Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-07-16
THE RECORD OF GUIrrEAUs N f7os-
MENTS.

United States District Attorne y Cork
hill has furnished to the press complete
record of the movements of he assassin
Guitteau from the time of HI s arrival in
Washington last March up HIS attempt
on the life of the Preside at. The chief
value of this record is to demonstrate the
cool deliberation with finch TIE crime
was planned. 1t shows sSso that the Pres
ident's life was in da nieer on more than
one occasion previous to the actual COM
mission of the crime. Atone time Guitteau
had determined to shoot him in church
He had examined he place and found that
he could shoot hir through a window from
outside. The ID leA of committing mur-
der in churc' evidently did not strike
this man as In any way specially reprehen-
sible, but the more we learn of his life the
palmer does it appear that he is entirely
destitute II moral perceptions of any
kind In. fact his character reminds
US Of ',ne of Bulwer's creations, in
the "Strange Story :" the resusoitated
magici' An Margrave, WHO'S supposed to have
regair led physical life and strength by the
sacri fee of his soul, and who is thence
forth a sort of wild beast, absolutely void
of all moral feeling and guided solely by
the instinct OF self-interest, which leads
him to the commission of all manner of
crimes. The theory OF insanity, however,
/ Ii I,4,a
OF the purposeful and persistent actions of
the assassin. 1t is made apparent that he
spent some three months in revolving va
rious methods OF accomplishing his afro
cious purpose that he never suffered him.
self to be swerved from it In the least;
that he logged the footsteps of his victim,
repeatedly RETAINING from action because
he did not feel certain of the success of his
plan that he proceeded throughout In the
most cautious and business-like way; and
that in fact more infamous deed was
never approached, prepared for and con-
summated, In more thoughtful, cold
blooded and intelligent manner.
There is no trace of mental alteration
In any of his actions, but there is evidence
of diabolical malignity and singleness of
purpose. And it seems clear that Guitteau
really believed the assassination of the
President would entail no punishment
upon him, if only he could elude the dam
ger of sudden mob attack. He believed
that if he made Arthur President, this
service would suffice to protect him. He
thought that the Stalwarts" would ap-
prove his action. Apparently he still be.
lieves this, and as he does not know that
President Garfield is still alive, he looks
forward with confidence to the exercise Of
the executive clemency on his behalf by
president Arthur" 1t would be a great
pity to send such man as this to an In
sane asylum. He belongs to that class of
whom a celebrated French physician OBJ
served; " Perhaps these people are mad,
"but it is necessary to cure their madness
cat the Place de Greve" 1.-THE place of
public executions at Paris.) 1t has been
said that the worst use to which man can
be put is to hang him, but every rule has
its exceptions, and the case of Guitteau is
one of these exceptions. His is the Grim.
inal temperament. He belongs to a class
of men who are the wild beasts Of society,
and who can be dealt with only as wild
beasts.
At present the prospect of the Presi-
dents recovery appears to foreshadow a
virtual escape for his assassin, however.
The laws of the District of Columbia only
infiict short term of Imprisonment for at
tempt to murder, and that is the offense
with which alone he can be charged. 1t
would be most serious misfortune if he
should prove subject to no heavier penalty
than this. and chiefly for the reason that