The Portland daily press., 1881-12-13
GUITEAU'S TRIAL.
An Expert Believes the Prisoner
Insane
VIOLENT DEMONSTRATION BY THE
DEFENDANT.

DEFENDANI,
A Spectator Suggests Shooting Him on
the Spot.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.--The fifth week Of
the Guiteau trial was entered upon this morn
ing, with undated interest on the part OF the
public. Among the spectators were several
Congressman. DR.. John Andronaux, COM
missioner of lunacy, New York, and Horace
Maynard, ex-postmaster general occupied seats
upon the bench with Judge Cox.
With the consent OF the counsel LOT Inc
prosecution, Scoville called for the defence DR..
Edward Charles Spitzka of New York. The
witness examined the prisoner In the Jail yes
terday and was satisfied thathe Is insane. he
examined the eye and pulse and found ootn Of
them normal and healthy. Did not consider
the examination relevant, but made them
simply as a matter of record. The witness
conjeetured the main features OF the prisoners
case to be a tendency to the formatlon OF oeiu-
sive opinions and morbid projects, and strong
indications of imbeclity of Judgment, "and
while," said the witness. 81 have no other
evidence than the expression OF his face,
should have no doubt that he is moral i'm
beetle or moral monstroslty."
Scoyile then read to the witness hypothe-
tical question based upon the prisoners cratic
life and conduct, and that there was no other
adequate motive for his act in shooting the
President than the firm delusion that 1t was
necessary for the good of the country, and
asked if in his (witnesss) opinion the prisoner
was sane or insane on the second OF July.
The witness declined to answer any hypo-
tbetical question in case where he had made
personal examination. The witness con-
sidered the prisoner insane when he examined
him. He believed that he must have been in
more or less of morbid mental state through
out his life, and that he was probably insane
the second of July.
Tbs %AlffaHes%s wien he graduated in medicine.
| and replied from the University of New York
| i'm 1873 The cross-examination was quite
pointedly directed to the witnesses practice
and standing as an expert, and inquiries were
made as to his position as professor at veter-
mary school.
Scoville objected to the question as not per
tinent
Davidge replied, 1.-THE attachments of this
witness have been paraded by the counsel on
the other side and we think it decidedly perth
nent to this case to discover what opportuni-
ties for professional requirements the witness
has enjoyed"
Scoville noted an exception
| The witness had no reason to feel ashamed
| of his sphere of duty in that connection. The
| branch of inquiry pursued by him had also
engaged the attention of Huxley, Culver and
other noted scientists.
Davidge-"Yes, but your treatment at that
time must havo been confined mostly to horses,
and those gentlemen are what are known as
horse doctors are they not?'
Witness (reddening and with some excite
ment)-"My treatment has been confined to
asses. When an ass with two legs asks me
stupid question endeavor to treat him as he
deserves" General laugh at the expense OF
the counsel for the prosecution.)
The witness stated that he visited the Jail
under the assumed name of Professor Brown,
phrenologist. He desired to tade the prisoner
unawares. and SO pretended to max a psyche
| logical examination. The witness then gave
| an account of his interview with Guiteau, and
! summed up as the result Of his investigation
| that he found the prisoner possessed OF q good
| memory, with the attachments of g. third rate
| shpster lawyer in a criminal court, and firm
| ly impressed with the belief that he had sacri-
| feed himself for the good of the American
| people, that he parted questions the answer
| ing of which might injure his vanity and
| changed the conversation frequently to sub
| jects which would give an opportunity to laud
| his position and exploits.
The witness was asked If the prisoner was
| able to distinguish between right and wrong.
| He declined to express an opinion as to his
moral responsibility, but from his examine
| ton of the prisoner he was of the opinion that
| since he has been lawyer, he has always
| known the ordinary legal consequences Of
criminal acts.
Guiteau interruptine-'I haven't been
| lawyer for five years, Judge. He said when /
| was lawyer. You see that don't help you
my acts on the second of july
| The witness would not undertake to express
| a decided opinion as to the mental condition OF
| the prisoner July I'd, other than presumably
| that he has always been of a morbid mind.
| The witness thought depravity might tincture
morbid projects, but did not think the prison
| er's behavior CONSTANT with the theory that
| depravity was the father of the act in the Kill
| ling of the President.
Guiteau-"There was no depravity about
| this business at all, and think it is a burning
| shame for the prosecution to harp upon that
word .peprayi.ys .. Tvs haep aaaa caDgsisleppt
| and owe a few hundred dollars, it is burning
| shame for this prosecution to blacken my char
| acter."
Despite cries of 'ssilence' and 'sorder', Gut
teau continued to strike upon the table and
shrek out at the top of his voice. 81 am not
afraid to go to the gallows if the Lord Al
mighty wishes me to go there. / expect an act
of God that will blow this court and jury out
Ct that window to protect me, If necessary I
want to thunder this in the ears of the Amer
lean people,"
Davidge with an air of disgust)-"Oh, this
paDtomime business is getting played ont"
Guiteau-"You are getting played out and
your theory of prosecution too"
A recess was then taken.
AS soon as the court was called to order in
the afternoon Guiteau with flashing eyes and
nervous utterance shouted out: "There are a
good many poodle dogs in the press. want to
express my contempt for these poodle dogs of
the press. The high toned press of the coun-
try are beginning to express their opinion that
1t would be a crime to hang man who was in
my condition on the I'd of July when / was
impeled upon the President"
Some one in the audience cried out, ssShoot
him now"
Cries OF order on the part of the bailiffs soon
reduced the audience to quiet and DIR. Spitzka
again took the stand. Witness concluded from
the shape of the face and head and defective
innovation of the facial muscles and from the
pronounced deviation of the tongue to the left
that the prisoner was born with unequal de-
velopment of brain, that his insanity was
congenital. Witness described with great par
ticularity the peculiarities of head formation
which he had detected in the prisoners case.
He thought in the prisoners case that the in
equality in thetwo sides of head was three times
greater than in the normal head. The ine-
quality could be taken as indication of moral
imbecility only in proportion to its degree.
Witness continued: "If had only that mans
(pointing to Gaiteau) mean face to judge I
might say he was depraved man or insane
man, but introducing the other factors, the
unequal formation of the head, inequality of
the facial expression and deviation of the
tongue am OF the opinion that the trouble is of
a congenital origin"
The closest attention was paid by Guiteau to
the evidence of the witness and his satisfaction
was plainly indicated by the expression of his
countenapce. Witness, becoming weary, was
allowed to sit down but District Attorney
Corkhill insisted upon his standing up as he
could not see or hear him. Witness stood up
saying it was trivial matter whether Cork
hill could see or not.
Guiteau was immensely amused at this re-
tort and with chucke said "He's bad man
for you Corkhill. We've got some more of
them to-"
Witness upon talking with the prisoner
found that he based his conclusions upon |
insane and improbable assumptions, but grant |
ing his assumptions to be true his conclusions |
were logical.
The cross-examinations was continued till the |
hour of adjournment, and the combined efforts |
of counsel for the prosecution were brought to
bear upon witness with the evident purpose Of |
breaking down his testimony. Witness how
ever provedSmore than match for his would |
be crucifiers and frequently turned the tables
upon them Col Corkhil sharply questioned |
him in regard to the article that he (Witness)
had contributed to the New York Medical Jour
nal. A spicy colloquy ensued between wit
ness and counsel in regard to the article ex-
tracts from which was read by Col. Corkhill
Guteau broke in and shouted, SIT seems to
cause you considerable trouble. You had bet
ter cool off, Corkhil. l haven't seen you SO
heated SO before. Its three o'clock, we had
better go home"