Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-11-29
THIRD EDITION.
GUITEAU AS A WITNESS.
HIS APPEARANCE ON THE STAND.
BEGGING OFF ON ACCOUNT OF ILL.,
NESS.

Declining at First to Testify tor Fear Of the
cross Examination, but subsequently
Relating tho Story Of his Life.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 90. Tho crowd
about the court house to day was four
times as large Is on any previous day, and
the great rush caused some delay in open
ing court. Guiteau was called to the w.t.
ness stand, his appearance testifying to
the sincerity Of his remark that he was
not feeling we'll at ALL" Mr.. ScOville
asked him to give some incident from his
earliest recOllectiOns of his mother. Gui-
teau pleaded illness and seemed unwilling
to testify. He had a good deal to say and
wanted to be in . good talking condition
to meet the prosecutions cross examina-
ton. He was willing to answer Scoville's
question if the prosecution would post
pone the cross examination to some other
day.
Col. COrkhill declined, and the court
ruled that if the prisoner took the stand
to day his direct and cross examination
must proceed to tie end. Guitcau was
then taken from tho stand and ScO-
Vile read number of letters from Guiteau
to his father and other members of his
family, covering period Of fifteen or
twenty years.
The prisoner seemed deeply interested
during the reading of letters and frequent
ly interjccted remarks, such rs, Swell,
you can see | was badly cranked about
that time - "that miserable community
it makes nc mad every time think of it,
ScovilIc read from one Of the letters, 81
am in with Jesus Christ Il Co. and am
working for them." and Guitcau put in,
"That Was my sentiment"
When the letters were all read GGitcau
was again put ON the stand. lie answered
promptly, intclliGently and with perfect
GOODNESS, apparently enjoying the freedom
given him to talk all he liked. He got very
much excited every time tho Oneida COM
munity was spoken Of and said " No, yes
sole idea was to sleep with the young
girls. Nobody else could though" he
said, ''and all the time was there | was
practically Shaker.' Guiteau said hc
did, not. believe in any religion. Before
his examination WAS concluded, u recess
was taken.
After recess Guitcau resumed the stand.
"IIc got thoroughly disguised with tho
Oneida community, though he was in hell
there, ard made up his mind to leave
them" His letters written at time.
he thought. suggested the state of
his mind lie went to New
York to establish great religious
paper to be called the 1heocr0t, but he
met with no encouragement the wise
newspaper fellows he consulted thought
the name was enough to damn 1t. lie
got discouraged, thought he was going
to lose his soul, could not get any
relief, and so went back again to
tho community. He got relief there.
His idea in establishing the 7Heocr"t was
to rip up all the churches and establish
them all over again. lie stayed with tho
3 year and left them
finally in November, 1866, since
which time hc had had nothing to
do with them. Tho rcf son he abandoned
his suit against the community was be-
cause Beccllcr and his friends in New
York were beginning to respect him and
he did not want to disgrace himself by
having his connection with the community
known.