Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-12-03
THE ASSASSINrS CIRCUS
ANOTHER DAY OF GUITEAU,S ANTICS
IN COURT
The Prisoners Testimony Finally Con-
cluded-He Is Still Horrified by the Word
"Murder"-Thc Whole Matter Charged
Up to the Deity-No Regret for the Crime
but Sorry for the Necessity of the Deed.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-Immediately upol
the opening of the criminal court, Guitea,
was placed in the witness box. He glanced a
the papers q moment and then said: 81 desire
Judge Porter, to state to You and to the hon
orable court, that I decline to answer am
more questions that are mere repetitions O
what we have been over"
Judge Porter having resumed cross.ex
animation with the question "Wss one o
purposes in removing the president to create
demand for your books'
Answer-"Yes, sir; with the modification
that it was to preach the gospel"
Porter repeated question and was answered
with sullen 81 have answered it' from the
prisoner. The question being repeated once
more, the prisoner appealed to the court as to
whether he had not already answered. The
court having held the question must be an
swered more specifically, the prisoner replied
in the affirmative.
Question-"You regard your book as gos.
pel!" A.-"As an important explanation OF
the bible, clam it is collateral gospel.
undertake to say the book is bible brought
down to the present day. In so far as there is
any truth in any book, 1t comes from Diety,
and I claim it contains important truth"
Q.-"Havs you read good deal about Ma
pOle0n! A-"N0."
Q.-"When you wrote the presidents nomi
nation was an act of God, his removal an~act
of God,' did you have Napoleon's bulleting in
your mindg A.-Apparently gratifed)
is the way express myself; sharp, pointed
sentences. If you want to see specimen of
that kind of style, look through my book"
Porter-"I think you have remarkable pow.
er of brain, and whatever your brother-in-law
may think appreciate your ability"
prfaonor t~h1 ,11a G l.
Judge, for your good opinion"
Porter (signifcantly)-"I think that Is the
opinion of every jurymau."
Prisoner (excltedly)-"I take my choice be-
fore this court and jury on the fact that the
Deity inspired the act. am not fool. The
Deity never employed a fool to do his work.
He put it into my brain and heart and left me
to work it out In my own way
Q-"And did your"
A-"Under sanction of the deity. The pres
sure on me commenced about six weeks be.
fore the actual shooting. was the predes-
tined man from the foundation of the world to
do this act, and had to do it.'
Q-"You believe in the doctrines of predes-
tnatienf"
A-"Most decidedly, am
MAN OF DESTINY.
You spoke of Napoleon. He thought he
was man of destiny as the SAVIOUR, Paul,
Martin, Luthur, or any of those religious
men,"
Q-"And your destiny was to kill Gar
felds"
Alt was my destiny to obey the divine
will, and let him take care of it. I put up my
life and have not been hung or shot yet"
Q.-"And you did not expect to be?" A.
81 had no expectation except to do the Divine
will and let him take care of me. am satis-
fed with The Deity's conduct of this case up
to the present moment
Q.-"When were you first inspired?"
Al decline to discuss this matter with you
any further. If you want any more ideas on
the subject refer you to the papers, I will
not be annoyed in this way any more. The
court and jury and country understand it
now. II you have got anything new I will
entertain you, otherwise not"
Porter-"But the jury IS not permitted to
read the papers,
Prisoner-"They have heard my statement
on that point several times, and that ought
to satisfy any gentleman"
Porter went in to cross examine the prison
er with the object of showing that the pre-
tended inspiration in regard to the theocratic
daily, the book called Truth" to the lecture
on the "Second Coming of Christ" and So
forth, were merely borrowed from ideas of
Noyes', and that portions of the book and lec-
ture were plagiarisms from the book called
1.-THE Berean.'
Witness repeatedly refused to answer ques-
tions, or, as he termed it, to "discuss" mat
tiers under inquiries at one time. He appealed
to the court for protection against the man
ner OF cross examination. Judge Porter said:
~ have not attempted to force q reply from
You, Mr.. Guiteau. If you will allow the jury
to understand that you refuse to answer, it
will suit my purpose ius..as we'll" The wit
ness at once turned to Judge porter and in
hot rrac
Judge?" The witness was then asked if his
entering the Oneida Community was inspira-
ton, if his leaving it was inspira tion, aud he
declined to discuss the subject. Judge Por-
tor then produced Guiteau's book TRUTH
which witness had claimed was the result of
direct inspiration from the Deity, and com.
pared 1t paragraph BY paragraph with the
ten by John b. Noyes. Similar ideas and
identity OF expression was apparent all
through, and witness struggled desperately to
explain away his palpable plagarisms.
A letter addressed by Guiteau to the Oneida
community was then read, in which the writer
confessed his love for and subsection to John
Ell. Noyes and the Oneida community. Several
other letters, written by Guiteau about the
time he left the Oneida community we're then
placed in evidence, identified by Guitesu and
read. One of them addressed to the commun-
ltY sets forth the writers repentance for his
insubordination, and contained confession
that he had acted under the influence of his
own self-willed, concerted and fanatical dis
position.
Guiteau insisted, In spite of warnings, in
making his explanations as the reading pro-
gressed. 81 was elbowisg my way out oi
the community then, "Isaid the witness.
you want to imagine yourselves in hell,
ladies and gentlemen, and trying to get out.
Then you can understand my position at that
time.
Witness believed in the personal existence
of the Deity and devil, and when the impulse
to remove the president seized him he wrest-
led and prayed to find out If it came from the
Lord or the devil, aud had it not been for the
political situation, and the evident necessity
for his removal, for the good Of the country
and the American people, witness would moi
have shot the president, but would have be-
lieved the impulse Was complied by the devil
NOT AN EXPERT.
Witness was then asked: "Are you insane
at alls" and replied: II am not an expert. Let
these experts of the jury decide that" Being
pressed for his opinion, wit ness declined te
answer. He was then subjected to rapid ques
tions, and soon began to exhibit irritability ant
anger, and his replies, when given at all
were in short, jerkey sentences. He wal
asked if he laid In wait for the president IN al
alley, by night, and after short wrangle
said: "Now, you are on that, I'll
r~rrn Vtff oil