The Evening critic., 1881-12-15
sooVrLLEjS LECTURE.
What He Said OF Guitcau's Case Last

"fncidonts and points In the duiteau case
not proper dr admissible IN court of Justice
was tho title Of n convorsation--for II WIS more
n conversation than locture-hold by George
Scoville, esq, counsel for Guiteau, with n
meagre audience, Mt Lincoln Hall last night.
| There was q small representation OF the lights
OF the district far present, and several artists
and newspaper correspondents, Il strinfling
OF strong-minded women, but no people OF
note Mrs. Scovillo and John Guiteau sat near
the stage. Mr.. scovile wore plain black
suit and white vest, and appeared before his
audience promptly Mt 9 o'clock without at
tondant or introduction. He preiaced his lee.
turo by expressing his entire satisfaction
with the attitude Of the court. Ho said
no came to this city expecting fair
trial, and 30 far had no reason 10 complains
but IN this fair trial WIS contained not merely
what trahspired within tile wallis of tile Court
house, but the Conduct Of tlid press drd what
wds said by tile people; IN short, public op,D
ion, and II was TO that public opinion that no
desired to address himself without endeayor-
Ing, 70 eytcnpate the crime as to create public
feeling In favbr ~ the prlsoner; The press,
he complained, was not dlsBpsBd 10 give that
force and consideration to the defense which
| had been interposed which ought to DO given.
Not onlysthe press, but tile pulpit had preju-
diced the case. The pulpit condemned Gut.
teau on the assumption that he was n sane
NAH and set pot q single minister Of the Cos.
IL.
not single letter had beef Beiit ~ t1ieHi u
him as a sane man, calling on him to repent
and turn to.God. [Applause.l Nineteen-twen-
simple threats against his life. and not more
than two or three breathed n Christian spirit.
He criticised the action of Judge Davis in n re-
side Of the case and instructing the Jury In the
Guiteau case, and giving MS law what Judge
Cox would not give, II he Scovile) were not nils.
takeni lApplause]
said that he was satisfied Id had good reason
to think, good reason TO believe, that the pfis'
oner would not live until the conclusion OF his
trial. He (Scoville) was here TO see that
Guiteau had fair trial under forms Of law,
but he was not here to guard the prisoner with
a troop OF soldiers! Let tic responsibility rest
where 1t might, ho gave tits whining, GIid lie
knew whereof he spoke. II was not for the life
OF this man that he gave II, but because he
wanted to SEQ order prevail, and because he
did not want the American people disgraced
by having man on trial for HIS life assassi.
mated like n dog. The lecturer declared that
the greatest peril to the prisoner was In his
passage from the courtroom to the prison van,
and pointed out the danger that some desper-
ate man would stab the prisoner with n dirk
and escape without detection. He expressed,
In the most earnest language, his sincere ad-
miratlon for Judge Cox, than whom, he said,
no more candid, careful, conscientious, judi
cious man could be found In the country. He
defended Judge Cox from the criticisms OF the
press, contending that he could pursue no
other course toward the prisoner than he had
pursued without prejudging tho case. [All
references TO Judge Cox were loudly applauded
by the audience, among whom were several
members of the District Bar.
Mr.. Scovllle then touched upon the prisoners
insanity, and in that connection read an ex-
tract from n letter received I'm 1875 by Mrs.
Scoville from her father, in which he stated
that his son Charles was In Chicago trying to
borrow money to buy up the Inter Ocean, ''You
may Judge for YOURSELF" he writes, "whether
he is insane or not 10 my mind he is n fit
subject Tor an insane asylum and III l had
means would send him there. He is insti-
gated by the devil" 1t was not the prisoner
alone who was on trial-the question OF capital
punishment was on TRAITOR he predicted that
should duiteau be hanged and post-mortem
examination prove him to have been insane 1t
would BIO almost the last case OF capital punish
ment In the country. At the conclusion of his
lecture, Mr.. Scoville was applauded, and n
resolution, offered by one Of the audience was
adopted, expressing sympathy with the family
of the prisoner and complimenting Mr. Scoville
on the management Of the case. When the
audience was. dispensing, Mrs. Marilla M.
Kicker and a number Of others gathered about
the front of the stage, shook hands with Mr..
Scoville and added to his lecture-fund various
contributions In money.