The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-08-13

oner who can't say word for himself.
| AT this point the counsel on the 9th
err side were about to bring up the
fact that DR., Baker had an opportuni-
ty to testify in his own defense and re-
fused, The speaker excused himself
by saying that he had misapplied his
words in his expressions[
There is adultery, they have proven
that; l am not here to deny it. l
throw no stones at that woman. |
don't know who is at fault. 1t may be
DR., Baker, it may be that woman. /
don't think that it becomes us as
men or lawyers to aggravate these
things. The Gilmers and Cecils have
come here and employed astute coun-
sci. 1t looks like there is too much
selhshness and human nature in this
prosecution. If adultery had been the
motive OF the crime, why did not DR..
Baker go after the death of his wife
and reap the results of his crime? Why
did he not so and fly away with her
on angel wings as expressed by Mrs,
Gilmer, He did not go he had all the
opportunities, but did not take them.
This, gentlemen, is a rebuttal of the
motive.
The speaker here introduced the idea
to account for the letters that possibly
some one had learned of their cute
little Office and went there and took
Mrs. Gilmer's letters out and put them
where they were found that it is pos
sible that DR.. Baker never saw the
letters.
The speaker grew quite eloquent
and quoted from Burns on true, pure
love, making a comparison between il
and that exercised by Mrs. Gilmer
He continued by showing Mrs. Gil.
mer's motive for stating untruths or
the witness stand that she put the
time for the beginning of their crimi
nal intimacy at five years in order t.
make it appear that her child, Johr
Baker Gilmer was not born out of wed
lock. The letters show that she want
ed him to cooperate with her in tn,
conspiracy to get rid Of her husband
she comes up and explains it al
away by saying that she only meant
to regain his affections by promise
which she knew she could not fulfill
DR.. Taylor could not satisfy the doub
as to how the arsenic got there. TIL,
commonwealth don't want to shoy
the scene of the death bed; they d.
) not bring a witness to that effect, a
they should do. They must prove tn
J corpus deficit, gentlemen, before 70,
J convict this man. Her condition pre-
J vious to death has been proven; it's il
, proof that she was predisposed to mis-
, carriages; that she was endangered b
, heart disease and numerous other all
} ments. The speaker concluded in
} most splendid, argumentative manner
/ explaining wherein there could be
l reasonable doubt
( Col, d. F. Bailey, man born of elC
t quence and imposing statue, was tn
next speaker for the prosecution. Lik
e the magnetic lawyer he made an AZ
S peal that's not soon to be forgotten b
S those who heard it. His long arm
e served to point down to the jury h.
S wonderful and convincing eloquenct
; He said in part Gentlemen, / hav
/ but one object in appearing before yol
0 and that is to throw some light upo
+ your pathway as you go forward j
/ search for truth in the right of tn
/. case. You will never set on Il MOI
important case and one of create
;. magnitude than this. This charg
n against one of your most prominer
y men both in church and State is til
J greatest charge that can be put upo
n a man. In this case the defeni
|, don't meet us with 1--WE are n,
l. guilty" but want to escaI
). justice under reasonable doubt. I'll
$ defense say, through Mr.. Blair. TIL
n they breathed sigh of relief whe
e Mr. Baldwin testified, not because IL
is prisoner is innocent, but because
a creates u doubt as to his guilt. The
l. hope to escape the heinous crime tn
d stands as scab on the county and w
If stand there forever. The man WI
G goes and commits adultery on h
l. neighbor's wife and contaminates IL
e purity of q home, puts himself dow
II as an outlaw. Did you ever confer
r plate what a home is? There is IL
e beautiful mansion, the yard with shat
S, trees and flowers; the brook as
G dances and sparkles in the sunlight
p God. There is man, wife and the i
t. tie ones sent by God to make it happ
. i 4 II