Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 December 1881 — THE GUITEAU TRIAL. [ARTICLE]

THE GUITEAU TRIAL.

EIGHTEENTH DAT. There was an immense crowd at the cour'i ouse when the prisoner arrived, and he tremingly begged the officers to take him in b u back entrance, b*. he was driven forward to the building. Dr. Kennou, editor of the Medical Review, of licago, gave the opinion that tbe pri.-om ■ as'insane. The assassin became incensed ai i ; evidence of Richard Hinton, a Wasbing,n journalist, end shouted out that he bad tiler be hung as a man than acquitted as fool. Dr. Nicholas, of the Rloomingdak ittylum ; Dr. Folsom, of Boston: Dr. Samuel Vorcester, Dr, W. W. Godding, Dr. James H. Jcßride, of Milwaukee, and Dr. Theodore \V. /istier, of Boston, experts on insanity, were xaruined by Mr. Scoville for the purpose of bowing that Guiteau was insane. Tht ir an- • wers were in reply to hypothetical questions vhicli assumed that the witnesses favorable to iuitean told tbe truth. Guiteau demanded .hat Grant, Conkling and Jewell be summoned MKJUEENTH DAY. Hon. Charles B. Farwell, of Chicago, wai called as a witness, and testified that Guiteau offered to make him Pre-ident if he would loan him $200,000 with which to buy the Inter Ocean newspaper. He said ho believed that the assassin was not so insane but that he could distinguish between right and wrong, whereupon the prisoner got excited, said he wanted such nonsense stopped, that ne acted from inspiration, etc. George C. Gorham, of the Washington Revuhlican. then took the stand, and Scoville began to question him. Guiteau again broke out. telling Scoville he was crazy, and that he (Guiteau) did not approve of his method of conducting the defense. His testimony was unimportant. Scoville stated that he desired to have President Arthur testify in the case. Guiteau (interrupting) —Yes, and Grant, and Conkling, and the rest of my political friends. Scoville here takes altogether too narrow a view of this case. After some discu-sion, counsel for the prosecution agreed to allow Scoville to prepare interrogatories to be submitted to tho President, and allow his evidence in this form to be put in later. Guiteau read to the jury for half sn hour from liis book, “Truth.” Counsel for the prosecution objected to the reading of the entire book, and, after discussion, it was arranged that Scoville should mark such passages as ha intends to rely upon and submit the book to the prosecution. With this understanding and agreement between couusol relative to the evidence of President Arthur, Scovillo announced the close of the defense. TWENTIETH DAT. On the opening of court Guiteau opened business by declaring himse’f dissatisfied with tho development of the facts relating to the political situation wh e, ein lay the gist of the alleged defense, and renewed his demand lor the testimony of such men as Grant, Conkling and Platt. He announced, also, his purpose of making the closing speech for the defense.

No answer having been received from the half-dozen qestions submitted to_ President Arthur, tue court said that the defense should have the benefit of the said testimony when it should come. Mr Scovilla then called Dr. E. C.Spitzger, of New York, who failed to respond, as did Mrs. Emma Rood, of Cnicago, and Mr. Seovule asked for attachments. The defense here rested, and tbe prosecution called Gen. W. T. Sherman to the witnessstand. He identified the letter that was placed in his hands after the shooting, written by Guiteau, and stated that he suspected at the time there might be a conspiracy, bat afterward concluded the shooting was by one man. Guiteau thanked the General for protecting him with the military, at which the warrior smiled grimly. Edward Barton, a lawyer from Freeport, 111., was next sworn, and stated that he well knew tx.e prisoner’s father, whom he described as a straight!orward, clear-headed man of excellent intellect, and always believed him sane. Testimony to the same effect was given by Gardner W. Tandy; Dr. B. P. Buckley, the Guitenu family physician ; A. T. Green ; John 8. Cochrane, Prosecuting Attorney ; George W. Oyler, Alison A. Babcock, David A. Sunderland aud Horace Tarbox, all residents ot Freeport, Hi.,'and well acquainted with tho assassin’s father. TWENTY-FIRST DAY. Col. Corkhill called, as the first witness of the day, Mrs. Julia M. Wilson, of Leadvllle, Col. She knew L. W. Guiteau from her earliest recollection. He was her uncle. Witness gave a most feeling account of the life and character of her mother, Mrs. Maynard, who, it had been alleged by the defense, bad died insane, but who really died from pneumonia in 1856. During the examination of this witness Scoville objected to one of her an wers to a question, and a lively discussion ensued between Judge Porter and Scoville. Guiteau be came enraged at Judge Porter, and shouted : “ Now hold your thunder till you get to the lurv Judge. You are doing this sort of thing too" much.” Judge Porter, without noticing the outburst, continued in the most impressive manner to argue his point, when Guiteau broke in again : “fm not a criminal, and I won’t he till convicted. I won’t have that word. You just hold your eloquence till you get to the jury.” Scoville expostulated with him, but ho retorted in the most vicious manner : “ You shut up and mind your business ; I know what I’m doing.” Witness was questioned in regard to various members of the Guiteau family, and stated positively that she never saw indications of insanity in any of thorn. At the conclusion of Mrs. Wilson’s testimony, John W. Guiteau, brother of the assassin, arose from his seat next the prisoner, and asked the court to rule out the question and answer relative to witness’ father Uaving died of softening of tho brain. Judge Cox—“l think the matter irrelevant.” Scoville here arose, trembling with excitement, and protested against the meddling of John W. Guiteau in this case. “He is opposed to showing insanity in the family, ’ said Scoville, and his voice was here drowned by the prisoner, who struck his hand violently on the table aud shouted: “Sodo I. He had better get back to Boston. He has got no business here. Just because he happens to bear the same namo ho thinks he will get a littlo notoriety out of this case. I haven’t known anything about the man lor years. That’s all there is about him, and I want him to got right out of this case." President Arthur’s replies to the written interrogatories of counsel lor the defense were lead. Ho stated that he know nothing about Guiteau previous to tho crime of tho 2d of July, except that he had seen him around the Republican headquarters at New York. A nnmier of witnesses were callod to the stand and (old what they had seen of the prisoner in the various places whore he has made an unsavory record for himself during tbe past few years. Strangely enough, none of these people ever jaw in him any indications of insanity, but ue uly all had found evidences of moral turpitude, sometimes to their cost. The worst story was to’.d bv the Rev. Dr. McArthur, of New York, pastor of tho Baptist Church to which Guiteau united himself in 1872, and from which, after borrowing *95 from the pastor, and otherwise abusing his generosity, he was excommunicated in disgrace r or gross immorality. As Mr. McArthur went into the shameful details Guiteau grew irritated aud then violent. Mr. Scoville objected to the testimony, and asked the use of it. “Wo wish to ahow,” said District Attorney CorKhill, “that what the defense calls the prisoner’s insanity is bis devilish depravity.” General applause followed this declaration. and a lad of 14 was expelled from the court-room as a scapegoat. After this the con usion was so gn at that adjournment was a relief tc all concerned. The assassin was hooted as he was led by policemen to his van. TWENTY-SECOND DAY. Rev. Dr. McArthur resumed tho witness stand, and continued to testify to the assas sin’s rascality and meanness. Scoville objected to this character of evidence, but the couri ruled it* admissibility, as tending to show the general character of The prisoner. The assassin at this point broke .out uito one of his noisy harangues. Col. Corkhill desired the court to restrain the or s at r, when Guiteau turned to h m and t-a.-i *• Y ugo slow, Corkhill. You are spotted, hi d i soon as tins business is over the Frcsiden writ remove >ou.” W. Caldvveu, a physician, treated L. W. tiudeau during liis la t illness. He never d<ecied any ev deuce ol mental unsoundness. George W. Plummer, a Chicago lawyer, was j lied. Uuittuu immediately snouted: “1 oai .nts man *2O, but it has cost tho Uovcrumem . 2Uo to gel Dim litre. I think ihe President’> me -lion bad bctler be called to the way you are i-q la. dermg the Goiernment’s money.” Witness allowed lire pr.somr to occupy a ltrk m iiis in tv office at < nicugo some mouth.-, no seemed to n ve a deal ol collection bus. .. ss, and ttcut in and ont like any busiuea

