New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-24
WITNESSES FOR GU1TEAU.


HIS LIFE THAT INDICATED AN UNBALANCED UNB, '',.n
,1. nn,Ooxrp rNCoRRIGIBLE AND NOT TO BE
,ro,I,,n-sprcTaToRs IN THE COURTROOM
DISPLAYING LEvITY.
Nr Scoyilie Yesterday continued anu coil-
c,uded his opening address for the deiehce III
a. cp;teau trial. He read several letters
written by the defendant years ago, In order
,o chow that his mind was disOrdered. Severa
witnesses were examined, who narrated actions
of the assassin that were intended to create
belief of his insanity. A physician swore 'ha'
he had been requested to examine Oui'eau
ona had come 10 the conclusion that he was
crazy and dangerous Two other witnesses
.on,;eod tbo+ Guiteau had impressed them as
AN insane person. The assassin was more
than usually refractory he persistently inter-
,pnted the proceedings by his comments ana
at times appeared to wish to say something 10
cause laughter. The spectators apparently
met him half way and displayed strange
levity for such an occasion.
SPECTATORS FINDING MUCH AMUSEMENT
WATCHING AND WAITING FOR SOMETHING IN THE
PROCEEDINGS TO LAUGH AT-MR sCoNlLLE
CHARGING THE ASS ,ssINATIoN UPON THE sPolLs
sYsTEM-TEsTIMoNY FAvoRING THE THEORY of
TIE Defence.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-Mr Scoville concluueo
his openinc address to-day, and examined, with the
assistance of Charles II. Reed, of Chicago, nan a
dozon witnesses whose evidence went to show that
there was an hereditary faint OF INSANITY III
the Gulteau family and that Gulteau had
been n crank" The attendance without the
courtroom when the van drove up from
the iail this morning was smaller than usual. Inc
rain and winds made the steps OF the court mouse
a very disagreeable resting place. Everybody VINO
could got into the courtroom soon as possible
and everybody else went home. The prisoner, his
counsel and his relatives, the judge and the jury
were in their places ten minutes before the counsel
for the prosecution came in.
Mr. Scoville asked District-Attorney Corkhill for
the letters, papers and newspaper cllpp ngs
taken from Guiteau when he was arrested
He considers them important as showing what
the influences which were operating upon oul-
teau's mind when he committed the deed he sus-
poets that the DisrictAttoruey will never give up
all the clippings because he thinks he wants 10
break the force of the charge that Stawart utter
ances against President Garfield brought about the
tragedy of July .. After many attempts to
eyade the inquiry, Mr.. Corkhill admitted
that he had the documents, and would
produce originals and copies at once. He dld pro-
duce what purported to be the papers and clippings
taken from Guiteau at the time of his arrest. The
nrisoner looked them over and missed some. Mr..
ScovilIe finished his speech without them. He took
occasion in his perOratiOn to charge the crime
pon the 'kpoils system" Amid many In
terruptions from Guiteau and much laugh
ter from the spectators, half dozen witnesses
related what they knew of the hereditary taint
in the Guiteau family and of the acts and sayings
of the assassin. One spoke of the insane members
of the family another of lecture he heard UulS
team attempt to deliver in Kalamazoo; another OF
his performances at Mr. Scoyilles country place In
Wisconsin, in the summer of 1876 another OF bis
attempt to lecture lnPalne Memorial f6 & &a%f IT,
1876 at the request of his family; and anOlher OF
his boarding at Senator Logan's boarding place In
Washington without paying his board. -
The audience of well-dressed people regarded the
proceedings apparently very much as they would
made the interruptions Of the assassin and the
fencing between Mr.. Davidge and some OF the wit
nesses were waited for and laughed a. as II they
were devised for the entertainment OF the multlude.
The impulse to laugh at the ludlcrous seemed al
most uncomfortable, even on the bench lhe experts
wore grave faces throughout. Some OF them worked
hard with pencil and note book.
Tomorrow the case will not be heard but on Fri
day Mr. Scoville will proceed with his evidence.
He is still summonng experts as he hears of them
generally through anonymous communications.
THE ATTEMPT TO PROVE INSANITY.
Mr. sCOvuLE CONCLUDES HIS ADDREss-sOME OF
THE AssAssIN's LETTERS READ-GUITEAU SIREN
uorsLY OBJECTS TO BEING CALLED FooL-A
PHYSICIAN swEARs THAT HE EXAMINED THE
PRISONER SOME YEARS AGO AND DECIDED HIM
TO BE CRAZY AND DANGERoUs-oTHER WIT
NEssES GIVE THEIR OPINIONS
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23-After the prisoner
had been brought in Mr. scovDe stated that there had
been returned to Court deposition taken IN Dakota
He wished know whether the prosecution had any OBJ
lection to it.
Mr. Davdge stated that he had not scanned closely the
deposition, but would give tomorrow morn
ing.
Mr. scovile called attention to another matter Some
time ago an effort had been made by the defence to OBJ
tain possession inspection, OF certain papers
newspaper clippngs-taken from the prisoner at the
time OF the arrest They In the possession OF
the prosecution The DistrctAttOrney had refused to
deliver these papers because he sad he desired TO use
them evidence and claimed the right retain them
He cOve had seen them and he again requested
the prosecuting attorney to deliver these papers.
DistrctAttorney Corkhill offered to give Mr. scovle
copy of the papers, but the latter indignantly declared
shat he did not want copy he wanted the identical
papers taken from the psoner They had not been used
In evidence by the prosecution and ne wanted TO
them He did not want them second hand.
The Court suggested that Mr.. scOville coul obtain
them by means of q subpoena duces tecum.
Mr. scove replied that he did want TO resort to
such process, because it did not seem necessary.
The prisoner nnterrupung)-I can throw light upon
this ITO Mr.. Scovie, who was telling him 20 keep
auiet Wait a moment. doing this. At the time Of
my arrest had forty or fifty slps-edorial slips
showing the political situation last May and June The
alps showed the action and one OF the forces that i'm
PEELED me Oh the President They very important
~ showing the gist of the whole matter BY reading
these slips my mind led the inspiration. There
forty fifty slips denouncing President Garfield
1t was living such ideas that finally impelled
on the President with my inspiration.
Mr.. Davidge-It seems to me that this is much ado
about nothing.
The prisoner-Prc0uce the papers. Turning Mr.
6covillel Yon keep quiet and don't touch INC.
Mr. Davdge suggested that the slips could he shown
to Mr. scove during the after the adjourn
ment