Morning journal and courier., 1881-12-01
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

GuIteau's Chec1nered Career-A Hack st
 Many Trades-How He Was Inspired to Remove President Garfield - He Grows Excited Under Judge POrter's ! Cross examination
 l WASHINGTON, Nov. 3O.-Guiteau's dramat-
 ic recital of his checkered career seems to have lent additional interest to the trial and crowds thronged to the court room this morning to hang with morbid interest on the details as they fell from his lips that brought him to the eliminating point of his ife-the dark tragedy that cast gloom upon happy
 nation on the morning of July 3. Guiteau was evidently very tired to-day and told his | story with less animation than usual. In fact ! many believe that the mental strain of the trial is showing itself in his behavior. Prompt I ly on the opening of the court the assassin resumed his narrative, telling how he trav- eled about selling and delivering his lecture till he became thoroughly discouraged and disgusted. Then he tried law for 8 few weeks in Milwaukee, but could not keep his mind from theology, and he drifted back to featuring. Again he failed, and returned to law, only to go back once more to the ros-. trum. Then he oscillat d between law, in- surance and theology for several months. He
 finally left Chicago for good in the summer of 1S79 All his other careers-theology, law and business - making him no sat- factory return, in 1880 he decided to go into politics He offered his ser vices to the National Republican commit tee and they were declined. However, he started out on his own hook trying to find audiences for his lecture Garfield against Hancock J He related his campaign services, bringing the story up to his arrival in Wash ington on March 5. He entered on the last dark chapter in his autobiography by stating emphatically that his getting or not getting office had nothing to do with his attempt to remove President Garfield. That was polit ical necessity to which he was urged by di- vine pressure. He then recounted his efforts to gain the ear of public men they failed. Then the inspiration to remove Garfield came Suddenly on Wednesday evening, after Conkling's resignation, he thought that if President Garfield was out of the way all would go we'll. He tried to shake it off, but it grew. In fortnight's time it had become a fixed resolse. He never has doubted since that time-about the 1st of June-that he was inspired. He prayed and prayed, asking God if Garfield were not to be thus removed to get rid of him in some other way The removal was necessary to save the nation h.. mans mind being taken possession of by the Supreme Being, where man acts outside of himself.
 discussion ensued here over the pris- oners wish to read from printed slip which contained an interview purporting to give his views on the theory of inspiration, and Guiteau insisting that he did not fell well 8 recess was taken.
 Court reassembled, after long recess, at 1 o'clock Guiteau seemed little brighter after dinner and once or twice scared into the realm of declamation in explaining the motives which led him to shoot the Presi dent. He said little, however, that was new He declared that he had not changed his mind as to the usefulness of his deed, and predicted that in time he would not be called an assassin, but patriot. Then followed squabble between counsel as to the admissibility of certain evidence show ing the condition of the prisoner s mind since the shooting. Judge Cox finally ad mitted it. MT. Scoville then questioned him l on the lady question. He said that while in jail he announced that he was in search of a wife Was that true? asked Scoville. Of course it was no harm in that is there, was l the prisoners reply. Judge Porter conducted | the cross examination and gave long time for answers. In answer to questions l the prisoner related his experience in the law ! business. He said he had no bad habits, and l never countenanced shams He hoped he l was Christian. He had gone through the l ordeal of the Oneida community. He had l been wrongly reported as saying he was | strictly virtuous The fact was he had had | to do with three women at Oneida. l There was no fun in that kind of thing, how | ever Outside that he had been virtuous. | He refused to answer whether he determined l to kill Garfield. He said he was the agent of | the Deity in that matter. If he had had any thing to say in that matter he would not have | -l.-G 1nr,t Tv6rr pNrtn fnnr, tioned him as to where he had his law offices. l how much he owed for rent, which resulted l in showing that he owed almost everyone | that he dealt with. During the cross | examination Guiteau, who was quite l tired out by his long continued | at first answered quietly, but bye and bye be- | came greatly excited. His eyes protruded 1 and glistened and he looked really crazy. In l speaking of his persistency he accidentally l said, ssWhen determine on anything I carry | it out.n Thereupon Judge Porter asked l him, You determined to kill General Gar, | field did you not ?" 1T decline to answer, :" l and after few more questions he flew into rage and cried, II want it distinctly understood that the l Deity and I shot General Garfield. I was inspired to it. It Was no personal mat 1 ter If that act had been committed on my own account there is no punishment too great for me, but acting as I did as the agent of the Deity it had to be done. never had the first conception that General Gsrfeld's removal was murder. If it had not been for political necessity Garfield would never had l been removed by me. was under no political obligation and had never held po- IiticaI office" In answer to question he I denied any intention of removing Blaine also. The prisoner in rather incoherent and wild terms said he had conceived the idea weeks l before the shooting, but had never made up
 
 derqone great conflict in his mind, in which the will of the Deity finally prevailed.
 By 2:55 D. m. both the examiner and ex- anined were worked up to white heat, when the court adjourned. It is the general opinion here tonight that the cross -exanlina- tinn resulted in little gain for either side.