Life and trial of Dr. Abner Baker, Jr : (a monomaniac), who was executed October 3, 1845, for the alleged murder of his brother-in-law, Daniel Bates : including letters and petitions in favor of a pardon, and narrative of the circumstances attending his execution, etc. etc. / by C.W. Crozier ; trial and evidence by A.R. M'Kee.
- Crozier, C. W.
- Date:
- 1846
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Life and trial of Dr. Abner Baker, Jr : (a monomaniac), who was executed October 3, 1845, for the alleged murder of his brother-in-law, Daniel Bates : including letters and petitions in favor of a pardon, and narrative of the circumstances attending his execution, etc. etc. / by C.W. Crozier ; trial and evidence by A.R. M'Kee. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)
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![Baker and Bates. Witness saw Dr. Baker in Lancaster, in the spring of 1844, but did not converse with him. Saw nothing unu- sual in him. [Not cross examined.] Robert Soper sworn, states—That he has known Dr. Baker a smart while. Thought him 10 be a tolerable smart man. Witness lives in Lancaster, and never heard Baker's derangement mentioned, until after Bates was killed. When Baker was in Lancaster, before he shot Bates, witness was in his company on the street. Saw him at a distance several times. Did not see any unusual excitement about him. Witness spoke to him, and he returned the salutation. Cross Examined by Defendant's Counsel.—Witness saw Dr. Ba- ker but once. Spoke to him, and he to witness. Paid no particu- lar attention to him. James A. Beasly sworn, states—That in the fall of the year 1844, witness saw Dr- William Baker and Dr. Abner Baker, in Greenville, South Carolina. Witness and the Bakers' stopped at different tav- erns. Witness went down to another tavern, saw Dr. Abner Baker and recognised him. They spoke, shook hands, Ove. After talking together a while, Dr. Abner Baker asked witness to take a walk with him. He did so. He asked witness if he had heard of the killing of Bates. Told witness he was deceived in the woman he had mar- ried, and speke of gentlemen who had been intimate with her. Nam- ed the Rev. Mr. Brown and others lie also told witness that he had a difficulty with Bates. That he went to Knoxville, and lelthis business in the hands of some man in Clay. That he went back to Clay to attend to it. That he did not intend to kill Bates when he went down, but that Bates saw him about the same time he (Baker) saw Bates, and that he shot Bates for fear he would be shot. He told witness of the trial before magistrates, and the plea of insanity. That he was a smarter man than those who tried him, and that he- was too proud a man ever to look through a prison wall That he would have no fears if justice could be done him. That Mrs. Bates and his wife knew many things that the world could not know. Dr. Baker s?emed excited, but not more so than a man would under such circumstances. Baker asked witness if he thought he was deranged. Witness replied, he thought not. He asked witness if he thought he was justifiable in killing Bates. Witness told him from the circum- stances as detailed by Baker, he thought he was Cross Examined.—Dr. Baker named Mr. Bates as one man who had intercourse with his wife. That Bates came to his bed. That Mrs. Bates knew it. Witness knows the Rev. Mr. Brown, of Rich- mond, as a preacher and a school teacher. lie is a man of unblem- ished character, and is liberally patronized as a-teacher. Dr. Baker said that Mr. Brown commenced the seduction of his wife, at ten or twelve years of age, and operated upon her in the same way as de- tailed by Mr. James Garrard in his testimony, He seemed to be pleased when witness told him he was justifiable, and not deranged. Baker was talking to witness in the dark. Witness understands that he now thinks he has got more sense than any body else. He also](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21112058_0056.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
