january august 19th century american convicted murdering man kentucky confessed murdering texas notable son kentucky governor shortly father election governor accused killing man named passing kentucky evidence implicated denied crime given heated political environment controversy allies father claimed governor political enemies framed son governor legislative allies passed legislation providing favorable change venue trial governor appointment power ensure sympathetic judges hear case twice convicted times judge case set aside verdict procedural grounds awaiting trial attempted suicide throat doctors saved life severed silver tube shortly suicide attempt governor issued pardon son left kentucky assumed alias went new_orleans traveled man named san_antonio texas early went missing travels fell suspicion living texas recognized arrested soon early body found confessed murder recognized second man kentucky day trial start died fever legend soon arose faked death fled hawaii married native woman fathered children later historians myth early life education born january thirteen children margaret named maternal grandfather educated local kentucky schools time attended school run bailey boarded bailey father october lived studied logan marriage family november young man married sister ellen previously married brother james political environment father joseph elected governor kentucky august primary issue campaign relief state large class state voters split supporting laws favorable called supporting laws protected creditors called shortly election struck legislation unconstitutional passed majority assembly elected relief legislators held houses general_assembly attempted remove judges office failing achieve needed thirds majority legislature passed reorganization act replacing new court appointed justices favoring relief original court continued claim authority court resort state known controversy courts operated simultaneously claiming legitimacy politically tumultuous time murder night november attended celebration neighbor house later stayed night county line morning ate breakfast tavern joined men including editor newspaper baker returning hometown new_jersey marry young woman breakfast baker mentioned wanting visit friend captain lived area remarked knew lived intending ride direction asked baker wanted join baker accepted men left rode bay mare baker gray mare fine horse attracted attention travel kentucky neighbors encountered gray mare rigged saddle catching horse rode road shortly finding bay recognized saddle noticed blood neck horse neighbor encountered foot carrying said accepted gray mare payment man owed money volunteer horses escaped control mounted gray mare returned home later day friends noticed unusually quiet repeatedly asked wrong said kicked horse severely cut finger separate incidents previous day unusual behavior continued point pregnant wife moved house refused return later gave birth daughter child named mother returned days neighbors began discover items route baker taken tavern included bloody glove pair bottoms cut missing horse november men discovered man body upper half covered log yards road men body reported local authorities returned recover victim wounds head stab wounds chest shoulder throat man wore shirt single glove search area yielded coat authorities brought body town captain baker riding visit identified investigators examined body days burying november local church cemetery returning search area authorities found changes clothes marks identifying owner cut located pieces paper baker written hat similar known carry lead cap riding whip known use arrest trials evidence strongly pointing murderer general summoned house november ordered remain examining trial held complied showed emotion viewing baker body attempt flee left house examining trial resulted formal arrest imprisoned kentucky relief party partisans said innocent arrest fabricated father governor weaken politically november state representative relief partisan introduced legislation ordering special session december trial provided trial given option change venue lived murder committed father lived governor appeared committee reviewing bill advocate passage bill reported favorably committee passed houses general_assembly signed governor december december returned indictment murder time requested change venue judge circuit court judge presided case appointed trial governor seat new court appeals authorized assembly personally selected judge lexington trial began january commonwealth attorney prosecutor assisted attorney future congressman elected primary defense counsel assisted governor secretary state later senator congressman took days jury witness testimony consumed week governor attended day trial closing statements barry known outstanding took days chambers spoke defense maintained evidence largely said personal items easily planted found pointed despite stab wounds baker body blood found ground near road path murderer dragged body conceal finally contended days unusually warm wild known inhabit area baker body showed obvious signs disturbance animals expected days prosecution charged january found guilty sentenced death hanging day filed motion new trial citing jury judge shannon sustained motion court march june terms jury unable extreme publicity case received september term jury finally selected trial consumed rest term evidence presented second jury voted guilty verdict date execution set july judge case temporarily appointed governor fill vacancy set aside verdict ruling prosecution failed prove murder occurred charged indictment prosecution unsuccessfully argued change venue granted place murder process selecting jury consumed year half delay attempted suicide cutting throat severed doctors silver tube repair survived day court term june judge announced court jury governor stood produced pardon son legend holds governor resigned immediately issuing pardon records served rest term pardon damaged governor reputation lost number legislative seats subsequent elections departure freed left kentucky traveling ohio mississippi rivers according legend attempted rob near mississippi happened longtime acquaintance named recognized asked try rob confessed living outlaw father pardon urged abandon illegal activities offered free passage new_orleans louisiana accepted telling planned travel distant place assume new seek fresh start new_orleans assumed meeting ohio native named learned man carrying substantial money way texas purchase horses joined early traveling schooner dubbed rights man gulf_of_mexico april early disembarked point texas traveled san austin arriving early brief stay set horseback san_antonio time reached traveling continued san_antonio lost substantial money playing decided return meeting americans mexican cigar maker travelling way permission traveled return citizens began suspect murdering early days arrival early clothing found nearby creek scattered nearby search party located skeletal remains believed early nephew chief justice resident kentucky living noticed man called bore strong resemblance family kentucky silver tube like marshall arrested area said believed suspect admitted identity confessed murdering early said intended rob americans traveled san_antonio mexican watched closely jail town local commissioned construct trial death legend escape hawaii trial early murder set august died fever day trial start buried death legend arose died funeral staged escaped hawaii married native woman fathered children writing legend documented hawaii arrive nearly decades death time baker murder hawaiian family years old grandson governor nephew honolulu helped establish queen hospital worked death
Isaac B. Desha