The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1881-12-01
THE ASSASSIN'S TRIAL.
1hc Great Ques ton of Guiteau's Sanity Now
Under Consideration by the Court
ut Washington.
Guitoau 10 Playing the Insanity Dode, for
All It'll, Worth,
Testimony Showing that He Has Been a
HarI Citixon, Lun:.,io or Otherwise.


The Judge had great difficulty in reaching the
bench. Much confusion was caused IN the
court room by the pushing and angry whisrers
OF the half mashed mob. Mr.: Robinson, one
OF duiteau's lawyers made long speech. ask
ing to be relieved from the defence on account
brother-in-law, which the Judge gra, d.
After the examination Of Drs. Barnes, Wood
ward and Lamb. who each testified that in his
opinion the wound inflicted by Guiteau was
mortal, the prosecution closed its casc DR..
Lamb, who performed the autopsy, presented
from the late president's body. After the pros
ecution closed its case. Mr.. Scoville asked that
his client be permitted to address the oourt.
Judge Cox granted the request
Instead Of making q get speech Griteau
thought it would be best, from time to time, to
to correct false evidence given against him.
Mr.. Scoville opened for the defence. He
made no effort at oratorial display. but facing
the jury addressed them as il they were old
time acquaintances and riveted their attention
until he:asked the court to grant an adjourn
elapsed after the adjournment Of the court %
before the prison van was driven to the court
house and the prisoner taken back "a
AL he was escorted from the court house to
the van BY six officers of the court, who com
Rletely surrounded him, and five mounted po-
lieemen ase aoc accompanied the van to tho jail
ABOUT 0OO people were assembled on the court
house grounds to see the assassin put in the
van. and no violence was offered him.
TUESDAY Nov 22:
Mr.. Scoville, counsel for Guiteau resumed
plea by the defense of insanity, and discussed
at great length tho growth aud changes Of
public opinion on the subject Of insanity and
its treatments by courts when sot up as de-
tense in criminal cases and rulings in several
noted ones. He claimed the plea Of insanity
burden OF proof rests with tho prosecution.
At one point in the argument Scoville, in de-
failing the more enlightened treatment Of insane
now III vogue at asylums, said: SIN other
words, those in charge of asylums set with q
little more reason than do the inmates" This
rally seemed to am,lse Griteau, and broad
smile broke over his features, which reappeared
two or three times, as if his mind REQUIRED to
it. Scoville attended to the prejudice which
undoubtedly existed against the plea Of insani-
ty. and especially in the case of the prisoner
he said that the newspapers had iatimsted that
Guiteau was only feigning, and such seemed to
be the general theory of the public. Guiteau
nervous articulation said, Il never feign; I act
my self, sane or insane" Without noticing the
interruption, Scoville alluded to the arrest Of
the man 1T the time Of President Hayes inaug-
uration, who was sent to the insane asylum
He Gat made arrangements to kill President
Hayes. lid Guitesu 10 kill Garfield, and but
for his arrest he might have succeeded. There
was jnst as much ground to indicate Guiteau's
ins anity. ''Why," ssid Scoville, "even Presi-
dent iGarfeld said: "Why did this man do it:"
He must be insane. Blaine believed Guiteau
lnsano," Col Corkhill here arose, and with
Mr.. Scoville,-the president never said lie
thought he was insane. He thought him Sane
all the time. Blaine never thought bin insane "
scoville explained that he epoke from informa-
ton derived from the newspapers, and would
not take issue on the statement.
Mr.ScOville went on amidst constant interrup-
tons from Guiteau to speak of insanity in Gui-
teau's family and Of Guiteau's occasional craze
MIR. Scovile claims that Guiteau was born with
defective brain; that it was not his fault, and
@ result he is irresponsible for his sc ion
He shos the president under an uncomfortable
impulse which he could not resist Guiteau's
bad temper grew worse and more ugly, until he
broke out into passion at the disclosure made
by Mr.. Scovilie in connection with his love Af-
fair. Scoville said it was q popularity OF his
character that he was very susceptible to the
attention OF ladies and would talk to them as
broke in Guiteau. Scoville proceeded to say
that Guiteau thought he had only to ask the
hand Of any lady in marriage and he would got
It, and he had even while in jail caused q
notice to be put in the papers to the effect
that any lady Of wealth AMI; good
view to matrimony would receive respectful
consideration. Furthermore, he had received
an answer from some one which showed that
there was at least one crazy woman in the world
out OF m asylum Scoville then, in proceaCl-
ing, let out the fact that he had not sent Gui-
storm; The murderer almost frothed at the
mouth. His eyes glared like q VOLTS He
looked like 4 wild beast He struck the table
159yasfy 81 xh d bs 9s s9% 81 RSa wss eg
vile was a liar and lied to him. He had prom
ised to send the letters. He knew something
was the matter. He had -aceived =
respondence with lady worth 100000
That looked like business. He had not re-
ceiyed an answer to his last letter, aud now he
understood it. Scovllle had never mailed it.
He pounded the table with his fist and fairly
roasted with fury. He spoke with sharp,
barking accent like the snap Of q mad dog. He
treabled with passion and quivered in his
seat Every feature was ivid and he looked
his teeth and nails could he have but
tition Of uncontrolisble passion. The man l was
transformed for the moment into demon. He
might have done anything under tho intensity
OF his emotion. In his eyes cleaned hate. fury
"n" Ao|ou6o. Auo uuulau VtoNSce vi Ills 1ace
were lost in the furious contortions of the wild
beast. His vicious nature was mirrored in
strong contrast with the gentle imbecility
Of the hour before. He had been f0iled and
deceived. He believed that he might havo
9n married the lady worth 100000, had not
been played with. He had beon
treated like child and he could not for
give it. His sister tried to pacify him, but he
would not be appeased and raised his hands in
the violence Of his passion had subsided little,
he gave vent to the low mutterings 9f the storm
that had passed. He still growled ':Liar." ':In
follow that woman yet" Lied to me" Il knew
something Wag the matter that got no an
swsr," and thus muttering and grinding his
ooherenco. Without concluding, Mr.. Scoville
rested and the court adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, Nov %.
When the court opened scoville made 4
formal reqnest for the papers taken from Qui-
were material evidence for the defense, and
since the prosecution had not needed them, he
could see no reason Why they should be with
held. The district attorney offered to furnish
copies Of the papers, but Scoville insisted upon
his right in the matter, and aaked for the origi-
AnAos tu0 V4ECuSslOu, ou1ttaU III
sisted upon being heard and said:
There are forty to fifty slips deuouncng Presi-
dent Garfield. It was by living on such ideas
as these that was finally impelled on to shoot
the president with my inspiration"
scoville, resuming, alluded to Guitesu's ca
reer as politician, and drew the conclusion
that his intellect was deficient
When reference was made to his funnint
around from one committee room to mother,
seeking to ba employed as campaign speaker,
and his failure to obtain recognition wss men,
toned, Guiteau shouted angrily, ''It wasn't be-
cause badno ability, but was not known. I
had ideas, but not q reputation. They wanted
big guns like General Grant and Senator Conk-
ling-men who would draw" Then, in direct
contradiction OF his counsel's declaration to the
jury yesterday, that Guitesu was man who
never made a joke IN his life, he looked
up with IN amused emile, and added:
II presume to draw now" This provoked gen.
eral laughter, which was promptly suppressed
by the court, who struggled hard 70 disguise q
smile on his own features. After various in
terruptions Mr.. Scov,lle finished his speech.
At the request Of the district attorney tho
witnesses for the defense were excluded from
tho court room, with the exception Of Mrs.
SQQyille. Tho prosecution. 1t the request Of