The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-11-24
Trial of Garfleld,s Assassin.

500 or GOO people, was we'll but not uncomfort.
ably filed. The arrangements for preserving
order were excellent and the decorum and
propriety of the occasion were unbroken by
the spectators. Immediately surrounding the
judges desk were the seats and tables, and
close to the marshal the newspaper correspond.
ents Beyond them were placed tables and
chairs for counsel and for the prisoner and his
friends. The remaining space within the bar,
which comprises about two-thirds of the area
of the room was reserved for members OF the
bar and for ladies. Outside the bar platform
three feet high had been erected, and about
200 chairs were placed upon it for the accom-
modation of the general public.
Correspondents and mombers of the bar were
admitted as they arrived, but the doors were
not open to the general public until few miii-
utes before 10 o'clock. There was an exciting
scramble for seats by the motley crowd which
rushed in, but it lasted only q few moments.
Several special deputy marshals, wearing
broad red ribbons as badges of authority, were
stationed at different points in the room to
preserve order, while two policemen we'll
armed took their seats directly behind and
close to the chair reserved for the prisoner.
Mr.. Scoville the brother-in-law and counsel oi
the prisoner entered the room about 10 o'clock
and took one of the chairs reserved for the
counsel. His eye had its habitual merry
twinkle and his face wore smile. Mrs. Sco-
vile, the prisoners sister, a portly woman
neatly dressed in black, accompanied by her
brother, John W, Guiteau, of Boston, a good
looking man of about forty or forty-tyo
years Of age, followed Mr.. Scoville after
an interval of few minutes, and took
their seats beside him, leaving, however, an
empty chair between Mr. and NIrs. Scoville.
District Attorney Corkhlll accompanied by
Judge Porter and Mr.. Davidge, associate coun-
sci for the government, and by Mr.. Smith, Of
the attorney generals department, came next,
seating themselves in group at the left of the
row reserved for the counsel. The entrance of
Judge Cox, the formal opening of the court,
the calling of the roll of the impanoled jurors
and the entrance of the prisoner we're the Incl
dents of the next fifteen minutes. Guiteaus
air and general appearance were in contrast
with what they were when he was Indicted. He
- was clad in a new suit of dark material and
he wore a standing white collar, and his pol
ished cuffs were fastened with imitation gold
cuff buttons. lie staggered as he came in,
scowling instead of cringing as on the former
occasion, and very evidently deemed himself
parsonage, to honor whom the assemblage had
been gathered. lie walked around to the seat
reserved for him, and stood for n minute or
more while his manacles were being unlocked
and removed, at the same time Civ
ing somo directions to the officers who were
performing the services. Seating himself he
looked at the judge and at the people i'll front
of him for few seconds, and then turning to
his left he shook hanGs rather patronizingly
with his sister and brother. AS the three sat
side by side it was easy TO trace family re-
semblance i'll the features OF the three, but the
face of the prisoner seemed to be 4 distorted
caricature of the regular features of the others
He was less frowzy than on the former Occa
sions, but not less repellant. His large cold
gray eyes seemed to be incapable of wearing al
expression except of crdelty and selfshuess.
He smiled as he greeted his sister, but the eX-
preston was more doyllish than his customary
arrogant frown. There were no other persons
OF note present except those whose duties called
them there. Perhaps dozen women occupied
seats at the rear within the bar.
The first proceeding was plea made by Leigh
Robinson, the counsel assigned to Guiteau By
the court, for delay This proceeding was an evil
dent surprise to Mr. Scovllic, who, with some
thing of indignation in his voice, made
spirited protest against being ignored by Mr.
Robinson. He said that he represented the
prisoner both as relative aud counsel, and that
he would refuse to have anything TO do with
the case if counsel whom he did not know and
had not approved were brought into the case
He was ready to proceed with the trial and
did not wish for delay. Mr.. Robinson pro-
tested that it was for want Of time alone tha.
he had not consulted Mr. Scovile.
When Mr.. Scovillo concluded, Gliteau arose
and with emphasis signitied his approval of tho
sentiments uttered. He did not want delay
From time to time during subsequent proceed
ings he got up and with increasing emphasis
asserted that he was his own LAWYER; that Mr.
Scoville was his assistant, and that lie did not
want Mr.. Robinson in the case at all. He was
allowed to talk considerably, but was usually
pulled down at last by the policemen, at whom
he Srowled and whom he commanded to mind
their own business. Once lie peremptorily Or
dcred Mr. Robinson to take his seat. when
Judge Cox commanded him to desist he acqui-
osoad readily, saying he would heed the com
mands of the judge, but not Of policemen.
There was throughout a Willingness on tho
part of his counsel that he should exhibit
himself at his worst but the prisoner
himself seemed to be inspired by his
own domneering egotism alone. 1t was finally
decided to proceed and draw the jury, resery-
ing the question of delay until another occasion.
The drawing for jurymen occupied the re-
mainder of the session. Mr.. Scovlle questioned
the. jurymen, inquiring generally regarding
their religion, business, place OF residence, and
the depth Of their conviction of the guilt OF the
prisoner The greater number had convictions
too strongly fixed 10 be shaken by ordinary
evidence and were dismissed Finally five
Jurors were qualified and it was announced that
the panel was exhausted. The following arc
tho names Of the jurors selected on the first
day: John p, uGrlin, restaurant-keeperi
Frederick W. Brandenberg, cigar maker
Charles G. Stewart, flour and feed dealer
Henry ]. Bright, retired from business; Thomas
IL. Langley, grocer.
At the suggestion of the district attorney, an
order was issued for the drawing Of seventy-five
additional names from the box.
The prisoner at this point slowly rose and in
formed the court that he would like to mako
speech the next morning, but he was ordered
by the court to take his seat. He then passed
the manuscript Of his speech to a newspaper
reporter, but before the latter could leave the
courtroom Mr.. Scoville called linn lack and
compelled him to return it. This aroused the
anger OF the prisoner, who eXcitedly declared
that he was not under tho control Of his coun-
eel; that he was lawyer, and knew the law
himself; that when be wanted help he would
ask fos it, and that he desired his speech to be
published for the purpose of influencing public
opinion. He was again slenced by the court,
and il having been agreed that the sitings Of
the court should be from 10 A. N. to p. NJ.
daily, allowing half an hour for recess, the
court, at LOS, adjourned.
The manuscript which Guiteau passed to
reporter is a long and rambling document, in
which he declares that he was inspired by the
Lord to kill the President and that the latter's
death was caused not by the bulet-wound, but
by malpractice on the part of the doctors He
says further, that he is not an assassin but
patriot, and appeals to the press for justice
and to the people for pecuniaryaid to help him
conduct his case. He refers also to the claim
that insanity is hereditary in his family, say
ing his father had two sisters and nephew
and niece in the insane asylum.
Tho second day of Guiteau's trial was occu-
pied in obtaining jurors. Seventy-fiye men
were examined as to their qualifications and
only four OF them were acceptable to counsel on
both sides and added to the five jurymen OBJ
tanned on the first day. The jurors obtained
on the second day were Michael Sheehan,
Samuel +. Hobbs, plasterer, G.. W. Gates, a
machinist, and Ralph Wormley, colored
plasterer. When the prisoner left the court
house to return to the jail he was conducted
through the crowd which stood close by upon
either side, and hooted and jeered him as no