Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 43, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1881 — THE GUITEAU TRIAL. [ARTICLE]

THE GUITEAU TRIAL.

THE JURY. Jobn P. Hamlin, restauranter. W. Brankeubttrg, cigar manufacturer. Henry J. Bright, retired merchant. Charles J. Stewart, merchant. Thomas H. Langley, grocer. Michael Stephens, grocer. Samuel F. Hobbs, plasterer. Georee W. Gatos, architect Ralph Wormley, laborer. W. £l. Brainier, grocer. Thomas Heralino, machinist Joseph Prather, commission merchant. SIXTH DAY.

George C. Maynard, an electrician, and for many jears a resident of Washington, was tbe first witness called on the sixth day of the trial. Ho was questioned by the prosecution, arid testified to loaning the prisoner money last spring. Guiteau rose to an objection to this kind of evidence. Mr. Scoville said the objection was in good faith, ana Guiteau said: “ I don’t think it makes any difference who owes me or whom I owe. Mr. Maynard is a good follow, and I owe him $25.” The witness ’’testified further that he had boarded at tho same house with Guiteau dining his school days at Ann Arbor. M ieh. He did not see him from that time until ho came to borrow the $lO. “Did you notice anything strange in his appearance at that time?” asked Mr. Scoville. “Nothing, except that he looked hungry.” “I was boarding at a first-class house at the fiine and had plenty to eat,” interrupted Guiteau. ■} v.thing else?” continued Mr. Scoville, addressing the witness. “He looked a little soedy, I thought.” Guiteau—“l had a S7O suit of clothes on. Nothing seedy about that. Again, I do not think my circumstances have anything to do with this case. I have been well led ever since I have been in Washington. I know plenty of public men, an 1 could get all the money I wanted. If I looked hungry, it was due to menial anxit iv. I had a great weight on my mind.” He spoke with his usual vehemence, but was allowed to finish. Mr. O’Meara, a Washington pistol-dealer, was called, told the story of the purchase of the pistol by the assassin and identilied the weapon. At this point Guiteau arose and addressed the court calmly, as follows : “ While this is being done I want to give public invitation to John D. Towusend. of New York, to assist me in this trial; also Leonard Swett and Mr. Trade, of Chicago. I desire thus to invite them to meet mo here with Judge Magruder, of Maryland, on Monday. There are good brains on the other side, and I want some on this. Mr. Townsend has said he would come, ana I think the others will do so. Reporters will please make a note of this.” Theu, hesitating a moment, he wont on : “Another thing I want to say: I understand there are some disreputable characters lurking about this court, intending to do me bodily harm. I want to say that the Chief of Police has kindly provided me with an escort, aud I have a body-guard. lam not in fear of niv life, for any one attempting it will probably be shot down at once fay my body-guard.” Col. A. 8. Rockwell, the next witness, began to detail the occurrences at the depot, when Scoville interposed, acknowledging tho killing.. Guiteau quickly shouted: “ No, your Honor ; we acknowledge the shooting but not the killing.” Col. Rockwell briefly stated tho facte within his knowledge, and, without cross-exam-ination, was followed by Gen. D. G. Swaim. Gen. Swaim described briefly his association with tho President during his illness. An impressive scene occurred during his testimony. “What were the President’s last words?’ asked Mr. Corkhill. “His last words,” replied witness, with emotion, “were, ‘Oh, Swaim!’” Dr. D. W. Bliss was then called. Witnesi gave a narrative covering from tho V- iA* ■ye r called to the President’s side, fifteen or twenty minutes afier he was shot, until his death. The immediate cause of death was hemorrhage. Witness then explained miuutoly iho charactei of the wound, using the upper portion of a wired skeleton for the purpose of illustration, and detailed at great length the progress and symptoms of tho case. The sensation of tne trial was produced when tho District Attorney suddenly drew from a pasteboard box upon his table a section of a human hlackbone, and, holding it up, inquired: “Do you recognize this, doctor? ” The audience hung breathless upon the answer as the witness, in measured tones, replied : “Ido. It is a portion of the vert bro of the late President, James A. Gaifield.” The vertebra) was then handed the jury, and the character and extent of the injury to them explained. Dr. Bliss was followed with the closest attention on JLhe part of the entire audience, with the sole exception of Guiteau, who devoted himself to his papers, only occasionally glanoiDg up with the air of aman being bored with a recital in which he could have no possible interest. After tho vertebra? had been returned to the District Attorney’s table, Scoville reached over and requested the opportunity of examining it. It was handed him, and Guiteau, who sits immediately on the right, examined it closely as Scoville iurned it over and from side to side. He made no movo to touch it, however, and gave not the slightest indication of any feeling other than casual curiosity. Upon the conclusion of Dr. Bliss’ examination Guiteau here attempted to say something, when the District Attorney, bowing with mock gravity, continued: “If Mr. Guiteau will permit me, your Honor, I will move an adjournment.” Guiteau appeared to relish the pleasantry, and, nodding, replied : “ Qb, certainly. You shall have full chance.” The court adjourned. SEVENTH DAY. The crowd about the Court House was greater than on any previous day. The assassin, livid with fear, was escorted from the jail to the court-room by a squad of five policemen. , Immediately upon the opening of court, Hit Robinson arose to criticise the treatment he had received from Mr. Scoville, and announced his withdrawal from the case. Guiteau, with considerable warmth, said: “ That’s an able speech, and I agree with most of it. If he had only made it last Monday there never would have been any disturbance between us.” Scoville here tried to quiet Guiteau, when h« retorted upon him: “Keep quiet yourself. I'm talking now. I sympathize with him iu this matter.” Scoville made a brief statement, deploring tho disagreement, after which Judge Cox relieved Robinson from further connection with the defense. Ncoville began to address the court with : “ We do not expect to be compelled to conduct the case entirely without assistance.” Here Guiteau exemimed : “I understood Judge Magrudt r was anxious to assist in this trial; also Mr. Townsend. I should like to have them ap-. pear here, as well as Swett and Trade, of Chicago.” Then adding, after a short pause: “ One word on the question of malpractice. My idea is simply this—that, by tbe physicians own st ltncent, on the 25th of July, the President was not fatally shot. Wo don’t want to press this subjeot— only desire to have it go on re. ord, so that the court in bane may take notice of it.” After a brief pause Guiteau added : “ That’s all there is to the malpractice business, short and to the point. I want it understood I appear as my own counsel here. I am agent of the Deity, and I expect Him to take care of me. I think He has managed it pretty well so far.” After the examination of Drs. Woodward and Lamb and the exhibition of the fatal bullet, the prosecution rested its case. The assassin was given permission to speak in his own defense. Guiteau, retaining his seat, began: “Your Honor, I was not aware I was expected to speak ■ this morning.” Scoville here leaned over and whispered to him, when Guiteau retorted, sharply, and with impatience • “ I won’t stand up. I m not afraid to, howevor, but I have only a moment to speak, and will keep my seat. I do not care to say more than was published last Monday in my address to the publio. ] presume the jury all saw it I have no sei speech to make. I appear as my own counsel, and my idea is to make corrections as we go along, just as I have done the past three or four days. • I don’t mean any discourtesy to any one. I only want to get at the facts. If any one says I owe them S2O and don’t I will deny it on the spot. My idea is to take things when they are hot, not let them get cold and suffer from misrepresentation. Of course, I shall go on the stand at the proper time, and be examined and cross-exam-ined. My idea, however, is to meet a misstatement when it is hot, instead of waiting to let the matter get digested and misunderstood. I think the true way is to interject my statements as the case proceeds. I have no set speech to make, but am much obliged to your Honor and to my oounsel for the courtesy of tbia invitation." *

