Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-11-23
Marked Improvement In His
Personal Appearance.
His Linen Spotless and His Beard
Carefully Brushed.
He Continues to Interrupt His
Counsel,
And Damages His Case by Over-
doing Things.


van. His personal appearance has
undergone great change since the
first day of the trial, and this morn
ing he had evidently devoted unusual
care to his toilet. He still wore the
coat with torn sleeve, but his linen
was spotless, and his beard, which
heretofore appeared scraggy,
seemed to have been carefully
brushed. The wild, frightened look
of his eyes has disappeared,
as has also his habit of looking up
and casting covert glances about him
without raising his head, he looked
about the room and bowed pleasant
ly to some one at q distance from
MIN.
Ia ten minutes after MIR. Scoville
resumed his argument he called att
tention to the plea set up by the
defense of insanity, and discussed at
great length the growth and changes
Of public opinion upon the subject
of insanity and its treatment by the
courts when set up as defense IN
criminal cases. He cited numerous
cases and the rulings in several
noted trials where insanity was set
up. He claimed that the plea of
insanity having been set up the de-
fense, the burden of the proof rests
with the prosecution.
Mr.. Scoville continued his argument
up to recess. He was sometimes inter
rupted by Guiteau who interjected
observations characteristic of the
man, which did not add materially to
the argument his counsel was making.
@During the progress of Scoville's
argument Guiteau leaned back on
his chair, stroked his beard, and
followed him closely. Occasionally
be would make some notes and hold
a brief whispered colloquy with his
brother. Scoviile, resuming called
the jurie's attention to the prisoners
conduct since the trial began, asking
them to weigh that point carefully,
He reviewed the various phases of
insanity and said he would endeavor
to convince them that the whole
question was whether the act was the
result Of an insane mind. In the
New Hampshire Doctrine there were
cases where insanity was impulsive,
causing a violent act on the spur of
the moment. In this ca egory lie
would place the defendant. He
cited the case of a colored woman
uamed Nichols, in this district, con,
demned to be hung for murder who
died in the penitentiary, after new
trial. Postmortem proved complete
insanity, Then Scoville went into
the treatment now adopted in asy-
lums, which he said, was often cal
culated to confirm rather than cure
Incipient insanity. There were SO
many types of insanity that he
might say no two were exact-
ly alike. He would produce
witness, DIR. Sweitzer, who would
testify to defendants insanity, and
say that he never saw case exactly
ike 1t before. Guiteau's insanity
lay IN his desire to become a politi-
cian, or great public officer. It was
as unreasonable to punish a man for
deficiency in mental operation as it
would be to punish him because his
nand was not properly constructed
One of the most certain tests of insan
ity was the want of adequate motives
for the actions or the lack of rea-
soning power. In this connection,
he cited the case Of "Bllly, the
KID" the notorious Texas outlaw,
who had most depraved taste for
crine, because he had no reason to
control his actions. IRE jusy should
determine whether insanity was
feigned or not and if this punish,
ment was too great for him. But it
was almost impossible to deceive an
expert.
Guiteau with flourish of hands).
q never feign; I always act my
part out" Naughter.)
Scoville, continuing, said that
President Garfield and Secretary
Blaine had spoken of Guiteau as
insane.
| District Attorney" Allow me to
correct YOU; no such opinions were
expressed, and on the contrary both
thought him sane. Indeed Mr..
Blaine has said SO under oath"
Scoville.-"I only speak from
newspaper reports and by way of il
lustration.'
After pointing out the traits ex-
hibited by Guiteau tending to show
insanity, Scovile said the defense
would confne its effort to proving
the condition of the prisoners mind
prior to and up to July End, last.
It would also be shown
that his mind had undergone various
charges since then. He then re-
viewed the history of Guiteau family
making a point that the most intense
religious zeal was handed down from
one generation to another, and
also that various members of
the family were victoms OF in
sanity. Guiteau's Aunt Mrs.
julius Maynard died insane. Her
daughter, Abbey, is now being
treated for insanity. His aunt, Mrs.
May Parker, and her son, Augustus,
died insane. His uncle, Abram, died
from weak iatelsct-nst insane but