The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-11-24

prisoner. 1t was no matter who held
the Presidents head or who dressed the
wound. The position of the jury was a
ditficut one indeed, but their duty was
plain and direct. ScOville stated to the
| jury that no doubt insanity experts
would be called on both sides and no
doubt different opinions would be ex-
pressed, but the question of motive must
be considered in this thing. Surely ex-
| perts for the defense would not helm
their regulations much by testifying
that they thought the prisoner irrespon-
slble and insane at the time of shooting.
The chances are that when they go home
they will find some of their patients
gong to other hands. Such witnesses
for the defense could not be infiu-
enced by the S1.25 per day which the
| Government allows them. He had sub
| p9n8d experts he had never seen and
he ran the chances of their testifying
IN the prisoners favor. Some of them
would no doubt disappOint him. SEQ
Vile further said that the case ought to
nave been postponed for some time, but
he knew it was useless to ask that He
! was, therefore, dOink the best he could.
lie called the attention of the Jury to
the disparity of his forces and those on
| the opposite side. He asked no fayOTs.
| but desired it understood he was not
responsible for the failure to get ade-
| quate counsel. He was not much of a
| lawyer himself, while the prosecution
had skilled practitioners. But in point
of fact he asked no odds. If the iury
| ala their duty he was sure they would
| recognize an insurmOuntable wall in
the defense, and he would feel secure in
their Judgment, The case was then ad-
journed.
TUESDAY.
William Jones was brought before the
police court Tuesday morning for as
sault with intent to kill Charles j.
Gulteau. He was detained but few mo-
ments and in default Of 5000 was com
mitted to Jail and the case indefinitely
postponed. Guiteau was brought into
the court room shortly after ten O'Clock,
and ScOville resumed his argument. He
called the attention Of the jury to the
plea set up by the defense of insanity,
discussed at great length the growth
and changes of public opinion upon the
subject of insanity, and it's treatment
by the courts when set up as defense
III criminal cases. He cited numerous
cases and rulings in several noted ones.
He claimed that the plea of insanity
having been set up by the defense, the
burden of proof rests with the prOsecu-
tlOn. At one point in the argument
ScOyllle, in detailing the more enlight-
-.
said: I'm other words, those in charge
OF the asylums act with little more
reason than do the inmates" This SALLY
seemed to amuse Guiteau immensely
and broad smile broke over his face,
which re-appeaTed two or three times as
II his mind recuTred to it. ScOVille
alluded to the prejudice which undOubt-
edly existed against the plea of insanity
generally, and especially in the case
q hnt
of the newspapers had intimated that
Gulteau was only feigning insanity and
such seemed to be the general theory of
the public. Guiteau turned uneasily in
his chair, and with a quick nervous ar
ticulatiOn said 81 never feign, act
myself, sane or insane" Without not
ing the interruption, ScOyilIe alluded
to the arrest of the man at the time of
President Hayes's Inauguration, who
was sent to the insane asylum. This
man, he said, had as carefully made all
his arrangements to kill President
Hayes as did Guiteau to kill President
Garfield, and but for his arrest might
have succeeded. There was just as much
ground to indicate Guiteau's insanity.
why" said ScOville, "even President
Garfield said, Why did this man do il?
he must be insane. Blaine must have
believed Guiteau insane. He asserted
that insanity was hereditary in the fam
lily, and went on to give the story of
Guiteau'S life in detail. Guiteau ap-
peared to be satisfied until ScOville
plainly intimated that lack of capacity
on Guiteau'S part had reduced his law
practice to the collection of bad debts. |
Guiteau WINGED and broke out with: 81
brought great many suits, and gem
orally gave them al! they wanted on
the other side.' After a moment of |
quasi explanation to the prisoner, SEQ
vile was about to proceed, when Quit |
eau, apparently appeased, waived his |
hand pleasantly to ScOville and said,
go on, Mr.. ScOyille; that's an interest
ing story, and it is correct in detail" |
ScOville said in effect, that |
Guiteau made good living, and sup
ported his family at this time and paid |
his debts.
Scoville, while describing Guiteau's |
religious experience, was frequently |
interrupted by the prisoner with "I
left fine S5 1000 law business to do that |
work, and you all know how 1 made out |
with it; and again the same kind of |
business the Apostle Paul was engaged |
in; he got his pay and l expected to |
get mine some time out of that book L |
wrote" A moment after, with show
OF enthusiasm, and raising his voice,
Guiteau exclaimed
81 used to go round the streets sell |
ing my lecture; people thought L was a
book agent; and L was happier when 1 |
was doing that work than ever before.
was working for the Lord, not for
ScOville then read the letters, most of
them being addressed to Mrs. Scoville
and some to himself. Those of the
earliest day, 1858, show nothing pecu-
liar, but gradually they drift into re-
ligiOus turn, quoting texts of Scripture
and appealing to his sister to turn to
God. This feature of them is marked
after he has gone to the Oneida Commu-
nifty, the first letter from which is
dated February, 1861. In this he lays
down and supports the doctrines of the
Community. When this letter was
read the prisoner said; 81 forgot that
letter. 1t is very good representation
Of the influence under which L lived for
six years. L was not aware it was in
existence"
Lawyer Trude, of Chicago, upon whom
ocOville and Guiteau depend for aid in
their case, has not yet de-
;ided whether he can help them or not.
His engagements here are pressing and |,
MS wife's health demands his presence
here. He says a strong pressure is he