The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1881-11-11
GUITEAU'S CURIOUS PLEA.
HE SAYS THE LORD is MANAGING
HIS CASE WITH CONsUMATE
ABILITY.

At the time of his arraignment, Gui-
teau produced paper from his pocket
which he wished to read, but was pre-
vented by the court. The paper which
Guiteau intended TO read was as fol-
lows:
"If the court please, wish to say
that have been terribly vilifed by the
press, and it has made some persons
bitter and impulsive against me. On
Oct. 6, the New York Herald published
seven columns from my autobiography,
which expect to issue soon in book.
Aside from the impertinent statements
that l am a creature of the greatest
vanity and that crave notoriety, which
are absolutely false, and similar un-
kind statements, am indebted to the
reporter and the Herald for giving me
SO fair hearing. l plead not guilty
to the indictment, and my defense is
three-fOld.
81. Insanity, in that it was Gods act
and not mine. The Divine pressure on
me to remove the President was so
enormous that it destroyed my free
agency, and therefore am not legally
responsible for my act.
"2 The President died from NAL
practice. About three weeks after he
was shot his physicians, after a careful
examination, decided that he wOuldre-
cover. Two months after this official
announcement he died. Therefore,
say he was not fatally shot. If he had
been well treated he would have recOv-
ered
'3. The President died in New Jer-
sey, and, therefore, beyond the juris-
diction of this court. This malpractice
and presidents death in New Jersey
are special providences, and am bound
to avail myself of them on my trial in
justice to the Lord and myself. ! un-
dertake to say that the Lord is manag,
ing my case with cOnsummate ability.
and that he had a special object in al
lowing the President to die in New
Jersey. His management Of this case
is worthy Of Him as the Deity, and
have entire confidence in his disposi-
tion to protect me and send me forth to
the world free and vindicated man.
He uttered His voice. says the Psalm
ist, and the earth melted This is the
God served when sought to remove
the President. The Lord and the pe0-
pie do not seem to agree in this case.
The people consider the Presidents re-
moval an unbearable outrage and me
dastardly assassin, and they prayed
the Lord to spare the President. For
nearly three months the Lord kept the
President at the point of death, and
then allowed him to depart, thereby
confirming my act.
The mere fact of the Presidents
death is nothing. All men have died,
and all men will die. Gen. Burnside
died suddenly about the time the Pres
ident did. The President and Gen.
Burnside were both splendid men, and
no one regrets their departure more
than 1. The President died from NAL
practice, and Gen. Burnside from apo
plexy. Both were special providences.
and the people ought to quietly submit
to the Lord in the matter. The Presi-
dent would not have died had the Lord
not have wished him to 60. have no
conception Of it as murder, or as an
assassination. had no feeling Of
wrong-doing when 1 sought to remove
him, because it was Gods act. and not
mine, for the good of the American
people. plead not guilty to the In
dictment