Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-05
GUITEAU'S CRIME.


Inc 1nO1CCmCnG.
1t was stated IN yesterdays STAR that the
grand jury had made a presentment to the dis
trict attorney Of Chas. J. Guiteau for the murder
OF James A. Garfield, President Of the United
States, and that the district attorney would at
once prepare an Indictment. In anticipation Of
the presentmept the district attorneys Office
had been at wOfk on the draft of indictment for
a few days past. 1t is understood that the paper
is nearly complete. 1t will contain about IL
counts and make probably three columns Of THE
STAR 1t follows the usual form of Indictment
In such cases. Probably the count which may
be said to be the principal one and on which the
government will rely for q conviction is the fifth
one, which is as follows
upon their oath aforesaid, do further present
that the said Charles J. Guiteau, late of the
county and District aforesaid, on the I'd day of
July, in the year Of our Lord 1881, with force and
arms in the county and District aforesaid, in
and upon the body Of one James 4. Garfield, he,
the said James A. Garfield, in the peace of God
and of the United States of America then and
there being, feoniOusy wilfully and Of his malice
aforethought, did make an assault; and that the
said Charles J. Guiteau a certain pistol of the
value Of IS, then and there charged with gun
powder and one leaden bullet. which said pistol,
he, the said Charles ]. Guiteau, in his right
hand then and there had and held, then and
there feloniously, wlfully and Of his malice
u
against and upon the said James A. Garfield;
and that the said Charles J. Guiteau, with the
leaden bullet aforesaid, out of the pistol afOre-
said, then and there, by force of the gunpowder
aforesaid by the said Charles J. Guiteau, dis
charged and shot of, aforesaid, then and there
feiOnlOusy, wilfully and Of his malice
afOrethOught, did strike, penetrate and
wound him, the said James A. Garfield,
in and upon the right side of the back
of him, the said James A. Garfield, giving to
him, the said James A. Garfield. then and there,
with the leaden bullet aforesaid, 80 as aforesaid
discharged and shot out of the pistol aforesaid
by the said Charles j. Guiteau. in and upon the
right side Ofthe back of him, the said James A.
Garfield, one mortal wound of the depth of six
inches, and of the breadth of one inch of which
said mortal wound, he, the said James A. Gar
field, from the said second day Of July in the
year last aforesaid until the nineteenth day of
september, in theyear of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty-One, as well at and in
the county and District aforesaid as at and IN
the county of Monmouth and state of New Jer-
sey, did languish and languisbing did live; on
which said nineteenth day of September in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and elghty-One, at and in the county of Mon
mouth and state of New Jersey aforesaid to w.t.
at the city of Washington, in the District of CO.
lumbia, the said James A. Garfield of the mortal
wound aforesaid died.
And SO the grand jurors aforesaid, upon their
oath aforesaid, do say that the said Charles j.
Guteau. him, the said James A. Garfield, in the
manner and by the means aforesaid, felOniously
Wilfully and of his malice afOrethOught did kill
and murder; against the form of the statute in
such case made and provided against the peace
and government of the United States of Amer
lea.
What Guiteau's Counsel Says.
Mr.. George ScOvlle the brOther-in-law of the
assassin, Charles j. Guiteau arrived here yester-
day from Chicago, accompanied by his wife, and
in the afternoon had a long interview with Dis
trict Attorney COrkhill. He stated, after this
interview, that he desired either Mr.. Merrick or
Col. TOtten to assist him. He said that if he
did not think the unfortunate man was insane
he would not defend him at ALL If he is not in
sane, and cannot be clearly made to appear so,
he ought to be hung. Still he would be gov
erned largely by the advice of his associate
counsel and could not say definitely what pleas
would be offered. A hereditary faint of insanity
and acts previous to the assassination would
sustain such a defense, and he thought both pO-
sftiOns could be sustained. Guiteaus family
have really known nothing of him or his actions
Tor quite three years, except what has been
learned from the newspapers since the assassina-
ton, and if the accounts of him and his vaga-
ries during the time his family have lost sight of
him are reliable, he is clearly an irresponsible
being. He (ScOville) would not be ready for trial
at once, for he would be obliged to rake the
country over for witnesses, and doubtless many
of the most important ones WILL if possible.
evade process. Guiteau had been in the Oneida
community for six years, and was at one time
confined as lunatic. He (ScOville) thought
that he should be granted sufficient time to ar
range his defense, and that he could make such
showing as would influence the court to grant it,
The defence will not necessarily. be costly one,
for the government will be bound to compel the
attendance Of such witnesses as are shown to be
material, and to pay for it. Quite number of
lawyers, and some of them prominent ones, have
written offering to assist in the Defense but he
had not yet accepted any of them. Some were
" Washington lawyers. He did not suppose Col.
COrkhll would consent to a continuance if he
could prevent it. He expresses himself as con-
vlnced that no good can come of it, and that
public sentiment, as well as justice, demands an
immediate trial and conclusion. He views the
matter as public prosecutor, but he (ScOville)
hoped to find the court more liberal. To the
question: Will your defence embrace any allega-
ton that malpractice on the part of the surgeons
in charge of the President contributed to or was
the cause of his death? Mr.. S. answered: "a
good many doctors have assured me that there
were good grounds for defense on such posi-
ton. and have been told that DIR. Hammond. of
New York, who is certainly a most eminent au-
fhority. asserts that the Presidents death is due
to the treatment. But. as l have already said
my strong rock of defence is the nOn-respOnsi-
Dility of this unfortunate for the cruel crime
against our beloved President, on the ground of
associates, that will be the position shall adj
here to-
HOTEL SALE.-The sale at the Imperial hotel
will close tomorrow, it being the last day, and |
will commence in the dining-rOOm The |
'illiard-rOOm and office furniture will then be |
old, and at 3 o'clock the horses omnibus. |
wagons, &c. will be sold. The billiard tables |
ire suitable for either saloon or private parties |
MESsRS. DUNCANsON Bros will sell at auction |
O-mOrrOw, October 9th, at 2 O'clock pm. the |
ish stalls, together with any stalls that may re-
main unsOld, in the Northern market, corner
th and streets northwest. The sale will be
positive and peremptory.
The HORTICULTURAL FAIR.-Yesterday the
second annual exhibition of the District of CO.
umbia Horticultural Society was opened at Ma
sonic Temple There is fine display and much
TO interest the lover of fruits and flowers There
are several tables, extending the length of the
hall. On which are plants in pots, cut flowers in
glasses, and fruits and vegetables on plates
while at the ends of the hall are some fine speci,
mems of rustic stands, cases of florists supplies
&c. the latter exhibited by Louis Schmid & |
Sons. Among the exhibitors are Messrs. ]. L. |
John I. C. Clark, John Saul Geo Glo- |
RUS Il Sons I. W. Fowler, VIM. Walters. ". |
Dillingham;, G. F. Needham VIM. Smith and w.
Lee White and Mrs. NJ. j. Allyn. There will be