Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-03-18
The Press on DR.. Bakers Trial

The Press on DR.. Bakers Trial.
Below we give number of selections
from the papers of the State on the trial
and acquittal of DR.. Baker, charged with
the murder of bis wife by poison. They
reflect the same views that have appeared
from time to time IN this paper:
The verdict Of the jury which acquitted
DR.. John A. =. Baker, the accused assas-
sin of his wife, in the Washington county
court few days ago, has called forth q
variety of comments. Tie majority of
which endorse the finding. II is difficult
at all times &c convict person of murder
by poison. The motive for the crime was
established, the Illicit relations between
the accused and the wife of another mar,
OF whom he was the friend and family
physician Were proven conclusively, hut
with all that it was not proven beyond
reasonable d0ubt, either that Mrs. Baker
died by poison, or hat the prisoner al
ministered it. Few disinterested parties
believe that Baker is innocent, but the
Common wealth failed to show beyond
reasonable doubt that this man concocted
or administered a deadly potion. That
doubt according to law belonged to the
prisoner and it is owing thereto that he Is
free man to-day.
But there is phase of the case that
must be disgusting to those who honor
virtue, morality and the saRctity of home.
1t Is the ovation with which this adDlter-
er, this traitor to his cOnfding friend
this unworthy member of his profession,
was greeted, when the verdict was an
nounced That his relatives and the inner
circle of his friends should congratulate
him on escaping the galiows might he e4-
pected but that the pOpulace should lion-
| ize him, shows a sickly, sentimental sym
pathy which if not unchecked, will bind
the hands Of justice and set premium on
crime, and the dissertation of the home.
Not in this case alone is this disgusting
tendency apparent; almost every murder
er is the recipient of flowers, fruits and
other testimonials of sympathy from that
class of soft-hearted, small-headed indi-
viduals who never pause to consider the
ends and aims of law and justice. Law
yers recognize this tendency and seek TO
have their clients, when clearly guilty
incarcerated until sufficiently bleached 70
arouse sympathy when placed on trial
Mercy Is an attribute of affinity, but just
ice is also and when the former exists tt
the exclusion of the latter, it becomes
crime rather than a virtue.
Shall this tendency, which is steadily
dislntegrating the bulwark OF organized
society, and driving men to resort to lynch
law, 20 unchecked i-SiduHton Daily NeIcs
DR.. Baker is a free man. The Botetouri
jury acquitted him. The verdict does
not decide his guilt or innocence excepI
in the eyes of the law. HIS own con
science has either acquitted him long
since or will continue TO accuse him de
spite the verdict and the courtroom
plaudlts. Wives are oftentimes killed
without arsenic, and it is more thar
probable that could a diagnosis OF the
dead woman's heart been made, there
would have been revealed the bruises anC
scars of ruin and desertion. The VILE
murderer is free. but the wronged woman
is not wholly unavenged.-Bdsic CITY Id
tance.
From the evidence, it is not possible t.
see how any verdict but that rendered
could have been found. Even jurors wht
might personally have thought the Doc
tor guilty, would have been bound to &C
quit him on the testimony submitted b!
the prosecution. There are many people
who do not believe that the Doctor wa
guilty of poisoning his wife, even though
abhorring kim for his crime as developed
by the evidence. Both he and Mrs. Gil
mer. his confessed partner o. sin, are lef
TO fate of public contempt that is no
far removed from capital punishment
The womau's fate is even sadder than thu
mans, though it is highly probable thai
the man GAS the more guilty of the Two
fellow creatures LynchbWg 1draHce
On Monday last the jury, before whom
DR.. John A. 2. Baker was on trial for hl'
life, charged with having murdered hl'
wife in order that be might marry hl'
paramour. Mrs. Gilmer, acquitted him
and the scene which followed, if correctly
reported, is a disgrace to the community
in which it occurred.
That Dr. Baker was innocent of thu
charge Of numbering his wife we are in
cllned TO beieve-that the evidence die
not warrant bis conviction we feel very
sure. and consequently we think the yer
dict of the jury was right, But the lac
ofDr. Bakers having used his confidential
yea, his sacred position Of family phys
clan. TO seduce the wife of his friend re
maine. and how an intelligent people il
their approval of just verdict could 81
forget themselves as to make hero o.
this traitorous adTlterer We do not under
stand HdrrisORbarg Spirit