Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-07
GUITEAU'S TRIAL TO-DAY.
HE OPENS THE PROCEEDINGS.
GENERAL SHERMAN A WITNESS.
TESTIMONY AGAINST THE INSANITY THEORY

TESTIMONY AGAINST THE INSANITY THEORY
The attendance at the Guiteau trial to-day was
sufficient to reassure the doubling mind Of the
prisoner, who had misgivings lest public interest
| in him and his dOings were failing. The opening
proceedings of the court attended by little
c1dent Among the new faces visible in the court
room was that of Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage, OF
the Brooklyn Tabernacle He came in with Judge
Porter, and Sat with him at the prosecution table,
Representatives Richardson, OF Florida; Mason, OF
New York, and Gen. Sherman sat near the prose-
cutiOn table. Mckenzie, OF Kentucky, and Wise,
of Virginia, also occupied seats within the bar
Judge Macarthur sat, during the morning, with
Judge Cox.
Guiteau Opens the Proceedings with a
Speech.
The court was called to order at 10 :O5, and the
prisoner was promptly placed in his seat. AS soon
as he was unmanacled he addressed the court.
"If the court please" he said, s'the American
people do not desire that this be tried again,
and do not desire it, but say, with the utmost
respect to this court and jury, that not salts
ned with the way the political situation has been
presented That is the very gist OF the whole de-
States would never have been shot ii 1t hadn't been
for the political situation, and say have right
TO ask your honor that you summon Gen. Grant
and Senator's Conkling and Platt and those kind
or men, who were so down on President Garfield
that they would not speak to him on the street. or
call upon him. have right to show my personal
reiatlOnS-l may say cordial relattOnS-with those
men when was in New York. 1 was well dressed.
we'll led there lived at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
GUITEAU ExCEPTs TO THE COURTS RULING.
81 will have to except to your honor's ruling"
added the prisoner, "and the court in banc will
sustain it, and will have new trial"
The court remarked that the exception had
already been noted.
THE PRISONER TO MAKE THE CLOSING SPEECH.
=" 1 also desire to announce said the prisoner,
'that intend to make the closing speech in this
case after Mr.. ScOville gets through. Mr. Scoville
takes altogether too narrow-mnded view Of this
case"
As to the Presiden nt,s Testimony.
Mr.. Scoville said that he had drawn up six inter-
rogatories to submit to the President. and had
sent them. He expected that the President would
return his replies this morning, but he (Scoville)
had not yet received them.
The prosecution objected that they had not been
permitted to see the interrOgatories.
During the discussion Guiteau frequently raised
MS voice In protest. don't think it is at all
cesSary, he shouted, "fOr Gen. Arthur to be bored
IN TINS way; If you want to put the President on
declared: "Gen. Arthur is President Of the United
states, and think it would be improper to drag
After some discussion. in which the prosecution
agreed to waive their privilege Of reviewing the
1nterrogatores. the court said that whenever the
Presidents replies came in they would be admit
ted as evidence.
Dr. E. c: spitzka, of New York, and Nettie G.
Rude, OF Chicago, were called but did not re-
spond. Mr.. Scoville then asked for attachments
granted.
GUITEAU DIsCLA1Ms ANY VANITY OR EGOT1sM.
The prisoner, who had been reading a news
paper, broke In again: "Considering the pressure
on me for autographs" he said, 81 want to say 1
don't care snap about greatness. haven't any
vanity or egOtsm in this case 1t is absolutely
false what is said in the newspapers on that
point
Mr.: Scovtlle said he had relied upon Dr. SpItzka
as the chief expert witness for the defence. He
understood that the prosecution had been after
him as witness for the prosecution, and he had
declined to come, ,as his mind was already made up
as to the insanity OF the prisoner.
Gen. Sherman as a Witness.
Mr ScoV1lle then announced that he rested his
case, and the government began the rebutta testi-
mOny by calling Gen. Sherman to the stand.
"Wm T. Sherman, general OF the army OF the
United States" replied the witness when asked
his name and occupation. The witness testified
that he was in Washington on the 2d OF July when
the President was shot District Attorney COrShill
then handed to Gen. Sherman a letter, which the
General said was handed to him at II AS am. on
the day of the assassination, at his Office in the
ing. The military force OF the United States here
was ordered out instantly at the first intimatiOn
That the President was shot: the shooting
prehend that it was a part and parcel
OF conspiracy pervading the country, and, of
course, the military of the country was bound to
take precautions against any emergency that
might arise; the witness had made such personal
examination as he could; when he had learned
tnaI Chere was no conspiracy, the army assisted
Brock. ''0-
Scoville only SO far as to reiterate that he had at
first supposed there might have been a conspi-
When the General was stepping from the stand,
Guiteau called to him: Resulting, General, from
the political situation wasn't it? !"
so1;s Cen sherman & did % not degn to reply but Mr
your own opinions"
to the conclusion that the act was that of one
man-one man alone"
GUTTEAU THANKS GEN. SHERMAN
AS the General was leaving Guiteau called out
10 him in familiar way. "Much obliged to you,
General, for sending troops for my protection at
that time"
Testimony i'm Rebuttal as tn Heredt.
tary Insanity.
Edwin P. Barton, a lawyer testified that he had
resided in Freeport, Ill, since the spring of 1856
Regarding Mr. l. w. Guteau, father OF the pris-
oner, the witness said he had the character OF a
very reliable, honest, straightforward, clear
headed business man. He was intelligent to an
unusual degree. The witness was with L. w.
Guiteau at the time OF his death. and had drawn
his will for him some months before. The wit
ness never had any doubt but he was perfectly
sane; the idea never occurred to him that he was
insane. In reference to Abram Guteau, he testi-
fled that he had no doubt OF his sanity. He went
over the names OF all the members OF the family
he knew, and gave his opinion that they were all
sane. He said the same of the prisoner, long as
he knew him, though he had not seen him since
1859.
Upon crOss-examinatiOn the witness said that L.
w. Guiteau suffered under some delusiOn in his
Illness; he said he had many discussions on re-
ligiOus topics with L. w. Guteau; the witness did
not remember that he had reported to Mr. Burch-
ard, when L. W. Guiteau was q candidate for an
Omce IN bank, that the latter said he believed he
would never die; he understood Mr.. Guiteau had
hope that If he lived pure life he might possibly
I'VE forever. He had no reason to doubt L. w.
Gulteaus sincerity he had not much opportunity Of
lu0glng OF L. w. Guiteaus mental condition during
tne last year or two OF his life; he had also little
opportunity OF knowing .Abram Guiteau in the
iatter year OF his life; he did not think Abrams
uaugnter, Ella, had as much intelligence as the
0Iner chlldren; witness had never heard that
flora Gu1teau was OF unbalanced mind. and that
measures had been taken for treating her as an
insane person.
Ihe witness was asked IL he would consider a
man perfectly sane, who entertained a llXed belief
that he would never die.
There was some discussion as to the adm,ssi.
D1lity OF the question. hut cO,1rt admtttol