The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-07-30
BAKER GILNER TRIAL,
Sensational Testimony of
Mrs. Gilmer.
Intense Interest Manifested-Ho
Of the Defense.
From The Comets Special Stall Correspondent
at Abingdon.

From The Comets Special Stall Correspondent
at Abingdon.
ABINGDON, VA, July 30.-The court
having adjourned yesterday, owing to
the death of Mrs, Eliza Campbell, an
cstimable lady and relative of some of
the counsel, the day was spent in
gossip and comment by the visitors.
Groups of men on the street corners,
in front OF the court house and at the
hotels, were discussing the case in all
its bearings and speculating as to the
probable result Some were anxious
as to Mrs. Gilmers testimony; Others
looked with interest to the result OF
DR.. Taylor's autopsy Of the exhumed
body OF Mrs. Baker, deceased. That
his testimony as an expert chemist,
will weigh either heavily in favor of OF
against DR.. Baker, seems to be the
general opinion, and many think that
it will virtually decide whether or not
the defendant is the murderer as al
legged in the Indictment
Ali day the COMET representative
was busily engaged feeling the pulse
OF the people here relative to the great
sensation and finding out what he
could generally.
SO far as the indictment now under
consideration-that charging him with
wife murder-is concerned, there is in
Abingdon and surrounding country
quite degree OF feeling in DR.. Bakers
favor Even the relatives of Mrs.
Baker, deceased, are outspoken in the
Doctors favor. Such was manifested
by Prof. Davis, brother of the deceas-
cd woman WHEN he walked up in the
crowded court room and greeted DR..
Bake with cheerful good morning,
grasping his hand warmly.
Among many who were heard to
express themselves yesterday, there
was not one whose opinion was de-
cidedly against the interests of Dr.
Baker relative to the single charge Of
wife murder. There is a feeling that
the charges have been magnifed, that
while DR.. Baker has bad moral incli-
nations, he was kind to his wife and
children. They are frank to admit
his moral weakness which is at the
bottom of the whole trouble. There
is no doubt in their minds that he is
guilty of criminal intimacy with Mrs.
(tilmer, and some think this to be the
only thing in the whole affair for
which he is culpable, the majority
perhaps, are OF the opinion that ne is
guilty OF the preferred charge OF con-
spiracy with Mrs. Gilmer in an at
tempt to poison and take the life oi
her husband, Wyndham Gilmer.
AS to the charge of murder, on
which DR.. Baker is now arraigned
much will depend on the corrobora
ton OF the evidence of Mrs. Gilmel
the anlysis of DR.. w. H. Taylor, thu
expert chemist, of Richmond. Per
haps the most interesting features
will be those md the correspondence
to be adGucet which purports to have
passed between DR.. Baker and Mrs
Gilmer
While the result Of DR.. Taylor's au
topsy of the body OF Mrs. Baker, ha
not been made public, there seems t,
be an opinion that it will to some ex
tent corroborate the confession Q
Mrs. Gilmer Even if Mrs. CLINE
testifes on the witness stand in accol
dance with her reported confession,
will not go for much unless supporte
by the chemical analysis, which latte
a evidence, the counsel for the defens
will be inclined to ridicule.
Frank s. Blair, of Wythville, alto
ney for the defense, in his remarks 8
the Colonade Hotel last evening, sal
that they would bring DR.. Baker on
of it without difficulty, intimating ths
the investigations OF the expel
! chemist would cut little or no figur
in the case. This conclusion is base
on the facts, first, that tn
body had been lying in th
grave twenty-one months before Ii
autopsy, becoming more or less d
composed; second, on the fact thu
the body had been embalmed by inie
ting into and through the system
poisonous fluid. 1t is therefore to |