The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-15
COUNTESS REGRETS IT.
EX-SENATOR BAKERS MADISON
WIFE IS SORRY FOR HIM.
1T Is Claimed Now He Was Not Di-
vOrced in DakOta-His
Statement,

Denison Hotel. Yesterday evening his at
torney, Fred e. Holloway, of Anderson, re-
turned from Madison. Wis, where he went
to see the Countess Nazimow, to whom
Baker was married in North Dakota after
having procured as he claims, a divorce
from his Marion wife without her knowl-
edge. Late last night another sensational
story was received here from Marion to the
effect that Baker had never been granted
a divorce The ex-senator has claimed that
he procured his divorce early in December
in Wahpeton, N. d. The dispatch from
Marion last night said:
"A newspaper man to-day teegraphed
the clerk Of the Circuit Court at Wahpeton,
asking him when decree of divorce was
granted. The following is the reply re-
ceived:
''WAHPETON, N. D., Jan. lin o. A.
Baker case, no decree of divorce yet. Sent
III c. N MYHR. Clerk"
''Iu order to avoid error themen called
up the Wahpeton clerk by long -diStance
telephone and he said as follows: The
case of o. A Baker for divorce from
his wife in Indiana is on file in my office.
1t has not been tried, but the issues are
such that it may be tried in chambers any
day l sent you a letter yesterday explain
ing everything in detail"
The officials of Grant county are convinced
that Baker is guilty Of bigamy, as they ex-
amined the case to-day, but they have come
no jurisdiction over the case, owing to the
fact that the marriage with the Countess
Of NazimoW did not occur III this State.
Baker has, therefore, escaped arrest. Sec
Indiana sets forth the following as to what
bigamy is:
THAT whoever, being married, marries
again, the former husband or wife being
alive, and the bond of matrimony still I'M
dissolved, and no legal presumption of death
having arisen, is guilty of bigamy, and
upon conviction thereof shall be imprisoned
in the state prison not to exceed five nor
less than two years, or be fined not exceed
ing $1,000 and imprisoned in the county jail
months"
Bakers last marriage took place Dec. %,
1898, or at least the Russian countess ex-
hibited a marriage certificate bearing that
date, to the chief of police at Madison,
Wis, as was shown by the following tele-
gram received yesterday:
Madison, Wis.-The marriage certificate
of Mrs. o. A. Baker the Russian woman
in this city, is dated p p e., Is 1885, 1n
Chief of Police, Madison, Wis"
I'm an interview with A D. Baker, of this
city, father of ex-senator o. A. Baker, he
said: THE statement published in the local
as well as the metropolitan papers yester-
day that the Countess of NaZimow, of Mad
ison, Wis, who claims to be the wife of my
son, testified in the divorce proceedings that
she was employed with the Baker family in
this city and that his wife (the Mrs. Baker
of this city, was cruel to him, even to
false. The countess has never been in the
house of the family, and if she ever was in
Marion none Of the family knew it. and
any one acquainted with the family here
knows that the statement is false" The
ex-senator's father speaks very highly of
the wife and family III this city, and is very
much disturbed by his sons actions.
BAKERS STATEMENT.
Two hours before the above dispatch was
received from Marion, Mr.. Baker made the
following statement at the Denison Hotel:
81 am naturally averse to making any fur
Their statements regarding the unfortunate
affair in which l have become involved.
The facts seem to have been published al
ready, substantially as they exist / have
not called the Countess of Nazimow an adj
ventures, however. 1 do not propose to
cast aspersions on her. L am prepared so
far could be to accept the conse-
quences of my action. I will reiterate that,
what appeared at the time to be for the
best interests of my family, 1 took the step
/ did which resulted in my obtaining a d.
vorce from my wife at Marion in North Da-
kota. / have placed my family in full pos
session of all the facts. Aagnanimous to
an extent incomprehensible they have as
sured me Of their willingness to a full and
complete reconciliation. L am looking for
ward anxiously to the time when that can
take place. My attorney has taken the in
itiatory steps looking to a legal separation
from the Countess of Nazimow. l trust l
am not heartless as some people would
believe. 1t is my purpose, if given an oppor-
tunity, to rectify as far as / possibly can,
the terrible mistakes that now overwhelm
me. In payment of just debt to my wife,
at Marion, before the divorce was procured
from her 1 decided over to her our home
and in writing turned over to her all my
personal property, except my law library
and office fixtures. l was divorced from her
last December. My marriage to the countess
was the outcome of a desire on her part
to clear her name and legitimize her child"
When Baker was told of the latest phase
of the strange case he said it greatly puz-
Zled him. Il can't understand this, - he
said, because 1 am sure the case was tried
in court, and l understood that the decree
of divorce had been entered. [ remember
distinctly after the evidence was concluded
that the judge remarked to my lawyer:
You have made out d good case and the
decree will be entered l left the court
room and the town, believing was di-
Vorced."
Friends of Baker say that the case was
unquestionably tried, and they insist that if
the decree has not been entered it is due
to a mistake of some kind Baker was mar
ried to the countess in GAINESVILLE, Wis, a
lew days after the divorce proceedings are
alleged to have taken place. Friends of
Baker say 1t is true that the countess &C
companied him to North Dakota and was
a witness in his case They say it has been
understood that the countess really testified
that she had been an inmate of Bakers
family for three years, where she was en-
gagged in teaching his daughters French and
German. She testified, it is alleged, that
Mrs. Baker had treated her husband cruel
ly. Bakers friends assert that the countess
never saw member of his family
Attorney Holloway, in his interview with
the countess at Madison, found her fearful
and half-hysterical over the trouble she has
brought on Baker, Attorney Holloway
talked with her and her attorney. One
moment she would declare she hated Baker
and the next would give way to violent
tears and declare she loved him and could
not give him up The countess is said to be
about thirty years of age. She is small of
stature and has blonde hair. Her brother is
a captain in the Austrian Imperial Guards
The countess was educated in Paris. One of
Bakers friends said last night: lit was his
plan to send the countess back to Austria
They separated the day of their marriage.
Had not the story become public Baker in
tended after the countess returned TO her
home TO get a divorce from her and then
have the divorce he believed had been
granted him in Dakota set aside His family
would then have been none the wiser and
he could have returned to his wife Il Ma
rion a free man. He mas been good to is
family aside from the double life he has
led"