Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-21
Guiteau's DemeanOr.

Guiteau's DemeanOF.
The demeanor of Guiteau in court ID
either that of q maniac or one attempting
to play the mailman. We are inclined to
think that his insanity is make-believe; a
game put up by him and his brother-in-
law to save his neck from the gallows.
One of the evidences of this is that he
overdoes his part. His actions in court do
not agree with his previous known ap-
pearance at any peri)d Of his lite. Had
he been as crazy before the shooting OF
President Garfield as he appears in court,
his acquaintance certainly would have no
hesitation in testifying to his insan-
ity, and it is fair to be presumed
that instead of going at large and taking an
active part in political and religious mat
ters ~ he did. he would long ago have
been an inmate Of some lunatic asylum.
The man who deliberately planned and
ccoIly carried out the assassination Of
President Garfield. keeping his plans and
thoughts in his own breast for days and
weeks before he carried them into execu-
ton, maniissting no signs Of insanity that
were noticed either Immediately before
he shot the President or at his arrest and
incarceration in Jail, was the real Guiteau /;
and the crazy Guiteau who now interrupts
the court, berates his lawyers, hammers the
desk with his fists, and does other wild
and fantastic tricks is cheap counterfeit
prepared to deceive the court and the pub
lie. How long would such creature as
this Guiteau, as he appears in court. be
suffered TO 60 at large in any community.
where there are asylnms for the safe
keeping and treatment of lunatics? Not
long We think.
The game is too thin" The acting is
ovsrdone 1t does not correspond to the
known character of the criminal before
the murder. A correspondent at Wash
ington calls attention to the fact that
Guiteau has cunningly endeavored to Gre
ate the impression that he had no malice
in shooting the President, well knowing
that unless malice could be proved he
would escape hanging under the law.
This writer says 1.-The opening address OF
Colonel COrkhill was an effective one and
It called out Guiteau on point OF much
importance. The theory of the district
attorney was that Guiteau shot the Presi
dent in revenge for not appointing him to
Office and because he had been elected
from the White House. Guiteau in his
talk and in one of his publications has
showed a good deal OF cunning in his ef-
forts to convey the impression that there
was no ground for supposing malice. This
has afforded one strong reason for believ-
ing him sane, since he shows him
self sufficiently in his right mind
TO reason that reconciliation and
malice belong to the crime of murder. He
paid no apparent attention to Colonel
Corkhill until he reached the question of
malice. when he at once gave strict at
tention. He was evidently much stirred
and deeply troubled by the clear analysis
of this part Of the case. The effect of this
upon him was carefully watched by those
who knew in advance the line of argument
which Mr.. Corkhill would follow, and
who also knew how particular Guiteau
had been from the first to create the i'm
preston that he had no reasons for feeling
personal grievance at anything the Presi-
dent had ever done. The prompt atten-
ton which Guiteau gave to this matter
strengthens the opinion among those
watching for the effect. that he is sane
enough to hang"
We have no idea that justice will be
cheated in this manner. The case is alto
gether too grave and important to be de-
cided by such deceptive performances as
Guiteau goes through with daily in
court.