Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-12-07
Guiteau,s Trial.


crowded on the 28th ult., and at 10 o'clock Mrs,
Scovllle resumed her testimony. She described
her brothers actions during his visit to her in
1878, and said she was then convinced he was
insane and should be put in an asylum. FIRE.
quent objections were raised by counsel for the
prosecution to the character of questions pro-
pounded by Scoville and q continuous discus
sion ensued between counsel upon the admissi-
blllty Of certain evidence. John w. Guiteau
the prisoners brother, was examined. He had
not been on good terms with his brother for
some years, but had not doubted his sanity I'M
til he received some letters in October. Since
he had come on here and had seen his brother
in the court room and jail he had become salts
fled he was insane The prisoner WINGED under
some of the statements made by bis brother
and interrupted the latter frequently. Witness
testified that his Uncle Abraham died in an in-
sane asylum. He remembered his brother (the
prlsoner) IN his infancy. he was SO nervous
that he could not keep still for five minutes,
His father offered him 10 cents if he would do
so, and he did not get the money. A buzz Was
created IN the court room when Scoville asked
the prisoner to be sworn. A number of letters,
dating from 1857-1858, were identified by the
prisoner, who made running comments upon
his penmanship: ''This does not look like my
present handwriting" "Ihere is a decided
improvement shown here" "This is better
than I can do now" "This is as fine as steel
plate" etc. There were about twenty letters
which had been written by the prisoner to his
father, his sister, Mrs. Scoville and bis brother
]. W. Guiteau, and to Mr.. Scoville. The identi-
ticatlon having been completed, the cou ad-
7 journed.
Thirteenth Ddy.-The crowd exceeded that
OF any day since the trial began. Guiteau was
put on the stand at the opening Of the court.
He looked haggard and pale. and his ewes we're
sunken. weak and watery. He took the stand
with protest against testifying, basing his re-
luctance on the condition of his health. He
was finally induced to talk, and went on with
the intricate tale of the steady unanimous fall
ure he calls his life. He talked easily and
calmly, only getting excited and swapping out
pettishly, like child, when the Oneida COM
munity was mentioned. He told of his many
failures in the lecturiDg field, and how he
left his numerous board bills to the tender care
of the Lord who he said was responsible for
them. At 8 o'clock the witness was 80 weary
that he could talk no longer, and the court ad-
journed.
Fourteenth Ddy.-The assassin concluded
the history of his Wretched and aimless life.
He told of his unsuccessful efforts to obtain
employment from republican campaign COM
mittees; how he called on President Garfield
and was kindly treated and how Blaine snubbed
him. He objected to the word murder" in
regard to his crime, as it sounded too coarse
and brutal. He said ne was inspired by the
Deity to remove President Garfield and that he
SIMPLY acted as an agent in committing the
deed. The prisoner related the incidents of
the great tragedy from the time he went to the
depot to await the arrival Of his victim until his
incarceration in jail.
Fifteenth Ddy.-The cross-examination of
Guiteau was continued by Judge Porter On the
1st inst The prisoner was on the witness
stand five hours, and at times became very
violent IN his demeanor and abusive in his Ian
guage toward counsel. He reiterated his for
mer statements that he was simply the agent of
the Deity, and that it was for the jury to de-
eide whether he removed" the President
under Divine inspiration or by his own volition.
Sixteenth Ddy.-The cross examination of
Guiteau, by Judge Porter, continued. The
witness admitted that one Of his purposes in
removing" the President was to help the sale
of his book. It was shown during the trial
that his book called Go Truth" was plagiar
ism, being virtually copy of book written
by John II. Noyes, of the Oneida community
Several letters of the prisoner, written about
the time he was leaving the Oneida community
were read. At times the prisoner refused to
answer questions and objected violently to the
use of the word ''murder by Judge Porter
and insisted that he use the word "remove "
instead. Guiteau INDUCED in wild harangue
against Blaine, charging him with being NOR
ally responsible for Garields death.
SeUenteerth Ddy.-The PROCEEDINGS on the Sd
inst. were commonplace. The principal wit
nesses were Emory A. Storrs, of Chicago, and
Vice President Davis. Mr.. Storrs had known
Guiteau as young lawyer in Chicago and had
seen him very often in the headquarters of the
national republican committee in New York city
during the last presidential campaign. During
the cross examination Mr.. Storrs said he had
never seen anything in the conduct of the
prisoner to indicate that he had not known
right from wrong. The opinion of Mr.. StOrrs
on that point so agitated Mrs. Scoville that she
remarked: "He has perjured himself that is
all there is about it." Col. j. o. P. Burnside
testified that Guiteau's parents were invalids,
and Edward Daniels testified about Guiteau's
peculiar religious views. Mr.. Daniels believed
the prisoner of unsound mind.