Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1881-12-24
GUITEAU'S TRIAL.

| uulteau tflai was entered upon with unabatet
interest on the part of the public, if til,
throng which pressed for admission to til,
courtroom may be taken as an index. DR.
John ArdronauX, commissioner of lunacv
New York, and Hon. Horace Maynard. eX
| postmaster general, occupied seats upon thu
bench with Judge Cox. With the consent o
I counsel for the prosecution Mr., Scovill,
called for the defense DR.. Edward Charlie,
Spitzka, of New York. Witness had made tn,
study of nervous and mental diseases a spu
clalty, and had been called to testify as all tN
pert about twenty-five times. Witness OK
amlned the prisoner III Jail and was satisfied
| that he was insane. He examined the ey,
and the pulse and found both of them norma
and healthy. Did not consider examination
relevant, but made them simply as a matter
| OF record. Witness considered the main fea
/ lures of the prisoners case to be a tendency
| tosthe iormaton.S~of delusive opinions ant
morbid projects, and strong indication O
lmbecllity OF judgments land while,' sale
the witness, Il have no other evidence thar
the expression of his face, l should have nc
doubt that he is n moral imbccile or moral
| monstrosity." Mr.. Scovillo then read to the
witness Hypothetical question, based upon
the prisoners erratic life and conduct, and
that there was no other adequate motive fol
his act in shooting the President than the firm
delusion that it was necessary for the good of
the country, and asked if, in his (witness)
opinion, the prisoner was sane or insane on
the second of July. Witness declined to
answer any hypothetical questions III cases
where he had made personal examination.
Witness considered the prisoner insane when
he examined him. He believed that he must
| have been in more or less Of Il mOl bid mental
state throughout his life, and that he was
probably insane on the second Of July. Wit
ness, on cross-eXamination, was asked where
and when he graduated in medicine, and re-
Piled from the University of New York in
1873. The cross-eXamination was quite
polntediy direct to the witnesses practice and
standing as an expert, and inquiries were
made as to witnesses position as professor at
a veterinary school,
Mr.. Scoyille objected to the question as not
pertinent Mr.. Davidge replied.-Tht attain
ments Of this witness have been paraded by
counsel on the other side, and we think it
decidedly pertinent to this case to discover
what opportunities for professional acquire
nents the witness has enjoyed. Mr. Scoville
noted an exception. Witness had no reason
to feel ashamed Of his sphere of duty in that
connection. The branch Of inquiry pursued
by him had also engaged the attention OF
Huxley, Couvier, and other noted scientists
Mr.. Davidge.-Yes, but your treatment at that
time must have been confined mostly to
horses, and these gentlemen, then, are what
are known as horse-doctors, are they not? =?
Witness, (reddening and with some excite
ment. My treatment has been confined to
asses. When an ass with two legs asks me Il
stupid question, endeavor to treat him as he
deserves. A general laugh at the expense
OF counsell Witness stated that he visited
the jail under the assumed name of Professor
Brown, phrenologist. He desired to take the
prisoner unawares, and so pretended to make
psychological examination. The witness
then gave an account of his interview with
Guiteau and summed up, as the result Of his
investigation, that he found the prisoner
possessed OF a good memory, with the attain
ments OF u third-rate shyster lawyer in
criminal court, and firmly impressed with the
belief that he had sacrificed himself for the
good OF the American people. That he par
rled questions, the answering of which might
lnlure his vanity and egotism, and changed
the conversation frequently to subjects which
would give him the opportunity to laud his
position and exploits. The witness was asked
If the prisoner was able to distinguish
between right and wrong, and declined to
express an opinion as TO his moral respon-
slblllty, but from his examination Of the
prisoner he was of the opinion that since he
(the prlsoner) has been a lawyer he has
always known the ordinary legal consequences
Of criminal acts.
Witness would not undertake to express q
decided opinion as to the mental condition OF
the prisoner on July second, other than pre-
sumably that he has always been OF morbid
mind. Witness thought deprayity might tine
ture morbid projects, but did not think the
prisoners behavior consistent with the theory
that depravity was the father of the act in the
killing of the President.
Witness was asked if he had not appeared as
an expert in certain case. and after taking
fee on one side, returned it and taken q larger
one from the other side, and replied with con-
siderable warmth: "You have no basis for
such question, and no man dares to make
an assertion upon which you could found it,"
Witness did not think that mesmerism could
occasion insanity, unless there was a predispo-
q =, I -
nlesmerize one out of every thirty in this room,
and but few Of them would be seriously in
jured. Continued or frequently-induced mis-
meretlc catalepsy would be seriously injurious,
and should be forbidden here as it is in
Europe. Witness noticed the shape of Gui-
teau's head was somewhat square at the back
rhombocephalic-a that there is ''a keel"
along its centre. The innervaton of the facial
muscles was shown by his smile, which raised
one side more than the other. Mr.. Davidge-
Was this lop-sided smile indicative of in
sanity? Witness.-Not alone but i'll connec-
tion of other matters it would be Indicative
Witness said he had an affection of the heel
and desired leave to sit down. Mr.. Davidge.--
An affection OF the heel, you say | thought
it was higher up. loud laughter think
you deserve this for your conduct this morn
ing. Witness sat down, and Mr.. Davidge
asked few more questions. Colonel Cork
HILL want to see the witnesses face. Mar
shal, can't you get stool? T? | want to see the
mans face. An attendant went out and soon
came back and said: "The marshal has no
stool" The witness was allowed to sit on the
rail alongside the witness-stand. Witness
considered the deviation of the tongue to the
left as an evidence of insanity. Mr.. Davidge-
II it had been to the right what would it have
shown? Witness.-Nothing special. Mr.
Davidge.-I did not ask what ought to have
been your experience, but what was the fact.
Witness first said he had known such cases in
insane asylums, and then modified the state
ment by saying he had seen two cases in his
private practice and one in Vienna, also one
Wards Island. Court adjourned over unit
morning. o
WASHINGTON, Dec 13.-There was no dimi-
lution in the crowds which assembled at the
Jity Hall this morning 10 witness the contin-
lation of the great trial. The only change
noticeable i'll the assemblage was the falling
)tf in the number of ladies in attendance. DIR.
Spitzke was on the stand, and was found no
mean hand at retort. He was under cross
and nothing new elected. The
prisoner was orderly as usual, and his COM
nents ON Attorney CorkhIll We're insulting.
Dr.. Barker of New York was called as the
leGt expert in behalf of the prosecution. He
vas examined by Mr.. Porter. He stated his
experience and that he has care
nlly investigated and studied the subject of
insanity. He gave a scientific explanation
If insanity and said insanity was not inherited,
although tendency to insanity might be-
lie was asked: SIS the habit of boasting of
intimacy with persons of high rank when