Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-15
MIR. SC0yIEsf>S LECTURE.
He Pleads for = sTIs!s.psiou of Judg.
nBent i'm fhe G:uites,u Case.

HE CRTTICIsES THE PRESS AND PULPIT FOR PRE-
JUDGING THE QUESTION or ESsANITY-sONE RE-
MARkS RESPECTING JUDGE NoAH DAyI-HE
PREDICTS THAT THE PRISONER WILL NOT LIVE
THOROUGH THE TRIAI.-A COMPLIMENT FOR
JUDGE cox.
Mr. George Scoylle counsel for Guiteau de-
livered his lecture on THE Guiteau Case" at
Lincoln Hall last evening before what might be
called good rainy-night audience. There
were probably between 200 and 900 people
present His experience a lecturer was hap
pier than that Of his brother-in-law for though
ne talked for nearly two hours none left the
hall and several parts of his speech were pune
tuated with applause Prominent in one of the
rows near the stage sal Mrs Scoville and her
little daughter, her Cousin hrs. Parker. her
brother John w. Guiteau ard Mr.. Mariila
Kicker Mr. ScovIle came upon the STAGE alone
and unann0unced about O'Clock, holding in
his hand small bundle of letters to which he
referred during the evening. He spoke with
out manuscript, and his remarks partook of the
deSutory character of his opening address to
the jury.
He appeared before the audience he said.
meNhat out of the usual course of things to
speak of a subject which was in the public mind.
His remarks were out of the usual course of
things because there trial pending invOl-
wing the subject matter which he proposed to
speak about. While il would be inappropriate
for him To discuss any features of the trial there
was another phase of the subject which he
could speak about The new spapers were full
of the subject it was matter Of public inter-
est His object was not to influence in any
manner the judicial proceedings in prog
ress. but to speak aS an American ctiZen-tO
speak as one not interested in the trial When,
and before ne came to Washington. all that the
relatives of Guiteau desired was fair and i'm
partial trial. He came here expecting to get it
far he had got it but this matter of fair,
impartial trial referred not only to the proceed
inss in the cO1Ft; it had reference also to
PUBLIC OPINION.
and to public opinion he proposed to address
his remarks.
No one he said would question the propriety
of the act if he should express his opinions
through a communication in a newspaper. and
in coming before an audience he claimed the
sane right as though he was addressing them
through a newspaper. He considered it incum-
bent upon himself. in the interest of public JUS
tice. to do what he could to have this matter
correctly understood. So far. almost univer-
sally. there had been but one side represented
by the press, and that was adverse to the pris-
Oner.
THE PRESS
Of the country was probably the most extensive
and efficient engine for the manufacture of pub
lie opinion of any OF the agencies engaged in that
work What is said in the press is accepted al
most universally as true. He was sorry to say
that with this vast power. the press is too often
prostitutea TO pander to a depraved or mistaken
public sentiment. The publishers of the papers
catch ut the prevailing idea. in order to gain
popularity. They were too apt to disregard
truth What he had to complain of Just now in
the press was that in his opinion. there not
that disposition to give the force and the con-
sideration to the defense in this case ought
to be given TO ii. If it were
trne hat tbs lafp ~ ify
and justly made. then the press ought not
to do anything to interfere with fair trial of
that issue before the court. Further than that
the press ought not to PREJUDICE the case. The
press ought TO treat it fairly; the press ought
to wait until that decision which all ought to
regard as final was made. Therefore to some
extent he thought the press did I'M Justice and
failed to do its duty by the public. There was
another matter which ne considered he had a
right to mention was. that not the press only,
but
THE PULPTTs
of the land have in many cases prejudged the case
He did not mean to say it was wrong for
preacher in the pulpit To denounce assassination.
He thought it proper subject to speak of from
the pulpit, it belonged to the pulpit to teach
moral lessons: but he thought it just as wrong
for minister of the gospel to PREJUDICE this case
as for any one else. He thought before they
say that Gulteau should be- hung they should add
If. upon a fair trial, he IS Judged to be insane"
Every minister who has denounced Guiteau has
done it on the assumption that he was sane
man. Beecher. TalIaa"e and all the leading
men of the country have said it, and they are
1ncOIiSist ent because not one single one of them
has been to his cel-as a sane man. as a Grim
iRal-calling upon him TO repent and turn to
God tApplause.l
GUTTEAUS LETTERS.
He had been in receipt of Guiteau's letters
since he came here. and probably nineteen-twen-
tieths OF these letters-and they were very nI-
merous-were letters threatening his life. 1t
was singular that among all these letters adj
Dressed to him as sane man. there were not
more than two or three which breathed the
true Christian spirit in the assumption that he
was sane man. These letters are so few so
rare. that he had brought one with him to read
so as to see if it would not commend itself to
the good sense Of his hearers. He then read the
following letter:
HAMILTON. ILL.,, December 6, 1881.
ChaS. J. G,,iteoe, Washington, d. C.:
The following prayer is being offered at every
hour:-O. Lord. God, who art the truth and right
eOusneSS, and who temptsth man 20 do evil we
pray Thee in Thy loving kindness to tender mercy
10 lead ChaS j. Guteau To see and know 'there is
way which seemeth Tight unto a man, but the
ways thereof are the ways OF DEATH and give him
exceeding sorrOw and ang u1h OF soul and remOrse
without stint and confession Of guilt and true re-
pentance toward God, and plrtioA,f il be Thy will,
which things we ask for the LortJeSls Christ sake,
Amen. f. b. RINGLAND
That letter. Mr.. Scovie said. was addressed by
sane man To another presumably sane man, if
the writer had believed Guiteau to be insane he
would not have addressed him i'm that manner
Those who believed him sane. should frequently
address the throne of grace in the spirit of that
prayer IApplause-
JUDGE DAVIS.
He had one more criticism to make and that
touched the Judiciary. because. he found that
men, in all stations of life. alike influenced
by public prejudces. man when he became
ajudge after all the same man as he was
when lawyer He referred to the instructions
To the jury on the question Of insanity. delivered
by Judge Noah Davis. few days ago. The
judge. he said. delivered a charge which 2 evil
IDENTIFY intended to be read throughout the coun-
Try and to instruct the jury in the Guiteau case
o. there was nothing in the case before him To
call out his remarks. Judge Davis he said. gave
n law. principles which Judge Cox would not
give in this case unless the speaker was much
mistaken Referring to- Judge Davis charge.
Mr.. Scoyille said that the sole distinction ne
made was the knowledge of right and wrong
That law was obsolete. There was another ele-