The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-25
STORY OF BAKERS CRIME
gorD N DETArL BY MRS. GILHER'
n. trrcd Her to KIN Her Husband n""'
A Right 5etween LAWYERS harc'N N
In Court-A Sensation Created

paker and that be saw no reason why they
should not be introduced. The letters were
then read before Mrs. Gilmer was pace"
upon the stand. 80
The defense saved the point. lhey n"'0
already announced their intention o. m'"e
large numb er Of exceptions TO the rulings
the court. The letters were tnen 81
They are filed with love-sick sehtlmr.J
and contain several hints rs 20 Ms Baker
conspiracy against the lives OF '4.q. - al
md Wvudham Gilmer. but The pa,uHc - ."
yeodv familiar with them. Alter me 4eHNm
al tbe letters Was finished Mrs. elmer W.
again conducted 10 the wines az"
examination was continued
MRS. ouaiER AGAIN oN II sIA>D.
After explaining some obscure Dut imt5
taut remarks IN the letters sue referred
what the promises were that were $3.50
80 and which she said had not been 'all'.N
,., ehe refused 10 answer ana appeAieu
t|e court ON the ground that to answer "ouIu
crjminate her. This brought "Doat ~.
controversy between counsel. Au'nol.S'o9
were sent for. and the couI. nu"" ~, nor
that the witness had the .Hght 10 cIa.. !"
S,rfeiieoe INT decided 10 hear argument as 10
whether the question IN point woulu I'm
nate her. This was IN important pVn.. ""u
a brYucht about another stosm "et"'o"
~o,,eeI II was not 10 lie gained by the de-
ferce without the most strenuous opp'sluoh;
nr Nvsor. for the prosecution. c.aiineu
,bst the answer TO the question could not
~rr.ino,e the witness. as she had refused 10
cry on, tine promises that she had made 10
Baker in regard 10 taking the life OF Gliiner.
~ tl,lr reulied in "A speech OF great earnest
ness. saving that the witness was pIaceu on
the track 10 be sacrificed III order 10 OBTAIN
fbo blood of Baker. lie was followed Nv
DANIEL Irigg FIR the prosecution. Hon. Johh
A.. buchanan. ior the defense. arose ana
quoted authorities IN support OF the ilPhts Oh
the witness. G. mmonwealth's Attorney t.
D.. Hutton closed the argument Oh the po'n''
TIE WITNESS MUST ANSWER.
The court decided that the answer TO the
last question could not criminate the witness
and that she must answer. as she bal hot
claimed her privilege. but had mercy leltI
Ia the coprt to decide rs to whether the ques-
Ton would criminate her. Mr.. Blair. OF the
defense. asked her whether she meant 10
claim her privilege. This question: oeins o.
iected toit was ruled out. Tn objection was
Withdrawn ana the witness answered il the
affirmative. Confusion resulted.
Hon. C.. +. Irigg arose and branded some
statement Of Mr.. WysOr as untrue. MT.
Visor arose and advanced toward MI. lrlgg
and a fstic encounter was prevented ny tne
sherh. Each OF the gentlemen was hned SZ0'
The examination was again taken MP.
The witness was asked what were the
promises She made to Baker that she did not
keep.
REFUSED TO POISON HER HUSBAND.
Answer. That ] was to cooperate with
him in poisoning my husband. lie gave me
Il vial Of hydrOcvanic acid. l got a note from
him afterwards. urging me 10 give my
husband the poison. / destroyed the note
and did not administer the medicine. lie
never told me where he got the hydrOcyanlc
acid. / threw the poison away and gave the
bottle TO one of my children. / afterwards
gave the same bottle to Colonel Summers.
who was Commonwealth attorney at the
time
Tho bottle was then shown TO the witness
and identified by her.
ID Baker also eaveme another bottle con-
tainlng a white substance TO be administered
10 my husband. received a communication
from Dr. Baker in reference to the contents
of the bottle. He said it contained arsenic.
Tie also left tartar emetic, which he said was
a nerve depresser and two other bottles.
don't know what the latter contained. l 90
not know how long II was before | was arrest
cd that he gave rae the arsenic bottle 1t
must have been two or three weeks. lie gave
me the hydrecynic acid in the fall of l-Sg on
the Island, road near the house OF Mr..
Moore" Arecess was here taken for dinner.
THE LAWYERS MAKE UP.
Messrs. Wysor and Trigg informed the
court. that their difficulty mad been amlcabiy
adjusted. Each disclaimed any lack OF re-
spect for the court. which informed them
that IF they would behave themselves for
the remainder of the term their fine would DO
removed
The witness continued: DR.. Baker was
offended because / failed to carry out my
promises 10 give my husband the poison. lie
begged me to administer the doses. lie said
1T one time that if ! did not fulfill my
promise within two weeks lie would desert
me. He made some threats against me. SAID
he would kill me if / did not administer the
medicine, but IT didn't impress me
that he meant it. lie talked To me
verv little abont his wifc's death after
il occurred. He said that he bad gwen her
the medicine. and that she took 1t with the
same confidence that one OF my chliuIeh
would take O. dose of medicine from me lie
told lie this when lie was trying 10 get me 10
give the medicine to my husband. lie spoke
of the emhalming fluid that lie used on his
wifo's body. saving thnt 1t contained some ot
the most deadly poisons known TO materla
medica.
SAID GOD WOULD APPROVE.
He said that God would not look on our
action as a sin. that we were mace LOT each
other. that he had made up MS mlhd that no
could not endure the lie he was leading any
LONGER. There are many IN the
letters which are not true. | told hun that
tho medicine made my husband Indifferent to
me. Il had not done 80. / told br Baker
many things in tie letters that were
moi true. DIAluoO NNP RffN1 -
keep him from deserving me-. /
never pave Mr.. GIlmer any OF the medicine
evcent several doses of the tartar emetic."
The witness here became theatrical. and
calied on God t. witness that she never meant
10 betray III. Baker. that 1t was his own neg.
lipence that did il. IL believed then that DR..
Taker had poisoned his wife and
wished 10 take care OF bis little children
because the crime had been committed
for my sake. lie never told me that he had
destroyed his own flesh and blood for me.
When 1 used the expression IN my letters
had reference 10 his wife. The medicine thai
was left for Mr.. Gilmer was administered by
bis daughter aud the nurses. | did not gave
il. 4 capsule was given him one night. DR.
Baker said 1t was intended 10 make HIM sleep
Mr.. Gilmer was taken violently III next morn
Ing and obtained relief by vomiting"
OTHEE LETTERS RECEIVED.
The witness next mentioned several letter,
and notes that she received and destroyed
She was then asked how long IL was after Mrs
Bakers death till she was again criminally IN
innate with Dr. Baker.
Answer. Il could not say definitely anC
truthfully how long. IL was at the frs
favorable opportunity"
Mr.. WysOr, who conducted the examina
ton, then announced that he was through
with the witness. and the prosecution asked
Tor "a few minutes consultation.
When the counsel returned from the con
sultation a sensation was produced by The