The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-06


Some time before Judge Ward entered
the court room every foot OF available
space allotted to spectators was occu-
pied. The announcement made yester-
day that DR.. Taylor, of Richmond. State
chemist, who examined portion Of the
body OF Mrs. Baker TO determine il
poison had been administered, would
testify to-day was the magnet that DIRE "
many people to the temple OF Justice
who had not attended previous sessions
OF the court.
What will he tell? Will he put a
rope around DR.. Bakers neck? Did he
find poison in the body? Did he ana
lyzed the embalming fluid? Are some
OF tho INQUIRIES that passed rapidly
from mouth and elected multiplicity
OF answers 1t was not difficult t. find
in the audience men who answered posi
lively in the affirmative and negative
and claimed to have reliable informa-
ton. The simple truth is that outside
of the attorneys for the State and YOUR
correspondent no one is able to forecast
Dr.. Taylor's testimony and they will
not do SO for prudential reasons.
Judge Ward appeared promptly at o
o'clock, looking as fresh as "a daisy. "
Notwithstanding yesterdays tedious SEES
sion.
DR. Bakers face is losing its care.
worn expression as the trial progresses,
and he is evidently hopeful of AL ac-'
quittal. Many people who, up to yes
icrday imagined they could see the
rope tightening around his throat, now
regard his conviction as doubtful, while
not few predict an acquittal.
1T was expected that only Drs. Barr
and Taylor would be examined for the
prosecution to-day, and there was a
hutter OF excitement when Miss Lou
Gllmer, step daughter of Mrs Gilmer,
was called to the stand. Her tcsti-
mony was about as follows:
am daughter of Wyndham Gilmcr.
was with my father as nurse when he
was sick one year ago and gave him his
medicine. gave him several kinds of
liquid and one capsule. The capsule
caused clcnching of his hands, and he
complained Of pain from the tins of his
fingers to his toes. He did not sleep
any that night. | was not with him
next morning. | saw DR.. Baker there
that evening rather lata. remained
IN my fathers room awake all night.
DR.. Baker came again next morning
after breakfast. DIR. Baker and step
motLcr usually had conference,
often in the parler, when he came
Miss Gilmer is TALL good looking
young lady, very intelligent and wears
glasses.
Or. Barr came into court from a sick
bed. lie $; id: Col. Summers gave
me three E1ttles which now produce.
examined the contents by tasting and
examining on the point of knife. l
also tested No. with acids. thought
ono vial contained arsenic, another
bromide of potash, and they contained
good deal of strychnine and auinine
ii solution. There was something else
which ! took to be phosphoric acid. |
met Dr. Baker soon after Mrs.
BAKERS death and expressed nv
coincidence and he thanked me. lie said
she was complaining, that he put his
arms around her and tried to Quiet her
with the assurance that she would get
over 1t directly lie did not mention the
specific disease she died OF. went to
The eXhuming at the request of the
to the cemetery all the dirt had not been
removed from Mrs. Bakers grave, but
this was soon done and the coffin re-
moved from the case. Before the lid
was removed from the casket, Cap
tain Cunningham asked all who
were not interested and did not
expect to take part in tho examination
to retire. Colonel Summers requested
Henry Robert to remain as kinsman
and representative of the family and
soc what was done, but Roberts left the
enclosure with others after Cunningham
made the request. Dr. Taylor, DR..
Phillips. a medical student Mr.. Cum
ningham, Baldwin. Colonel Summers
ana myself remained. | uncovered the
face and DR.. Taylor very carefully
made and incision large enough to in
troduce his hand and remove the
stomach, part of the liver and one kid.
ney. These organs were placed in fruit
jars with glass tops fastened down by
wires, which were brought away and
sealed up.
DIR. TAYLOR on THE STAND.
DR.. w. II. Taylor testified as follows:
I'll reside in Richmond. Am city coro
ner, State chemist, and professor of
chemistry in the Medical College of
Virginia. My avocation, really, is that
of chemist. and my experts nee as an
analytical chemist has been considera-
BILE. was employed to make an
analysis OF parts of the body OF Mrs.
Baker, and came to Abingdon on June
10th. We went out to the grave yard,
arriving about o'clock l did not
know all the people present and have
forgotten the names of some I was in
troduced to. Captain Baldwin had made
excellent preparation for the work in
hand. The work was exposed and l
performed my operations upon it in the
coffin. Everything was done with all