Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-11-18
The Trial of the Red-Eanded
Assassin Proceeding.
The Case Opened by District
Attorney Corkhill.
And Secretary Blaine Examined
as First Witness.
The Prisoner Succeeds in Getting
in His Daily Scene,
And Has to be Again Repreesed
by Shsre Force.


WASHINGTON, November 17-There
was rush and crush and struggle
for positions as soon as the Criminal
Court room was opened this morn
ing, which soon resulted IN the fill
ing of every available space. TIE
court was formally ops ned at ten
minutes past 10, and Immediately
the prisoner was hurried into the
room and took his seat by the deputy
marshal aud po icemen. He looked
paier and more furried than during
the last two days, and carried in with
hlm a package of New York news
papers.
The names of the jurors were
called aud responded to.
AS soon as the court was called to
order Mr.. Scoyille arose to q personal
explanation and stated there is no
differences between himself and Mr.
Robinson, and that they are in per-
feet accord
This speech had the effect Of bring
ing Guiteau to his feet and precipi~
taung the first scene of the day.
! WITH flashing eyes, violent gestures
and excited voice, the prisoner ad-
| dressed the court and said he object
cd to Robinson appearing in the
case.
Court (severely).-"Take yourseat,
prisoner ] wish you to understand
distinctly that your labors as counsel
in this case, as you claim to be, shall
| be confined to consultation with the
associate counsel in the case. II
you disobey," he continued as the
! prisoner jumped to his feet and COM
menced another wild speech, "the
court will be under necessity of or d.
dering your removal from the court
room, and then proceeding with the
trial in your absence"
Prisoner" Your honor said that
could be heard, and I have a
speech-.'
Court" You cannot be heard till
the close of the case"
Prisoner evidently laboring under
great excitement.)-'I desire to be
heard throughout my case. Your hon
or has no right to cutme off, and I am
going to make noise to the coun-
try about it. When I want counsel
I will notify your honor"
Court. =" Counsel have been
assigned. and you must keep silence. u
The prisoner was irrepressible,
and broke out with the remark that
he "would not trust his case to the
best lawyer that ever lived y
After several more outbreaks the
prisoner became quiet.
/ At half past 10 Secretary Blaine,
accompanied by his so,, Wslker
Blame, ard chi,f clerk, entered the
, court room.
! D.strict-Attorney Corkhill then
proceeded to open the case for the
government.
! District Attorney Corkhill, in
open ny the case for the government
delivered long and eloquent ad
! dress, In the curse of which he
compare / the circumstances of the
ASSASSINATION OF Lincoln and Gar
field. He said this tri..l was remsrka
be, and that 1t illustrated the genius
and spirit Of our government
when, after the awful offence
the prison could stand here IL
safety, and demand every privilege
accorded by the Constitution. There
vas no similar case in history. Hac
the crime been committed in any
other country the prisoner would
have paid the penalty by punishment
as swift and rapid as the crime it
s. II.
Corkhill reviewed at length the
circumstances of President Gar
fields intended departure and
the scene at the depot DUR
ing the tragedy; also traced
the course pursued by Guiteau, read
ing letters. sol citing Office addressed
to the President, Secretary Evarts
and Secretary Blaine The distric.
attorney claimed that the letters
proved the man to be of good, hard
, sense and crafty to degree, as was
, also shown by his conduct during
this time He Gave Guiteau's move
ments in detail previous to and on
day of the assassination. He was
prepared to prove that from the time
of Guiteaus arrival in the city until
his last expectations of securing an
appointment, he was an earnest, So
cclltd, G. r6eld man, but when be
lost all hope of getting place with
his knowledge in the world, { or he
was man of no ordinary ability in
this direction) he determined to take
advantage of the political situation in
New York and give this as his
reason for killing the President.
he had been refused admission to
the executive mansion, and forbidden
by Blaine ever to speak of the Paris
Consolate to him. Soured and dis
appointed, on May 23d he wrote the
following letter:
General Garfield: