Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-24

rom the Pr1SOnef-l00tSna n
jones' Release.
WASHINGTON, November 2S.-The iI-
clement weather had sensible effect this
morning In lessening the throng about the
court house. Despite the rain, however
the usual proportion of ladies was observed
among the spectators at the opening OF
court, and among the faces were not few
that have been seen every day since the
commencement of the trial. Guiteau ar
rived about nine O'Clock. While waiting
to be taken into the court room, Guiteau
discussed freely the events of Yesterday,
and expressed some dissatisfaction at the
release of Jones upon bail.
When court opened, Mr.. Scoville addressed
the Judge, and made request for the
papers which were taken from Guiteau at
the time Of his arrest, stating that they were
material evidence for the defense, and
since the prosecution had not needed them
he could see no reason why they should be
| withheld from him.
The District Attorney offered to furnish
copies OF the papers, but Mr.. Scoville in
sisted upon his rights in the matter, and
asked for the originals.
Pending the discussion Guiteau insisted
upon being heard, and said: II can throw
| light on this. At the time of my arrest ]
had forty or fifty editorial slips, showing
the political situation In June last. These
slips show the action and one of the forces
that impelled me to the attack on the Presi-
dent. They are very important as showing
the gist of the whole matter. There were
forty or fifty slips denouncing President
Garfield. 1t was from living on such ideas
as these that was finally impelled on the
| President with my inspiration"
! Col. Corkhill interposed again, saying:
''If it will enable you to get through to-day
l will send for them at once"
During momentary lull In the proceed
iDgs. Guiteau desired TO make personal
explanation, saying that he had used the
expression yesterday that "Julius was too
| suggestive OF the negro race, and for that
reason he had dropped 1t from his name.
This prejudice was begotten twenty years
ago. be meant no disrespect to any person
or any race, particularly not to the colored
race, for they were more highly thought of
than the white race cenow-a-days."
At 1870 Scoville continued by reading
! Guiteau's letter.
Mr.. Scoville read a letter written by Gui-
teau to his father, in which he spoke of
| having gotten into some trouble, and ip
which he asked for money. Guiteau ex-
| planned the letter. As the reading of the
letter was concluded, Guiteau again inter-
rupted, saying, ~ never got much from
my father. He got down on me because /
left for the Community. We could never
| agree afterwards. OF that miserable, stink
| ipg Community business Pm mad every
| time think of it. 1t kept me out of fel-
lowship with my father up to the time OF
| his death"
Mr., Scoville alluded to Guiteau's career
as politician, and drew the conclusion that
his intellect was deficient. This aroused
the prisoner at once, and he began a series
OF Interruptions, protesting against Mr..
Scoville's conclusions as false.
When reference was made to his running
around from one committee room to an
| other seeking to be employed as a cam
paign speaker and his failure to obtain re-
cognition was mentioned, GUiteau shout
ed aDgrilY, "Twas not because /
had no ability, but was not
known. l had ideas, but not reputation.
They wanted big guns like General Grant
and Senator COnkling-men who would
| draw" Then, in direct contradiction of his
eounsel,s declaration to the jury yester-
never made jokes in bis life, he
looked up with an amusing smile, and added:
~ presume I'd draw now." This provoked
general laughter, which was promptly sup
pressed by the Judge, who struggled to dis
guise slight smile upon his own features.
Mr.. Scoville continued upon the same
line, and criticised Guitesu's speech, en-
titled Garfield vs.. Hancock" It was, he
said, mere tumble of ideas collected from
newspapers and from the speeches of others.
| Guiteau interrupted him several times
Colonel CoIkhill arose to protest against
the Interruptions of the prisoner, when
Guiteau waved his hand to him patron
izingly and said, "'Tis not necessary to
make any remarks, Colonel. just let the
matter drop"
Mr. ScoVille was willing to agree to any
measure the District Attorney might suggest
| to restrain the prisoner. Mr.. ScOville con-
cluded his opening without further inter-
Tuption or incident. At the request of the
District Attorney, the witnesses for the de-
tense were excluded from the court room,
with the exception of Mrs. Scoville.
The pSDsecution, at the request of Mr..
scoville, made exception in her case. The
first witness for the defense, Mr.. Barton,
was then examined.
The first witness called was H N. Bur
ton, Congregational preacher from Syca-
more, Illinois. He had heard Guiteau lee
! tqre, and, while his style and actions were
peculiar, he did not think he was so far in
sane as to be irresponsible. Hiram II. Da-
Wis, OF Erie, Pa, testified to the imbecility
and insanity of members of the Guiteau
family. Thompson Wilcoxson, aged eighty,
OF Illinois. said Guiteau's father was OF
unsound mind, especially on religious sub
| jects. DR.. John A. Rice, of Merton, Wis ,
was the most important witness yet called.
He had examined the prisoners mental con-
dition at the request of Mrs. ScoVille in
1876. He had frequently made similar
examinations for the purpose of assisting in
placing people In asylums, sometimes a
dozen In one year. He came to
the conclusion that Guiteau was insane
from his own observation and the
facts stated by others. In periods of excite
ment he thought he detected incoherence
Thought, also, he had abnormal egotism
Thought there was a weakening of judg-
ment and an impairment of the mental
faculties, though he was unable to detect
any hallucination or delusion. His summa
ry was: First, strong hereditary predisposi-
tion; second, more or less congenital moral
defect; and third, about the age
OF puberty came this eXaltation of
his emotional nature. He Informed the
prisoners friends that he thought he was
insane. He believed he said dangerously
insane, and he took measures to have him
secured, but Guiteau hearing of 1t left the
country. He thought his religion was false
and arose from an excess Of emotion. Had
attended Guiteau's father, Luther, last year
and thought he was deranged. His
ailment could not have produced this
arrangement, he thought. This
witness also touched on the peculiar re-
ligious Views of Luther Guiteau and also
gave incidents Of the unreasonable conduct
of the prisoner. A recess was taken at this
point.
Upon reassembling DR.. Rice was cross
examiRed by the prosecution without mate
rial deviation from his testimony, Guiteau
breaking In at one point TO deny running
away to avoid being secured, aud saying he
left to open law Office in Chicago.
Frank l.. Union, OF Boston, was next
called. He had hired a hail there to
Guiteau, in which he delivered lecture on
Why are Two Thirds of the Race Going to
Perdition ?" The prisoner had then got
out programme calling himself the ''Little
Giant from the Wesf." He touched on
Guiteau's eccentricities, and said that in
the course OF his lecture he grabbed
up his manuscript and ran for the door,
apparently disguised with himself.
"Disgusted With the audience" exclaimed
Guiteau.
Continuing, the witness said the audience
voted unanimously that the lecturer was
crazy, aud he had DECLINED to let him have
the use Of the hall again for any crazy lec-
lures. Guiteau had solemnIy assured him
that he belonged to the firm of "Jesus
Christ q Co" The cross-examination
brought out The fact that the wi ness had
been an actor, and that the usual audiences
in his hall were of liberal tendencies. Gull
teau's views were antagonistic TO them.
Mrs. Mary Lockwood keeps boarding
house 10 this city. The prisoner had taken
meals there for one month, beginning las.
March. She spoke of his rude and un-
polished behavior and of his peculiar and
disagreeable manner of looking at person