Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-03-04
would ten thousand times rather have 90,

T would ten thousand times rather have gone
to prison and died there than to have caused
the suffering have God knows it is all
foreign to my nature. He knows it is against
my will to make public these awful things.
Who do they hurt worse than myself? He
| further knows that it there was any possible
| chance for me to keep from testifying, would
do it. How can go on that witness stand
| against you again, after sustaining the rela-
ton we once did to each other? How can
reveal our souls again? I held your secrets
as sacred as the salvation Of my soul; or as
sacred as can ever hold the memory of one
the twinklng OF an eye almost that wicked
man Col. Summers who was the Common
wea luis Attorney at that time] had me fright
ened ut:til [ was senseless. No one to advise
| gard to what 1 ought to do and 1 have often
wondered why you did not convey me a mes
| sage in some way. But II am going too fast. :"
l know you could never be made to believe
| another word say. and do not blame you.
No more than 1 could have been made believe
sixteen months ago that you could ever be
Cruel enough to employ counsel to prosecute
me. was in hopes would be tried and con-
victed (for time 3-to keep me from testifying.
Relieve me when I tell ! forgive you every
thing, ana never, no never, do kneel to pray,
that do not remember you. Ii l, poor,
weak and erring human being, can forgive
/ you, you who have clouded the lives of my
innocent little ones to their graves and des-
troyed me forever and ever, don't you know
our Heavenly Father is more able, and will
ing to forgive? Oh! lay hold on His precious
promises before it is everlastingly and eter-
nally ''too late" lie has promised to forgive
all manner of sins, to those who ask in faith;
except sin against the Holy Ghost. May He
in His mercy give you faith to ask that you
may receive. My life is a living burning
helI-too awful too dreadful to describe. A
mystery nohuman will ever understand. Pray
for me and above all pray that l may be de
livered from testifyng again. I cry out in
the agony OF my soul, oh God, if it be pos
sible, let this cup pass" | close by earnestly
thing, restore you to your dear children, and
at last save your soul in the ''blest beyond -
4 T. S.-Those fearful letters OF mine! Your
hands are tied as we'll as mine. We can do
had none of yours. Twas afraid to keep them
/ Sadly, ONE FORSAKEN.
The second was an answer from DR.. Baker
and reads:
Imagine my surprise when your letter was
hsnded to me last Monday. Once doomed to
death on what seemed to be your voluntary
statement and now languishing in prison on
! account of it, did | read correctly that you
| were forced to testify and that you regret it ?
If your life be the awful hell that you de-
scribe. great God, think of mine! Conscious
OF my innocence OF the charge for which l am
held and prosecuted Gas you must believe) it
will ever remain a mystery how have been
misunderstood, miScOnstrued.
j Victimized and condemned, when 1 recall
that you could not and cannot be compelled
to testify under the law, that your declining
to do SO would exempt you at any time from
teStifying, am at loss to know why YOU
thus WRITE and, but for the fact that other ex-
pressions, coupled with your surroundings
lead me to hope otherwise, / could but inter
pref this as the deepest insincerity and mock
cry. Any good lawyer, or the court, if asked
will advise and protect you in this regard
But would not Glide you in all my suffering
and anguish. Not one word of reproach have
| cast upon you, though. in the solitude of my
unjust confinement, there has been offered
both the cause and the opportunity.
Knowing how readily have been misnter
preted, only could venture to write to eX
press my gratitude in the belief that you have
} in condemning me been the victim of others
and to assure you that have never sought OF
desired your prosecution by the employment
OF counsel OF otherwise. In this, as in other
matters, l am. to my prejudice, misunder
STOOD
In conclusion, whatever may be my suffer
ing now or penalty in future l am gratifed
at your freedom and I earnestly trust tina
:, your days here and hereafter may be brighter
i L dare not say more.
JOHN A. P. BAKER.
After the reading of these letters, Mrs. Gil
mer, being still on the stand was asked i
she was not now living with her husband al
man and wife, and replied that she was. Hel
husband who came on the stand two day:
later, being asked the same question replied
that they had been. but since the fact Of he
having written to Dr.. Baker in Jail came tt
his knowledge, they no longer lived together