The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-09
The Guiteau Trial.

/ WASHINGTON, December S.-Thc court
room was again densely packed. Mrs.
Julia ". Wilson, OF Leadyille, COL, was
/ the first witness. She testified that l.. W.
Guiteau was her uncle, and that she knew
/ him from her earliest recollection. She
gave Il most feeling account Of the life and
| character OF her mother, Mrs. Maynard
(whO it had been alleged by the defence had
} died insane), who died from pneumonia in
/ 1856. Witness was her cOnst m attendant
! up 10 an hour Of her death. and never saw
/ the slightest indication OF ilghtinesS or in
sanity. Guiteau, during the examination
Of this witness, became greatly excited,
and interrupted the testimony several times.
! At the conclusion OF this witness examine
/ ton George c. Maynard was called and
corrOboratcd portions OF her testimony.
The Court then took recess for an hour
! Several witnesses were examined, all OF
whom had known Guiteau in the West and
/ in Boston, and none ever supposed him in
sane, though all thought him lacking in
moral character.
/ Rev. X. s. Macarthur, pastor OF the Cal
vary Baptist church OF New York. testified
/ that Guteau had been member OF his
church, and had been cited before the con-
gregation for immoral conduct.
/ This Witness testimony irritated Gui-
+ tcau greatly.
/ Mr. Scoyille objected to the admission o.
( this testimony, when the District Attorney
announced that the object was TO demon
strate that what defence calls insanity is
nothing more than dcyilish deprayity.
/ The questions put to President Arthur
and his answers were put in evidence rs
/ follows:
Question: Do YOU know the prisoner in
/ this caseI
Answer: Yes.
Question How many times, and when
and where, did YOU ever see him!
| Answer: have seen him at least ten
times. possibly as often a. twenty times al
| together, mostly in and about the rooms OF
| The Republican State Committee, in the
/ Fifth-Avenue Hotel, New York city, in the
/ fall OF 1850. and two or three times in the
streets OF Washington in the spring Of
/ 1881.
Question What conversation, if any, did
YOU have with himy
Answer: None. excepting 10 return the
! ordinary salutations OF the day. and once
/ or twice in answer TO his requests to be
employed in the campaign rs a speaker by
! the Republican State Committee, OF which
! was chairman.
! Question: What political services, ii any,
/ did the prisoner render TO the Republican
party during the last presidential cam
! paign!
Answer: None that ] know Of.
! Question: Was there ever anything TO
your knowledge in his relations TO yourself
or TO General Grant, or TO Senator COnk-
/ ling, or to any other leaders Of the Repub-
/ lean party, socially or politically. furnish
/ ing q shadow Of reasonable claim on his
part for political prcferment?
Answer: No.
/ Question Did YOU or not ever give him
any reason to think that he had or could
| have any political or personal influence
with YOU?
Answer: ! never did. | have been re-
WleSted hy the counsel for the defence TO
! produce a letter written by the prisoner
and incloscd to me by his counsel since his
indictment. That letter was received by
me in the month Of October last, and was
not preserved. do not remember its con-
tents particularly, excepting that il con-
tanned some claim TO have rendered im-
pOrtant service TO the Republican party in
the presidential campaign, and an appeal
Cor postponement OF his trial 10 give him
time 10 prepare his defence.