The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-12-02
THE GUITEAU TRIAL.
ArssTh nAr


There was the usual crowd present when
0JiIeau was brought into the courtroom. He
had a ride of honor from the Jail, mounted
escort being in attendance. He seemed in
remarkably good humor, which is explained
very nice letter, inclosing a money order for
$40, from an Illinois lawyer. Mr.. ScoYills
continued the opening speech for tbs defShse.
lie recounted the history If the assassin and
his family, with the idea of establishing Gui-
teas'S insanity. The assassin made the usual
number OF interruptions, and created the
usual number of scenes. Scoyille, referring in
his address to the prisoner, said that be was I'M
successful as lawyer. and collecting bad debts
was his principal business Whenefer he met
another lawyer IN coi.st he failed
Guiteau interrupted him, saying: 81 have
had good many cases in court and never was
called fool. When lawyer 1 generally gave
them as good as got"
Scovilie continued " Guiteau was persistent
as debt collector, and had a good business"
Gulteau interrupted He had also good
habits, and his personal appearance, which
brought the business"
WELL said MIR. Scoville, she never had bad
haeits. He never smoked, drank or chewed.
Once he tried case with Charles Reed of Chi
cage, in which Reed got the impression he wss
| a little off,
"That's false, said Guiteau. "fdon't want
to interfere with your theory, but never tried
a case with Reed in my life. The rest of youf
story Is good and true and, in regard to my
pecullarities you seem to understand them.
But want you to know / never was quite
fool when lawyer, and don't you forget it."
ecoyllle said the prisoner was lacking In bust
ness ability, and ran behind in money matters.
Gulteau interrupted by saying At had
brains enough, but had theology on my mind
then that's the reason did not adhere to law.
There no money in theology, and ran behind
ON that, and haven't got over it yet I'm out
OF the business now, though
Scovllle stated that, when in Wisconsin, Guis
teau, overcome by heat, acted strangely ana
threatened hts sister with an AK. Guiteau said
this was lie Scovie continued that friends
and family physicians considered him insane.
| Physicians said he could be put into an asylum.
but the family objected SO long as he was not
dangerous Guiteau acted as usher at Moody
and Sankey meetings, and finally lectured on
the second advent Of Christ. He rnads na
| money.
Guiteau-" They were new idsas that people
were not educated up TO-
| Sccviile continued to describe Guiteau's in
difference to monetary RESPONSIBILITIES. and
Guiteau interrupted with the statement that
he dead-headed from Detroit TO Washington az
| agent OF the Lord, and on his personal appear
ance. lie was never put of q train but twice
He jumped once, and was nearly killed.
NcoVilie's speech was q very ingenious plea.
and seemed to make o favorable Impression CT
the jury.
NINTH DAY.
When court opened Scovile made q formal
request for the papers taken from Guiteau at
the time of his arrest stating that they were
material evidence for the defense, and since
the prosecution had not needed them he could
see no reason why they should be withheld.
| The District AtfOrOnU To fi7rs,i
of the papers, but Seoyille insisted upon his
rights in the mattel and asked for the originals.
Tending the discussion Guiteau insisted upon
being heard, and said "I can throw light upon
this. AT the time of my arrest had forty or
htty editorial slips showing the political situation
IN May and June last. These slips show the ac-
hon and one of the forces that impelled me on
to the President. They are very important as
showing the gist of the whole matter. There
we're forty or fifty slips denouncing President
Garfield. 1t was through living on such ideas
as these that was finally inpeled TO fire on
the President with my inspiration Scovilles
request for the return of the papers
was complied with, and he resumed his
opening speech for the defense. He alluded to
Guteau's career as a politician, and drew the
conclusion that his intellect was deficient. This
view aroused the prisoner st once and he be-
gan series OF interruptions protesting against
ScoYilie's conclusions as false. When reference
was made to his running around from one COM
mlttee-room to another, seeking to be employed
aa a campaign speaker, and his failure
to obtain recognition was mentioned Guiteau
shouted, anglily "Twasn't because had no
ability, but was not known. I had ideas, but
not reputation. They wanted big guns like
Gen. Grant and Senator Conkling-fnen who
would draw" Then, in direct contradiction Of
bis counso's declaration tc the jury Yesterday,
that Guteau was a man who never made q Joke
In his life, Guiteat looked up with an amused
smile, and added: 81 presume I'd draw now"
This provoked general laughter, which was
promptly suppressed by the Judge, who strug-
| gled to disguise the smile upon his own feat
! ures.
| MIR. Scoville went ON with his remarks, but
was interrupted at almost every sentence by the
| prisoner, who soon began to get excited, and
finally grew SO violent that Col. Corkhill arose
| and soiemnly protested. He got sharp retort
from Gulteau who insisted. as he said, upon
"making running statements as against set
speech" Mr.. Davidge here suggested (the
court having asked for something Of the kind)
! that this annoyance might all be avoided if Mir.
Scoyllle would only confne himself to the limits
of reasonable opening address, and bring his
already long speech to close. To the great
amusement of the crowd Guiteau heartily
approved this idea, and proceeded to
compliment Corkmls address in most
fattering way. Fir ally the court interposod,
and informed Guiteau very firmly that he
must keep quiet, This he finally consented
to do, and Mr.. ScOvine shortly closed, and was
greeted with hearty approval by the audience
as be sat down, though their demonstrations
were quickly suppressed by the warning of the
balllff hat order must be preserved.
The examination of witnesses for the defense
was begun Immediately. Those examined tes-
tilted mainly as to the history of the family and
to facts connected with Guiteau's life before he
came to Washington. Generally their stories
4DI6 80
| them by way of cross examination. The wit
ness Frank~L Union, of whom Guiteau once
! hired ball in Boston, produced some merri-
ment by detailing how the prisoner had in
| formed him that he was member of the firm
| of Jesus Christ & Co.. and that he was trying
to save three-fourths of the human race who
/ were surely going to perdition. He swore that
he and the forty-nine other people who listened
| to Guiteau's lecture thought him crazy. Mrs.
| Lockwood, one of Guiteau's numerous unpaid
landladies, was on the stand, and Guiteau had
much to say to her and about her testimony,
but the scene created little or no excitement.
TENTH DAY.
Immediately upon the opening Of court
Scoville stated that Gulteau desired to make
statement. No objection being made, Guiteau
read from manuscript substantially as follows
81 propose to have all the facts bearing on
this case to so to the court and jury, and to do
| tins have been forced to interrupt counsel
and witnesses who were mistaken as to sup
posed facts. I meant no discourtesy to them
or any one. Any fact in my career bearing on
the question who fired that shot, the Deity or
myself, is of vital Importance in this case, and
propose that it go to the jury. Hence, my per-
sonal, political and theological record may be
developed. am glad that your Honor and OPP
posing counsel are disposed to give historical
review of my life, and ask the press and public
to do likewise. ALI L want is absolute justice,
and shall not permit any crooked work. ]
have no idea my counsel want crooked work.
They are often mistaken on supposed facts,
and shall have to correct them. Last spring
certain newspapers in New York and Washing
ton were bitterly denouncing the President
for breaking up the Republican party by i'm
proper appointments. | would like those
newspapers to reprint those editorials now. and
see how they would look and sound In at
tempting to remove the President I only did
what the papers said ought to be done. Since
July they have been deifying the President
| and denouncing me for doing the very thing
they said ought to be done. want the news
papers and DOCTORS who actually killed the
President, to share with me the odium of his
death. never would have shot him of my
own volition, Notwithstanding those newspa-
pers, if had not been commissioned by the
! Daitv IN do tho decd Rut fbic foot dooz ~