Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-12
GUITEAU'S COMING TRIAL.
PROGRESS OF THE PREPARATIONS.
WHAT THE COUNSEL SAY TO-DAY.

WHAT THE COUNSEL SAY TO-DAY.
THE QUESTION OF JURYMEN, ETC.
The trial OF Charles julius Guiteau will begin in
| the Criminal Court, Judge Cox, next Monday
morning. 1t is conceded on both sides that it will
| be protracted. Though Guiteau is charged with
assassinatIng President, the law does not distin-
| gu1sh his crime, in any way, from the murder OF
the humblest citizen, and the proceedings in court
will follow the usual formula OF murder trials.
The government will be represented by District
Attorney Corkhill, Mr.. Walter Davtdge, OF this
city, and Judge Porter, OF New York, who have
been designated E M as his special &c a. assistants The
OF Chicago, ,brother-nlaw OF the assassin, ,and Mr..
Leigh Robinson, OF this city, who has been desig-
mated by Judge Cox to act with Mr.. ScoviIle. Mr..
Scovile has been in this city for six weeks, pre-
pairing his defence, having been assisted since
| October ed by Mr.: Robinson The first days OF the
trial will be used in getting jury. Mr.. Scovile,
jury could be obtained that would consider the
that he viii be satisfied without pressing;
had formed TOR and expressed an opinion on
he anticipates little trouble in getting jury. Be-
fore the week is half over therefore, the case may
| be formally opened before jury While the gov
| ernment has summoned over a hundred witnesses
it is doubtful whether they viii all be examined.
The mere fact OF the shooting can be proved, it is
thought, by very few witnesses, and the defense
will not it is presumed from Mr.. ScOvile'S utter
ances attempt to combat this testimony. The line
OF defence mapped out by Mr. ScOville, consists in
sustaining the plea OF insanity, so the witnesses
| summoned for the defence, are persons who have
known Guiteau for long time, and experts in the
matter OF insanity. In rebuttal the government
VIII produce other expert witnesses. The eXam1-
nation OF these witnesses will take up the greater
trial
THE PROSECUTING OFFICERS IN CONSULTATION.
Judge j. K. Porter, Of Albany, New York, Of
counsel for the government in the Of Guiteau,
arrived this morning, and was in consultation
with District Attorney Corkhin and Mr.. w. d.
Davidge most OF the day.
THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF GUITEAUs CASE.
The official record of Guiteau's case up to date
In the Criminal Court docket is as follows: IA G56
Charles j. Guiteau, George Scoville, Leigh Rob-
1nson, {assigned) october 8-Presentment and
indictment for the murder of James A. Garfield
fled October 11-Marshal certi1es that he served
copy OF Indictment list of jurors, and list Of the
witnesses OF the United States on the defendant
Wits Of defendant and 81 George scoville filed;
question as to jurisdiction to be argued on be-
October 21-Opinion as to payment OF defendants
witnesses fees and mileage, delivered and filed.
October % Leigh Robinson assigned by the
court to assist as counsel in the defence OF this
case. October 26-Time for trial changed to No
vember IA, 1881. Order to subpoena and pay
twenty witnesses on behalf of the defendant;
order filed. November 3-Interrogations and
crOSS-interrOgatiOnS to be prOpOunded to j. w.
Turner OF Turner township Turner county, Da-
issued. November 5-Order to subpoena and pay
70 additional witnesses on behalf OF defendant;
order filed. November 10-Marshal makes return
that he ceriies he served copy OF Indictment list
OF the witnesses and list Of the jurors on the
defendant in person. Then follows list of 62
witnesses for the government and IA for the de-
fence, upon which subppnas have been served.
There are large number OF subpgnas yet to be
returned as served.
LONG TRIAL IN PRosPECT-LAwYER sCov1LLE NOT
DISPOSED TO FIGHT OVER JURYMEN.
~ do not think it viii take much time to get
jury" said Mr.. Scovile, Guiteau's counsel, to
STAR reporter. owe cannot expect to get jurors
who have not formed and expressed an opinion on
this case and, so far as 1 am concerned will not
try to get such jurors 1t ought not to take more
than two days to get jury"
"How long do you think the trial will take?"
'At least month, and probably nearer three
nesses on the list made out by the district at
tOrney, and we have summoned about IS. You can
see that 1t will take some time TO get through with
them. Questions of law will arise which will have
trial"
s'rhere may be some chance yet You see the
first part OF next week will be taken up in getting
"
By the way, talking Of jurors, have received let
ters from different parts of the country, from per-
sons Offering to serve on the jury. The writer's
think because this Is a United States court that
they can serve. received two letters to-day from
people in this city, saying that they will serve i'm
card Of mime n
Chicago, saying that he had been around to get
some men to chip In to help the defence, and clos
the defence he hoped my client would be hung
That's the kind OF q man would like to have on
the jury. He IS not afraid to do what he thinks is
right, and would act impartially."
.sHave you heard recently from Train?"
one received &c aH three letters last night He
lose great deal by being repeated. They must be
seen, with all their exclamation marks"
"Has the government the right to send experts
to the jail to examine Guiteau?"
y dhey - cannot cannot ,a examine him unless Guiteau
emo m 10 em NE a moth
whether he is sane or insane OF course these
casual examinations may not amount to anything.
sane: Twas reading yesterday an annual report
written by Dr. Gray, superintendent OF the New
6e state asylum AND wh the
the government. He mentions in this report the
fact that thousands of persons visit the institution
during year, and that nearly all are surprised to
the the asylum" asylum S"pp"'e p''''''l' 'an' ''n''''eu "
70 Haye you ever had any opinion from experts as
eyes, have heard from two or three Of them,
who express the belief that he is irresponsible.
IL IL
cal case covering Guiteau's case to be submitted
to experts. The points in it are about what we
expect Will be brought out at the trial concerning
his family associations his former life, &C. These
expert witnesses OF course will not hear that teS-
tmony, and have made out a statement which
they can have In advance so as to study the case"
THE PROGRAM OF THE Defence.
All that is known OF what purports to be the
program for the defence has come from Mr.. Sco-
Vile. Mr.. Robinson, his associate, ever since he
came into the case has maintained polite and
dignihed but firm silence when approached by the
1rrepreSSible newspaper interviewer. STAR re-
porter endeavOred to-day to ensnare him into
making a statement concerning the case, by ask
ing what program would be followed in the trial.
at would be hard to say what will be the pro-
gram" replied Mr.. Robinson.
"Have you anything to say about the case?"
"Whateyer have to say" replied Mr.. Robinson,
81 will say in court at the proper time"
''It is understood that you contemplate raising
the questions OF Jurisdiction and malpractice"
suggested THE STAR man.
81 have nothing to say about the case at all. It
would not be proper for me to say anything at the
present time.h
gentleman who IS intimately associated with
Mr.. Robinson was asked to-day II the defence did
not intend to abandon the question OF juris die
tion? He replied: eThat is O matter OF consider