Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-12-05
Guiteau on the Stand.
Special to the Tribune.

Cptclhi 10 the lTlbuHt
Guiteau faced the spectators for four hours
to-day, Thursday and many of those pre-
sent had an opportunity to study his face
carefully for the first time. A comparison of
it with photograph shows that since his in
generation he has grown much more hag-
gard, and his face has wasted. 1t is a cur
ious fact that the right half of it seems better
developed than the other. The forehead on
the right side is higher and squarer, the eve
is larger and weil-shaped. On the left side
the forehead seems to break down. the hair
runs lower IN places the eye is considerably
smaller, and has even a more depraved look
than the other. His left eve is a striking
feature. 1t is ill-shaped, blood shot, menac-
ing and ugly. His eyes look dark in the dim
light of the courtroom, but they are really
of a hideous pale blue. His head resembles
standing cube, the top of it being Hat. the
face and back of the head having pc
culiar slant forward. His hair, short beard
and eyebrows are of dirty brown. His grin
IL one of the most repulsive things about the
man. His lips scarcely move. and when they
do they merely make a slit across his white
teeth, while the dcmonac light comes into
MS W. "hu shV Wuuit Va tue EdEktu, Tepul-
sive face lights up. When this grin enlarges
to smirk, the assassin glances about to see
whether the spectators catch his joke and the
picture is intensified 1t is a face in which
the eye cannot find a redeeming feature any
where.
Guiteau fought his way through the cross
examination with wonderful cunning. He
saw the bearing of every one of Judge Por-
ter's questions before it was concluded. and
he would often break the rhetorical force of
it by bursting in with some explanation de-
signed to help him out. The skill with which
he evaded many of the dilemmas Judge Por-
ter offered excited establishment Every
time. for example, that he refused to answer
aquestion. Judge Porter inquired in the
blandest manner whether he did so because
it would criminate him, but he could never
get him to acknowledge H. He always wine,
ed when the crossexaminer thrust the words
murder" kill" ''assassin," etc, at him.
His pallor visibly increased. Some of Judge
Porter's questions were put with great
rhetorical effect. When on the subject OF
the pistol practice. he asked, "What became
OF the sapling?" referring to the sapling the
assassin had made a target of. 'Did it GO
down very much as Garfield did?" asked the
Judge, dwelling Hong on the last three words
in clear musical voice. while a thrill Of sill
ent horror ran through the crowd. Guiteau
looked blank rather than turned pale, but he
plainly felt it.
Columns might be filed with details of the
way in which Guiteau slipped out of embsr
RAISING questions. At all times he was a.
quick as any lawyer could be. At one poin
there had been some interruption; Judge
Porter, continuing. read from his papers
''He swears." ''Who swears? Tell me who
swears." cried Guiteau. The omission va.
promptly rectifed. At another point he per
emptorily ordered Judge Porter to stop and
demanded the reading of the stenographer'.
report of the day before. The poin
illustrates his cunning. Judge Porter wa.
using the word ''remove" in Guiteau'.
sense, in questioning upon passage
in one of his letters where he had used il il
the ordinary political sense regarding Mr.
Blaine. Guiteau saw this sooner than any
on" else, and he shouted in great excitement
to have the notes read. "rll try if cant
fasten something on you, Judge Porter" hi
said. On two occasions there was an extra
ordinary scene. These were when Guiteau
recited passages from his speeches. The
second was an extract from the speech
he he had prepared to deliver to the
Court. Ills voice and manner changed
the moment he began. He dropped the con