The Portland daily press., 1881-11-30
aUITEAU's TRIAL.
The Prisoner Testifies In His Own
Behalf.
AND TELLS THE STORY OF HIS
WORTHLESS LIFE.


he was not feeling al all well He was imme-
diately Ecalled to the witness stand closely
watched and guarded by polio men and couri
officers. He was asked by Scoville to give
some incidents from his earliest recollections
of his mother.
Guiteau replied, "Am I to be put on as
regular witness to-day or only TO identify some
letters? 1 supposed the latter. l am not feel
ing at all well to-day, but shall be much bet
ter in q week or two"
Scovile said, II have arranged to examine
you to-day, and there are no other witnesses
present"
Guteau-"You should have had your wit
nesses on hand. | object to going on the stand
when am not feeling WE'LL TO be subjected to
cross-examination by the counsel for the prose-
cution. have got good deal 30 say. want
TO go over the whole business carefully and sci
entifcally 80 to speak, and l want to be in a
good talking condition"
Scoyie-"I shall only ask you some simple
questions"
Guteau-"I am willing to answer, provided
the prosecution will not take advantage of my
presence on the stand to force me to state my
entire defence"
Judge Porter, of the prosecution, suggested
that the papers and letters which were put in
evidence and identified yesterday should be
read, as they must necessarily be at some stage
of the trial.
Scoville explained that he had endeavored
to arrange for the introduction OF his evidence
according TO his idea of propriety and logical
fitness He knew the prisoner was pot feeling
well to-day, ard he had expected that re
would become tired or exhausted, when he
had proposed to asked the indulgence of the
court to postpone further examination. He did
desire, however, to ask the prisoner few
questions to-day"
Guiteau-"I am perfectly willing to do that,
but do not want the prosecution to take ad-
vantage of my presence Lere to cross-examine
me to-day"
Scovile-"The court viii relieve you if you
feel i'll"
Guiteau-"with that understanding will
go on"
Col. Corkhill-"We cannot submit to any
such arrangement as that"
Scoville-" don't ask your consent. shall
appeal to the court"
Judge Cox stated that if the witness went
upon the stand TO testify,s he must submit to
being cross-examiDed, and if his examination
as a witness was begun it conld not be sus-
pended except by the consent of the counsel
on the other side.
Guitesu, nodding his head approvingly, said,
"Thats the rule, Judge, as understand it"
After some further discussion Guiteau was
removed from the stand and Scoville proceed
ed to read the letters. hey were all written
by G liteau to Lis father and other members
years.
AS the reading of the letters progressed
Guiieau occasionally commented upon them
or ,suggt sted pIofer word when ScovIlle
Oneida was being read he said,
We'll, you can see I was badly cranked
about that time" At another time Scovile
hesitated and said, Here is a word cannot
make out"
"Civilization is the word,'' prompted
Guieau. 'You can see how badly mixed up
got in that miserable community. 1t makes
me mad every time | think of it. l wish
these letters were out of existence"
Scovile read from one of the letters, II am
with Tpgug Christ and cOmnany and / am
working for them"
THAT was my sentiment" said Guiteau,
"and that has been my position ever since"
ID another letter addressed to his father the
prisoner had requested two or three hundred
dollars. Guiteau commented upon this letter
saying, "Father didn't send the money. He
always thought was badly eranked."
Another letter read in which the writer
criticised severely the Oneida community aud
r,ferred to circular enclosed which also de-
pounced the community aud their practces
Guiteau exclaimed "Severa of the New York
dailies took up my circular and devoted edi-
torid comments 10 it. That was little bit OF
revenge / had for living in that miserable
society. Tm glad TO know they are broken u P
now. was viItuous man all the time was
there, though, want il understood "
| the reading of the letters was finished at
| twelve and Guiteau resumed the witness
| stand. Scoville began to question him relative
| 10 his early life. Guitean responded promptly
and inteligently and with perfect coolness for
some minutes, apparently ENJOYING the situa-
ion and his freedom to talk. Abiding to his
,aSnoi soonu se .s;,h,+ aas'it,n,r ~, "
| At all, aud got married thought that was
funny way of doing business and got very
'ii9u M, '.s' oouS ~ 70 +ho ona;do
s,s.r " =, ob vo,,d
I ll's',sd &c oo'rano;tv snd hs fs,her,s
| course in persusdiDg him t. go there
"Wbv do you blame your father" asked SEQ
'iiDe. paa,,.o ;f he r,,s o,,+ of tho wav nevar
because u no vac Juo ~ "a ss ;oananc - ~,
snou.u s,ase s'ic;s Rono Thara naysr was snah
'nisrIaoie ianaoS ',s;a;as,,; ~ an,orlS
spiI -; - ~. - ~; eo.hors rali-
0uileaa sass n.s sI,s's o q LIE fs,bar had
gious oeHei, anu was asseu II u n's s;asan He
any pecuisr VIEWS 4h n.esn,s on ~ a5,sni crank
| repiieu' S.,, Ui yes; ia'no1 was an @"-@
on mat SuoJs1e. ~, o,.ank2
ScoViiie sai1 VIVA. ~ YOU n'oan ~ Of nut-
| Oultfau- " Oh, .i,d. . q snois is nrettv
hng IL When you "ah1 " say d nD
oaniy cfazeo said ba did
| oiIn r: ~ ioply W q NV had been q little
NOT oeileve IN any reiIg, ION aa.s; 10. ,,.he,,
wlu llAs aLi uoys unS,i haoxv, wb;ch Was in
tne wofu sIey use suu tha inf,nanca Of MI
Ioos muou ~ ~. 49, Mans Cbristian Asso-
Deechsr anu eho ivuiss - sa;d G,;,aa, T nos
cla1ioh. y W 'naS aI,,,s nerS' ,osn nm,
supposeu .aDo " 70 r. .itaan rasnmad tho stand
| AIteI fecoeo 1h1u d;sarstad 10 sa;d ,n;th
be got tnoIousnny sh"s.h. 10 o"-u, 80 -;
/ the Onelua co'aln1S'y, ohHs: ~ "de -
Hell there aDe ni@ue W niS n.nu W ie1so
them His le.lers ~rit.en az enae elliie ne 10
| thought suggested tLo s.a,1 oi nis ninu'
went to NV fork 70 esaapilsn i5,. greaD fehs-
| Ious papff W oe careo !neoclac pue iuT. 1T ~
announcement. Inc wise newspaper ielows
he coJsoAted tnougnt the name was enough 70
dams IL. ne got olscouraged, tnougne ne was
gops 70 ioss ms SOUL cou,u no. soo any ioitga
| 81 went JACK again W .ne conin uui.y. rs
cot got reilef there. his idea IN estaoLshing tne
"Iheocrat was 10 ZIP up an Ghurcnes ana
estaollsn tnem over again; he stsld WIN
me community year ana ieit tnehi nna,iy IN
November 1000, sslnce wnlch , 'lme ne, nao nad
nothlng 10 90 with them. Inc reason ne aoali-
honed me suit az alnst .ne communry was ut-
cause Beecher ana hls friends IN New ,d iolk ol,,
were beginning 10 respect MIN ana ne aio noe
want to disgrace himself by having his con-
nection with the community known. "You
| don't know, ladies aud gentlemen" said Gu-
| teau. excittdly, "what monsrrous Influence
| the community had upon mans mind 1
felt like slave bound hand and foot. I was
unhappy and restless as could be without be-
| ing crank mad"
| Guteau then related in rapid tand vouble
manner his movements after finally Leaving
the community. He said he did not look for