Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-11-23
The Washington Trial.

progresses rather slowly as Judge Cox
does not work in his court n great many
hours day. A jury was obtained in three
days and thereupon District AttorneyCork.
bill made the opening statement for the
prosecution.
Thursday Mr.. Blaine was on the stand
and told the story OF the amentable morn
ing OF the I'd of July. Mr.. Scovile In
cross-examining the secretary of state
mainly laid stress on the dissensions that
existed between the supporters and OPP
ponents of the administration last spring
Oher witnesses told the story of the
shooting and he death and on Friday a
number of letters written BY Guiteau to
President Garfield were put in evidence.
When Mr.. Brown. the late presidents
private secretay was telling what treat
meut Guiteau had received at the White
House the prisoner interrupted him saying
he had been treated with courtesy there.
Saturday Dr.. Bliss related the course of
treatment and the story of the sick bed
and during his examination the production
OF that portion of the back bone of the
murdered man which was struck BY the
bullet produced a sensation in the court
DR.. Bliss swore that because of the mi ry
to the back-bone aud the liberation of an
artery the wound was necessarily moral
Drs. Wood ward and Lamb also swore the
wound was mortal
The prosecution closed its evidence Mon
day morning and Mr. Srovle made tn,
same day part of HE opening statement
for the defence He put the case very
plainly ms plrin question Of fact as To
whether the respond. Mt was Of such mind
as to be responsible for hi, act.
The trial mas hrd IN il number of
sensational inci'iants growing out Of the
behavior Of Gntelu who has abused MS
counsel the off 'ors Of the curt and tn,
court itself. Judge Cox threatened at one
time to remove him from the court room bu
this has not been done and it is yer,
doubtful if it can legally be done Il is II
doclrlne of the common law that a man
must be present when tried for a feon,
and it is right that probably he prlsone,
himself has no right to waive. Gulteau
exhibits no inclination to attempt to waive
the right and insists not only on being
present but on being heard in his own
defense. which is another right that he
has. Wit so uncomfortable respondent
insisting on rights we'll established by law
and of which he makes use to the him
drance of the case and the annoyance and
insulting of the court, Judge Cox has
thus far acted with much good Judgement
and patience.
In the case of Lawrence, who was tried
for attempting to shoot President Jackson
the respondent persisted in inierupting tt,
trial and was removed from the court
room but rs he was arq Illted the leo ,lity
OF the proceeding WIS never determined
1t may be noted that Ltwren,e WAS found
insane and died n the syIum soon after,
These cases re the only ones that we have
seen whehe a respondent so behaved as To-
nuke 1t alnos impossible to observe tht
rule of law that gives him the right to
present and to carry on the business of the
trial in an orderly and business like way
Should there get to be habit among
respondents accused of felony Of making
bear garden of court room it will not b.
mrny years before the present rigid rule
as to the necessity of the respondents
presence will be relaxed
Gliteau all last week was grumbling
about his counsel, especially Mr.. Robinson
who was assigned by the court He de
clared that Robinson had no brains and
that he did not want him in the case And
Monday forenoon Mr.. Robason retired
from the case making statement in cour
IN which he complained of the treatment
he had received from Mr.. Seville the
prisoners brother-in and present sole
counsel.
81 turday on his return in the prison
van from the court house to the Jail
Guteau was fired at by horseman who
mad followed the van from the court house
to street near the capitol. Tn. van is II
sort of miniature Ill on wheels AMI tn"
horseman could only get z npse of the
prison r. through grating and 80 failed
to harm ann. Is SHE the negro river sat
a policeman and ut the back of the val
was negro guard Grieau occupied the
van alone and stood near the front graing
talking to the driver. The bullet gr;,ze.,
Guiteaus wrist out dd no. hnrt aim An
he at once f.ii on the Bottom of the van To-
be out of the way OF more shoe ing. The
horsem IN wheeled and fed and the police
man fired At him aod the driver of the van
drove after hun bu ne escapal
Later Stturd y nun named William
Jones was arrested but there is goDl
deal of dispute whether he is really The
man who fired at ,iteau Jones gave
bail Monday morning. He was drunk
when arres ed +; is man of property living
few miles out OF Washington on II farm
and has himself the reputation of being
somewhat of Il " crank" The police do
not app iar to be very certain that be is
the right man. Since Saturday eight
mounted policemen ride as a guard iol
Guiteau TO and from trial.
There is no knowing how long the trial
will he, as it all depends how mlnutely
the witnesses are questioned rs to the sub
iect Of insanity. So far Mr., Scovi.e has
worked with good deal more rapidity OF
examination than is generally used by IL
criminal lawyer and in his difficult posi-
ton, one into which he is forced by bis
relation to the prlsoner,h be has COMMANDED
and retained the respect of those who have
witnessed The progress Of the case.
In his story of President Glrield's ILL.,