The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-12-08
GUITEAU ON THE STAND.
Ahe Bloodthirsty Crank Tells His Own
Story.

II ~.
II being generally understood that th
prisoner would be put upon the sten,
To-Day to testify in his own behalf III,
crowd which focked toward the cour
nouse as early as 8 o'clock this mornin,
lar surpassed in numbers that of an,
previous day. The doors were besiepet
ana the policemen had great diG.culty II
preventing forcible ingress into tho cour r
room, which was already filed n ;,s nj
inost h capacity. The regulations which
,. n3,o iormeriV been so successful in ad
,nhl.'ing ,aha without difficulty those person,
VINO nave business in the court room
were th's morning of no utility, ant
vuceN, counsel and experts had to figh,
their way through.
Guiteau was called to the witness stand
anu took his place, closely guarded b,
two swo policemen and the court officers
he was asked by B1r. Scoville to give
some incidents from his earliest rccoilec
lions OF his mother. He replied: "Am
70 pe put on as regular witness TO day
or only to identify some letters? sup
pose the latter. l am not feeling at all
weii to-day, but shall be much better in
the course of week"
"Scoyille: ~ had arranged to exam.
lne you day as there is no other wit.
ness present"
.Gulteau: "You should have had YOUR
witnesses on hand. 1 object to going on
the stand when | am not feeling well to
oe subjected to cross. examination by
counsel for the prosecution. l have got
a,good deal to say. I want to 90 over
the whole business carefully and scien-
lihcaily lso to speak, and want to be in
good talking condition"
scoyile: Il shall only ask you some
simple questions"
Guiteau: II am willing TO answer pro.
| vlded the prosecution will not take
advantage OF my presence on the stand
10 lorce me to state my entire defence"
Judge Porter, of the prosecution. sug.
gested that the letters put in violence
yesterday be read. After some discussion
Judge Cox said that if the witness went
on the stand to testify he must submit to
being cross. examined, and if his exami-
nation as witness was begun it could not
De suspended except by consent of the
counsel on the other side"
Guliteau, .(nodding his head approving
ly3 That's the rule, Judge, as under.
stand it,"
Alter further discussion Guiteau left
the stand, and Mr.. Scovillc read the let
ters. All were written by Guiteau to
his father and other members of his
family.
Dir. Scoyille proceeded to read the
letters passing between Guiteau and his
relatives from 1857 to 1877. With the
exception Of strong religious feeling
shown in those from the Oneida Commu
nifty there was nothi'g Indicative of
mental arrangement lem. When the
reading was finished dr. Scoville pro.
ceeded with the exam. .iation of the pris-
oner, who wns at first very reluctant to
answer questions, but soon began to talk
rapidly and gave graphic and at times
amusing sketch of the incidents in his
career. Most of these facts have been
already brought out in the testimony
taken; He literally denounced the
Oneida Community, and reproached his
father for having, as he said, driven him
into this vile and fanatical association,
saying. he was only kept there by fear Of
ete:na! dsnins:;oI Il lie left the Comniii-
nifty. Speaking Of his father he said he
was terrible crank, which he explained
rs meaning badly insane man. He
gave rather ludicrous description of his
admission to the bar and his peculiar
mode of forcing business, saying he had
made $4,000 by his first years practice.
Then, he said. upon leaving Chicago
came bad luck. He was incarcerated in
the Tombs in New York for boarding
debt, and said it was the unhappiest ,ex.
perience of his life. He thought he
would 60 crazy there He had not taken
bath for th;, ty five days. Upon being
released he went to Chicago again. He
here detailed his scheme for buying the
Inter Ocean and explained the failure OF
the plan, saying he had given valuable
ideas which had been taken advan.
tago OF by the present propretors of that
paper. He gave an account of his lee
turing experience and of the i'll reception
of his lecture by the people generally
but insisted that his book had forever
settled the question of the second coming
of Christ. After telling of his expert.
ence while beating his way to the East
! lgain and of several narrow escapes frou
imprisonment and other misiortunes
Guteau said he was tired and the Cour;
adjourned.
WAsHINGTON, November 30.-The
court room packed this morning, us usual
Guiteau resumed the stand and identified
several papers. He was questioned as tc
the religious tenets of the Oneida com
1