The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-11-26

the last time he saw Guiteau was on Tues
day evening before the assassination of the
president. Guiteau took exception to the
date and insisted he did not see the witness
for month previous to July 1st Witness
was sure of the correctness OF his state
ment as he went directly to Saratoga and
heard there of the killing of the President,
Guiteau shouted out: 81 say 1t was the
list of May, don't forget anything, YOU
see that's the matter with nay brain when
anything gets in there it stays Witness
resumed when Guiteau broke in again
directly and contradicted him; he was eau
toned to keep quset, and retorted s'We
want the facts, Judge. to 60 before the
jury, and nothing else. I claim my act
was inspired by Deity. l stake my case
on that position, and I'll take my chances
on the result. The prisoner continued to
binterfere, making rambling and irrevelent
remarks, until Judge Cox quite sharply
threatened to gag him if he did not keep
quiet. Guiteau continued to interpose OBJ
Ijectiens, however, but in less objection
able manner, and gradually subsidized alto
gether.
| After recess Scoyille asked for an at
tachment against Emory A Storrs; he un-
derstood Mr.. Storrs had been served with
a subpoena but positively refused to
come. The prisoner expressed the hope
that Storrs would not be attached unless
absolutely necessary, because he was a
very nice fellow.
| Ell. B. Amerling at present lawyer at
Williamsport, Pa, who formerly lived at
Freeport, ILL.,, testified to the peculiarities
| of Luther w. Guiteau. The cross-exami
nation of this witness was very amusing
Davidge questioned the witness searching
ly regarding letter which his son, at his
request had written to Mr.. Oyler, at Free
port, inquiring as to the strange action of
Luther W. Guiteau. Witness replied that
he told his son to write such letter, not
out of any love for Charles Guiteau, but
out of respect for the family 4 loved L.
| W. Guiteau" said be dramatically, ''as I
did my own brother"
| Question-You have been a sort of con-
sulting counsel in this case?
Answer gave Scoville all the assist
ance I could. I prepared a brief on the
insanity question. 1 don't want to disguise
anything. I assisted Scoville in every way,
manner and form in this case. / have no
| love tor the prisoner, none whatever, be-
cause say to you | thought it was terri
bic wrong in shooting the President, and
think so to-day Witness stated he had no
acquaintance with the prisoner, but sub
sequently said the prisoner had made a
| threat against him.
"Why?" broke in the prisoner, Il never
saw you before in my life till you came to
the jail Saturday.
Scovile then questioned the witness
about the threat, and in prolix way he
told of a lyceum they had in Freeport
The prisoner-'I have not been in Free
port for 20 years 1t must have been when
/ was a boy"
The witness-sI was not talking to you,
sir
The prisoner-'sBut was talking to
you
The witness-'|You are not fit to talk. "
The witness SAID at the debate there was
Coffin and Guiteau on one side, and him
self and Dexter Nolan on the other. Wit
ness said good deal and wound up the
debate by saying the old gentleman was
best qualified to fill a position with an
apron from his chin to his toe, with fine
| hands in the kitchen of the Oneida COM
munity peeling potatoes. The whole court
room was convulsed with the grave manner
of the witness and his evident enjoyment
of the way in which he pitched into the
old gentleman. The witness confirmed the
prisoner afterward said the witness ought
to have been killed for aggrayating the old
man (Guiteau's father), but that God has
| decided otherwise. Witness told Guiteau's
father of this and the father said not to
mind what Guiteau said This converse
ton took place in Chicago. The prisoner
excitedly denied there was word of truth
in the story.
The simplicity, non-chalance and solem-
nifty Of the witness caused the greatest
merriment. The prisoner dismissed him,
saying he seemed to be a good fellow, but
he never knew him before.
Thos North, of Chicago, formerly Of
Freeport testified that Luther Guiteau was
not of right mind; the prisoner was an
exaggerated fac sinaiIe of his father; he
never saw anything hypocritical or dis
honest in the prisoner; his father was an
intensely sincere man. He related the pc
culiar mode of saying grace at the table OF
the elder Guiteau, which included the use
/ of the words, II confess Christ within me
/ with thankful heart for this TODD Thank
Christ for this dInner,' etc. On one of
these occasions, after grace had been said,
Charles Guiteau Tor Julius, as they called
him then9 came TO the table late, and was
spoken to by his father in a peremptorily
and offensive tone. Charles, passing be
hind his fathers chair,
STRUCK HIS FATHER
/ on the back of the neck, the two elinched
49, 4