The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-11-02
,,,..,,, The New Ycrk Trlbune'l
r,.itonu knuo9


ne,on ,he New York Trleunc'l
Ts Guiteau sanoT
..,. case Of Guiteau bids iair TO pe ce'e-
The ca, h~ annals OF crime, not only for
bpied ~ w., ~ ~ The victim and the pathos Of
ihe noo'"" mi also for the curious ques-
hs e.s.;s,A bv the intellectual character OF
tons Is Nscrcr' II need hardly be said that
De mu,yiI no established that Guiteau Is
3 Il 0o";,bin the meaning OF the law, he
ins'no honged because he shot Prcsi-
osnn0' IN y, the other hand, II he is In such
dem, .,,,, ~ reasoning powers as to be prac-
pos..,SS.,,, whatever loose and incongruous
tcsie 49, r,.y have lodged in his mind and
roho- some Of his actions, he should
Cover nv" Nc iustice. The only practical
no' g.. for The Jury to consider viii be,
gaS..S, identify ~ the murderer, or the
po' ~" ~ ouit. hut the responsibility OF
qo'''-i,,iral for acts which he freely adj
tae Tpc rcculisr nature OF the case
p'S' :. uo>sihle 20 state, without impro-
Nv l.;a even at this time, some OF inc facts
Ting on both sides OF inns question:
'po'r,l,qbly most iair-mindcd men are now
,.i-,,.ed 10 believe that Guitcau Is not en-
wy, ~ sound mind. fact which would
va, ,.,g5o.ly conceded IL he had shot an OBJ
p. ~, citizen ought 90 be granted quite IA
SUI. sr, in this instance. The question
I.s,s ,he Jury will have 10 determine is
- W., ,h.f degree % unsoundneSs Is, and
I..her rendered the assassin in
49, Of approaching the crime he
oi.ort % commit. II il be con-
Va tbet his utteranceS, confessions,
Gu are sincere. he has evidently
CO sYhiect 10 decisions. lie conceived
~, iSs. that the assassination Of the Presi-
W., ,ropld restore peace to the Republican
~. - and that il was his duty to Gre
49, him. lie claims TO have acted I'M
H. Diyine inspiration. This tone has
-, consistently preserved in all his utter
- The notion that the murder was
-.,,r,i,,ed i'm revenge for not getting
y. osire was disproycd by his confession,
T. sbich he showed indirectly that at
me time tie act was committed he
~, confident that the President would
i've him an appointment, and that
ito conception q the assassination
--,w ont Of the intense political
sr,i,emcnt following The resignation
q ,be New York senators. His re-
rlo, requests 70 have messages sent %
PRECEDENT Arthur, and appeals made to
ohio Now York StalWar,s 10 save him,
ara In the line Of the same apparent delu-
.,n that The assa-sinatiOn vas political
al nj, PROCLAMATION. at the close OF his
c,ni,,sion. Of Dr., desire for 2 wife and his
bsliei that hcwill yet he nominated for the
rr.siiency. coming from q man Who knew
be stood in danger Of the gallOws, must be
REGARDED Us the most eXtravagant Of all his
ufieran.e>. and are generally taken as show
inya deliberate purpose OF making case
Of Insanity.
on the other hand, there il a long array
~ circumstances showing tha. he was fully
aware Of the nature OF his act. lie made
I'm his preparations with the utmost de-
liberation. The project OF the assassina-
fon. once conceived, was worked out
Trough more than six weeks OF waiting
With great caution and care. The intention
was not confdcd 10 single human being.
The assassin bought his pistol and practiced
with il as coolly Is a duelliN. lie prepared
a new edition Of his religious pamphlet,
which he expected would have a large
al. on account 81 the notOriety"
BE WAS 20 acquire. He watched calm
" his chances for shooting the President
rnder circumstances favorable 10 sue
cess. lie not only knew that his act would
De IN offence against the laws, and so on
two Of the occasions on which he visited
he depot to lie in wait for the President,
including the last, hired 4 carriage to take
him 10 once 10 the Jail, but knew also that
II would arouse An intense popular feeling
agaia,t him, and prepared in advance a
litter calling upon General Sherman 10
gusrd the isil with troops. lie manifested
then. - he has continued TO manifest since,
The kecncst terror Of popular violence,
showing that he appreciated quite as clearly
h0W the murder would be regarded by the
people rs 10y the law, On one OF his three
visits to the depot he was deferred
rom firing on the President by the
.iyht oil Mrs. Garfield's sick-won face (;
and on another he determined not to fire
because lie did not feel ike it," On each
occasion he had provided himself with
elaborate papers giving details OF his rea-
sons for committing the crime, etc. His
persistence was extraordinary.
Among other places he visited the Presi-
dents church, and bad once determined 20
shoot him there. During the last week Of
De Presidents active LIE Guitcnu logged
bin and watched the White House con-
.tsntlv. Just before the shooting he de-
.,gib,s himself rs walking up and down
10 work himself up" 10 the point Of firing.
he is lawyer, and has taken keen inter
Isl IN the preparation Of his defence,
making q number Of suggestions regard
iny it.
The man is n psychological curiosity,
bot not. therefore, irresponsible. Insanity
as defence against punishment for crime
/, four hundred years old but the gist Of
N the precedents fixed since that time I'M
i-r The English Ian Is the question whether
II the time OF committing the act the Grim
nal could distinguish between right and
wrong. In the United States, each state
.aYins It's own law, the result has been a
Tsat diversity. While IN some the English
-ue has been adhered -, in others second
ranch has been sddcd, raising the ques-
ion Of the ability Of the defendant to con-
rol his actions. These may be called the
,xact methods 81 dealing with the subject;
what can be, perhaps, justly described aS
he incxact il to leave the matter IN all It's
bearings practically b the decision OF the
lwy. Every reader can guess for himself
what tho verdict Of an intelligent jury upon
Guheau's case would probably be under
any OF these rules.