The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-09
SHIELDS HER HUSBAND
The Case Has Been Transferred to Jus.
tice H. II. Roberts.
WlIHOLDS HIS OPINION UNTIL TODAY
One Witness Declares That The Defendant
Stepped Over the Prostra Body Of
His Wife, a-d Walked
twav

A. ID. Baker. the man who has been
held in jail here for some time charg-
ed with the attempted murder of his
wife. was yesterday given preliml-
nary hearing before Justice Roberts.
The crime with which lie is charged
was committed on April Goth, and
Baker has been in Jail here since that
time, awaiting a preliminary hearing,
Justice Upchurch, who at first had
charge of the case. offered to let him
out on 5000 bail, but after comforting
with his counsel Baker refused the
opportunity and remained in prison.
1t was decided to defer the trial
until Mrs. Baker, the wounded woman
should be in condition to give her tes-
tmony. which was desired especlaiiy
on account of the fact that besloes
Baker and his wife there were no eye
witnesses to the affair.
Mrs. Baker has been at lex hospital
since being shot. and the trial was set
for Yesterday. as Mrs. Baker was able
to appear and TESTIFY.
The case was originally before JUS
tice Upchurch, but the defendant took
the necessary steps to have 1T trans
felred to Justice II. II. Roberts, be-
fore whom the trial was held yester-
day.
Mr.. j. c. J.. Harris appeared for the
, defendant. and NJ. \. Amis, Esq. was
present i'm the interest of Geo. Hunt.
who is remotely interested in the af-
fair.
Constable Potter who arrested Bak-
er' was the first witness on the stand.
He testified that he was notified OF
, the shooting and went to where it
took place and found Mrs. Baker lying
( out in the yard, bleeding. He learn
ed the direction in which Baker had
gone. found him at the lower end of
the She'd at the Union depot. and ar
, rested him. No weapon was found
on Baker. but he did carry a pint of
corn whislley.
Mrs. Baker was then put on the
stand She wore bandages on her
throat and bead but showed no other
indication of having been desperate
. Nv wounded She spoke up quickly,
I and made intelligent answers to all
( the questions. She did not appear to
( be at all nervous. and laughed several
times during her examination. which
2
I against her husband sounded like Il
cross examination. Whenever she
thought Justice Roberts questions
were irrelevant she did not fail to say
So Once during the examination she
asked for a drink Of water and she
also asked some one to lend her Il
fam. which she used vigorously during
the examination.
h, hn lin,
with Mrs. Workman on the Goth of
April and had been for some time
prior to that date. Baker had been
to see her a week or 50 before that
date and was to come for her on the
25th to take her back home with
him. but failed to do so. He came
in the house about l. O'Clock. and
asked her what she was doing. She
told him she was not doing anything:
He asked her if she wanted some
candy and gave her a paper of candy.
She got upon his lap and they talked
about why he had failed to come for
her at the time be had promised 70.
She ate some of the, candy and then
went into the other room. filed her
snuff box and his also. She took
dip OF snuff but found out she couldn't
mantle. She has been dipping snuff
since she was five years old.
She does not know anything that oc
CURED between putting the brush on
the mantle and finding herself in the
hospital. Does not remember talking
to any one before going to hospital.
She says she supposes she must have
been shot. but does not know how it
was done or who did it. She says it
must have been done either by her
husband of herself. as there were no
others present. She repeatedly de-
clared she did not know anything
about what happened after she put
the brush on the mantle. Her hus-
band. she says. talked to her once in
the room as if he was fretted at her.
He also showed her the handle of a pis~
tol. but would not show her any more
Of it, She says she had pistol and
may have told her husband of it,