The Portland daily press., 1881-12-01
GUITEAU'S TRIAL.
The Prisoner Claims Inspiration
from the Deity.
HE BELIEVES ,HE SHALL YET BE
PRESIDENT HIMSELF.
Critical Cross Examination by Judge
Porter.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30.-Despite the rain this
morning there was scarcely any perceptible
diminution in the crowd that thronged the
Court house Guiteau's dramatic recital yes
terday of his varied and thrilling adventures
as a religious tramp and dead beat seemed to
have whetted the interest in his story as it
nears the great eliminating tragedy. Long
before 10 O'Clock the doors of the Court were
barred against the admission of any save these
Immediately interested in the trial, while
within the hum of female voices was almost
deafening.
Several new faces appeared this morning in
the seats reserved for the experts, among them
DIR. Nichols, of the Bloomington Insane Asy-
um, DR.. Gray, of the asylum at Utica, and
others.
At 1910 the Court was formally opened and
Guiteau taken directly to the witness box. The
witness was asked by Mr. Scoville to identify
some papers. The first shown him was ? hand
bill announcing lecture at Evanston, Ill.
"Yes," said Guiteau, turning around to the
jury with an air of satisfaction, "That was
the announcement of one Of my lectures.
Shall read it?'
Scoville-"No. will put these papers in
evidence but do not care to read them now"
Guiteau was then questioned as to the relig-
ious tenets of the zone idea" community. He
had the same belief as was entertained at the
community. They believed that Noyes was
inspired by God and that the community was
the Kingdom of God. The witness believed in
inspiration from God. He believed that God
could inspire him to do certain act and that
he must obey the inspiration. AT the Oneida
community he read mostly church histories,
works on theology and the Bible He dug
them all out"
Guiteau was asked about the dog story, and
said:-"Oh. yes, remember that puppy story.
[ took it up in my arms and it slipped through
and fell down and broke one of its legs. / re-
member they made great fuss about it, but
that is not germaine TO this trial. | want to
begin where we left off yesterday and give my
experience for the past four years, how 1
tramped around trying to lecture and sell my
books" The witness continued to say 1868 in
stead of 1875 and his attention being called to
it, explained, 81 don't feel well to-day. My
bain don't work just right, probably owing TO
the rain"
Guiteau then resumed the narrative of his
experiences from February, 1878, when he
spent some time in Boston. He tried to lee
ture against Bob Ingersoll, who was to deliver
a lecture against hell, while he proposed to
lecture on the existence of hell He found,
however, that people were very ready TO pay
fifty cents to hear that there was no hell, but
wouldn't pay cent to hear there was hell.
For two months he was running around the
COUNTRY trying to deliver his lecture. In April,
1878, he went to Philadelphia and got is lee
ture printed again and then travelled west sell
ling his lecture, and when he could not sell it
Ia king to people and setting them to thinkin g
about the salvation of their souls He spent
about three months in this way and got thor
oughly disgusted with the business. In Au-
gust he settled down to his law business again
in Milwaukee, but kept thinking about theology
aud in September started out again lecturing.
But as usual he didn't draw and came back in
November, 1878 and started again at law.
But he again got restless and started out again.
He felt th u he must preach the gospel as he
understood it, but could not get any one to lis
ten to him and had pretty hard time
The witness was asked to identify book
which was handed him.
He said, "Oh yes, that is my revised work
called TRUTH companion book to the Bible,
and haven't seen it since it was taken from
me when was arrested"
descriptive of the trials of the Apostle Paul in
endeavorlng to introduce Christianity. THAT
was just my case,' said Guiteau, striking his
fist upon the desk 81 strove to enlighten the
world just as Paul did l had no money and
no friends and i had Just about as rough q
time as Paul had
The witness then passed to his experiences in
New York during the presidential campaign.
