The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-11-30
TRIAL OF GUITEAU.

IN SulRSiIS NS"As
O'Clock. The courtroom, capable Of seating
500 O. GOO people, was we'll but not
ably filled. The arrangements for preserving
order wcIc excellent, and the decOrnm and
pyoprietv of the occasion were unbrOkcn by
the spectators. Immediately surrounding the
irdgc's desk were the seats and tables, &nd
close to the marshal the newspaper correspond
cnts. Beyond them were placed tables and
chairs for counsel and for the prisoner and his
friends. The remaining space within the bar,
which comprises about two-thirds of the area
Of the room. was reserved for members o. i'll"
bar and for ladies. Outside the bar a platform
three feet high had been erected, and aG"r;
900 chairs were placed upon il for the accom-
mediation of the general public.
CORRESPONDENTS and member o(the bar were
admitted as they arrived, Int the doors were
not open to the general public until a few MILL
utrs before 10 o'clock. There WAS an exciting
scramble for seats by the motley crowd winch
rushed in, but it lasted only y few moments.
Several special deputy maTshals, wearing
broad red ribbons ~ badges of authority, were
stationed at different points in tie room to
rrrscrvo order, while two policemen we'll
armed took their seats directly behind and
close to tho chair reserved for the prisoner.
Mr.. Scovil!c, the brothcr-in-law and counsel oI
the prisoner, entered the room ai"but ~ O'CLOCK
and took one of the chairs reserved Tor the
counsel. His eye had its habitnal merry
twinkle and his face wore q smile. Mrs. Sco-
vile, the prisoners sister, a portly, woman
neatly dressed in black, accompanied by her
brother, John W. Guitcau, of Boston, a coed
looking man of about forty or foriy-irc
Years of age, followed Mr.. Scovillc after
an interval of a few minutes, and took
their seats beside him, leaving, however, an
empty chair between Mr.. and Mrs. Scoylllr.
District Attorney CcrFhlll, accompanied by
Judge Porter and Mr.. Davidgc, associate coaii.
n,1 - Nv Smith ~
the attorney generals department, came next,
seating themselves ina group at the left OF tha
row reserved for the counsel. The entrance OF
Judge Cox, the formal opening OF the court,
tho calling Of the roll Of tine impancled jurors
and tho entrance Of tho prisoner were the Incl
dents of the next fifteen minutes. Gultcau's
air and general appearance we're IN CONTRAST
with what they were when he was indicted. Ho
was clad in q new suit of dark material, and
Ee wore a standing white collar, and his pol.
ished cuffs were fastened with imitation! gold
cuff buttons. lie staggered as he came III,
scowling instead Of cril1ing as on tn, 1orinct
occasion, and very evidently deemed himself o
pcrsonagc, to honor whom the asscmblago had
been gathered. lie walked around to the scat
reserved for him, and stood for q minute or
more while his manacles were being unlocked
and removed, at the same time CIV
ing some directions to the officers who were
performing the services. Seating himself he
looked at the Judge and at the people i'll front
of him for a few seconds, and then turning to
his left he shook hanCs rather patroliiZlngly
with his sister and brother. AS TIC three sat
side by side it was easy to trace a family re-
scmblancc in the features OF the three, but tho
face of the prisoner seemed to be a distorted
caricature of the regular features of the others.
lie was less frowZy than on tho former occa-
sions, but not less r~cpcllant. His large cold
gray eyes seemed to be incapable of wearing an
expression except Of crGclty and scliishncss.
He smiled az lie greeted his sister. hut the en-
preston was more dcvilish than his customary
arrogant frown. There wero no other persons
of n0tc present except those whose duties called
them ,hcre. Perhaps C. dozen m occupied
seats at the rear within the bar.
The first proceeding was q plea made by Leigh
Robinson, the counsel assigned to Guiteau by
the court, for delay. This proceeding was an evil
dent surprise to Mr.. Scovilln, who, with some
thing of indignation in his voice, made a
spirited protest against being ignored By Mr..
Robinson. He said that he represented tho
prisoner both rs relative and counsel, and that
nc would refuse TO have anything to do with
the case if counsel WHOM he did not know and
had not approved were brought into the case.
He was ready to proceed with the trial and
did not wish for delay. Mr.. Robinson pro-
tested that it was for want Of time alone that
he had not consulted LIr. Scovi!ic.
men MT. ScONlllC CUllCilUl-i,
and with emphasis sisni!iod his approval OF the
sentiments uttered. lie did nos want delay.
From time to time during subsequent proceed
ilgs he got up and with increasing emphasis
asserted that he WAS his OWL lawyer; that MIR.
Scovilio WAS his assistant, and that he did not
want Mr.. Robinson III the case st all. He was
allowed 10 talk considerably, but was usually
pulled down at last by The policemen, at whom
Inc crowled and whom he commanded to mind
:he!r own business. Once no pcrcmptorily o.
dcrcd Mr.. Robinson to take his seat. When
Judge Cox commanded him to dcsist no aclui-
csced readily, saying lie would heed the COM
mands Of the Judge, but not Of policemen.
