Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-17
THE TRIAL OF GUITEAU.
EXCITING SCENES IN COURT.
STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION.
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OPENING ADDRESS,
SECRETARY BLAINE AS A WITNESS.
STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OPENING ADDRESS,
HIS ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT CRIME.

HIS ACCOUNT OF THE GREAT CRIME.
| The Criminal Court room, where the trial of
| Charles j. Guiteau for the murder of President
| Garfield is in progress, commenced to fill with
spectators about 9H O'Clock this morning from the
| east door. There were many ladies among the
spectators to-day. By 9:45 o'clock the seats inside
the bar were we'll filled, and when the west door
was opened, within few minutes the seats and
| space outside were solid mass of humanity. At
| a 1eW minutes to 10 O'Clock the twelve jurors
| marched up in procession from the National hotel.
| Hating on the steps photographer took picture
of them. They are quartered on the third floor, on
the east side of the hotel where the rooms for their
| accommodation, are connected. Here, shut out
| from the outside world and guarded by Bailffs A.
r. Searles, T. F. Sh1yock and Geo. G. Curtis, when
| not In court, they take their meals at q common
| table and spend their time as best they can
just before ten O'Clock Mr.. Davidge, with Judge
Porter and Judge Smith, were in their places and
! MI Scovilie, Mr.. Robinson and Mr. J. W. Guiteau
appeared soon afterwards. Mrs. Scoville was also
present, accompanied by her little daughter, seven
| or eight years old.
THE COURT WAS CALLED TO ORDER
at ten minutes past ten and, as usual the formal
| 1t1es OF calling the jury roll occupied some
| minutes, during which the spectators who were
crowded In every quarter OF the court house. were
composing themselves for a long session. Guiteau
was Then brought In clinging tightly to a bundle
or newspapers, which he had brought with
him him from the jail. When the jury roll was COM
peted all the jurors not on this panel were dis
charged TILL tomorrow morning.
Another Exciting scene i'm Court.
GUITEAU OBJECTS TO ROBINSON AS HIS COUNSEL. AND
DENIES THE CHICAGO CONSPIRACY STORY.
MI. Scov1le, rising, said he wished to say few
words in relation to an occurrence On the first day
between himself and his associate He wanted to
Say that in fact there had been no disagreement
between them, and, since conferring together,
there had been no lack Of harmony.
This statement was followed by scene Guiteau
arose and said: "If your honor please, object to
Mr.. Robinson serving on the case. 1 want him
out Of the case"
II want you to understand distinctly" !" said Judge
CN, tnat your labOrS as counsel in this case (aS
you cialn 10 be your own counseD will be confined
strictly to consultation with your counsel You
VIII not be heard by the court and If you persist
in these attempts you will be removed from the
court by the officers"
Guiteau, who had sat down, tried to struggle to
his feet, but was held back by the OfficerS He
then howled from his chair beating the table with
MS INST, II would like to be heard in defence of my
casso sYou will have ., onnortnn - no ,o.u, 49,
haps," said the court, Cat the close of the case
Counsel IN has been assigned to you"
But without my CONSENT said the prisoner
I'll have this thing go out to the country and
make noise about it. The country is bigger than
| Gn1S court"
He sat in silence for moment, and then raising
his voice again said: 81 want to say there is not
one word OF truth in that Posts special from Chi
Then he again muttered something about going
before the country and making noise Then he
spoke aloud and very emphatlcally as follows: 81
wouldn't trust my case to the best lawyer in the
country. One or two blunderbusses might com
promise my whole Defence"
assassin, but to no avail. He broke out immedte .io
ately, III Mr. Robinson had proper respect for
ansel nlhlsen ne would get OF the case. That's my
He remained silent then for several minutes
then suddenly exclaimed:
"if your honor please, am here in the capacity
OF an agent OF the Deity, and am going to assert
my rights in that capacity. 1 don't propose to
come come here S on my hands and knees. That's the
posed your honor had"
VINE tnese rambling remarks were being made
for Dst lt atorney sPfs efore Was being Ing
jury. Secretary Blaine had arrived accompanied
oy MS sons Maker and Robert and Mr.. Sevellon
neyS table, behind Judge Porter and Mr.. Smith,
Near them sat Mrs. CorkhiIl and lady friend.
District Att rney Corkhll hegan his opening adj
dress TO the jury at half-past 10 O'Clock He stood
IN small open space-the only open space in the
court roohi-at one side OF the witness box. He
deliV'red his remarks with consider. bic energy
was as follows:
Opening Statement Of U. s. District At
tOrney COrxhill.
May u please the Court and Gentlemen OF the y,f,.7
The prisoner at the bar stands before you
charged with the murder Of James A. Garfield
Under ordinary circumstances there rests grave
| and responsible obligation upon every man who is
called upon in the discharge OF his duty under the
law TO render decision upon which depends the
life OF felloW-creature. And while it is true that
the offence charged in the present case is no
greater in legal gravity and consequences to the
prisoner than il by his act he had taken the life of
the humblest and most obscure citizen of the re-
public. still it is idle to overlook the fact that the
eminent character of the man whose life was
taken, his high Official position and the startling
effects OF the commission of the crime render the
case one OF unusual and unparalleled Importance
1t Is the second time in our history that the cIt-
| zen chosen by the people OF the United States to
discharge the high and responsible duties of Pres
dent has fallen victim to q lawless assassin
during the period OF his 1ncumbency OF the Office
But In the former case we were just emerging
| from the shadows Of long and bloody war. The
| country had been racked by commotlons, and
stirred by civil feuds. Throughout the length and
breadth of the land nearly every household
tested battle-flelds OF the republic 1t was
danger that thoughtful men had anticipated. 1t
was calamity that patriots had feared. And when
it came, with all its dread consequences, 1t was
| nevertheless, accepted as one OF the results Of
the then disordered and discordant condition Of
| But we had passed from the arena of the war, the
sword had been beaten into plowshare ana the
| spcar into pruning hook; the country Was
| united, peace reigned at home and abroad There
were no local Us SenSionS; there were no inteS-
| tine striieS. Seed-tme and harvest had come and
gone; the battle-fieids, redeemed from the scars
and havoc OF their bloody contests, bio SOM
| ing with the fruits OF peaceful labor Suddenly
the st .rtllng fact was proclaimed throughout the
land and around the entire world, that the Presi
dent OF the United States had fallen a victim to
the assasSin'S bullet, in the capital Of the nation!
| Murder, under ali circumstances, and upon all
occasions, is shocking The life or which we know
so little, and which we hold by so fragile tenure
IS dear to us all, nd when it Is brought to close
not in the usual order and course or nature, but
| prematurely by violence, no matter what may be
| the condition or the person, the human mind is
| appalled, with terror. When man holding a po-
sition OF emlnence and power falls causeless Vie
tim to the murderers stroke, we realize still more
| fuly the awfulneSS or the deed which produces
| this result.
This trial is a remarkable Illustration OF the
genius and spirit OF our government Although
our chieI ruler was murdered, although the e1elts
OF that death were felt in every Station OF H,e In
every avenue OF business, In every department OF
society, yet the prisoner his murderer stands be-
lore you to-day entitled to the same rshts to the
same privileges, panoplied by the same guarantees
Oh the Constitution as he had killed the lOwlest
member Of this community. Had this crime been
f ftnApx tEH Hnrn wy<,Ax.