Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-02-29
Tha Gilmar Baker Letters.

The full te3t of ths letters o: MTa. Gil
n,ee { /, Dr.. Bsks7 have beea made public in
| the famous murder trial now goirg OF OF
An,ngdoe. Ths iete;s sre lenghy end
published 10 full would maEa aaceYai reSa.
paper columns Ghe first begns;
After D.. B@i;at's convict on tro lcitarB
passs5 be;weeo him and Mrs. Gimer, she
wi iag rue part which begins:
"Yau know 1 bave revealed the tru:b,
and n thing bat t1e trLt1.' You know,
iurlhermere, tnst IL wss against every
impalse, every feeling CT my nature. l
would rather heve died the most awful
death imssinsbe than 10 have done
what I did. You know / never intended
auoa q thing, but like olher lur a'ics,
did tie very thing least thought Of
doicg. When I swore on that wt,ess
stand that never intended TO revsal this
thing, that would have gone down TO my
grave With this terrible bufdsn hanging 10
mg souD the myatery Gnreyealed, (had 1t
nc: :esn fer the discovery ci my eltera).
meaps whst swose. What can you have
maent? That will aiWsys be something
cen never understand, eud no doubt 1t will
be strange to ycu that confessed everything
to man have So little use for as any hu.
man living. Possibly you could to some
extent make allowance for me, II you ccuid
appreciate my situation at that time. wss
very unexpectedly surrounded by officers,
confronted with those awful lettars of mine,
ard told II did not tell TIE truth they were
going to take me right on to Jail.
III, poor, weak human being can for-
give you, sou, who have cIouded the lives
Of my inroceLt little ones 10 their graves
and destroyed une forever and ever don't
you know cur Heavenly Father "a more able
and willing to forgive? Oh ! lay hold on
His precious promise befare it is everlasting
ly and eternslIy TOO lsts." He has prom
issd 10 forgiys ail manner OF Sins to
those who seek 10 faith Except sin against
the Holy Gtosf) May He in his mercy
give you iaith to esl, that you may receive.
Ely life is lieing, burning hell-toc awful.
too dreadful to deecFibs. a mystery 10 hu-
n3an will ever understand. Pray !or rae,
an6 aho7e oil pgay that may be delivered
ftonl test!fying again. | cry out IN the
agony OF my SOU, "Oh, God, If ii be possible,
itt this cup pass" oloss by earnestly i'm.
ploripg Almighty God to forgive you everF.
thing. aud az last saTe your soul Ia the
'bless bsyond."
DR.. BAKERS REPLY.
Imagine my surprise when your LIT .er
wss handed ne last Monday, once doomed
to death on what seemed to be your volun-
iary statement,and Cow langnshipgin prison
bscauHe of 1t; die read correctly that you
were fcrcsd to so testify and that you regret
1t? Il your life be the swial bell ycu de-
scribe, great God think Of mine Conscious
cf nay innocence oi t1e charge for which
em held aid prosecuted (as you must be.
lieve) it will ever remain mystery how l
have peeu misunderstood, misocnstsuGd,
When recall that you could not and
cannot be compelled to t'stliy under the
iaw, that your declining to do so would et
suy TINA exempt yoa from testifgiug, I am
at lceg &c know why you thus wIite, snd,
hui fcs tae fact that other Expressions, cou-
pied wish your surroundings, lead me to
hope otherwise, l could interpret this as the
deape,t iueiu1erity ard pocksry. Any
GOOD Lawyer OF the court, If saked, will s6-
viss SID protect you il this regard. Bat
wonlG not chide you Ia oil my suffering
and anguish. Not one word Of reprcach
Davo cast upon you, though II the colt
! taao Of mv nost ur lst confinement, there
| has heea ff5rad bO.n the caCaa and oppor-
| tunitY.
Knowing hcv readily I have been misin-
tefprated. l oau!d only ventura 10 write to
express MP gratitude Ia the beliei that yea
have, in oondemning ne, been the victim OF
| st1e!s, sn 10 assure you that l have never
sought or desired your prosecution by The
employment CT counsel or otherwise. In
Gais as 10 other matters an TO my preju-
dice u1tsundersto Cd.
dare not say more.
JOHN q. P. BAKER.
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