National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-11-09
GUITEAU'S PAPERS.
MR.. scovILLE REQUESTS THEM.
Argument Why They Should BE Turned Over tc
Hlm-He Claims the District Attorney
Holds a Letter Belonging to Him
Col. Corkhill Denies.

Robinson, associate counsel with Mr.. scoville.
Mr.. Scovillc said: IF Your Honor please, want
TO call the attention OF the court this morning to
the motion that was made q few days ago In the
Guiteau case by my associate, do not see the
District Attorney here supposed that he would
be here or should not have came into court with.
out notifying him."
The Court-The motion, in the first place, was
In reference to the postponement Of the trial, and
In the next place, to the production OF certain
papers. do not see how can postpone the trial
in the present preparation OF the case without the
consent OF the counsel oil both sides In reference
to the papers you speak Of, had conference with
Mr.. Robinson yesterday, in the presence Of the
District Attorney, and the District Attorney has
offered to furnish for inspection any paper in his
possession. do not see that the Court can give
any order for the production ofpapers which may
DO evidence on the part of the prosecution unless
they are of documentary or public character. i
think there will be no difficulty, however on that
score
Mr.. scoville-I think the matter has hardly been
presented rightly to Your Honor. In my view Of
IT, there are three classes OF papers in the posses
sion OF the District Attorney aud certainly con-
slider II very important that we should have not
only the mere inspection OF the papers dn the
presence Of the District Attorney under his
supervisory, but that we should have them for
| consultation among ourselves, as counsel, and
| for consultation with the prisoner. And while
| do not want TO say anything without the pres
ence OF the District Attorney, yet do want to call
Your HonoPs attention to two three reasons why
| this motion should be granted this morning. be.
cause the time Is short there being only an in
terval of some three or four days between now and
the time for the beginning Of the trial. and If Your
Honor will permit would like to say why we
| ought 10 have those papers.
The Court-Proceed.
| Mr. Scoyille-In the first place, SO far as their
| custody is concerned there can be no possible
question about that. We can give n receipt iii is
asked for TO the District Attorney, specifying the
papers In full or the contents OF them be ascer
tanned ana noted down by stenogrupher before
| we receive the papers, so that there can be no
question about that. Now, as / said, there are
three different classes Of papers that we want. In
the first place. there are certain clippings from
newspapers that were gathered up during the six
weeks preceding the shooting of the President,
and were retained by the prisoner. Now, the
| reason why we want them and the reason why we
are entitled to them Is that they are evil
dence, as we conceive for the defense, with
reference to the influences brought to bear
| upon his mind, and the motives that
operated with him finally in doing the deed. o.
| course, ordinarily this might not be proper APP
plication to make for things of that character In
| the possession of the District Attorney. But thi'
| defense Your Honor will understand, consists In
the claim Of insanity-of an unsound mind. II II
extremely important TO to ascertain and be able
op'ouuee ans i.'s 49,. ,haso at, ,on,,
vpeieeu up'" us ,u'lU S',,nts o,s ,.,,o,on
peioie 'ne e"oo'"s. pP ~ ,nssnaan
eernh iel'eis heu oeeh W s,,V IT.
uuI,ns 'iia' '.,le uy ,,o",,,nss h
, mental condition, influencing him upon thosC
grounds 10 do the very thing which he did do
would II be claimed for moment that we are no
,.,si wy y, s'o,,, no ,nn,o,pos hrorTh
W. s.,',, -, IT, ,1 40 s,n,, hn, bo onorosol
80, "I ~ 49, rlaso 49, oor,n,, Ia,,or,
| upon ns MI" n'.. L., 80. "a ,,,nro 80 os
, " LII. - p I ,aa,,,,an,s ~ ar,,to;
unue'''eu, eei pi..' '-..'a.,'', pm ~,
ie'e;s s,a, =, ,a Nv n,,SI,od :,
peopie VI .ne ohi s o., "mu , We ina,,a, !"
VIC PoaAesY , ,.N 49, ~ a., 49, aa,
,loAe papeIo ~ uiuo' w aee ~" i", s,,ocp a,
ion VI eouhse'' ues "'e p.'pet e psoro',Sa,, =,
.'ueheo W tn' Pas w,
ns", -, IN sa,,,So,,, ,,'a, ,ro
VIZ, 49, w pop's y. ' . W., si ,,,oo,,s, ,,,,
nSii -. ou,s , ,n0 'I hn ,,as on.
oeiore VIC "e' wy" 49, - ;, ''e"ssu
making annota'iohs un". mat book, maxim
I al'era.iens, ana corrections, anu aauiuohs W
upon tine margin or ny leaves Ihose thlnt
would indicate 10 some extent the conuiioh oi u
mihu' what nc was unkIhs VI ~"
was thinking, ana all thls pears upo
the question OF nehtai soununess anu
iega responsibility, anu VIC aie en, , w .ie
before inc ulai' We nie NV poun. '" "a,'
the grace of the District Attorney to furnish
4, evidence AT MS pleasure, out we are Entitled
the Inspection OF them anu 10 examine themi,
order that, arer cahVassihg the SUBJECT III Ill
bearings, we may see "hether II Is proper 10 pr
duce them in evidence. Lastly, there Is q matt
that would not call the attention Of the court 70
L could avoid II, Three weeks ago last saturd'
. In the jail the prisoner had communicate
30 which he desired to SEND TO me. lie presented
, to the warden LOT thst purpose not ueing tne'
directed TO me as his counsel. The warden broug
~ that to my room, and as was not in at the tin
he left II with the District Attorney. understai
% there was letter In 1t, besides communicate
intended for publication. That letter and col
J. munication i have not been able to get.
applied to the District Attorney on Monday NOR
ing for those papers and have since repeated
asked him for them. Now, submit to the Coz
that this is not asking anything which we
bound to ask as a matter of grace, but say tn
we are entitled to that paper without any quail
. cation.
The Court--I will have to wait, In regard to tn
until the District Attorney comes In. Upon yo
showing should say you were entitled to tho
papers, but do not know what the District
m torney will say about It, But as to the book y
speak Of the District Attorney offered Mr.. Robins
lie | a COPY ofthe only book he had.
Mr. scoyille-But the copy might not be sui
ce Client.
The Court-I do not think that have any pow
to order the District Attorney to deliver to y
any papers that he desires to hold and which
may think are evidence on the part OF the Cover
-, 40 ,,,or, ovoIrsyelv--.,o allow Won m va,
|, Inc them he SO protested himself yesterday. /
=. mil, ony ord ar will he necessory will IN