Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-12-14
The Trial OF Guiteau.

The Trial Of Guiteau.
TUESDAY, December 6-Charles P. Farwell,
member Of congress from Chicago gave his ex-
| perience with Guteau. He never thought the pris-
oner was sane man. On cross examination the
witness thought there were grades of insanity,
and did not think that the prisoner was 80 insane
but that he could distinguish between right and
wrong. Mr.. Scoville desiring the testimony Of
| President Arthur after some discussion, agreed
to reduce his enquiries to writing instead of re-
quirng the presidents attendance on the witness
stand Mr. George Gorham was on the stand but
gave no testimony though excitedly Intercepted
by Guiteau as to the animus OF certain editorials
on the political situation in May and June. Angry
alterations occurred between Guiteau and his
counsel and there were the usual scenes between
the prisoner the court and counsel for the prose-
cution Guiteau's book, Truth" was put in
evidence and portions were read first by Mr.
Scoville and afterward by the prisoner, because
the former read like school boy putting " no
| spirit into it."
WEDNESDAY, December when the court
had been formally opened, Guiteau made char
acterstic address, asserting his dissatisfaction
with the political situation in May and June. In
this is "the gist of the alleged offense. He
claimed the right as matter Of law to ask tn Q
attendance Of the distinguished gentlemen he
had named. and took exceptions to the courts
refusal to order their attendance and had no
| doubt his exceptions would be sustained and that
the court en- banc would give him new trial
General Sherman testified to his ordering out the
troops on hearing Of the shooting, thinking it
might be part OF a conspiracy He was soon sat
isfied that it the act Of one man. On leaving
the stand, the general saluted by the prisoner
with familiar and ELUSIVE expression of thanks
| for his precautions to protect him-otherwise he
"should not now be here" A number of wit
nesses from Freeport, lawyers, doctors, ministers
and non-professlonal men, testified emphatically
that they had never seen any indications Of insan-
ity in the Guiteau family, nor had they ever
heard Of any such claim until this trial. Their
acquaintance extended over II long period Of time.
The assassin's interruptions were Of the usual
violent and abusive character. The fact that but
few OF the twenty or thirty experts summoned
for the defendant gave their testimony excites
some remark, and it is said that nearly all of
them came to the conclusion that they could do
Guteau no good by their testimony.
THURSDAY, December S.-Several more wit
istence OF insanity in the Guiteau family The
answers Of President Arthur to the interrogatories
Of the defense were read, in effect, that he had
seen the prisoner a dozen times, but had never
given him any encouragement to hope for politi-
cal preferment. A niece of the assassin's father
having said in answer to questions that she never
heard that her sister died insane. Mr. Scoville OBJ
jected to the answer. In lively brush that en-
sued between the counsel, the prisoner became
| enraged at Judge Porter and shouted at him,
Now, hold your thunder till you get to the jury,
judge you are doing this sort Of thing too much"
| Judge Porter continued to argue his point, when
Guiteau broke in again" I'm not criminal and
won't be till Pm convicted; won't have that
word; you just hold your eloquence until you
| get at the jury" Mr.. Scove expostulated with
him. but he retorted in the most vicious manner,
Shut up, and mind your business; know what
| I'm doing" John W. Guiteau having taken ex-
ception to some testimony as to unsoundness OF
mind in remote branch Of the family, Mr. Sco-
vile. trembling with excitement. protested
against his meddling with the case. This incident
was the occasion of another vicious outburst by
| Guiteau against his brother, ending with the
amiable adjuration, 80 shut up and sit down !
You have been indicated" Other witnesses
victims OF the prisoners vagabondism, testified
to rent and board bills unpaid. A Boston witness
then gave the substance Of conversations he had
had in Boston with j. W. Guiteau, in which the
latter had said: The disgrace of this crime is
enough for the family to bear, without endeayor-
ing to prove hereditary insanity, for there is no
authenticated case on which to base it," For a
correct understanding OF the incidents of the trial
/ mi at in nj nd hiatt ctau
the prisoner of which sample is occasionally in
these abstracts are constantly interjected and the
proceedings thus interminably drawn out. Colli-
sions, brisk and sharp, between opposing counsel
are also Of frequent occurrence.
| FRIDAY, December 9-Rey. DR.. Macarthur of
New York, testified to Guiteaus life and evil
practices, amid a running fire OF objections by
Scoville and abuse by the prisoner. To the ques-
ton, did you ever anything in the prisoner to
indicate insanity ?" he answered, "No, sir, |
never did" Guiteau broke into noisy harangue,
directed mainly against the witness, and partly
against the reporters, which the court or his
counsel were unable to repress Colonel Corkhill
desired the court to restrain the prisoner, when
| Guiteau turned to him and said you go slow
Corkhill. You are spotted, and as soon as this
| business Is over the president will remove YOU"
| A Chicago witness, lawyer allowed prisoner to
occupy desk room in his office: During witness
| absence he moved out, taking his witness desk
with him. He went after II and prisoner paid
him for 1t. Prisoner seemed to have good col
lection business and went in and out like any
busy man. Guiteau continually interrupted, and
finally witness said TO him " It seems that your
close relations with the Deity Of late have cor
| rupted your manners" Other witnesses from
Chicago and New York testified to having been
duped out OF rent and board bills and borrowed
money, by the prisoner. Among them was
| Stephen English, editor OF the Insurance Times
once In Jail charged with libeling President Win
ston of the Mutual Life Insurance Company
| The prisoner rendered him some legal services
while in jail, for which he was paid 500, and
| $500 was put In his hands for Engsh's bondsman
The latter sum Guiteau appropriated, So far
from discovering any signs OF insanity in the
a remarkably clear-headed, shrewd LAWYER He
completely outwitted me-" One witness, New
York lawyer testified that Guiteau boosted 10 him
that "he might kill some big man yet, and mi-
tate Wilkes Booth II he could obtain the noto-
riety he craved In no other way. This witness was
frequently branded as liar by the prisoner Sew
era witnesses also testified that in their dealings
with the prisoner. they never observed the slight
est indication OF insanity, Guiteau was more bois-
ferrous than ever, almost constantly interrupting
both counsel and witness. The court adjourned
until Monday.
MONDAY, December l2.-The fifth week Of the
trial opened to-day, DR.. spitzga, a medical ex-
pert from New York, testified that he considered
Guiteau TO be insane. The witness was subjected
TO severe cross examination which was inter
rupted by violent and indecent outbursts from
Guiteau. To one OF these, unusually exasperat-
ing some one in the audience cried out "Shoot
him nowp" Cries OF "Orderl" on the part OF
the baifs soon reduced the audience TO quiet.
The warden OF the prison has received an anony-
nous letter advising him 10 remove the prisoners
from the wing OF the Jail where Guiteau is con
fined 20 that In the event Of u dynamite explosion
! no lives will DO lost