Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-19
THE GREAT MURDER TRIAL.


THE GREAT MURDER TRIAL.
The Actors in the Scene.
The trial now in progress in the Criminal Court
OF Charles j. Guiteau for the murder of President
GARFIELD, VIII become part Of the history of the
country The immediate interest In the proceed
ngs is attested by the hundreds of spectators who
crowd daily into the court room, and the columns
OF The newspapers in every part OF the United
States Below will be found brief sketches OF the
principal actors in the scenes that daily occur in
the court room:
JUDGE WALTER g. cox
Judge Cox is the junior member of the District
judiciary, having been appointed about year or
so ago. under the law Increasing the number of
justices from five to six. In these days Of 1ndis-
cr1minate title-giving, II one did notk know he
judge one would probably call him general, for
ne has the air OF one used to command. The title
would be confirmed by his mouStache and gOatee,
which are of the regulation military cut. He is
ABOUT 81 years OF age OF medium height and active
and nervous in his movements. He has head
and face that would distinguish him in any gath
erlng His finely curved nose, and firmly set jaws
ana chin, denote decision OF character His head
Is well balanced and his forehead rugged with deep
IurroWsItraces not OF age, but of years of thought
and study. His manner is courteous, and his
speech easy and graceful
THE PROSECUTION
The government is represented by four gentle
men-District Attorney Corkhill, in virtue of his
Office, taking the lead among them. Mr.. Corkhill
is of medium height, just rotund enough to sug-
gest that he is about entering upon the fifth age
OF man, Of which Shakespeare makes-''the justice,
In fair round belly, with good capon lined" the
type He is square sh0uldered, has large round
head, with short neck, and wears dark NOUS
tache. He'is most agreeable conversatOnalst
and has the reputation OF always being in good
humor. He makes no pretenSion to fine declama-
ton, but addresses the court in busness-like
Der Of the corps OF lawyers representing the gov
eminent who has taken any conspicuous part in
the proceedings In court. He has questioned the
dress. MeSSrs. Davidge, Porter and Smith having
come into the only lately, the work OF prepar
ing the case has devolved almost entirely upon Mr.
Corkhi1l He presented the case to the grand jury
and drew up the Indictment. AS he said to STAR
reporter he alone possesses the secrets Of the case
having obtained possession at the start OF every
fact that could throw any light upon Guiteau's
crime and its motive.
Judge J. K. Porter, OF New York. who sits at the
district attorneys left, has national reputation
as shrewd counsellor. He became especially
conspicuous in the Beecher trial, in which he fig
ufed as counsel for the Plymouth pastor. He Is
about 60 years OF age, and Of medium stature. His
hair, which is almost white, is rather luxurant in
growth, and he wears gray moustache His fea-
lures are rather small and delicately shaped. He
wears spectacles and dresses always very neatly.
He is very quiet in action and unassumng in his
manner. 1t Is understood that Judge Porter will
take principal part In the examination OF expert
witnesses and producing evidence in rebuttal OF
| the theory OF insanity.
Mr.. Waiter D: Davidge, "a sergeant Of the law,
wise, wary, arch" a veteran member of the Wash
1ngton bar Is renowned both for his legal learning
and his skill in conducting examinations before
arrests the eye Of anyone who may be looking
over the scene in the court room. He is probably
sixty years OF age His fine features are cast in a
the short, crisp gray hair which curls about his
temples. He needs only to draw toga about his
person to give living Illustration OF the idea of
Roman tod
the question of jurisdiction and will take lead
ing part in the examination of witnesses.
MI. E. B. Smith, who directly represents the At
torney General in the case, is tall slender, mid
dle-aged and dign1fied. He wears Eyeglasses and
his face is smoothly shaven. He has Roman nose
and regular features His presence in the court.
it is understood is intended at once to indicate the
governments interest in the prosecution, and to
give any needed aid to the prosecution; his legal
latter service.
GUITEAU's LAWYERS.
Mr.. George Scoville, of Chicago, Guiteau's
brother-n-aw, has taken the principal part in the
defence. His manner in court has created de-
cided impression in his favor. Mr.. Scoville is
about fity-f1ve years Of age, plain in dress, and
earnest and unaffected in speech. He wears
gray moustache, and chin whiskers of the same
color. His hair, which is almost white, has been
thlnned out on the crown, making his head resem-
Die that OF tonsured monk, while his measured
tread and deliberate movement seems to have
been borrowed from monastery. Mr.. Scoville
was compelled by the strongest reasons to defend
his brother-in-law, and entered upon his not every
agreeable task with an earnestness and frankness,
that has won him many friends. He has had
little experience In criminal law and has only once
before been engaged In murder trial The judg.
ment he displayed In examining and selecting
jurors and his acuteness in crOss-examining wit
highly y Se S,r
Ville's associate, by assignment OF the court, is
about thirty years OF age, and is regarded as
legal scholar OF more than ordinary attainments
slender fS
fiOrtd and his hair and moustache inclined to-
wards redness His address is polished and his
SO far had little to say In court
GUITEAU'S BROTHER.
On the right hand OF the prisoner sits his
brother, Mr.. joan w. Guteau, of Boston, Though
seven years Older than his nl-starred brother
John Gutteau, owing to the beneficial results of a
thrifty, well-regulated life, looks younger He is
about the same size, being rather below the
medium, and has a round head, not very much
unlike his brothers. He Is scrupulousy neat i'm
person; wears a neatly trimmed moustache and
between him and his vagabOniish brother is VerW
marked. John Guiteau looks like man OF the
world, whom one would be less surprised to meet
on a race course than In church.
MRS. sC0vILLE GUTTEAU'S SISTER,
who sits In the same row, is five years the senior
OF the assassin. She Is inclined to stOutness and
her fine color gives evidence OF excellent health.
Her face Is fresh and pleasant there being little
trace of age about it except the whitened locks
that frame it. She bears strong resemblance in
feature to her brother john She dresses very
taStefully In black.
TIKI ASSASSIN, CHARLES JULIUS GUrTEAu,
mas been often described. HIS relatives say that
some years ago his appearance was attractive and
his address most plausible ana winning. It is
hard for one, however Imaginative he NAV he
looking at the assassinas he appears in the court
house, to imagine him as ever having been of an
attractive appearance or agreeable manner He
dresses IN . dark suit, with sack coat of chean
ready-made description, wears a soft hienk
hat t,,, NTH avid, wide lbrim. rather large
His beard and hair are OF sort of dirty hrnwn
and seem 20 DEFY the shears to keep them in neat
trim. habit OF trimming his monSfache short
gives particularly sinister turn to his apnearance
There is nothing heartyor wholesome about him.
He looks Ike man who has never been well fed,
e,aei Dolly OF mentaiy HIS self-conceit is mon
only ordinarily vain. Whatever is the result OF
the trial, the uncOuth. wretched bracrart who
forms the central tiguTs IN the scene, WIN be for
biologists and phrenel0gtsts HIS form Is an
gular, his voice not wei tuned, aud his motions
and gestures, when he rises now ana then to
speak, quick, nervous md ungraceful