River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-12-22
He Runs His Trial at Wash
ington to His Own Liking.
Growing More Insult
ing to Everybody.
The Jam for Admittance TO the
Court Room Increases
Jurors Becoming Sick
and the People
Disguised.
rwENrY.sEcoNp DAY.

WASHINGTON, Dee. 1Z.-lne HfSI VIII
ness in the Guiteau case was DIR. Ed
ward Charles Spitzgs, of New York.
Witness had made the study of nerv-
Gus and mental diseases a specially,
and had been called to testify as an ex-
pert about rs times. Witness consid-
cred the main featur,s of the prison
er's case to be tendency to the for
nation of delusive opinions and NOR
bid projects, and str.ng indication of
imbecility ofjudgment and while, said
witness, (I have no oher evidence in
that expression of his face) should
have no doubt but that he is a moral
imbecile or moral moBtrosity.
Scoville then read witness some
hypothetical questions, and in his
(witness1 opinion, asked was he sane
or insane on the I'd of July.
The witness declined to answer any
hypothetical question in cases where
he had made personal examination.
TIE witness considered the prisoner
insane when he made the examination.
He BELIEVED he must have been in
more or les, Of a morbid mental state
throughout his life, and that he was
probably insane on the second of July.
Cross was quite point
edly directed to witness practice and
standing as an expert, and inquiries
were made as TO witness position as
professor alta veterinary school.
Davidge replied, 'The attainments of
this witness have been paraded by the
counsel on the other side, and we think
it decidedly pertinent to disc yer what
opportunities for professional acquire
ments witness has enjoyed"
Scoville noted the exception that the
witness had no reason to feel ashamed
of his sphere duties in that connection
Davidge-Yes, but your treatment
at that timemust have been confined
mostly to horses, and those gentlemen
then are what are known as horse doc
tors, are they not?
Witness, reddening, and with some
excitement, said my treatment has
been confined to asses, and when an
ass with two legs asks me a stupid
question, | endeavor to treat him as
he deserves. Great laughter).
Witness stated that he went to Jail
under the assumed name of Prof.
Brown phrenologist. He desired to
talk to the prisoner unawares, so he
pretended to make q physiological ex-
animation OF his head. The witness
was asked if the prisoner was able to
distinguish between right and wrong,
and declined to express an opinion as
to his moral responsibility, but from an
examination of the prisoner he was of
the opinion that since he 1.-THE prisoner.
has been lawyer. He has always
known ordinary legal consequences Ct
criminal acts.
Guiteau (interrupting)-I have not
been lawyer for five years, Judge.
He said when | was lawyer. You
see that don't help you any, judge. Ask
him if was responsible for my acts on
the Cd of July.
The witness would not undertake to
express decided opinion in regard to
July I'd.
Prisoner There was no depravity
about this business at all, and |
think it is burning shame
For .ho on,,tlor-a ~, nf th~ r,.NnNn,'4;n.,
to harp upon that word depravity.
/ have been a consistent Christian all
my life, and because / committed
adultry to get rid of a woman did not
love and owe few hundred dollars, it
is burning shame for this prosecution
to blacken my character. Despite the
cries of-silence! silence! and, order!
Guiteau continued to strike upon the
table and shrek out at the top of his
voice: am not afraid to go to the gal
lows if the Lord Almighty wishes me
to go there. | expect the act of God
will blow this court and jury out of
that window to protect me if necessary.
l want to thunder this in the ear of the
American people"
Davidge with an air Of disgust y Oh,
this pantomime business is getting
played out, Guiteau. You are getting
played out, ard your theory of prose
cution, too
A recess was then taken, after which
DIR. Spitzge resumed the stand. He
was submitted to a sharp cross exami-
nation, but proved more than a match
for his questioners, and the court adj
journed without concluding the exam
nation.
TWENTY-THIRD DAY.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-Dr. Spitzke
was again called to the stand this morn
ing and gave his reasons for consider
ing the prisoner insane.
III. A Ketchem, New York attor-
ney at law, knew the prisoner in 1858,
when he occupied desk in the office
of Judge Halves. Witness related an
instance of Guiteau's obtaining money
under false pretenses.
Scoyille objected to any testimony
going to show the commission of any
other crime or misdemeanor by the
prisoner.
Guiteau Indignantly never got a
cent from this man In my life. He
was only a poor clerk, and | didn't
consider him proper associate for a
heightened lawyer like myself.
Prisoner continually interrupted and
insisted that the evidence was entirely
irrelevent. Finally turning to Scoville
he said: "You are getting badly crank
ed on this matter, and if you had sense
you would see it does not DO our case
any good. You will be on trial your
self, if you don't look out; you are get
ting worse than Corkhill."
Henry Wood, of Philadelphia, had
known the prisoner for some years, but
never saw anything to indicate that he
was of unsound mind, and thought him
possessed of good intelligence. Wit
ness knew Guiteau's wife. some of his
family having rendered her service.
Guiteau called on him to thank his
family for their service.
Guiteau here took occasion to SLAM
der mis- wife most outrageously. "This
man." he said, "knew her before | did.
You can draw your own differences"
Samuel B. Phelps, of New York,
knew the prisoner since 1868. First
knew him in Chicago.
Guiteau became extremely angry at
the statement made by witness, and
ratified perfect TRADE Of abuse. Sew
eral minutes elapsed before equinim-
ity could be restored.
Witness in the past year had known
the prisoner. Never saw anything to
indicate that he was of unsound mind.
He was frequently interrupted by Gui
teau with contradictions and denials.
When witness said Guiteau had de-
sired him (witness) to act as editor-in-
chief on one of his newspaper projects,
Guiteau laughed immoderately for
some minutes and shouted: con,
Phelps, that is certainly an absurdity;
you for chief editor"
TwENIY-FoURTH DAY.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-The crowd
about the criminal court, an hour be-
fore opening, was greater than ever