Colonel Baker, Deputy Adjutant-General, was on Monday tried at Croydon
on the three charges of assaulting Miss Kate Dickenson in a railway carriage near Woking,—with intent to commit a rape, of indecent assault, and of assaulting simply. The Judge laid it down that to find a verdict of guilty on the first charge a jury must believe that the assailant intended to proceed to any extremities in spite of any resistance, and the jury, not thinking that Colonel Baker quite meant that, gave him the benefit of the doubt. On the other charges there was and could be no defence ; they were admitted by Counsel; and the Judge, Mr. Justice Brett, inflicted a sentence of twelve months' imprisonment—" without physical degradation, which would amount to torture "—a fine of £500, and payment of all costs. We have shown reason elsewhere to think that the trial was fair, but the Judge was needlessly hopeful about Colonel Baker's future, and he has not yet been dismissed from Her Majesty's service. Dr. Kenealy on Thursday did him the service of insisting that he should be, thereby enlisting the House of Commons' temper in Colonel Baker's favour, and draw- ing down on himself from Colonel Dickson, Member for Dover, a terrible personal rebuke. It will require nerve now to ask a question on the subject, which nevertheless should be asked.
Previous page
