The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-11-23
A SHARP LUNATIC.
Proceedings of the First Day of the
Defense.
Scoville's Introduction in Opening for
His Client.
The Gaiteau Trial.

van In which Guiteau was conveyed to
the court this morning was escorted by
six mounted policemen in addition to
two officers who rode upon the van.
The trip was made without incident.
After reaching the prisoners room
Guiteau partook of a hearty breakfast
and expressed himself as satisfied with
the arrangements made to insure his
safety. Hethought thatsame precautions
should have been observed at the out
set. The court room was crowded in
every nook and corner.
John Guiteau was in the court room
soon after nine O'Clock and obtained
subp9nas for six additional witnesses.
None of the gentlemen publicly in
vited by Guiteau to assist In the defense
have yet responded. 1t is understood,
however, that Scoville expects to secure
the services Of Trude, Of Chicago, later
in the week.
Several medical experts summoned
by the defense are in attendance this
morning. Among them are DIR. Rice, of
Wisconsin, who has long known the
prisoner, and who, it is said. advised
his commitment to the insane asylum
four years ago on the ground of emo
tional insanity.
Guiteau was brought into the court
room shortly after ten O'Clock and
Scoville resumed his argument. He
called the attention Of the jury to the
plea set up by the defense of insanity,
and discussed at great length the
growth and changes of public opinion
upon the subject Of insanity. and its
treatment by the courts when set up as
defense in criminal cases. He cited
numerous rulings in several noted ones.
He claimed that the plea Of insanity
having been set up by the defense, the
burden of proof rests with the prosecu-
tion. There was just as much ground
to indicate Guiteau's insanity. Why,
said Scoville, even President Garfield
said, Why did this man do itp He must
be insane. Blaine must have believed
Guiteau insane.
Col. Corkhill here arose and with
much emphasis said: If you will allow
me, Mr.. Scoville, the president never
said he thought he was insane; he
thought him sane all the time. Blaine
never thought him insane, and has
said under oath that he believes him
sane,
Scoville explained that he spoke from
information derived from the newspa-
pers, and would not take the issue ON
the statement. He then took up the
history of the Guiteau family, who are
Of Huegunot extraction, and who had,
he said, retained to the present day as
marked characteristics, the sturdy ad-
herence to religious convictions which
caused the expatriation Of the Huegue-
nots. He asserted that insanity was
hereditary in the family.
AT one point in the argument Sco-
vile, in detailing more enlightened
tlCathOaU VI buO luoahO hOW Ill NokuO
at the asylums, said in other words,
that those in charge of asylums act
with little more reason than do the in
mates. This sally seemed to amuse
Guiteau immensely and broad smile
broke over his features, which reap
peared two or three times as IL his
mind recurred to 1t. Scoville attended
to the prejudice which undoubtedly ex-
listed against the plea Of insanity gen
orally and especially in the case Of the
prisoner. He said that the newspapers
had intimated that Guiteau was only
feigning insanity and such seemed the
general theory of the public.
Guiteau turned uneasily in his chair
and with quick and nervous articula-
tion, said: never feign, i act myself,
sane or insane.
Without noting the interruption, ,Sco-
vile alluded to the arrest Of the man ut
the time OF Hayes Inauguration who
was sent to the asylum. This man, he
said, had as carefully made his arrange
ments to kill President Hayes as did
Guiteau to kill President Garfield, and
but for his arrest might have succeeded,
and went ..on to give story Of Gui-
teau's life in detail.
Guiteau appeared satisfied until Sco-
Vile plainly intimated that the lack of
capacity on Guiteau's part had reduced
his law practice to the collections of
bad debts. Guiteau WINGED and broke
out with, have brought great many
suits and generally gave them all they
wanted on the other side. After mo-
ment of quasi explanation to the pris-
oner Scoville was about to proceed when
Guiteau, apparently aPpeased, waved
his hand pleasantly to Scoville and
said: Go on, Mr.. Scoville, that is an
interesting story, and is correct in de-
tail. Continuing, Scoville said in the
effect Guiteau made good living and
supported his family all this time and
paid his debts.
Guiteau broke In with: had first.
class references as well as my personal
appearance, and 80 I got business. Be-
sides that, had no bad habits of any
kind.
To illustrate Guiteau's freafs as an
indication of inasnity, Scoville related
his rambling attempt at a speech on 9
certain occasion when he had been as
| ai0nod nv the ror,rt IA counael for thf