The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-12-03 00:00:00

THE TRIAL OF GUITEAU

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 27.

On Saturday the testimony for the defence was
continued. The prisoner interrupted one witness,
declaring that there was no truth in' the story told
by him relating to a fight botwen Guiteau and his
father.

Senator Logan, of Illinois, testified that he had been
besieged by Guiteau for office in Washington. He
thought something was wrong in the prisoner's mental
arrangement. Mr. Edmond S. Smith, clerk of the
Republican National Committee during the last
Presidential canvass, spoke to Guiteau going to the
committee-room frequently, but he received no per-
mission to speak. The witness thought Guiteau
flighty and rambling in his conversation. Guiteau
hgre interrupted saying, "This gentleman was not in a
position to know about matters there. He was only a
clerk, any way. Governor Jewell, ex• Senator Dorsey,
and the rest of us boys were the ones that did the
work there." Mrs. Scoville, Guiteau's sister, then
gave an account of his life. Before her examination
was concluded the Court adjourned until Monday.

PIIILADELPHIA, Nov. 28.
About twenty insanity experts, summoned by the
defence carefully examined Guiteau on Sunday, after-
wards consulting together. That some degree of
mental unsoundness marks the prisoner seems gener-
ally to be accepted, the question being whether this
reaches the degrec -ontemplated by the legal definition
of insanity.
The trial was resumed to-day. The court was
crowded, mostly by ladies. Mrs. Scoville, Guiteau's
sister, resumed her testimony, her belief being that
Guiteau is insane, and that he should long ago have
been put in an asylum. Mr. D. Burroughs, of
Chicago, testified that he concluded in 1878 that
Guiteau was either a fool or crazy, being satisfied that
he was unsettled in his intellect.

During the interval, alter Mr. Burrough's evidence,
Guiteau, who previously was quietly reading the news-
papers, shouted, "I desire to tell all these crank news-
paper men that I appear here as my own counsel.
That is my answer to all the silly stuff they have been
delivering themselves of for some days past. Some of
these newspaper men have gone crazy. I appear here
in part as my own counsel, as I have a right to do
under the law and constitution of America.'

The Court took no notice of this and made no
effort to silence him ; in fact, the Judge is in a
quandary what to do. He has several times con-
sulted with his associates, the decision being that,
while the prisoner insists on being his own counsel,
the Court cannot well deny him this right without
admitting his insanity as a bar to its exercise.
John Guiteau, the brother of the prisoner, gave
evidence as to his insanity. On cross-examination the
witness admitted believing the prisoner responsible,
but not sane.
Guiteau steadily interrupted the witness. Once
Judge Davidge and the prosecuting counsel tried to
stop him. Guiteau shouted, "You keep quiet,
Judge." The witness, on being asked whether at a
certain time he thought Guiteau insane, the prisoner
quickly anticipated the reply, saying, "Why, of
course, he always thought I was badly ' cracked.' "
The witness, concluding, said he never thought their
father insane.

After the recess, John Guiteau said that he did not
know of the insanity of his aunt and two uncles, ex-
cept by report. He believed that his brother at the
same time through egotism surrendered to the devil.
Being a free agent he was morally responsible for his
crime. The prisoner interrupted,—" You have got
that wrong side up. It is poor theology, and a poor
position for you to take."
Guiteau himself was then sworn. Seating himself,
he said :—" I presume it is understood, Judge, that
I do not appear as a regular witness, but simply to
identify some letters." The letters were then handed
to Guiteau, who identified them, and the Court
adjourned.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.

After being sworn yesterday Guiteau identified the
letters written by him to various relatives. On ap-
proaching the bar he whispered nervously to a police-
man standing near, when three deputy sheriffs imme-
diately ranged themselves, shoulder to shoulder, behind
the prisoner.
Guiteau continued to give evidence to-day. He
was unwilling to enter the box at first, saying that
he was ill; he certainly looked pale and nervous. He
frequently interrupted the reading of some of his
letters, which showed cerbain eccentricities, exclaim-
ing that he must have been out of his mind when he
wrote things of that kind. Amongst other statements,
he said that his father was "badly crazed " on reli-
gious subjects. Mr. Scoville, his counsel, closely
questioned the prisoner on his past life. Guiteau
showed great excitement when his religious opinions
were touched upon.
Two hours were occupied in reading the letters
written by Guiteau to me tubers of his family, covering
a period of 20 years. These letters were presented to
show his insanity.