There was throughout 4 willingness on the
pa.t of his counsel tina. ha shoald eXhlbit
himself at his worst; but tho prisoner
himself seemed to lie inspired by his
own domincering osotism alone. It was finally
decided to proceed anil draw tho jury, rcserr-
i;,s the question of delay until another occasion.
Tno drawing for jurymen occupied the re-
mainder Of the session. Mr.. Scovillc questioned
tho jnrylncn, inquiring generally regarding
their religion, business, Place o! residence, ana
the depth of their conviction OF the guilt OF the
prisoner. The greater number had convictions
700 strongly fixed to be shaken by ordinary
evidence and were dismissed. Finally five
jurors were qualified and it was Announced that
the panel waa exhausted. Tho following are
tho names of tho jurors selected on the first
day: john p. Harlin, rcstaurant-kccper;
Frederick W. BrandcnbcrG, cigar-maker ;
Charles G. Stewart, flour and feed dealer;
Henry J. Bright, retired from business; Thomas
ii. Langley, grocer.
At the suggestion Of the district attorney, an
order va. isslcd for the drawing Of seventy-tive
additional names from tho box.
The prisoner at this point slowly rose and in
f. rmcu the court that h. would like to make a
c,,.,.,1, al. ,,,yt ,,,yri,,,y 1,,t In wa orInrp6
BY the court to take his seat. He then passed
the manuscript of his speech to a newspaper
reporter, but before tho latter could leave tho
courtroom Mr.. Sco;illc called him back and
compelled him 10 return it. This aroused tho
anger of the prisoner, who ~excitcdlv declared
that lie was not under the control OF his coun-
sci; that he was a lawyer, and knew the law
himself; that when lie wanted help no would
ask for it, and that he desired his speech to be
published for the purpose of influencing public
opinion. He was again silenccd by the court,
and it having been agreed that the sittings OF
the court should DO rom 10 A. N. to ) P. N.
daily, allowing half an hour for recess, the
court, at Los, adjourned.
The manuscript which Guitcau passed to q
reporter is q long AMI rambling document, in
which he dcclalc s that he was inspired by the
Lord to kill the President, and that the lattcr's
death was caused not by the bullct-Sound, but
by mdli!aSliCc Va tLC p1lt VI Az oCtoiS AN
SAYS, further, that he is not an assassin but a
patriot, and appeals to the press for justice
and to the people for p~ecuniary aid to help him
conduct his case. He refers also to the claim
that insanity is hereditary in his family, say
ing his father had two sisters and q nephew
and a niece in the insane asylum.
The second day of Guiteau's trial was occu-
pied in obtaining jurors. Sevcnty-iivc men
were examined as to their qualifications and
a,I, F,, - 41o., .,o, n o,n,to1Io IN nn,nuc1 -,
both sides and added to the five jurymen OBJ
tanned on the first day. The jurors obtained
on the second day were Michael S~hcchan,
Samuel i. Hobbs, a p~lastcrcr, G. w. Gates, a
machinist, and Ralph Wormlcy, n colored
p~lastcrer. When the prisoner left the court
house to return to the Jail he was conducted
through tho crowd, which stood close By upon
either side, and hootcd and jcercd him as he
passed. lie was probably made to feel for tho
first time something of Tie adherence and de-
t~csta,ion in which he is held by the public. Flo
grew pallil and cringcd like a hunted animal
as lie hurried along toward the waiting prison
van, reaching which he Jumped nimbly within
its sheltcring Enclosure AID was shut out from
the crowd. \ parting jcar was sent after him
Us he drove away. L. b. Smith, of New York,
cx-assistant Encouragement, vas appointed
assistant counsel for the government i'll tho
prosecution of Guiteau.
vi INC tnlru Jay liie jury "a' ,"ihli'''" =.
the selection of the remaining three ~jurylncn
necessary to make up the twelve. The names,
occupations and characteristic features OF this
historical jury are given by q correspondent as
follows: John P. Hanlin, a tall, silver-haired,
thoughtful faced American, 4 restaurant
keeper: Frederick ". BrandcnburG, n little,
cxcitable, black haired German, o cigar manll-
fuctnrer; Henry J. Bright, q broad shonldcftd,
brisht-faccd, comtortablc-lookins American, a
retired merchant; and Charles J. Stewart,
merchant; Thomas II. Langley, grocer;
Samuel F. Hobbs, p'aatctcr; George W.
Gates, macllnist i;a!ph Wormlcy, lab2rcr;
". H.. Brawner, grocer; Thomas Hclnlcia, ma
chinist, and Joseph prathcr, commission mcr-
chant, all of whom, with tic exception OF
Worm!cy, arc NOR of a similar stripc. Worm,
lev is 4 character. He is u man Of natural
ability, very quick-wittca aid wcii-IaIancId;
He was, years ago, active i'll politics, I'm"