Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-02

ceived any assignment to speak. Witness
thought Guiteau very peculiar and Tightly
and rambling in his conversation. During
the days proceedings Guiteau contriyed 10
interject charge of bad character against
his divorced wife, before his marriage to her.
1t was evidently trick Of his to create pre-
judice against her testimony which he ex-
pected would be given.
On Monday Mrs. Scoville gave some fur
Their testimony, explaining why her brother
was not placed in an insane asylum. John
W. Guiteau then related his difficult expert
ence with his brother, the prisoner, and his
final conviction that he was insane, but ad-
mitted that in an application for insurance
on his own life he had said there was no in
sanity in the family. He thought that the
prisoner was possessed of a demon and had
at some time in his life voluntarily chosen TO
follow evil rather than good and was respon-
sible for that choice. In every approach to
the topic of religion he exhibited the same
variation from common sense that is the
popularity of the prisoner and proved, as
far as another example can, that this is the
real family trait. GuiteRu interrupted sever
al times but his interruptions did not dis
turb the order Of the Court. Before the ad-
journment Guiteau was called to the stand to
identify some letters, etc, which were shown
him.
Tuesday he was again called to the stand,
this time to testify in his own behalf and the
unprecedented spectacle was presented of the
assassin of President testifying to his own
innocence on the plea of insanity. As a wit
ness Guiteau was phenomenon. He began
mildly, but soon got excited on the theme of
the Oneida community, and lashed himself
into fury. He gave a very graphic descrip-
ton of life there, not emitting several nauseous
details. His look and manner in the box
were closely studied by the experts, a score
of whom are present and will give their tes-
timony in due time. He acted naturally and
seemed very much in earnest. He invariably
spoke of the Community with horror, anger
and disgust. He only stayed there because
he supposed he should be damned if be left
Finally, he thought he was in hell, anyway,
so he thought he'd have little spirit and af-
ter deliberating he stole away, not having
spiritual strength enough to openly face their
criticism. He said that after leaving the
Community he studied law and was admitted
to practice in Chicago. For time he did
well, making $1,000 year. After the fire he
went to New York. Here he prospered for a
time, but at length got down and then had a
horrible time. He was arrested and thrown
into the Tombs, where he says he suffered
terribly. After his release he practiced law
dbhlu, NTOte us DOOk, anu On Lne
second coming of Christ.
Wednesday Guiteau was again on the stand
and told the story of his murder of the Presi-
dent, with the causes which led to the act.
He began by stating emphatically that his
getting or not getting Office had nothing to
do with his attempt to remove" President
Garfield. That was a political necessity to
which he was urged by Divine pressure. He
then recounted his efforts to gain the ear OF
public men. They failed, and then came his
inspiration, suddenly. On the Wednesday
evening after Conklings resignation he
thought that if Garfield was out of the way
all would go we'll He tried to shake it of,
but it grew In fortnight's time it had be-
come fixed resolve. He never has doubted
since that time-about the first of June-tka,
he was inspired. He prayed and prayed, ask
ing God, if he were not TO be thus removed
to get rid of Garfield in some other way. The
removal was necessary to save the nation
from ruin.
He told the story of his inception of the
crime, just as it has been published, and
seemed to be very earnest. He claimed Ia
have had great horror of the act after it had
been suggested to him in his chamber, as he
claimed by the Deity, and it was about two
weeks after the inspiration from the Deity
that he could fully determine to commit the
act. He told the jury how he endeavored tC
draw away from this inspiration, but how his
efforts failed, and he said that he had prayed
over and over again that if it was not the
Lords will that this should be done by him,
he would interpose some special providence
to prevent the act. He believed that if it had
not been the Lords will a special providence
would have been interposed. Then, rising il
his place in q somewhat dramatic manner, hC
said, with great vehemence, that from the
first of June until this moment he has never
had any doubt that ne was the agent of the
Deity in doing the act for the good of the
country and the people, and that, whatever
his own fate might be, he felt assured that in
the future he would be known as Guiteau the
patriot, and not as Guiteau the assassin. Al
through the day experts watched him with
the closest attention, and one of them sale
that it was the most interesting psychological
study that ever came within his experience.
When Mr. Scoville turned the witness owe
to the prosecution, Judge Porter arose. There
was a buzz of excitement through the court
room, for up to this moment Judge Porte
had taken no other part in the trial than t
sit beside the counsel for the prosecution
He began in the most pleasing, insinuatinl
tone of voice to question Guiteau as to hi
age and as to his law experience. He asked
him, with the skill of great cross-examiner
such questions as would tend to 80 divert hi
mind that he could with great suddenness pu
a question which would be likely to startl
the prisoner. He led up through a long Sc
ries of questions about Guiteau's law caree
to the question whether he had been guilty o
vices or had been truthful, and then, takinl
| up notebook, he put question to hin
which would indicate that Guiteau had lied
! His manner as he approached this importan
| question was terrible. Throwing aside hi
insinuating voice and manner, he reminded
Guiteau of the discrepancies in his statement
and of the discrepancies between his state
ments and those of other witnesses, and at
tempted to show that Guiteau's statement
that he was truthful were incorrect. But b
did not brighten Guiteau. His manner wa
entirely the same that it had been, excepting
that he became very angry when Judge Por
ter spoke to him of the murder of the presi
dent. He would not have that word used
He said it was not a murder. II have neve
looked upon it in that light" 1t was some
thing that he was not personally responsible
for, and he rRmbled on, and neither the coun
sci for the prosecution nor the officers wer
able to stop him. Judge Porter at once trio
to soothe the excited prisoner, smiling pleas
antly at him, and seeming to take his view O
the subject, and then led up to the matter o
inspiration. He got Guiteau somewhat con
fused as to his statements that he was inspil
ed on May 16 by God, and was not Statistic,
that it was an inspiration until June l.
He asked Guiteau then the terrible ques
ton whether his delay during those tw,
weeks of his doubt was not due to the fac
that he knew that the act that he oontem
plated was murder in human law. Scovilt
the counsel for the prisoner, the jury, an
even Judge Cox leaned forward in some OF
element to catch the answer For a momeI
Guiteau said nothing. Then, starting up,
said with great force that he never though
of the question of murder at all he was ain
ply striving TO find out whether the Deit