Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-11-24
GENERAL NEWS.
LAST NIGHTS DISPATCHES TO THE RECORD
UNION.
DOMESTIC.
GuIteau's Trial-DIminishedA Attendance
The PriSancr Still ChinnInn In,


The Prisoner still "Chipping In
WASHINGTON, November 23d.-The at.
tendance at the Criminal Court this morning
was sensibly diminished, on account of rain
storm.
While Guiteau was taking his breakfast at
the City Hail. he expressed dissatisfaction at
the release Of Jones upon bail.
When the Court opened, Scoville made a
formal request for the papers taken from
Guiteau at the time of his arrest. stating
that they were material evidence for the de.
tense, and since the prosecution had not needed
them, he could not see no reason why they
should be withheld.
The District Attorney offered to furnish
copies of the papers, but Scoville insisted
upon his rights in the matter, and asked for
the originals.
Pending the discussion Guiteau insisted
upon being heard, and said: ST can throw
light upon this. At the time of my arrest I
had forty or fifty editorial slips, showing the
political situation in May and June. These
slips show the action and forces that impelled
me on to shoot the President. They are very
important, as showing the gist of the whole
matter. There were forty or fifty slips de.
nouncing President Garfield. 1t was living
on such ideas as these that 1 was finally i'm.
PEELED to shoot the President with my inspira-
tion."
Colonel Corkhill interposed again. saying.
"If it will favor you to get through to-day /
will send for them"
During the momentary lull in the pro-
ceedings Guiteau again tried to make per.
sonal explanation, saying he had used the ex.
preston yesterday that Julius" was too sug.
gestiye Of the negro race, and for that reason
he had dropped it from his name. His
prejudice was begotten twenty years before.
He meant no disrespect to any person or any
| race, particularly not to the colored race, fol
they were more highly thought Of than the
| white race nowadays.
Scoville continued by reading Guiteau's
letters. He read letter written by Guiteau
to his father, in which he spoke of having
gotten into some trouble, and in which he
asked for money.
Guiteau explained the letter, saying "One
of nay clients, miserable little whelp, had
me arrested on account of little difference
of $50 between us. AS soon as the District
Attorneys attention was called to the matter
l was released. / never ought to have been
arrested, but it got into the papers and did
me good deal of harm. 1 had been in the
theology business some time, and as usual
was out of money. That's all there was in
that"
AS the reading of the letter concluded,
Guiteau again interrupted, saying =" never
got much from my father. He got down on
me because 1 left the Oneida Community.
We could never after that agree on that
miserable, sinking Community business. I'm
mad every time think of it. 1t kept me
out of fellowship with my father up to the
time of his DEATH"
Scoville, resuming, alluded to Guiteau's
career as a politician, and drew the con-
clusion that his intellect was deficient.
This view aroused the prisoner at once, and
he began series of Interruptions, protesting
against Scoville's conclusions as false.
When reference was made to running
around from one committee to another seek
ing to be employed as a campaign speaker,
his failure to obtain recognition was men
toned, Guiteau shouted angrily, But
was not known. l had ideas, but no reputa-
ton. They wanted big guns like General
Grant and Senator Conkling-men who would
draw" Then in direct contradiction to his
counsels declaration to the jury yesterday
THAT Guiteau was man who never made
joke in his life), he looked up with an
amused smile and added, 81 presume I'd
draw now."
This provoked general laughter. which was
promptly suppressed by the Judge, who
struggled to disguise a smile upon his own
features.
Scoville continued upon the same line and
criticised Guiteau's speech entitled Garfield
VS.. Hancock" He said it was a mere jumble
of ideas, collected from the newspapers and
from speeches OF others. No one but crazy
man would have imagined, as Guiteaus did,
that his speech possessed any merit.
Guiteau became more and more restless,
and in the most excited manner ever shown
by him, shouted to Scoville Il object to
your theory on that score, and when you try
to make out that am fool [ am down on
you l want you to tell the truth, but you
needn'G try to make me out fool. l say
that the Deity inspired my act, and He viii
take care of if. 1 want the truth, and that is
all there is about it."
Colonel Corkhill arose to protest against
the interruptions of the prisoner. when Gui.
teau waved bis hand to him pa!ronizingly
and said " 1t Is not necessary to make any
remarks, Colonel; just let the matter drop"
Scoyille was willing to agree to aDy neae-
ures that the District Attorney might suggest
to restrain the prisoner.
Davidge desired to suggest way to pre-
vent the outbreaks. He attributed them en-
tirely to Scoville's course il commenting on
the evidence already submitted, and his at
tempt to argue from it mental atfirnity on
the part Of the prisoner.
Guiteau listened intently, and, striking his
clenched hand on the table in front of him.
exclaimed: IS l sgree with that all through,
and l desire to thank the prosecution, every
one of them, for the liberal spirit they have
shown. I think Colonel Ccrkhill made a fine
opening speech. There was not any bitter
ness at all in his speech, and I commend him
for it," Guiteau continued to interiect his
observations upon Scoville's theory that he
(Guiteau) was deficient in intellect, and pro-
tested that he would not allow his counsel
to make him out fool. After few min
utes Guiteau subsided, and promised the
Court that he would keep quiet.
Scoville concluded his opening speech with
out further interruption or incident. At the
request of the District Attorney the wit
nesses for the defense were excluded from the
Courtroom. with the exception of Mrs.
Scoville. The prosecution, at the request of
Scoville, made an exception in her case.
The first witness for the defense, Fl. NJ.
Burton, was then examined. He testified
that he did not think the prisoner so de-
ranged as to be irresponsible; thought him
not deranged, but very badly arranged.
There was no cross examina tion of this
witness.
H. NJ. Davis. of Erie, Pennsylvania, tes.
tilted to knowledge cf the insanity Of
Guiteau's aunts.
Thompson Wilcoxon, of Freeport, Illinois,
knew Gritsau's father, and described his Pc
culiarities.
John A. Rice, of Minton, Wisconsin. q
practicing physician of twentY-six years.
testified that he examined the prisoner ia
1876, and came to the conclusion that he was
insane. His insanity was emotional rather
than intellectual. There appeared to be an
impairment of judgment. but not much, il
any, impairment of intellect. He told his
friends that Guiteau ought to be secluded.
Witness treated Guiteau's father did not
consider him insane.
After several witnesses had been examined,
the prisoner often interrupting in his usual
manner, the Court adjourned until to-mor-
row.
Butler Likely TO Take a Hand.
CHICAGO, November 23d.-A Washington
special says: MIR. Scoville is now very conf.
dent that General BeDjamin f. Butler will
take part in the defense of Guiteau before
the trial ends. 1t is reported that in view of
this probability printed copies of the testi.
mony are sent regularly to him every day.
Mrs. Christiancy a Raving Maniac.
New YORK, November 23d.-Ths Reralds
Washington special has the following: The
janitor at the Police Court building was sur.
prised late tonight, by the apparition of a
woman, bareheaded, and in her night-dress,
rushing madly up Louisiana avenue toward
Sixth street. He overlook her Just as she
was entering the law Office of Cook & Cole,
and to his amazement, discovered that
it was Mrs. Lille Christiaucy, the
defendant in the calehrated divorca e,,it