, that che
wes poisoned By the prisoner. When 1t is
proved that she was poisoned. 1t Will be evil
dent that che was poisoned by the prisoner.
Mr.. WISER referred to the Cluverius case,
and explained the nature OF the reasonable
doubt" All testimony Is In its nature more
or less clrcumstaDtal, but circumstsntisl ev
idence, II clear and we'll connected, is strong
or than direct testimony. Circumstances,
poor dumb things, do not lie. The evi.
dence In this Gaze is mainly circumetaptiel
Such cases osn scarcely ever be proved by
direct evidence. Men when they &c g.
decide SO dark Sc tfie Go not bess d.Em.
Ra anticipated tbs dafense snd said thas
they will trest the accusation SO Incredible
| They vii, cislm that the prisoners wife ditd
natural death from some of the recondite
diseases mentioned by Dr. CLARK. Mr.. Wys-
or took up Mrs. Gilmer's testimony and dc
Tended 1t. He produced the letters and
quoted the statements of various wit
nesses to prove ihsir authenticity. The
speaker next attempted to show that Dr..
Baker is capable OF doing the deed charged.
The advantages no possessed as physician
were used to drag family down to ruin.
TIE prisoners conduct Immediately after
his wife's death shows that he has the ele-
menis OF murder in him. Il being clear that
ho vas capable of committing the crime
charged, the next question is, did he do
sN2" he said he was going to do 1t. He
said he had done 1t. The various possible
natural osnses of death have been shown By
the evidence to have bsen absent. The
symptoms we're arsenoal symptoms. Why
were the daughters sent from the room?
The speaker grew theatrical as he depicted
tbs deathbed scene, and repeated the ex-
c.ametion OF MIS-. Gimer, "DJn't tell me
any more"
Mr.. WISER closed With dramatic appeal
TO the jury for astice. III be Is guilty let
him dis." He spoke two hours and thirty
FIVE minutes, AID held the packed throng In
rspt at!eation.
Capt. Frauk Blair opened for the defense
by attacking the testimony OF Mrs. Gilner.
Ste bad mspy motives for attempting to
convict the prisoner. Where was the mo-
tive to induce DR.. Baker to poison bis amia-
Die and loving wife ?" Where are the let
tiers of DR.. Baker to Mre. Gilmet2 Why are
they so conspicuous for their sbsenoep"
The burden OF proof always rests upon the
party th It asserts legal accountability. The
fact of the murder must be proved before
we can bring In eDy criminal agent. D..
Tsylor, the witness upon whom the prose-
culion rested al their hopes, was not able
| 10 say Hhather the arsenic found was ad-
miniaered before OK after death. The fact
that Mrs. Gi!msr Ia party to the crime
comes from the Weight of her testimony.
The speaker denied that Dr.. Baker ever
received the letters that were introduced,
and expressed he opinion that the whole
ef.ir is a deep laid plot TO rein the
p i'ooer.
DE-. Wyio asserted that he had observed
no symptoms ofpoisouing, neither WAS there
a solitary symptom Of arsenioai poisoniDgin
the case of Mrs. Baker. Mrs. Clyce, a Wit
meas whose veraoity cannot be impeached,
has sllencsd the voice of Mrs. Gilmer. The
embsIming fluid lie the nucleus round which
clngs ths case ofthe defense, for from this
alone can the arsenic found be satisfactorily
accounted for. The speaker made strong
argument on thia topic, and In conclusion
reminded the jury that they must give the
| prisoner che bens fit of every reasonable
doubt that he's been RAISED as to his guilt.
Captain Blsir- speech occupied three hours
10 lts delivery.
Colonel Summers, foT the Commonwealth, spoke
next He pointed to the prisoner as mau
| "w1ithing under the hand Of God" 1.-THE great
| misfortune OF this country is that there so
feH Wyndh IN Gilmers You and ], gentlemen
of TIE Jury would have discovered this thing long
| before he did,
Case sfter case Of a-seaical poisoning is record.
cd without single Que OF tho uausi symptoms. a
largo part of his argumont taken up in do
Tending he veracity OF Mrs. Gimer. He referred
TO various witnesses by whom her story was cor
roborassd. What did the prisoner want with the |
poison5 that he purchased? Why have they new |
or boon accounted for? 10 has been attempting !
ali the whio 20 cover his tracks, but the eye of
God is upon him.
Tbs court adjournod at $50 Col. Summers
will proceed With his argument to-day.