Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-12-08
THE ASSASSIN'S TRIAL.
The Great Cues tion of Guiteau's Sanity Now
Under Consideration by the Court
Rt& at Washington.
Guiteau is Playing the Insanity Dodge for
#4u All Is Worth.
Testimony Showing that He Has Reen a
Hard Citizen, Lnnutie or Otherwise ,,e

Hard Citizen, Lnnutie or Otherwise eg
MONDAY, NOV. 2S. sa
Hrs. Scoville resumed her testimony. She
described Guiteaus actions during his Visit to
her in 1878, and said she was then convinced
he was insane and should be put in an asylum
Geo. D. Burroughs, Of Chicago, testified that he
boarded with the ScuNilles at the time of Gui-
teau's visit in 1873, and made up his mind
that the prisoner was either fool or crazy.
He was satisfied Guiteau was unsettled in in
intellect #-3
Guitea here said: desire to tell all these
crank newspaper me that appear here as
my own Counsel. Ths is my answer to all the
silly. STUFF they have bsen delivering them
selves Of for come days past
Some of these newspaper men have gone crazy.
Iappear here in part as my own counsel as
have the right to do under the law.and consti-
tuition Of America"
O. s. Jocelyn, of the Oneida community,
thought Guiteau's marked characteristic was
intense egotism.
John W. Guiteau, brother Of the prisoner:
was next examined. He had not been on good
terms with his bro tuer for number Of years,
but had no doubt Of his
sanity until be received some let
ters in October. Since he had come on here
and had seen his brother in the court room and
at the Jail, he had become satisfied that he was
insane. He heard his uncle Abraham was in
sane His uncle Francis Wilson Guitesu. men
toned in the family as Erancis Guiteau Sec
ond; died in an asylum. Besides Abby May
nard, daughter of his Atint Jiilia, and Augusta
Parker, who was cousin Of witness, had never
heard of any other case Of insanity in the fam
ily. Coming back to the subject Of his uncle,
Abraham Guiteau, witness stated that when he
saw him last in 1867, he was ''off his base"
very badly.
Sarah Parker, of Chicago, widow of Augus-
tus and cousin of the prisoner, testified that
her husband died in an in sane asylum. The
prisoner and his wife came to her house in
Chicago. She had requested the prisoner to
cease visiting her house because he had pro-
posed to educate her daughter so as to marry
her. This was in 1875. Soon after, her hus-
band became insane.
Fred Jones of Chicago boarded at the same
house. with Guitesu, and had been one Of the
board of trustees who had supervision Of the
insane asylum at Jacksonville; ILL.,, considered
Guiteau Of unsound. mind and what some au-
thorities would call in q state OF incipient in
sanity.
The prisoner was then sworn and took the
stand and identified lot Of letters written by
himself, father, his sister, Mrs. Scoville, and
his brother J. W., and to Mr.. Scoville. Their
Identification having been completed, court
adjourned.
TUESDAY, NOV 20.
There was an immense crowd in attendance
with the expectation of seeing Guiteau on thu
stand And they were not disappointed, though
he was reluctant to he examined, complainin,
of illness. Scoville, his counsel, read two dczel
letters from the assassin to his father ant
brothers identified by him yesterday, while the
assassin at his own request was allowed to re.
turn to bis own seat He seemed safe
there When Scoville had finished read
ing the letters, which excited little interest ii
the audience, he called the assassin to the stani
kept him there until the adjournment, with thu
interval of MONDAY recess. The assassin wa.
allowed to tell the story of his life in his owl
way At 8 O'Clock he had brought it down tt
1873 Throughout he received the strictes
attention.
n, He Rss angry, iocular, excited snd calm by
turns. he told his story very glbIy a
times. He was almost jocular as he related
ludicrous events in his life. He was permitted
| to talk just as he pleased, and he availet
himself of the permission to the utmost
| He had a good deal to say about the Oueid'
| community and its former head He grew
| very excited when speaking Of them, gesticu
! lating and pounding wildly on the rail before
| him. At these times his face and form changed
| his wild eyes became wilder; the muscles O.
| his face worked violently; he shook and b,
| shouted. At other times he was calm and
look Of cunning set upon his ugly countenance
even when he was talking about his inspirar
| ton.
AS the reading Of the letters progressed
| Guiteau occasionally commented upon them o.
| suggested q proper word when Scoyills hesita
| ted. While one dated from the Onieda com
munity was being read, Guiteau said, sWell
| you can see was badly cranked about tha
time" At another time ScoYille hesitated ant
4 cold tiHoro n rrora T ,al,o
"Civilizaton is the word" prompted Guiteau
'tyou can see how badly mixed up got in tina
miserable community. 1t makes me mad ever,
time think of it / wish these letters wer
| out Of existence" Scoville read from one O
the letters: "! am in with Jesus Christ & Co.
and am working for them" THAT was m.
sentiment" said Guiteau, 'sand has been m,
| position ever since"
| The prisoner gave his views on his eather'l
religious belief and was asked il he (his father
had any peculiar views on healing diseases
Guiteau RESPONDED, "Oh,. yes; father wa
| awful crank on that subject"
| Scovilie. What do you mean by crank?
Guiteau-ssWell, that's the short way of put
ting it when you want to say lis pretty badl,
| crazed.'"
Guiteau, in reply to question, said he di,
| not believe in any religion until bis ssconver
| sion." That's the word they use, you know
! which was in 1859, when he came under tn
4 lpuuGllCc VI becCucT duu 1OuQR Meu'
! Christian association. 'Beecher, up TO tina
time," said Guiteau, "was supposed to be
| virtuous man."
At times he grew excited in the assertion tina
in all he die he was like St Paul engaged in thu
service Of God, and that God was therefore re.
sponsible for his board bills On the latte,
| point he said: 81 didn't give up lecturins
because of my repeated failures. fstuck to M
work. My idea was as was working for tn
Lord, would do my duty and let him TAX
care as me as he felt disposed. I went int
that whole business to please the Lord, not t
make money. Success or failur
tbas aas tho 1n,nns Ia1s affair me- %1 sntv considers
tinue with my work. Paul had no success be
cause he had new ideas the theology
| kept thinking of Paul all the time.
On my way from Baltimore to Washington
avoided the conductor whe had ordered me +
get of at the Relay house, and 60 managed t
about it was that after had changed my sea-
q man came along and said to me: 'My friend
are you going to Washington" said yes
He said: Would you like good boardin
hOuse" said yes, and he said he would TAX
me to one. Now had been praying tina
I could get q boarding house, as di
got my prayer.out than this man came alon
aud was just as free and easy with me as il h
had known me twenty years
Now that call providence have had hun
dreds OF that kind of experiences where Q di
rect answer to prayer has been tendere
me-" While the prisoner was givip
his testimony, ne was watche
most attentively by the medical experts pres
ent and with great curiosity by every perso
in the crowded court room. At times b
showed his exhaustion by lowering his voice
and 1t was in consequence Of one Of those sign
that some ten minutes before the usual time O
odi ~ k,R&
trict attorney, adjourned.
tf8i al WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30
From 10 to 8 O'Clock, with an hours inter
i mission, Guiteau narrated the events whic
culminated IA the death Of his victim. Wit
Il perfect calmness and coolness the assassin tol
i his terrible tale. At times he became excitet
Il but it was because Of some annoyance in Il
present rather than Of q recollection Of Il
past He gesticulated wildly at times, and anc
| he pounded on the broad railing before hin
but is was all by way Of emphasis. Beginnir
II 4 4 49, - Tr--a