Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1881-11-17
Secretary Blaine Gives His
Testimonyain the Guiteau
Trial.
An Impression Gaining Ground that
the Conduct Of the Prisoner is
Assumed TO Aid the Plea of
Insanity.
A Report that on Accomplice of
the Assassin had been Arrested
in Chicago Turns out to
be Hoax.
The Trial of Guiteau.

The Trial of Guiteau.
Washington, Nov. T.-Upon the open.
ing of the criminal court
this morning, Scoville said there was
no disagreement between himself and
Robinson as would appear from certain
publications.. Robnson would render
all the aid possible in the case, and they
would work in harmony.
At this point Guiteau rose and object
ed to Robinson taking part in his de-
fense. He said he would manage his
own case, and wouldn't trust Robinson
with anything, as he had no brains. He
wished the court to understand him on
this point, and if counsel were forced
upon him he would make noise about
it to the country. He represented duty
in this case and wished the court to un-
derstand it. Two Or three blunderbluss
| lawyers would lose the case for him, and
he did not propose to submit to anything
of the kind.
The court informed the prisoner that
If lie did not remain quiet he would be
removed from the room. After few
minutes the prisoner burst out afresh
with the remark, "there is not word OF
truth in the Chicago dispatch published
in the Post this morning. 1t is lie
from beginning to end.'
This is the dispatch referred to above
regarding the arrest of a supposed ac-
complice of Guiteau. For some time
after this last remark the prisoner con-
versed in n very excited manner with his
counsel and brother, Mt intervals using
his c.inched fist upon the desk before
him in an exceedingly demonstrative
manner.
At 1890 Secretary Blaine, accompan-
led by Assistant Secretary Walker Blame
and Chief Clerk Brown, entered the court
room and were ushered to seats immedi.
ately in tie rear of the counsel for the
government. A few minutes later the
following opening statement was made
by U. S. District Attorney Corkhill:
May it please the court and gentlemen
; of the iury-The prisoner at the ban
stands before you charged with the mur
der of james A. Garfield. Under any
circumstances there rests grave and res
, ponsible obligations upon every mar
called upon in the discharge of his duty
under the law to render decision upol
!. which depends the life of fellow crea
; ture, and while it is true the otfenst
charged in the present case is no create
! -, 1o|1,l o,,l onpcan,,onooc IN, fl,,
prisoner than if by his act he had takel
3 the lille of the humblest and most oh
: scure citizen of the republic, still it i
idle to overlook the fact that the emf
nent character whose life was taken, hi
!. high official position, and the startling
It manner OF the commission of the crime
n renders the case OF unusual and unpal
y allel Importance. 1t is the second tim
in our history that citizen chosen b
the people of the United States to dis
II charge the high and responsible dutie
"a of president has fallen victim to n Law
- less assassin; but in the former case W
= were Just emerging from the shadows {
}. long ana bloody war. The country ha
b. been racked by connections and stirre
r. by civil feuds. Throughout the lengt
and breadth of the land nearl
- every household mourned the los
s; Of relations. of friends, slain on the hot
IS. contested battletields of the republic.
pr was danger, though, that few men Ii,
. anticipated; it was calamity that patl
IL OTIS feared, and when it came, with all i
W dread consequences, it was accepted
IN one of the results of the then disordert
10 and discordant condition of public Il
~ fairs. But we had passed from the ar
~ IN of war; the sword had been beateni j
r. to piowshare and the spear into a pru
ne ing hook; the country was united: pea
reigned Mt home and abroad. There we
no local dissentions. no intense strif
seed time and harvest had come al
gone; the battle fields, redeemed fro
re the desolation and havoc of their bloo.
contests, were blossoming with the frui
an Of peaceful labor. Suddenly startlil
nj is proclaimed throughout the land a
= around tho world that the president
h- the United States had fallen victim
ew the assassin's bullet in the capital of I
nd nation. Murder, under all circumsta1
ire es and upon all occasions, is shockir
,e- Life, of which we know so little a
E. which VIC hold by SO fragi3an tenure,
of dear to us all, and when,itis brought
ew close, not i'll the natural order a
he course of nature, but plematurely by
nSG Olence, ho y ulatteI Wlilt III
nd be the condition of the pcrs
lax the human mind IS appalled, with ter
dr.. when man holding a position of el
ion nence and power falls causeless vict
tes to the murderer's stroke, we realize S
Mt mole fully the awtulness of the d.
which produces this result.
o, During the time occupied by the
trict attorney in delivering his argnm
'et- the prisoner assumed an air of appar
ur- indifference and devoted himself to
mt. morning papers, scanning them hurri
owe ly. The argument was delivered
'ow Col. Co1khill in very effective man
w ~ tears filling the eyes of many in the
dicnce; but the countennncc.of the |
oncr remained unchanged. Toward
II. close OF the argument he laid his M
paper aside and leaned back i'll his cl
.ant covering his eyes with his hand. evid
lrcd ~ endeavoring TO conceal the en,o
g. which he undoubtedly icit. He
ish- drew u package of manuscript from
,tel pocket and commenced writing i