Mr, Scovflh# then proceeded, address the court. He-said the question for the jury was Whether or not the prisoner killed Che President, and Whether or hot the aPcsusejl was to such a condition mentally as to redder him response far his action. He bed got finished his remarks’ when the time for adjournment was reached. EIGHTH DAY. ; ■ There was the usual crow£ present wlttp. Guiteau was brought into the eourt-sWm. j, Hfe had * a ride of honor” from the jail, a mounted oncost Attendance He seemed in remarkably good humor, which re expilnnea by the fact that he had jnst. received a very nice letter, inclosing a money order for S2O, from Blinqia lawyer. Mr. Scoville continued-the opening speech for the defense. He recounted the history of the assassin and his family, with the idea of establishing Guiteau’s insanity. The assassin made the usual number of interruptions, and created the usual number of scenes. Scoville, referring in his address to the prisoner, said that he was unsuccessful as a lawyer, and collecting bad debts was his principal business. Whenever he met another lawyer in court he failed. Guiteau interrupted him, saying: “I have had a good many cases in court* and never was called a fool. When a lawyer I generally gave them as good as I gob” Scoville continued : “ Guiteau was persistent as a debt collector, and had a good business —” Guiteau interrupted: “He had also good habits, and his personal appearance, which brought the business.” “Well,” said Mr. Scoville, “he never had bad habits. He never smoked, drank or chewed. Once ho tried a case with Charles Reed, of Chicago, in which Reed got the impression he was a little off.” “That's false,” said Guiteau. “ I don’t want to interfere with your theory, but I never tried a case with Reed-in my life. The rest of your story is good and true- and, in regard to my peculiarities you seem to understand them. But I want you to know I never was quite a fool when a lawyer, and don’t yon forget it” Scoville said the prisoner was lacking in business ability, and ran behind in money matters. Guiteau interrupted by saying: “I had brains enough, but I had theology on my mind then ; that’s the reason I did not adhere to law. There s no money in theology, and I ran behind on that, and haven’t got over it yet, Fm out of the business now, though.” Scoville stated that, when in Wisconsin, Guiteau, overcome by heat, acted strangely and threatened his sister with ail ax. Guiteau said this was a lie. Scoville continued that friends and family physicians considered him insano.' Physicians said he could be put into an asylum, but the family objected so long as he was not dangerous. Guiteau acted as usher at Moodj and Sankov meetings, and finally lectured on the second advent of Christ He made no money. Guiteau —“ They were new ideas that people were not educated up to.” Scoville continued te describe Guiteau’s indifference to monetary responsibilities, and Guiteau interrupted with the statement that he dead-headed from Detroit to Washington as agent of the Lord, and on his personal appearance. He was never put off a train' but twice' He jumped once, and was nearly killed.- -•- Scoville’s speech was a very ingenious plea, and seemed to make a.favorable impression or the jury.

