Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-11-18

IOgues With Ehe COurt-The Cow
ernmenps Case Opened-The MUIR
dereF's Warning 40 GarfieId-mr.
Blaine on the SIand-The Fact Of
the Murder Proved.
WASHINGTON, November 17.-There was
rush and crush and struggle for positions
as soon as the Criminal Court room was
opened this morning, which soon resulted
In filling every available place. The court
was formally opened at ten minutes
past ten, and Immediately the prisoner was
hurried into the room and to his seat by the
deputy marshals and policemen. He looked
paler aud more iurried than during the last
two days, and carried in with him a pack
age Of New York newspapers The names of
OF the jurors were called and responded to.
AS soon as the court was called TO order
Ar. Scoville arose to a personal explanation,
and stated that there is no difference be-
tween himself and Mr.. Robinson, and
that they are in perfect accord. His
| speech had the effect Of bringing Guiteau to
his feet and preeipitating the first scene Of
the day. With flashing eyes, violent ges-
| lures and excited voice the prisoner ad-
dressed the court and said he objected to
Mr.. Robinson's appearing in the case.
The Court Severely your seat. l
/ wish you to understand distinctly that your
labors as counsel in this case, as you claim
to be, shall be confined to consultation with
the associate counsel in the case. II you
disobeY, he continued, as the prisoner Jump
/ ed to his feet and commenced auotheF wild
speech, the court will be under the necessity
| OF ordering your removal from the court
I room and the proceeding with the trial In
| your absence.
The Pnsoner-Your Honor said that l
could be heard, and have speech
The Court-You cannot be heard till the
close of the case.
The Prisoner (evideniIy laboring under
| great excitement)-I desire to be heard
| throughout the case. Your Honor has no
| right toeut me off, and am going TO make
| a noise to the country about It. When /
want counsel l will notify your Honor.
The COurt-Couusel have been assigned,
ard YOU must keep silence.
| Tne prisoner was irrepressible and broke
out with the remark that he ''would not
trust his case to the best lawyer that ever
| lived " After several more outbreaks he
beca me quiet.
At half past ten, Secretary Blaine accom-
| panied by his son, Walker Blaine, and Chief
| Clerk Brown, entered the court room. Dis
| trict Attorney COrkhil then proceeded to
open the case for the government.
Colonel COrkhill delivered q long and
eloquent address, In the course Of which he
compared the circumstances of the assss-
sinatiOns OF Lincoln and Garfield. This
trial was a remarkable illustration of the
genius and spirit of the government, when
after this awful offense the prisoner could
stand here in safety and demand every
| privilege accorded by the Constitution.
| There was no similar case in history. Had
the crime been committed in any other
| country the prisoner would have paid the
penalty by punishment as swift and as
rapid as the crime itself. Colonel
Corkhin reviewed at length the
fields intended departure and the scene
at The depot during the tragedy. He also
traced the course pursued bY Guiteau, read
| ing his letters soliciting Office, addressed to
the President, to Secretary Evarts and Sec.
reta Blaine. The District Attorney stated
that the letters proved the man to be Of
/ good hard sense and crafty to degree, al
was al o shown by his conduct during this
time. He gave Guiteau's movements in de-
| tail previous to and on the day of the
assassination. he was prepared to prove
that from the time OF Guiteau's
arrival in the city until his last
| expectation of securing an appointment
he was an earnest $50 called) Garfield man,
but when he lost all hope of getting place,
with lis knowledge of men (for he was a
man Of no ordinary ability in this direc-
tiOn) he determined to take advantage OF
| the political situation in New York aud
give this as his reason for killing the Presi-
| dent. He had been refused admission to the
| Executive Mansion and had been forbidden
| by Secretary Blaine ever to speak of the
Paris Consulate 10 him. SOured and disap-
pointed, on May 23d he wrote the following
letter:
"GeneraL Garfield: 1 have been trying to
be your friend. l do not know whether you
appreciate II or not, but am moved to call
your attention to the remarkable letter from
Mr.. Blaine which / have just noticed. Ac-
cOrding TO Mr.. Farwell, OF Chicago, Mr..
Blaine is a vindictive politician and an evil
genius, and you will have no peace till you
get rid Of him. This letter shows Mr.. Blaine
! is a wicked man, and you ought to demand
his immediate resignation, otherwise you
and the Republican party will come to
grief. l viii see you in the morning II l
can and talk with you. Very respectfully,
"CHAs GUITEAU."
This letter was the first indication OF his
determination to be revenged for faDeied
sffronts. It will be shown that on June 10,
among his papers, he wrote the words, 81
conceived the idea of reno wing the Presi-
dent four weeks agon Once resolved on
the course, it took but q little time for him
to decide that he must represent his action
as being a vindlcation OF the same great
principle. He knew that he must have
some screen in front OF his real motive.
Colonel Corkhill then went over the cir
cumstances of Guiteau's borrowing money
for the purchase of his pistol, his target
firing, aud finally the murder, closing with
an earnest appeal to the jury to see that the
| great offender met his just punishment.
During the delivery Of the address quiet
| reigned in every corner of the court room.
Guitesu himself was the only man who
20 M IN
it. He spent the time looking
over newspapers and occasionally convers-
| ing with his brother. When reference was
| made TO Guiteau's assertion that Secretary
Blaine wss running his department in the
| interest OF his own Presidential aspirations
in 1884, the Secretary broke out into good
/ humored smile. Later, when the letter was
read charging the Secretary with
being vindictive man and
| advising the President to
get rid of him, there was a general laugh, in
which the Secretary joined. There was one
| marked scene in the delivery OF the address.
At the passage where the District Attorney
| showed that he had threatened ruin to the
| President, the prisoner, who was apparently
a careless listener, dropped his paper, broke
out and said with considerable nonchalauce,
political ruin, your Honor, not personal
ruin that is what l meant"
Upon being reprimanded by the Judge
l Tor his interruption, 0ulIeau ealus 1 VIII
| not offend again your Honor. feel a
| deep interest In this case"
81 should think, under the circumstances,
you would" remarked the court, dryly.
Guiteau then subsidized. During the af-
| fecting close of Mr.. COrkhill's address Mrs.
Seoville bowed her head and wept. Several
I other ladies were in tears.
| Mr.. Robinson announced that the defense
| would reserve their opening.
At the conclusion Of the District Attor-
ney's speech, Secretary Blaine was called
| for the prosecution and examined relative
to the shooting. and, after detailing
| the facts of the shooting, pointed out
/ on the diagram Of the Baltimore and Poto-
mac depot the spot where It occurred.
He was cross-examined by Mr.. ScoVille
about the difficulty In the Republican party
| in the New York Legislature and the events
| connected Herewith, with a view OF show
| ing the feeling of bitterness 10 politics and
its bearing on the prisoners mind. At the
| conclusion of Mr. Blaine's testimony the
court took recess.
After the recess Guiteau again created
| scene by attempting to address the court,
but was promptly quilted by the threat OF
| removal. A number of witnesses were
| called. among them Mr.. Csrmacho, the
Venezuelan Minister, Geo. Adams, OF the
Ese,.i,,g Star, Mrs. White and number OF
other employees at the depot, all OF whom
testified to the incidents transpiring at the
depot, with little difference In their state
| ments. The witnesses were severely cross
examined by Mr.. Scoville, and at the con-