The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-12-01


the firm of ii. & n. Levy.
NEWS By TELEGRAPH.
THE GUITE4U TRIAL.
The Prisoner Called to the Stand, but
Does Not TeStify--He Case Dragging
It's SLOIc Length Along.
WASHINGTON, November S.-The
third week of the Guiteau trial opened
bright and balmy, and the attendance to-
day was as large as on any previous day.
The marshal delivered the daily admOni-
ton to the audience, aud requested that
the same order be observed rs would be
observed in a church. ScOVille and his
coadjutOrs. c. II. Reed and j. w. Gui-
teau were in their seats early, but the
counsel for the prosecution did not en-
ter the courtroom until some minutes af-
ter ten O'Clock. When the names of the
jurymen were called aud the prisoner
brought in, Scoville asked the consent of
the court to interrupt the examination
OF Mrs. ScOyille, SO as to put upon the
stand one or two witnesses from a dis
lance who desired to leave the city to-
lected to this, and the examination of
Mrs. Scoville was resumed. She de-
scribed Guiteau's appearance and ac-
tons during his visit to her I'm 1873.
Meanwhile the crowd in the corridors had
pressed its way through the marshafs
office. and IN the effort to effect an ell
trance to the courtroom, caused moment
ary confus sion, which necessitated sus-
pension OF the court proceedings for Il
few minutes. Quite din of female voices
were heard very loudly, that they would
be squeezed to death, aud begged to be
allowed to get out. With some difficulty
the hall and corridors, leading from the
marshal's Office to the courtroom, were
cleared, and the examination of witness
resumed. Witness was convinced at the
time of Gultean's visit to her, that he
was insane, and should be put in an in
sane asylum.
Frequent objections were made by the
| counsel for the prosecution to the char
| acter of questions prOpounded by SEQ
vile, and continued discussion ensued
between counsel upon the admissibility
| of train evidence. Mrs. scoville's exam
inatiOn I'm chief was concluded at IL
O'Clock. AT the request of Mr.. Scoville
her cross-eXaminatiOn was postponed, to
allow Geo. ID. Burroughs, of Chicago, to
| testify, as he desired to leave the city to-
| day. He boarded with Scoville at the
time of Guiteau's visit in 1878, and made
up his mind that the prisoner was either
| Il fool or crazy. He was satisfied Guiteau
| was unsettled in his Intellect.
There was brief interval before the
| appearance of the next witness. Guiteau
took advantage of the opportunity and
| broke out with al desire to tell all these
crank newspaper men that L appear here
as my own counsel. That is my answer
TO all the silly stuff they have been de-
livering themselves of Tor some days
| past. Some of these newspaper men
have gone crazy. L appear here in part
| AS my own counsel, as l have a right To,
| and under the law and constitution of
America"
An effort was made to cheek him, and
| no notice whatever of the interruption
| was taken by the court as to how to ST.
lence the prisoner and put stop to his
annoying Interruptions.
Judge Cox, has more than once
consulted his associates upon the subject
TO remove the prisoner from the court
room and proceed with the trial in his
absence, as was at first intimate
by the court, might be done, but it
would deprive him, under the cOnstitu-
ton, of the right to confront the witness
against him, while to gag him as
Judge Cox Saturday threatened to do,
would be open TO objection, that 1t would
serve as constant reminder to the jury
and exert perhaps undue influence upon
their minds. Thes..situatiOn seems to be
an ominous one as long as the prisoner
insists upon acting as his own coun-
sci. The court can not well deny him
the right without admitting his insanity
as bar to Its exercises. The court can
not we'll punish for contempt, as he is
already In confinement. The members
OF the district bar deprecate severe STRIFE
lures which have been made upon Judge
fail tn NJ viz
Gus measures, hut ARE unable to suggest
any legal way out of the embarrassment
John W. Guiteau, brother of the pri-
soner, was then examined and the court
took q recess.
John w. Guiteau again took the stand,
and MIR. Davidge proceeded with his
cross-eXaminatiOn. Witness said he had
always understood his Uncle Abraham
had been Incorporate and a dIssolute
man. He had been told by his father
aud had seen the record to that effect |;
that his Uncle Francis had died in an in
sane asylum. Cause of insanity, :. accord
ing to the record appears To have been
modification ut having fought a sham
duel. He always understood his cousin
Abby Maynard was demented, and his
cousin Greenville Parker was, he had
been told, insane. He had never heard
of any other traces Ofinsanity i'm his fam
lily. When Davidge finished his cros-ex-
animation, ScOville asked witness if he
had any feeling against having In anity in
the family. The prosecution object
ed to this question. The objection
was sustained. Scovllle then proceeded
to examine the witness. To show that
the witness, since leaving his father
when young, had seen him at intervals,
Mr.. ScOville asked:
"What Is your opinion now as TO your
fathers insanityW
witness think he is sane"
Scoville-" Do you say tina latter con-
sidering in forming your judgment the
testimony which has been heard here 20
The court prevented the witness from
answering, saying he could only answer
TO such facts as had come under his own
observation. The witness said he thought
his father had always been sane. Gui-
teau then asked him to explain what he
meant when he said his brother was I'M
der the influence of a demon Tile wit
ness replied that he and his father be-
lieyed that there were two forces in the
world one under satan, or the devil.
and the other under Jesus Christ. The
two forces were al war with each other
At present, and satan had. 10 a great ex-
tent, dominion over the world. At some
time in his brothers life he bad allowed
his nature to gain such control over his
soul as to put him under the cont oil of
the devil. This is what he meant when
he said he believed his brother was
responsible before God, though he might
not be responsible before human law.
" You got that thing wrong side up"
said Guitenu, sharply. Perhaps did"
replied the witness. - very poor the
DRY. and very poor position for you TO
take" said the prisoner. Speaking of the
prisoners infancy, the witness said he
remembered his father Offering him ten
cents once to keep still ten minutes, and
he failed to earn the money. When Mr.
Guiteau was excused from the stand,
Seoyille called Mrs. Augustus Parker, Of
Chicago. The witness testified to the IN
sanity of her deceased husband. He had
been insane and confined in the Elgin
asylum three years before his death. She
said that her husband and the prisoner
were cousins The prisoner had come to
her house in Chicago after her husband
was insane, but had ceased his visits at
her request, because he wanted to edu-
cate her little daughter In order to marry
her.