WIN TH DAY, When court opened Scoville made a formal • request for the papers taken from Guiteau the time of his arrest, stating that they were material evidence for the defense, and since the prosecution had not needed them he could see no reason why they should be withheld. The District Attorney offered to furnish copies of the papers, but Scoville insisted upon his rights in iho matter and asked for the originals. Pending the discussion Guiteau insisted upon being heard, and said : “I can throw light upon this. At the time of my arrest I had forty or fifty editorial slips showing tho political situation in May and June last. These slips show the action and one of the forces that impelled me on to the President. They are very important as showing the gist of the whole matter. There tvero forty or fifty slips deuouncing President Garfield. It was through living on such ideas as these that I was finally impelled to fire on Ihe President with my inspiration.” Scoville’s request for the return of the papers was complied with, and he resumed his opening speech for the defense. Ho alluded to Guiteau’s career as a politician, and drew the sonclusion that his intellect was deficient.. This view aroused the prisoner at once, and ho began a series of interruptions, protesting against Scoville’s conclusions as false. When reference was made to his running aroupd from one com-mittee-room to another, seeking to be employed aa a campaign speaker, and his failure to obtain recognition was mentioned, Guiteau shouted, angrily': “’Twasn’t because I had no ability, but I was not known. I had ideas, bnt not reputation. They wanted big guns like Gen. Grant and Serator .Conkling—men who would draw.” Then, in direct contradiction of his counsel’s declaration to the jury yesterday, that Guiteau was a man who never made a joke in his life, Guiteau looked up with an amused smile, mid added: “I presume I’d draw now.” This provoked general laughter, which was promptly suppressed by the Judge,, who struggled to disguise the smile upon his own features. Mr. Scoville went on with his - remarks, bjrt was interrupted at almost every sentence by the prisoner, who soon began to get excited, and finally grew so violent that Col. Corkhill arose aud solemnly protested. He got a sharp retort from Guiteau, who insisted, as he said, upon “ making running statements as against a set speech.” Mr. Davidge here suggested (the court having asked for something of the kind) that this annoyance might all be avoided if Mr. Scoville would only confine himself to the limits of a reasonable opening address, and bring his already long speech to a close. To the great amusement of the crowd, Guiteau heartily approved this idea, and proceeded to compliment Corkhill’s address in a most flattering way. Finally the court interposed, and informed Guiteau very firmly that he must keep quiet. This he finally consented to do, ana Mr. Scoville shortly closed, and was greeted with hearty approval’ by the aadience as he sat down, though their demonstrations were quickly suppressed by the warning of the bailiff that order must be preserved. The examination of witnesses for the defense was begun immediately. Those examined testified mainly as to the history of the family and to facts connected with Gniteau’s life before he came to Washington. Generally their stories were briefly told, and little attention was given them by way of cross-examination. The witness Frank L. Union, of whom Guiteau once hired a hall in Boston, produced some merriment by detailing how the prisoner had informed him that lie was a, member of the firm of Jesus Christ <fc - Co., and that he was trying to save three-fourths of .the human race, who were surely going to perdition. He swore that he and the forty-nine other people who listened to Guiteau’s lecture thought him crazy. Mrs. Lockwood, one of Gnitean’s numerous unpaid landladies, was on the stand, and Guiteau had much to say to her and about her testimony, but the scene created little or no excitement.

