The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-12-02
eul1EAu's TRIAL.

Washington. The prosecution closed
week ago last right, since which
time the dispatches give but little
variation of proceedings from day to
day, as scores of witnesses are called
to testify as to his sanity, and the
insanity of many of his relatives,
tending to prove it a hereditary case.
The prisoner daily persists in contra
dieting, or corroborating witnesses as
suits his whim. and repeatedly stop
ping all proceedings while he makes
rambling speece. Sometimes he
insists upon discussing some point
entirely unconnected with the case,
and the patient docility of the court,
who SO far from attempting to sup
press him with the exception once
when lie threatened to have him gag
ged, is even reported to have ceased
to reprove him for it. This course OF
almost unparalleled contempt, with
no effort made to restrain it, has
callid forth many severe criticisms
by The press all over the country.
1t would seem that Guiteau is allow
ed to read the papers and daily takes
occasion to comment upon the publ
cations in open court.
Dispatch IS stated that Mr.. Beecher
IL his thanksgiving sermon, alluded
to the trial of Guiteau, and said it
looked like a fight between an imbe-
cile judge at one end OF the bench
and vagrant fool at the other, the
imbecile court trying to find tb.
wicked man insane" This was re-
fported in the Friday papers, and on
Saturday Guitcau in court noticed it
thus: 81 notice my friend Henry
Ward Beecher is doing some cranky
I work I'm this case. I used to attend
| his church and prayer meetings, and
if your honor knew him as well as ]
do you would not pay any attention
to him. There are good maDy peo-
pie think he is badly cranked socially
and have no doubt that Mrs. Tilton
told the truth, and that he lied about
it. and tell him SO publically."
In an interview, he stated to cor
respondent of the Inter-Ocean:
81 am not insane. / am just as
sane as you are. / am not pretending
insane, because Pm not. I'm only
! trying to get at the truth whether it
was the deity or myself who was res.
ponsible for the shot"
81 should not think you would he
so anxious to get at the truth as to
: save your neck. Suppose you should
r be found guilty and sentenced to be
hanged ?"
"We have not reached that point,
replied Guiteau.
"Well, it may not be very far"
"The Lord has saved my life sc
far. / am in his hands. / will be in
a the lecture field within a year, and
S will have $4,000; then will pay all
e these little debts owe"
; Suppose the jury should find you
insane?'
"Then I should be taken to the in.
3 sane asylum, I suppose; until get
i out, | suppose. If they convict me
wouldget new trial. I don't know;
), but we will take care of it when we
get to it"
lie spoke as lightly as though he
n was discussing the case o! Russian
f nihilist whom he had never seen and
in whom he felt no particular inter.
est.
"You claim, then, you are sane?"
e 81 do," he said with his idiot-like
t smile. sin certain sense l was in
! sane when l fred the shot, because
was not free agent, and didn't CON
J nit the act of my own volition.
y was impel'ed to it by power over
S which had no control, and therefore
. was irresponsible. In that sense
was insane. All | want is the truth
to be brought out, and that is why
I make these corrections as the tria
e proceeds
J, Just how long the trial will las
can not be known, but it seems tn,
It prisoner,,in his egotisrn, rather enjoy
e the publicity it gives him, and really
e appears to feel that his conspicuous
r ness i'll the last few months, SO fa
t from branding him with ignoIny be
g cruise of his crime, will be looked up
y on as mark of greatness. No new
d attemps upon his lite have beel
made, and it would appear that tn
l. voluminous testimony on the insallit,
. issue is beginning to have some amel
>. Grating effects upon the people.
~ Our patent outside exchanges still
came to hand replete with high sound
. ing praise of the Mechanics fair boom
" as published by the Telegram severa
= weeks ago, which looks very much lik
'0 bonanza in advertisements. First
= good sized subsidy to the Oregonia
~ Publishing Co., from the managers c
= the fair, for the solid columns of th
~ Oregonian and Telegram devoted dali