The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-12-29
Mcdonald ON Gu,teau.

Mcdonald on Guiteau-
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 27.-The
witness, DR. Mcdonald, had visited the
prisoner in his cell at the jail, remain
ing two hours, and making the usual
mental examination In such cases. He
talked over with the prisoner all the
main incidents of his life, up to and in
GLIDING the shooting of The President.
The prisoner always spoke of the act as
my conception" and "soon after con-
ceived the removal of the President"
Witness asked, ''Why, if the act was the
Almighty's, and he was simply an agent,
he was so particular as to practicIng on
his aim, and why did he not trust the
death to the Almighty ?" and the
prisoner hesitated, flushed little, and
said, 'The Almighty often trusts to his
agents.. Witness talked at considera-
BILE length with the prisoner in regard
to the crime, and asked him what plans
or expectations he had for the future.
His reply was to the effect that while he
did not consider himself insane, he had
studied up the subject of insanity, and
believed that he would be found by a
| jury to be insane at the time of the CON-
mission of the act, and would be ac-
quilted. 80
He was asked: Where do you sup
pose you will be sent tops
ITO an insane asylum; and find un-
| der the law that / can, after q few
pass upon my case. and, of course, they
will find me sane and / will be dis
charged"
Witness believed from his examina-
ton and observation of the prisoner in
the court that he is q perfectly sane man.
Witness then proceeded, at some length,
/ to give his reason for his opinion, using
the expression, al have frequently mo-
ticed that his most violent Interruptions
have been made when the weight of evil
deuce has been against him.
| The counsel for the defense objected,
stating that the witness was usurping
| the functions of the Jury, who at once
| could pass upon the fact that the evil
dence was for or against the-prisoner. !"
/ The court overruied the objection, and
exception was noted by the defense.
| Guiteau, who had kept unusually
quiet all through the morning, here adj
dressed the witness, speaking without
any show of excitement: "You are max
/ ing great ado about nothing, Doctor.
] don't pretend that am insane now.
Tell us what you know about Abraham /;
| get your money and go home.n
/ Witness, continuing, closely analysed
the conduct and remarks Of the prisoner
during the trial, and concluded that he
had been playing part ever since the
| first day. At the outset, he said, the
| prisoner had directed all his abuse
| against one of the counsel, afterwards
| against all of them.
Guiteau-aW Well, you see CoFkhill has
corrupted the rest of them. Evil com
munications, you know. corrupt good
morals"
| The irst Hypothetical question of the
prosecution was read, and objection was
made by the defense TO the clause .tas-
sumo that he raised an axe 70 his sister,
| which act the prisoner himself denies, -
on the ground that the witness could not
be asked TO pass upon hypotheti cal
| question containing proposition diam
etrically opposite.
| After argument the court sustained
the objection, and the prosecution modi-
| fed their question. The question as
modified was put to the witness and his
repIy was: Il believe the person to have
| been sane.n Objection to the question
and reply was noted by the defense.
Soon as court resumed the priseaer
made another of his little speeches
Those experts he said, ssape dong
this business with great deal of parrot
talk DR. Mcdonald has deEiated some
/ what, bat think il my duty to say thai
/ did not tell him had examined the
law in relation to this matter, as he has
testified
The district attorney read second by
potfetical case TO the witness, the pfis-
oner interrup1ing with cries Of '.thatss
| false that's iie,s Truth was my oxn
Drodactfon, . II have been strictly virfu-
Gus for six year,, 2 the doctors murdered
Garfield, y and s0oa al 1saassazs- AZ
The witness SAID: adding that state
mont to the ether should say the per-
son described wa saneat the fime Of the
ehooingo Of President Garfield"