The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-12-10 00:00:00

THE TRIAL OF GUITEAU.

Guiteau's examination ended on the afternoon of the
2nd. He was asked. "Are you insane at all,?" His reply
was:—" I am not an expert; let these experts and the jury
decide that." He was th-n pressed for an opinion, but de- '
dined any further answer, becoming irritable. He was then
asked if he lay in wait for the President on the night of July'
1. In reply, he detailed his movements that night up to the
time when the President and Secretary Blaine emerged
from the house of the latter. "They walked along." he
said, "so lovingly, arm in arm, and had their heads
together like two schoolgirls. Their fellowship was delight-
ful. It confirmed me in the belief that Garfield had
sold himself to Blaine and that Blaine was using him to
ruin the ' Stalwart ' wing of the Republican party." Guiteau
then made a furious harangue, denouncing Blaine, and
finally declaring that Blaine was responsible for President
Gal field's death.

Guiteau, as the examination proceeded, became more
Insolent. Then Judge Porter, having got him to describe
the scene at the station, asked, " Do you feel any remorse ? "
Guiteatt hesitated a moment and then said,—" Why, of
course, I feel remorse—human remorse, I feel sorrow."

The cross-examination having closed, Mr. Scoville made a
direct examination, asking Guiteau to define what he meant
by the word " removed" when applied to the late President.
Guiteau said it implied no feeling of guilt, lie was tired,
he added, and cross; and he was finally excused from
further examination, seeming glad to leave the stand.

DECEMBER 3.

The expert testimony as to the insanity of Guiteau, called
by the d2fence, was heard to-day. Dr. Neil, of Columbus,
Ohio, thought that Gaiteau was a lunatic. Dr. Emei y Storrs,
of Chicago, who had known him for several years, thought
that he had a badly-arranged mind, being without good
sense. He would not, however, give an opinion about his
Insanity. He had seen nothing leading him to believe that
Guiteau could not distinguish between right and wrong, and
that he would not be responsible for any crime. This testi-
mony was unexpected by the defence; they believed that
Dr. Storrs would testify to the prisoner's insanity. Mr.
Scoville noted several exceptions to the answers on cross-
examination.

Mr. David Davis, President of the Senate, was questioned
about the political situation, but he declined to answer
about the internal state of the Republican feeling last spring,
as he had no personal knowledge.

December 4.

Mr. Scoville, before the Court adjourned on Saturday,
said that he had issued a subpcena for President Arthur to
attend on Monday, but he did not wish it to be served till
he had called personally to request President Arthur's at-
tendance to testify about the condition of political affairs.
Guiteau also read a list of prominent editors whom he de-
sired to be subpconaed for the same purpose.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 5

Guiteau entered the court to-day with an abject fear. He
was evidently frightened at the crowd outside. When the
first witness was called to-day Guiteau, in quiet tones, said:
—" I want these expert witnesses to express an opinion
upon this point :—When a man is impelled to do an unlaw-
ful act by a power which he cannot possibly control and
by which his moral agency is dominated, is he sane or in-
sane ? " Judge Cox said that he would have that question
discussed.
Dr. James Kennon, of Chicago, testified that he had no
doubt of the prisoner's insanity. During his cross-examina-
tion the prosecuting counsel said that the defence had not
shown that Guiteau's father was insane. Gaiteau inter-
posed :—" We will show that he was insane. Everybody
knows that my father was badly 'cracked.' He was a
good man. but a bit badly cracked 'on religion." The
witness being cross examined lengthily, maintained his
opinion, but admitted that when a man committed a
crime while acting under the delusion of Divine inspira-
tion, and then conducted himself precisely as a criminal
would do, it was presumptive evidence against insanity.
Guiteau here interposed :—" There is nothing of that kind in
this case. Judge, you are going too fast in this matter. We
want facts, not your judgment. The witness has stated one
thing right; the Lord injects inspiration, then lets a man
us his own judgment to work it out. That is just my case.
That is the way I get my inspiration. The Lord does not
employ fools to do his ifork. He gets the best material."
The prosecuting attorney then put another hypothetical
case to the witness, using the term "common, vulgar
criminal." Guiteau shouted, "There is nothing vulgar
about this case. It is all high toned." At this there was
much laughter in the court.
The witness said that Guiteau's mental disease was
paresis. lhe counsel tried to get the meaning of the word,
and Guitean said :—" Give us English, Dootor. We are all
plain people, and do not understand Greek."
The witness, after this interruption, said in original in-
sanity, if the cranium is divided into two equal parts, one
part will be larger than the other. This caused consider-
able laughter, Guiteau joining heartily in it, saying, "That
is my case exactly, only one side of my head is smaller than
the other. The doctors who etamined me the other day
found it so." Guiteau, when the witness was dismissed,
asked, "-Doctor,—Where hereditary nimbus of the brain
exists will not men snow it whenever there is cause?" The
witness replied " Yes." "Then," said Guiteau, "that will
do."

Dr. Kennon, continuing his testimony, said that he
thought one of every five persons in ordinary business life
might be considered on the border line of insanity. Judge
Davidge said that this was a pretty generous estimate, and
Guiteau said, looking at the Judge, "They may get you."
Mr. Richard Hinton, editor of the Washington Gazette,
testified that he thought the prisoner exceedingly ill.
balanced and a cranky egotism.
Dr. Charles Nichols, of Bloomingdale Asylum, testified :
—" If the evidence to which I have listened is correct, I
should say that the prisoner is insane."

D 7. Folsom, of Harvard College, similarly answered the
hypothetical question. Dr. Wooster, of Salem, Massa-
chusetts, answered with hesitation, halting on the meaning
of the word "inspiration." Guiteatt interposed that in-
spiration was an interjection of Divine Power into his mind.
Dr. Wooster was excused without further testimony. Dr.
Gooding, of Washington Insane Hospital, answered that,
assuming the propositions to be true, the man was un-
questionably insane.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 6.

•
President Arthur has declined to appear as a witness in
this case, but may testify by affidavit answering written
questions. Mr. Charles Farwell, a member of the Congress
for Chicago, was examined, and said that he never thought
Guiteau sane. On cross-examination, he said there were
grades of insanity. He did not think Guiteau so insane but
that he could distinguish between right and wrong. The
counsel had an argument over the admissibility of this testi-
mony, Guiteau constantly interrupting.