He went to New York from Boston on the
steamer Stonington when she struck the Mar
ragansett. He thought his time had come
then, but it had not The witness made his
speech Garfield against Hancock" in the
public library at Boston. 1t was originally in
tended for Grant, as he supposed Grant would
be nominated at Chicago, but after Garfield
was nominated it had to be all worked over,
at Saratoga, N. Y. He was we'll advertised
but, as usual, no one came to hear him. He
went to New York and called on Gen. Arthur
to offer his services. He also called at the
Republican headquarters, saw all the big men.
They were all glad 10 see him. He only had
one assignment to speak, that was at a meet
ing of colored people. He didn't speak more
than five minutes as he didn't like the crowd
He consulted with Gov Jewell, Gen. Arthur
and others. They were very friendly but told
-
like Grant and Conkling to do the speaking
Witness added: was on free and easy terms
with Arthur, Jewell and the President of
then. They always treated me delightfully."-,
thought / was good fellow aud commended
my zeal for the cause. Witness made his first
application for Office soon after Garfield's cleo
tion. He wrote TO Gen. Garfield at Mentor
Immediately that he would probably marry
wealthy lady shortly and thought he could re-
present the government at Vienna gracefully
and worthily. Witness called on Garfield at
the White House, met Morton who shook
hands with him, and inquired about his health
and low he was getting on After Garfield
was at LEISURE" said Guiteau, Il shook hands
with him and showed him my speech on
which was written Paris consulship. He knew
me at once. l left him reading my speech and
that's the only interview 1 ever had with
President Garfield. 1 wish to state here that
my getting office or not getting Office had
nothing whatever TO do with my removing the
President That was an act of Inspiration and
was done as political necessity"
Witness then related his experience at the
State Department and his interviews with
Secretary Blaine describing. as he termedit,
the modus operandi of getting at the Secretary
of State. Witness described his last inter-
view with Blaine Who rather hurt bis feelings
by his abrupt manner which was SO in con-
trast with his previous cordiality. Witness
then determined to see the President and
with considerable exhibition of excitement re-
lated bis efforts to see the President. Witness
continued: 1.-THE party was at loggerheads
and got very much worried over it. / wfote
several notes to the President telling him some
thing must be done, but he paid no attention
to it, I kept worrying over the political situa-
tion and I knew this nation was coming to
grief"
which he had said impelled him to remove the
President, and replied, 1.-THE inspiration as I
understand it is where mans mind is taken
possession OF by supreme power, where he acts
outside OF himself
Witness then desired to read from printed
slip, purporting to be an interview with
the prisoner, giving his theory on the subject.
Counsel for prosecution objected to the read
ing, to the use of it by the witness to refresh
his memory.
Discussion ensued, the prisoner insisting that
he was not feeling well. had not yet got over
his Thanksgiving indulgences. did not feel
able to state it SO thoroughly now as lie did
then.
The court ruled against the use of the slip,
and Guiteau resumed. sOn Wednesday, after
the resignation of Conkling, was feeling very
blue, when suddenly it came over me like q
flash, il the President was removed all would
be well. 1t kept coming to me every day. At
first was Mortified, but / kept thinking and
thinking until l knew it was an inspiration. I
knew the Lord had employed me because he
always employs the best material and he knew
had the courage to do it. Then too l felt
that the Lord wanted me to do it In order to
advertise my book l kept praying to the
Lord to interrupt my act il 1t was not intended
to be. l have never since had doubt of my
divine inspiration and that its effect was neces-
sary to save the country"
Witness never mentioned his inspiration or
purposes to any one. During the interval pre-
ceding bis removal of the President, wit
ness was busy arranging his plans and prepar-
ing revised edition of his book Truth"
No allusion was made by witness to the imme-
diate incidents attending the shooting of the
President, and Mr.. Scoville refrained from
asking any questions Guiteau briefly sketched
his jail life, and at II O'Clock a recess was
taken.
After recess Guiteau was again brought in
and entered the witness box. Witness had al
ways been believer in special providence and
what he termed four distinct in
stances in his life of his inspirations by the
Deity. He also believed in especial protection
of the Deity as instanced in his preservation
on the Sound steamer, in jumping from a train
at Newark and when being shot at and missed.