Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-01
HIS TRUST IN THE LORD.
GUITEAU ON SPECIAL PROVI-
DENCE
heeOunting His Eseapes-SatIsfied
that He IL Safe-HIs Testimony
Ended sBd His CrOss-ExamInatIon
Begun.

WASHINGTON, November 9O.-The court
room was packed this morning as usual.
Guitesu resumed the stand, aud identified
several papers. He was questioned as to
the religious tenets of the Oaeida Com.
muni'y, aud said he had the same belief a.
was entertained at the Community, and
also stated what was their belief. He then
gave his experiences for the past four
years. How he tramped around trying to
lecture and sell his book. He also gave an
account Of his visits to the White House
aud the State Departments in search of a
COnsulship, and related how be received his
Inspiration to remove the President. At
twelve O'Clock a recess was taken for one
hour
After the recess the prisoner again took
the stand and was questioned by Mr..
SeoVille as TO his experience with special
providence.
decidedly in special providence. There are
four distinct times in my life when
claim special inspiration. First,
when l went to the O0eida Community,
Second, when l left the Community to 90
10 New York to establish a theOcratic pa
per 70 be the organ of the Deity in this
world. Third, when left good law busi-
ness In Chicago to go out lecturing and
working for the Lord. The fourth time l
claim special divine authority was when
attempted to remove the President. These
are the four distinct times when l claim in
spiration.
81 mean a special providence for your pro-
lection ?n
"I had abundant evidence Of the Lords
nFnfpPefOn all the timn I was m fbeOTnrrry
lecturing ar und the country. Two or three
times l came near meeting serious acet-
dents, but the Lord spared ne. Since /
have been in jail | have been shot at three
times and missed"
"On what special occasion before you were
arrested were you protected by special
providenceg"
al think the preservation Of my life at
Newark was one, when I jumped from the
train, which was going thirty five miles an
hour. Another was when | was on the
StOnington. when we were all in momentary
| expectation OF going down. l remember
praying to the Lord that He might spare my
life, but l felt perfectly willing to leave it
to the Lord. l felt happy that l had
been a faithful servant Of His by trying
to teach sthe gospel. I remember that
l thought, il my time hal come, l
could 90 with a good heart. Since my ar
rest IL has been my constant feeling all the
way through. When I was shot at and
missed, and when, last summer, a mob WAS
bowling for me, had no anxiety for my
| self and (eXcitedly) had no anxiety of the
result OF this trial. 90 Mr.. Scoville, who
attempted to stop him.) Don't interrupt
me. l feel that the whole matter is with the
Lord, and I an willing toleave it with him E"
"When you talk about a mob, to what
| time do YOU refer?"
"Last SIMMER at one time everybody want
= -. T. IL -
/ turb my equilibrium. thought that the
| government and the Lord would take care
| Of me. l want 10 say right here that my idea
/ is this: The first thing is, IL the Deity will
protect me, that He is using these men
/ soldiers, jury, experts, counsel and the
| cOurt-tO serve Him and protect me. That
| IS nv theory about divine protection. The
| Lord is no fool, and when He has anything
to do he uses the best means he can to
| carry out bis purposes. l saw that He is
using all these men to serve Him and pro-
/ tect me-"
During all this speech the prisoner
/ showed much excitement aud pounded the
/ rail of the witness stand vigorously with
his hand, while ne spoke with great rapidity
/ Of utteranee)
"What was the first instance Of Divine IL
/ terventiol after you went to jail: ?"
/ "When that keeper attempted TO shoot me,
/ and put ais pistol within eight inches of
/ my head. He denied the whole thing, but
am satisfied 1 am right General Crocker
said that it was ali a mistake, and he hushed
| it up. don't care to discuss it, but the
fact IS, that man came into my cell delibe
| ratelY to shoot me, aud the Ouly reason he
did not was that l happened to be awake. I"
The witness then described in detail the
manner in which he had seized the keeper
and piniOned his arms. The special prOvi-
dence here was that the man had ten or
twelve seconds in which to fire, but that the
| Lord stopped him,
"What was the next interpositlons"
"I claim a certain interpOsition when
Mason fired at me. The witness then de-
| scribed the incident at length. He was
standing in a cramped position. If he had
been standing up the ball would have
gone through Just where Mason aimed. +"
In like manner the prisoner con-
sidered the failure of Jones
as prCvidentia. He added: 81 say in re-
latiOn to this whole business that the Lord
| Inspired the removal of the President, that
| he has taken care Of me so far, and He will
continue to do so. II had not had abso-
Lutte certainty that the Deity inspired the
act 1 never should have shot the President" F"