Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-12-14
Guiteau,S Trial.

| Eighteenth Ddy.-Guiteau was filled with fear
and trembling as he cringingly shuff1ed through
the large crowd which lined his walk from the
van to the entrance of the court Dr. Kennon,
managing editor of the Chicago Medical Re-
| view, gave it as his opinion that the prisoner
| was insane. During the testimony of Dr. Ken
non, Davidge maintained that John W. Gui-
teau lad sworn positively that the prisoners
| father was not insane. Witness admitted that
when man committed crime while acting I'M
der the delusion of Divine inspiration, and
| then conducted himself precisely as a criminal
| would do, would be presumptive evidence
against insanity. Several other experts were
called all of whom testified that if his actions
up to the time of the hypothetical question were
true the prisoner was undoubtedly insane
Guiteau vas mcensed at the qualified testi-
mony of the experts and denounced the wit
nesses as cranks.
Nineteenth Dayton the 9Th inst. the de-
tense closed their testimony and District Attor-
ney COrkhin directed all the medical experts to
remain for examination by the prosecution
Scoyile requested that President Arthur be
summoned. Guiteau broke in with: eyes; and
Grant and COnkling and the rest of my political
friends" Counsel for prosecution agreed to
allow Scoville to prepare interogatories to
the President, and allow his evidence in this
form to be put in later. The prisoner read
copiously from his book, "Truth." certain
passages of which will be marked by Scoville to
| be submitted as evidence.
| Twentieth Ddy-The government began its re-
buttal. The expert testimony was not called at
first, the prosecution producing large number
| of witnesses who had been early neighbors,
| friends of the Guiteau family. The Uniform
| testimony went to show that while GUuteau's
father was eccentric in some ways he was man
of unusually bright intellect, and was trusted
with important positions with the fullest con-
fidence of the city Of Freeport, where he lived.
| Other relatives were eccentric, but very few
| cases of actual insanity were found in the fam
| lily. Gen. Sherman was placed upon the stand.
| When he had concluded, Guiteau said: - |
thank you, General, for having ordered out
those troops that day. If it hadn't been for
you should not be here to-day. I owe my life
to the protection which you and General Croker
gave me during that period when mob spirit
was rife" The prisoner interrupted the coun-
sci as often as usual.
ToCerty.tirst Day.-The testimony taken on
the 9Th tended greatly to weaken the prisoners
| case, as 1t destroyed every vestige of the claim
of hereditary insanity. The prisoner interrupt
| ed the witnesses repeatedly and vicously.
President Arthurs answers to Scoville's interro-
cations were read in court. He said he had
seen the prisoner ten times and possibly twenty
| times, that the prisoner, to his KNOWLEDGE had
rendered the republican party no service during
the campaign; that there was nothing in the
relations between the leaders of the party and
Guiteau to furnish the latter with any ground
for supposing he would receive anappointment.
The President stated that he had received a
letter since the Indictment containing some
claim of his having rendered some important
services to the republican party during the
Presidential campaign, and an appeal for a
postponement of his trial to give him time to
prepare for defense.
Ttoenty second Day.-When the criminal
court opened on the 9th Guiteau became un-
usually noisy, abusing Corkhill and number
of witnesses. Geo. W. Plummer of Chicago.
after suffering the Interruptions for while
said to the prisoner; 81 seems that your close
relations with the Deity of late have corrupted
your manners" The prisoner laughed heartily
at this sally and said "Well, that amt so bad
Plummer. for western man." Plummer said
be had noticed nothing about Guiteau to indicate
an unsound mind. Stephen English editor
and proprietor of the Insurance Times, New
York, took the stand. Guiteau called out
''This man was in Ludlow Street jail, and got
him out for $780," Witness said he was in
Jail under $40. 900 bonds and hired prisoner to
secure his release, giving him $500. Guiteau
took the money, and also that of other persons
but rendered no service therefor. Guiteau
shouted at the witness: "Why, would not
spit on you on the street, you old scoundrel.
III get some insurance men to show you up.
You are lying all the way through, English, you
old fraud" Witness considered the prisoner a
shre~d sane man. At one time Guiteau cried
excltedly: 81 want to know, Corkhill, what all
this kind of evidence has got to do with the real
issue-who fired the shot that killed Garfield.
the Deity or I? think it is devilish mean to
rake up my character in all it's details. The
only issue here is, who fred that shot, the
Deity or [! Just take that home, Corkhill, and
think over till tomorrow morning. I want to
know what all this has got to do with my sanity
or insanity on the I'd of July? AS told you
before, had time enough to go crazy hun
dred times in the interval" J. Mclean Shaw
testified that Guiteau told him that he (Guiteau)
was bound to become notorious, and might
some day, like J. Wilkes Booth, kill some great
man in order to draw attention.