TENTH CAY. Immediately upon the opening of court Scoville stated that Guiteau desired to-' fciake a statement No objection being made, Guiteau read from manuscript substantially as folio,ws “ I propose to have all the facts hearings on this case to go to the court aud jury, and to do this I have been forced to interrupt couusel and witnesses who were mistaken aS to supposed facts. I meant no discourtesy to them or any one. Any fact in my career bearing on the question who fired that shot, the Deity or myself, is of vital importance in this case, and I propose that it go to the jury. Hence, my personal, political and theological record may bo developed. lam glad that your Honor and opposing counsel are disposed to give a historical review of my life, and ask the press and pnblio to do likewise. All I want is absolute justice, and I shall not permit any crooked work. I * have no idea my counsel want crooked woijt. They are often mistaken on supposed facts, and I shall have to correct them. Last spring certain newspapers in New York and Washington were bitterly denouncing the Resident for breaking up the Republican party by improper appointments. ’ I would like thpso newspapers to reprint those editorials now, and see how they would look and sound. In attempting to remove the President I only did what the papers said ought to be done. Since July 2 they have been deifying the President and denouncing me for doing the very thing they said ought to be done. I want the newspapers and doctors, who actually killed tBo , President, to share with me the odium of his death. I never would have shot him of my own volition, notwithstanding those newspapers, if I had not been commissioned by the Deity to do the deed. But this fact docs not relieve the newspapers from the supposed disgrace of the President’s removal. If he had been properly treated he would have been alive to-day. It has been published that lam in fear of death. It is false.

i J have always been a religious man and an active wo ker for God. Some people think lam a murderer, but the Lord does not, for He inspired the act, as iu the ease ot Abraham and a score of other eiwetr in the Bible. The assault made upon me Saturday last by a crank has been condemned by tbe press. The eyes of the civilized world are watching this case, and it behooves this court and the metropolitan police to protect mo at all hazards. I hereby warn all pranks, of high or low degree, to keep away ibdkn me under penalty of instant deatn. He would have been shot dead Saturday but for the rearing of the horses in the van. As the wtfficer tsm Aborting, the .horses shook the vau so heloathis aim, though the van pursued him, temporarily escaped. I waste my arguments on cranks. All they can see in this case is a policeman’s revolver. Again I say, il they value their lives they must keep away from me.* I desire the court and jury to dispose ol . this case on facts and law, and leave all reBDonsibitity about it to the verdict.” The assassin retained his seat whi'e reading bis statement, evidently dreading that some member of the crank fraternity might not heed hi* warning.. Scoville, then asked for some printed slips taken from Guiteau after he had been arrested, and he and Corkhill had a wordy War. Senator Logan was called as a witness, bnt did not appear, neither did Emery Storrs, of Chicago, or Mr. Joseph B. Smith, ol Freeport, IIL Charles H. Reed, ex-Prosecut-iug Attorney of Cook county, was the first witness examined. The general tendency of his testimony went to show that Guiteau was somewhat insane, though not incapable of judging right from wrong. The witness was interrupted by the prisoner soveral times, and Guiteau could not be oven suppressed by the Judge, who threatened to have him gagged. One Amerling, a Pennsylvania lawyer, aud Tom North, of Chicago, were examined to prove tnat members of the Guiteau family were somewhat imane. Judge Cox has received sever.il anonymous letters of a threatening character, containing reflections upon the manner of conducting the trial.