The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-10-22
GIJITEAVJ In COURT.
The Prisoner is Arraigned in CeHrt. the
Indictment Of the Grand Jury
Read to Hlm-He Pleads Not
Gullty--His Trial Set for
New. How. He
Looks Etc.

l1luA. wv IVA
Nov. How. He
Locks Etc.
WAsHINGToN, October 14.-The sta q
route cases were again taken up but OWE
ing to the absence of associate counsel ioiF.
the government, adjournment was asEeaHs
by the prosecuting attorney. After som i:
discussion postponement for two WeSk>
was taken. After the star route case
we're disposed of it became known III trey
courtroom that the arraignment OF Gu-s
teau was actually to take place to-day, 81 4
most of the spectators remained. aud ID
very intense feeling of curiosity and lnte& !;
est was manifested. There was no unusr |;
al display ct police force in o. about thcE
courtroom, although there were lar- y
number Of detectives present, but not il'E
uniform. For over half all hour bnsneS>Is
was suspended awaiting the introductory
of the prisoner. At a quarter past i
o'clock Scoville, counsel for the prisoner,N
entered and took seat at the lawyers tai
BILE, and Immediately after the door OF tn &
witness room opened and gave entranc
to Marshal Henry and two deputy mar5ilaIS,H
having between them the bowed and COW |,
cring figure of a man, for whom they mad' i
way to u seat reserved for him beside hi +
counsel. Then onepf the guards unlocked
the handouts, giviN the prisoner use o.! /
his hands, which he continued, however.
to hold as if that was their usual position. i
.Guiteau looked broken in health and I'm
cared for in person. His head is closely
clipped, but his cheek and chin whiskersF
are worn thick, but not long, his darhF
clothes rusty and shabby, aud his wnolrS
person presented a miserably neglected.
appearance. After the excitement OF hi 4
entrance had subsidized, the District Attor
ney, Corkhill, rose and addressing tilee
Judge, said: "The grand jury of the Dis i
trict Of Columbia has indicted Chas. u
Guiteau for the murder Of James \. Gas-ss
field. The prisoner is in court. l ask thai
he be arraigned and required to plead u
the Indictment" The prisoner was order /
ed to stand up, and in u languid mannerH
Obeyed..
Clerk-.1s your name Chas J. Gull
teau 7"
The prisoner assented by a nod to the
clerk.
The clerk then proceeded to read the Ill :;
dictment, the prisoner standing up. Withs
his head most of the time inclined to thes
right shoulder, his eyes half closed ands
wholly 50, his hands crossed over hlSi
stomach as if they still were handcuffed,!
and his general air that OF sickly indltler.''
eHce. The reading occupied nearly hall;
an hour, and during all that time Guitean;
hardly changed his attitude or bearingI
and rarely opened his eyes. He did noi9
maifest the slightest degree OF interest In.
the sense, ofwhich he was the chief actor,
and but foran occasional slight movement
might be supposed to be asleep in stand
ing attitude. Upon the conclusion of the:
reading of the Indictment the clerk adj!
dressing the prisoner said: "What say;
YOU to the indictment; guilty or not gull. :;
typ Prisoner in place of response. fun,
bled iii his waist-coat pocket and drew
out q soiled and crumpled scratch of pa
per. ,n
District attorney, imperativly, ''EnteIl
your plea Of guilty, or not guilty"
Prisoner enter plea OF not guilty, III
yOnr honor please, and desire to ini7he a
statement to the court at som,- other time.
It would not be appropriate just now.
..-s The prisoner was ordered to sit down.
whereupon he took his seat.
District AttOrney-In this case ask
thai the trial be set for next Monday
morning, peremtorilly. The government
: is ready for trial now.
Scoyille asked to read q statement and
proceeded to read the one by defendant to
the the effect that he has no money OF
7 \ ~. l. ~, If
airy for him to have witnesses from dis
tance. Also one made by himself to the
effect that he was not ready for trial, hav-
in0 been in the case only few days; that
defense would be the insanity OF the pris-
oner and that the wound was not necess-
arily mortal and was not the cause OF the
Presidents death; also that he has failed
to yet the names Of certain witnesses from
the prisoner, and that he expects to show
by witnesses in New York and Chicago,
\ hereditary insanity in the family that l..
w. Guiteau, father Of the accused, was d
monOmaniac on the subject ofreligion. He
also expected to show that death was the
result Of malpractice OIL the part Of the
principal physicians. He asked an order
for witnesses, "A in number ScOville said,
acting under the instructions OF his client,
he had endeavored to get him suitable
counsel, being himself not familiar with
the criminal practice and had applied to
Emory Storrs, Of Chicago who had declin-
ed also to r. T. Merrick, who feared that
81 he could not attend. He had written to
Gen. Butler but had not yet heard from
: him. II was important that the prisOnel
Al0uA be prOperly defended and he ask