Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-25
TRIAL OF DIR. BAKER.
N Of Mrs. Gilmer's LoVe-Letters
n Baker Read in the Court.
orOyD DAY or HER TESTIMONY.
,,,,onsr's Threats to Desert sna
XII uer-POiso"s for Her ""''""'
recent Letters Discovered
- ,olnsram % the pIsp.tch.l

..et mis- morning and the case OF the
...,..,seaith rs. DIR. John A. Z. Baker
--.,.,,oed Judge Ward announced that
''t.d rsad the letters of Mrs. Ghmer 10
~ p.,er and that he saw no reason why
W. .'.,rid not he introduced. The let
t'' 20 then read before Mrs. Gilmer
''. .l...5 upon the stand. The defence
", a. ,bo point. They have already an-
N"..,l their intention of filing large
n-.t..r n exceptions to the rulings of the
court u.,;.h ,or. s,ok s.,
..,,i,fv ana contain several hints AZ
.u.red conspiracy against the lives
A.. Baser and wyndham Gilmer, with
w.'.s ,be pnblic is already familiar.
AIS. auMrR ON THK STAND.
A.. cilmer was then conducted TO the
,~es. stand. aud her examination was
,r,r eyplaining some obscure remarks
.,,fe letters. she was asked what tne
iu 'l. o,ero that we're referred TO and
.t she said had not been carried out.
--f,sed 10 answer and appealed TO the
49,. "a fhc ground that TO answer would
N.-..o her. This brought about an
l-..,riroversy between counsel. Au-
.',..s were sent for and the Court final
f. '-i.eided that the witness had the rlght
y. lisim her privilege, but decided 70 hear
..-rmepi AS 20 whether the question IN
~. rorld crminate her. This was an
important poinI
LEGAL TfLTIHG.
NJ Wvsor. for the prosecution. claimed
,s, tse answer 70 the question could not
hn
,.-rg ont the promises that she had
...ls IN Baker IN regard TO taking the life
o,- Eiair replied that the witness was
f..sJ on the rack 10 be sacrificed IN or
~. IN obtain the blood of Baker. He was
allowed by Daniel Trlgg for the prosecu-
Vr Buchanau. for the defence. arose and
sr0fod authorities IN support OF the
,rtts of the witness.
p1ton closed the argument on the point.
Iis Court decided that the answer TO the
i,.t DnostOn could not crimlnate the wit
,s.s and that she must answer, IA she had
r.tcaimed her privilege. but had merely
Irftt0 the Court TO decide as 10 whether
,e euestion would crirninate her.
Wr Blair. of the defence. asked her
whether she meant TO claim her privilege.
Ims question being objected TO was
ruled ont -,
ite objection was withdrawn and the
v.,ness answered in the affirmative. Con-
fusion resulted.
FIGHT PREVENTED.
Hon c. +. Trigg arose and branded some
statement Of Mr.. Wysor as untrue.
Nr. WysOr arose and advanced toward
Wr Trirg. and tistic encounter was pre-
,..fel hv the sheriff.
Zach of the gentlemen was fnel S2j.
ne examination was again taken up.
Witness was asked what were the pro-
rres she made TO Baker that she did not
keep
THREW AWAY THE POISON.
answer; That | was TO cooperate with
In ln poisoning INV husband. He gave
ne O wal of hydrocvauic acid. l got
rie from him afterwards urging me 70
use ms husband the poison. ! destroyed
iie note and did not administer the medi-
cine. tie never told me whore he got the
hrirocyanic acid. j threw the poison
isay and gave the bottle TO one OF my
ciifen. / afterwards gave the same
hottie 20 Colonel Summers. who was Com
monwealth's attorney at the time.
The bottle was then shown to the wit
ness aud Identified by her.
OTHER PoIsoNs.
"nr. Baker also gave me another bottle
containing white substance TO be admin
rersd 10 my husband. | received a COM
numcauon from DR. Baker. in reference
'oihe contents Of the bottle He said IT
Contained arsenic He also lett tartar
enetic. which be said was a nerve depresser,
Mi two other bottles. | don't know what
iht after contained. / dc not know how
lueu was before | was arrested that he
ssya me the arsenic bottle. IL must have
been two or three weeks. He gave me the
svirocyanc acid IN the fall OF 1889, on the
Island road near the house OF Mr.
Moore
AIeress was here taken for dinner.
Mes.r.. MysOr and 1rigg informed the
Court that their difficulty had been
amcaby adjusted aud each dlsclaimed
tly lack OF respect for the Court, which
informed them that IF they would be-
hye themselves for the remainder of the
term their tne would be removed"
nB. HAKER's THREATS.
The witness continued: DR.. Baker
Vas offended because | failed 10 carry
ont nv promises to give my husband the
p0s0u. lie begged me to administer the
d0ses. We said at one time that If did |
toi fulfill my promise within two weeks he |
would desert me. He made some threats
y 90. q NI"s NtlA nf MOiQu MIL iliN "A NlR
i0i administer the medicine. but IL didn't |
impress. me that he meant 1t. He talked |
O. me very little about his wife's death at
iu % occurred.
MS WITS CONFIDENCE.
He said that he had gwen her the medi- !
che and that she took il with the same
confidence that one OF my children would
hlea dose Of medicine from me. He told
u THIS when be was trying TO get me TO
ave The medicine 10 my husband. He
spoke Of the emualming fluid that he used
on tis wlie's body. saving that it contain
"a some Of the most deadly poison known
70 naiera modica.
MADE FOR EACH OTHER.
He said God would not look on our ac-
N.h a. sin; that we were made for each
e'ler that be had made up his mind that
o. could not endure the life he was leading |
Aiy longer. There are many statements in
i.e letters which are not true. l told him
l-4' ihe medicine had made my husband
Ni.lrrent 20 melt bad not done so.
ea tf. Baker many things In the letters
.ai Afc not true, because was trying to
t.t' uim from descrting me. l never gave
Ai uiimer any of the medicine, except
several doses Of the tartar emetic.
sLyEa INFANT TO BErnAY HIM.
"tNt|hr AtIt btttIlc tutuiiitdi, hud
taiial on God TO witness that she never
p 4nt to beiray Dr. Baker. that IL was his
."l Negligence that did IT. | believed
ven iAst Dr. Baker had poisoned his wife
81 wished totake care of his little child,
.e,ause the crime had been committed for
~ sake. lie never told me that he had
,''uoyed his own flesh and blood for me-"
naca used the expression IN my letters.
tAl reference 10 his wife. The medicine
va Vas lett for Mr.. Gllmer was admins
'lta oy his daughter and the nurses.
CAPSULE.
Nd not give II. A capsule was given
~ ple night. Dr. Baker said II was in-
.-let 10 make him sleep. Nr. Gilmer
akeu violently III next morning and
..iained relief by vomiting. Witness next
'hloned several letters and notes that |
'tg received and DESTROYED.
she was then asked how long after Mrs. |
Atf death until she was again intimate |
Niih DR.. Baker.
saver ! could not say definitely and |
sluiuly how long. Ii was at the first |
"'ofabie opportunity.
orHEE LETTERS RECENTLY.
~ Wysor, who conducted the examina.
l.