Guiteau continually interrupted, and finally • mives raid to 'him: “It seems that your .u-.c relations wiui the Duty of late have eorupied your manners.” Tne prisoner laughed heartily at this sally auu said : “ Weil, that ain’t bo bad, l’lummer, lor a Western man.” "Did you ever see anything in his conduct that i.iuicated unsoundness ol mind?” was the utxi question. No, sir,” replied witness, “ nothing whatever. He seemed to be a man of ability, vam and eonoei ed.” rSrepuen English, editor and proprietor of tbe Ineui once 'J iii.ee, New Yi rk, took tbe stand. G.uleau called out: “ Tins man was m Ludlow sueet jail, and i got him out for Wituesi gave the circumstances under which lie became acquainted with the prisoner. Witness was in jail under S4U,OI'U bonds, charged witta heel. Tne prisoner acted us his attorney. Omteau frequently and noisily iuierrupteu witness, calling him liar and perjurer. At one time he shouted : “There isn’t an insurance man in New York that doesn’t know what a lraud you are.” Witness continued : “ The prisoner swindled me out of S3OO, and also swindled in tny poor creatures m the jail by promising to help them and getting tneir wou-.y and then never raising a linger in their behalf.” Guiteau shouted at witness : “Why, I would not spit on you on the street, you old scoundrel !' I’ll get some insurance men to show you up. You aie lying all tho way through, English, you old fraud.” Witness was asked if he ever detected anj signs of insanity in the prisoner, and replied *■ On the contrary, he was a remarkably clearheaded, shrewd lawyer. Ho completely outwitted me.” Warren G. Brown, attorney-at-law, New York, was c*u:isel lor Mrs. Guiteau in obtaining a divorce from the prisoner. Ho believed the latter perfectly sane. Guiteau (excitedly)—“l want to know CorkhiU, what all this kind of evidence has goi to do with the real issue—who tired tho snoi that Killed Garfield, the Deity or IV I think n is devilish mean to rake up my characier in all its details, Tne only issue here is, who hied that shot, tho Deity oi I. Just take that home, Corkbill, and think n over till to-morrpw morning. I want to know what all this has got to do with the question of my sanity or insanity on the 2d of July. As I told you before, 1 had time enough to go crazy a hundred times in the interval.” Senator Ben Harrison, of Indiana, was called, and testified to seeing the prisoner around Washington last spring, aud saw nothing in his conduct to raise a question iu his mind of the man’s sanity. D. McLean Shaw testified that Croteau told him he was bound to have uotoiiety some w iy or other. He-fuiykt kill some big man aud ini* itate Wilkisßootn. Tho prisoner—l havo not known anything about this man Shaw for eight years ; but when he repeats this kiud of testimony I say to him : “You are a liar ! a low, dirty liar!” I never had that kind of .couY.rsation with you in my life, and you know it.