Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-17
SCOVILLE'S LECTURE.
the Prisoner VIII Not Live Until
the Close of the Trial.

Washington Special Philadelphia Record 18TH
Mr.. George Scovllle, the brother-in law
and counsel for Guiteau, delivered lec-
ture in this city to night, his subject be-
ing the "Guiteau Case" Though quite
large number of tickets were sold, the
audience was small one, but heartily
applauded the lecturer.
When Mr. Scoville made his appear.
auce he promised his lecture with the
remark that he had not the least inten-
ton OF rejecting on the court or of en-
deavoring to affect the trial in anv wav.
He came to this city expecting a fair
trial, and so far he had no reason to
complain; but in this fair trial was con-
tanned not merely what transpired within
the walls of the court house, but the
conduct of the press and what was said
by the people-in short, public opinion :;
and 1t was to that public opinion that he
desired to address himself, without en-
deavoring to extenuate the crime or to
create public feeling in favor of the
prisoner.
The lecturer complained that the press
had not the disposition to give that force
and consideration to the defense which
had been interposed which ought to be
given. Not only the press but the pulpit
had prejudged the case. The pulpit con-
demned Guiteau on the assumption that
he was sane man, and yet not single
minister of the Gospel had called on the
prisoner in his cell, and not a single let
ter had been sent by them to him as a
sane man calling on him to repent and
turn to God. [Applause. Nineteen
tWentleths of the letters received by Gui-
teau were simply threats against his life.
and not more than two or three breathed
Christian spirit. He criticised the ac.
ton OF Judge Davis in recent murder
case in New York for going outside of
the case and instructing the jury in the
Gulteau case, and giving as law what
Judge Cox would not give, if he (Mr.
Scovllle) were not mistaken, TApplause.
In the course of his remarks Mr.. SEQ
vile said that he was satisfed-had
good reason to think, good reason to be-
lleve-that the prisoner would not live
until the conclusion of his trial. He
(Scoville) was here to see that Guiteau
had fair trial under the forms of law,
but he was not here to guard the prison
er with troop of soldiers. Let the re-
sponsibility rest where it might, he gave
this warning, and he knew whereof he
spoke. 1t was not for the life of this
man that he gave it, but because he
wanted to see order prevail, and because
he did not want the American people
dlsgraced by having man on trial for
his life assassiDated like a dog. The
lecturer declared that the greatest peril
to the prisoner was in his passage from
the court room to the prison van, and
pointed out the danger that some desper-
ate man would stab the prisoner with
dirk and escape without detection.
The speaker expressed in the most
earnest language his sincere admiration
for Judge Cox, than whom, he said, no
more candid, careful, conscientious, iu-
diclous man could be found in the coun-
try. He defended Judge Cox from the
criticisms of the press, ,cOntending that he
could pursue no other course toward the
prisoner than he had pursued without
preiudging the case All references to
Judge Cox were loudly applauded by
the audience, among whom were several
members of the District bar
Thespeaker then branched off to the
subject OF the prisoners insanity, and in
UAIo NOAHCCJLOu Icdu du extract from q
letter received in 1875 by Mrs. Sc0ville
from her father, in which he stated that
his son Charles was in Chicago trying to
borrow money to buy up the Inter-
Ocean: You may judge for yourself" >"
he writes, whether he is insane or not.
To my mind he is fit subject for an in
sane asylum, and if had means would
send him there. he is instigated by the
devil
1t was not the prisoner alone who was
on trial, said Mr.. Scoville; the question of
capital punishment was on trial. for he
predicted that should Guiteau be hanged
and post mortem exam nation prove
him to have been insane, it would be al.
most the last case of capital punishment
in the country.
AT the conclusion of his lecture Mr.
Scoville was applauded, and a resolution
was offered by one of the audience and
adopted expressing sympathy with the
family OF the prisoner, and compliment
ing Mr.. Scovllle on his management of
the case.