Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1881-11-24


Guiteau Appears in Court on the Firs
Day CT His Trial,
And Insists on Making an Address
in His Own Behalf.
A Washington special, of the 18th inst.
says: Soon after daylight this morning
q great crowd began to gather about the
district court house, anxious to get q
glimpse Of the assassin Guiteau, whose
trial was to begin at 10 q. IN. For hours
they waited, and when at length the court
room doors were opened, as many as could
be accommodated to seats prepared were
admitted, and the others stood near by in
hopeless anxiety.
, The prisoner was brought down from
the jail in the police van, but 80 quietly
that scarcely any one but the officers
knew IT..
Every seat in the court room was filled
except four and all the available standing
room, was taken. The audience was conf
posed for the most part Of members Of the
district bar, witnesses and members of the
press. Not more than half dozen ladtrS
mad gained admission TO the court room.
Next to the three or four vacant seS.s -
tcrIed to sat Lawyer ScOville, his wife,
who is Guiteau's sister, Guiteaas bepther,
and lawyer Robinson, his chief of counsel.
AT 1905 a H., there was n rush near the
northeast entrance, and the marshal en-
tered followed by two officers, between
whom was the prisoner. Guiteau was
dressed in a suit of dark clothes which
his brother presented him yesterday. He
took a seat by his sister, Mr.. Robinson be-
lng on the other side. The officers sat be-
hind him and ng tIp,,, Iuo,fyI,
unfastCncd the cuffs from Guiteau's wrists.
The prisoner then shook hands with his
brother and sister, handed the latter n small
pamphlet and package of paper and then
arranged the articles on the table NptOre
him rather rs if he had been cOunse han
accused. lie appeared much more c. '.t-
ed then when first arraigned, ana =
nothing of the frightened look that mar. 4
him at that time.
when all was quiet Mr.. Robinson 40
dressed the court, asking for more time be-
fore the trial. He said he had reason to
know that he could get needed assistance
as counsel before long, and that he had
some witnesses who could not get there be-
fore December l. He was willing to give
the court the names of said witnesses.
AS Eir. Robinson sat down, Guiteau
arose and said: If your honor please,
l'Slt 10 duuEGSS lut COURT
His manner was calm and business like.
People rose to their feet all over the room,
but there was 10 disturbance.
lie went on: 81 did not not know that
my counsel was ready to make his speech
his morning. | desire to speak for my
self | am here on murderOus charge,
md | desire to be heard in my own de-
fcuse.'
"Ihs il not the time to enter upon de
lcnsc," said Judge Cox quietly. at is on.
~ a question whether more time is needed
for preparing the defense"
at Is not needed" said GuitGau, I've
are ready to 90 on with the case now
Mr. Robinson smiled at this, and asked
Guitgau to sit down.
The prisoner said "you keep still" but
ne did sit down, muttcring as he did 50,
"we are ready to 90 ahead now
Col. COrkhil said he saw no reason Why
thr time should be extended.
Mr. Robinson made an affidavit that tho
sole ground Oh which he was asked to de-
lay was in order TO get the necessary wit
nessr5 and counsel. lie said he was prac-
ticllly alone in the case and needed some
one. There was developed an evident split
between Messrs. ScOviIe and Robinson.
Mr.. Ncovlie addressing the court, said that
Mr.. ilobinsOn's application was made with
out his knowledge, whicA was certainly a
strange proceeding, as he had not even
seen tie affidavit nor heard what counsel
hoped to get. For his part he was ready
to 90 on with the trial. He knew he was
Incompetent TO 60 ahead without assist
ancc, but he hoped, with Mr.. Robns0n's
as, stance, to be able to proceed, even now
he hoped to he Of some assistance to Mr..
Robinson, but if he was TO 20 on in this
way he (ScOyiilc) should withdraw.
Here Gultcau jumped to his feet and
SAT- in an excited manner: 81 endorse
every word he says. Robinson came into
this case without consulting me, and |
'unt like the way he talks. | order him
nprrmptorily TO Withdraw from the case.
ih. Robinson renewed his application.
Mr.. ScOvilIc claimed the near relatives of
t3c prisoner should at least know who was
expected to come for the defense.
GUjtrnu again interrupted: I'VE don't
want Robinson, anyway. ThlS is per-
mutory and he must co.
mr. SCOviiG went on: "If we have time
enough we could get counsel in plenty
without money, but if the court is going
10 give lis time and at the same time as
sign Us counsel dontagree with it,
with this Cuiteau jumped up again, rap
ping the table with his knuclilcs. He said,
MIR. S"oyille is next to me in this case. |
intend to do this business myself, Robin
SON is not wanted.'
ThcOlIiccr5 turned to keep him quit, but
he told them TO mind their own business.
lie was i'm the presence of the court and
would talk wEth he felt like It.
Col Colkhill asked the court to try and
Keep prisoner quiet, whcrCupon GuitGau
SIT down, saying he would do whatever
the court wished him to. After that he
was comparatively quiet.
Judge Cox then said lie was inclined to
give the defense little more time. lie
intends that the prisoner shall have at least
Il fair trial, but lie thought it would per-
haps be better to allow the case to prOCee
so far as the selection of jury, leaving 1t
for counsel to arrange for a further con
tinuancc and for additional counsel.
Mr.. ScOyille said it should be understood
that he should not even question juror
until he knew exactly who was to be as
sOciated with him and Mr.. Robinson in the
defense.
The court said no one could be assigned
without Mr.. SCOyille'S consent.
Mr.. ScOville and Robinson express Il
themselves as satisfied with this arrange
mcnt, and the jury panel was then taken
mp The court explained that it was n
wrong Interpretation of the law to demand
as such u jury only those persons who had
formed no opinion. The only absolutely
disqualified persons were those who had
formCdan opinion that could not be changed
by any evidence whatever.
THE SECOND DAY.
w AsHINGTON, Nov. 1j.-The pressure to
obtain admission to the court room was
notably greater thaif yesterday. The five
jurors sworn yesterday were early in at
tendance. Court was formally opened q
few minutes after 10 o'clock, and imme-
diatCiy afterwards the counsel in the case
and the brother and sister Of the prisoner
entered. After the lapse Of few min
uteS Guiteau was hurried into the
court room in custody OF half dozen pO-
llcemen and deputy marShaIs. After the
han cuffs had been removed, the prisoner
began us yesterday to arrange his papers,
ScOville submitted affidavit and made ap-
pliCatiOn Tor an order for an additional
numbcr Of witnesses, which order was
granted by the court, The addition
al panel of seventy-ive summoned last
evening was called, most Of the persons
responding when called. The ninth Juror
was accepted by the defense and sworn in.
The list having been exhausted, the mar
Shal was ordered summoned and the list
of sevGnty.ive for tomorrow given him.
The court adjourned.
THE THIRD DAY.
WASHINGTON Nov. 16-BefOre 10 o'clock
the court room was filled to OverilOwing,
the audience being respectable one. The
court was called to order, and during the
calling of the names of the Jurors, the
prisoner was brought in. His appearance
was wild and excited. lie tossed his hat