The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-02-25

court met this morning and the case of
the common wealth VS.. DR.. John A. T..
Baker was resumed. Judge Ward an
nounced that he had read the letters of
Mrs. Gilmer to DR.. Baker, and that he
saw no reason why they should not be
introduced.
The letters were then read before
Mrs. Gilmer was placed upon the stand
The defense saved the point. Thew
have already announced their intention
of filing large number of exceptions
to the rulings of the court.
After the reading of the letter was
finished, Mrs. Gilmer was again con-
Quoted to the witness stand. She was
asked what the promises were that
were referred to, and which She said
had not been carried out.
She refused to answer, and appealed
to the court on the ground that to
answer would crlminate her. This
brought about another controversy be-
tween counsel. Authorities were sent
for, and tho court finally decided that
the witness had the right to claim her
privileges, but decided to hear ar
gument as to whether the question in
point would crlmlnate her.
After hearing the arguments the
court decided that the answer to the
last question could not criminate the
witness, and that she must answer as
She had not claimed her privilege, but
bad merely left it to the court to decide
as to whether the question would
criminate her.
MIR. Blair, of the defense, asked her
whether she meant to claim her priv.
lege. This question, being objected to,
was ruled out. The objection was
withdrawn, and the witness answered
in the Affirmative. Confusion resulted
Hon. c. f. Trigg branded some state
ment of Mr.. Wysor as untrue. Mr..
Wysor advanced toward Mr. Trigg, and
fistic encounter was prevented by the
sheriff. Each of the gentlemen we're
fined S25.
The examination was again taken
up. The witness was asked what were
the promises she made to Baker that
she did not keep. She said:
That was to cooperate with him
in poisoning my husband He gave ne
vial of hJdrocyanic acid"
''Dr. Baker," continued the witness,
"also gave me another bottle contain,
ing white substance to be administered
to my husband. / received communi-
cation from him in reference to the con-
tents of the bottle. He said it con
tanned arsenic. lie also left tartar
emetic, which he said was nerve de-
presser, and two other bottles"
a recess was here taken for dinner
Messrs. Wysor and T:igg informed the
court that their difficulty had been
amicably djusted-each disclaimcd any
lack of respect for the court, which in.
rmed them that if they behaved them
selves for the remainder of the tern
their fines would be removed.
At the afternoon SO. sion the witness
continued as follows:
| DIR. Baker was offended because
failed to carry out my promises to give
my husband the poision. lie begged
me to administer The doses. lie said al
one time that if did not fulfill my
promise within two weeks no would de-
sert. lie made threats against mo-
said he would kill me if | did not ad.
minister tho medicine.
lie spoke of the en- balming 1uid tia,
he used on his wife's body, saying tina,
contained some of the most deadly poi
| son known 10 materia medica
81 believed then that DR.. Baker had
| poisoned his wife, and I Wished to take
care OF his little child, because the
crime had boon committed for my sake. ~
MIR. Wysor, who conducted the exam
nation, announ Jed that he was through
with the witness, and tho prosecution
asked for few minutes for consulta
ton.
When the counsel returned from the
consultation, sensation was produced
by the questions asked Mrs. Gilmer as
| to whether she had had any correspon.
denCe with Dr. Baker since the forn, ar
trial. and whether she and Wyndha am
Gilmer had been living together in the
meantime as man as man and wife.
She answered both questions in the
Affirmative.
The witness was then turned over to
the tender mercies Of the defe nsc, and
the court adjourned until moro "
morning.