New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-30
cT1TEAU AS A WITNEoo'

err u,rITS THE STORY OF Hlo LII - --.o ~
= snv,Ks oP his FATHER AS ~
"cRANK "-Hs EXPERIENCE Win iuL o-r,ny
r~I xvwspApERs AND WITH THE LECTURE
PLATFORM. 49,, :1,+;eo5
rhn letters of Guiteau, which were ldentineu
liz, on Monday. were put in evidence yes
terday, and then the assassin was calieu " .iio
Itand as a witness He told the story OF Ills
life in part. He said that his father, Whom he
regarded as cranky" prevented MIN dlon
carving out his own cherished purpose VI oo
tanning an education and dragged MN h'o
the Oneida Community, where he feit tla' no
Uas in hell He finally tore himself away
from the Influences of that community, Which
we're ca strong that he felt haunted by Noyes
end his fanaticism The assassin related Ills
pxneriepces at the law, his efforts to become a
pevsnaDer proprietor, and his experiences as a
lecturer upon the second coming OF Christ. lie
stated incidentally that he was once locked up
et the jefferson Market Jail and at the
Tombs. His examination was not concluded
THE PROUDEST DAY OF GUITEAU'S LIFE.
IBY TELEGRAH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-Ihe well-dresseu lheu
and women who filed every inch OF space IN inc
Criminal Court-room to-day had the fortune of wit
N
have never heard" said distinguished counsellor
.o-uiob+ "of nlocino n murderer alleged to be In
Kane ON the witness stand to testify in his own be-
half nntiI Mr. Scoville proposed it to-day. The
scene Won witnessed in court to-day is unprece-
&, nted."
II was n very interesting session of the Court.
Long before the doors were open the pOruco ana
steps were black with people. Diplomats SEN
ators. Representatives and their families elOowed
L.,
one another on the outside, while the deputy mar
ehals were preparing for them within the court
room. When the proper time came, those having
masses were admitted When every seat was filled
the doors were closed and great care was exercised
TO see that they were not thereafter opened lor any
one not entitled to enter.
While the jurors were answering TO theT names
the assassin was pushed and pulled through the
tbronr He seated himself by his counsel. lie had
bundle of newspapers as usual, and after MS
handouts had been removed ne became ABSORBED
with the news He did not care TO look at the spec
tators He was proudly content with the con-
seriousness that the spectators were looking al hi
This was perhaps the proudest day of his life For
bonrs he was the cynosure Of all eyes, and hundreds
within and thousands without the courtroom were
listening to him. As he saws himself In his cynical
fashion, he draws well nOw."
At first he demurred to the suggestion of
Mr.. Scoville that ne should testify
He was led around to the stand
by his guards, who ranged themselv es behind him
in stiff row. but once seated the chair which he
SO earnestly craved his lips were closed. He was
willing to identify letters papers, but he did not
want TO testify to anything which would subject
him to a cross-examInation. He was afraid to race
Davidge and COrkhill and Porter, and pleaded the
baby act He was " sick" or at least "indisposed"
Mr.. Scoville humored him. He read the two
dozen letters from the assassin TO his father and
brothers, identified by him yester ay. Then the
assassin. at his own request was allowed to return
to his seat He seemed safer there When MI SEQ
willie had finished reading the letters, which excited
little interest he called the assassin to the stand
and kept him there until the adjournment. The as
sassin was allowed to tell the story of his life
in his own way At 3 o'clock he had brought it
down to 1878. Throughout he received the street
est attention.
The assassin was in a dozen moods on the witness
stand. He angry, iocular, excited and calm by
turns. He told his story very gibly. At times lie
was iocuar as he related udicrOus incidents IN hls
life He was permitted to talk just as he pleased,
and he availed himself of the permission to the ut
most He talked very entertainingly. Some OF the
things that he said grated harshly on ears polite but
on the whole his narrative was less opentoeXcepton
than il was supposed 1t would be- He had a good
deal to say about the Oneida Community and lts or
mer head He grew very excited when speaking
on this subject, gesticulatlng and pounding wildly
on he rail before him. His face and form changeg.
His wild eyes became wilder. Ihe muscles OF MS
face worked violently; he shook and he shouted.
At other times he was calm, and a look OF low cum
ming sat upon his ugly cOuntenance, even when he
was talking about his inspiration. Hls testimony
will be continued III the morning.