Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1881-11-18
TRIAL OF TEE AssAssIS.
Affected Indifference OF Guiteau-
The Testimony OF Blaine and
other Witnesses. .

The Testimony OF Blaine and
other Witnesses. .
WASHINGTON. November 17.-During
the time occupied BY the District Attor-
nsy in delivering his argument the pris.
snsr assumed an air Of apparent indii-
ference. and devoted himself to the
morning papers. scanning them hur-
riedly. The argument was delivered BY
Colonel Corkhill in . very effective m8n-
nsr. the tears filling the eyes Of many
IN The audience; bat the countsnanos OF
tho prisoner remained unchanged.
Toward the close Of the argument he
laid his Newspaper aside. and leaned
back il his chair. covering his eyes with
his hand. evidently sndsavering to eon.
zeal the emotion which he undoubtedly
felt. He then drew . package Of manu.
script from his pocket. and eemusnoed
writing In . hurried and nervous man.
nsr. The prisoner constantly shook his
head in approval or disapproval Of the
statements made In the argument Of
Corkhill. At one time he interrupted
the District Attorney. which action was
called to the attention OF the Court BY
Judge Porter, Of counsel for the pres.
scution.
Judge Coz announced that u was
within the power Of the Court to try the
case in the absence Of the prisoner, and
II he persisted in his turbulent remarks
he would cause him to be removed.
Guiteau, in response. said ~ will
not do 1t again. your Honor. but I have
very deep feelings In this case"
Mrs. Scovills, sister Of the prisoner,
cried bitterly during the delivery Of the
argument, and her little child could be
seen appealing in an afsctionste man
nsr. with "Mamma, what 10 the mat
ter 2"
At the conclusion Of Corkhill's argu-
msnt there was long and continued ap.
plauss.
Secretary Blaine was then called to the
stand by counsel for the government.
and testified that he had known James
A. Garfield from 1863 till the time Of
his DEATH. On reaching the depot on
the morning Of the assassination the
President turned TO say sood.by. bat hs
insisted upon accompanying him to the
cars. He.hsard . pistol shot, followed
almost Immediately by another. and
thinking there was some trouble touched
the President for the purpose Of hurry.
ing him onward. At this moment the
President threw up his hands, sxslain.
ing, my God, what 10 this 2" The
Secretary containing detailed the cir.
cumstances OF the removal OF the Prssi.
dent to the White House and other mat
tiers pertaining TO tho shooting. oil Of
which have been published heretofore.
A number OF letters from the fles Of
the State Department were then identi.
fed by Secretary Blaine as having been
received from the prisoner. after which
they were read by the District Attorney.
Blaine said: ! saw Guiteau very often
ct the State Department. Mineral state
ments are apt to be exaggerated when We
are recalling events Of this kind. Ac-
oording to my recollection no visited the
State Department twenty or twenty-five
times. II might possibly not DO over
ten, but eight or ten visits OF that kind
are apt to make the impression Of twenty
or twenty-five. BE wal o very persistent
applicant for the Consul Gsneralship ct
Paris. never gave him the slightest
encouragement that he would receive tbs
appointment. I remember, after per-
sistent and repeated visits. that I told
him there was. In my judgment, NO pros
pect whatever Of his receiving the ap.
pointmsnt, and that ] did not want him
10 continue his visits. / wanted 10 bring
them to an end, and told him there was
NO prospect Of his receiving IL.
Witness here identified . number Of
letters from Guiteau. and taken from the
files Of the State Department, and said :
/ observe these letters contain the sigma.
lures ! made on them for Identification.
and this Indicating o paper) lisa speech
inolosed In one OF the letters, which hs
alleged to have made during the political
campaign, and on which he based his
claim for Office. Here ~(indicating) II q
letter that osms from the White House
with the ordinary Executive Mansion
blanks. It 10 o mere endorsement OF
"Guitssu, Charles. applicant for the
| Austrian Mission" That letter came
from tho White House In this envelope.
Blaine was crsss. examined, and testi-
fed o. to the locality Of the shooting,
pointing out on q diagram Of the Bslti-
moro and Potomac depot the spot on
which thu shooting occurred. he had
received numerous letters from the pris-
onsr. psrsistsntly urging to 30 assigned
to speak In the Maine campaign. His
letters were doubtless destroyed with
other campaign debris. Regarding Gull
tau's visits to the State Department,
the Secretary said he was one Of perhaps
forty applicants. he often came and
suffered disappointment with the rest In
his endeAvors to obtain an appointment.
He at no time noticed anything which
would indicate any dsrangsmsnt Of
Guitsau's mind.
Scovills, 10 questioning Blaine, refer.
red 10 tho olLuculty WHICH htoso IN tpe
Republican party In New York after the
appointment Of Collector Robertson.
and requested that the Secretary should
explain the situation ~ II existed. Sso-
Rotary Blaine answered . number Of
questions on the subject Of the rssigna.
tons Of Senators Conkling and Plat,
and the %esntrovsrsy In the New York
Legislature. and upon being further
questioned. suggested that hs would
make . political speech fer the defense
II II was desired.
Scovills explained his reason for pat
ting the questions, saying that he desired
to show the feeling Of bitterness in
Political circles with the view to prove
the bearing Il had upon the prisoners
mind.
In reply to further questions the Sec-
rotary stated that after the assassination
OF the President be paid little or NO ct.
tention to the conflict In the New York
Legislature. and, in fact, thought moth.