Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-11-24

personal explanation, and stated that there is
no differences between himself and Mr.. Robin
son, and that they are in perfect accord. The
speech had the effect Of bringing Guiteau to
his feet and precipitating the first scene Of the
day. With flashing eyes and violent gestures
and excited voice, the prisoner addressed the
Court and said he objected to Robinson ap
pearing in the case.
The Court (severely)- )-sTake your seat. I
wish you to understand distinctly that your
labors as counsel in this case, as you claim to
| be, shall be confined to consultation with as
sociate counsel in the case. If you disobey,"
he continued, as the prisoner jumped to his
feet and commenced another wild speech, "the
Court will be under the necessity of ordering
your removal from the Court room and the
proceeding with the trial in your absence"
Prisoner-'Y our honor said that could be
heard and have a speech"
The Court-"You cannot he heard till the
close of the case"
Prisoner evidently laboring under great
excitement) ~ desire to be heard throughout
the case Your honor has no right to cut me
off and am going to make Il noise to the coun-
try about it. When | want counsel will no
tify your honor" .' " ..."
The Court "COunsel have been assigned
and you must keep silence"
The prisoner was irrepresSible and broke
out with the remark that he would not trust
his case to the best lawyer that ever lived.
After several more outbursts he became quiet.
At half past ten Secretary Blaine, accompa-
MED by his son, Walker Blaine, and Chief
Clerk Brown, entered the Court room. District
Attorney Corkhill then proceeded upon the
case for the Government. ..
At the conclusion of the District Attorneys
! ofory Rln fh1
prosecution and examined relative to the
shooting, and after detailing the facts of the
shooting, pointed out on a diagram Of the
Baltimore and Potomac Depot, the spot where
it occurred. He was roSs-eXamined by Mr..
Scoville about the difficulty in the Republican
party in the New York Legislature, and the
events connected Herewith, with a view Of
showing the feeling of bitterness in politics
and bearing on the prisoners mind. At the
conclusion of Blaine's testimony, Court took
a recess
District Attorney Corkhill, in opening the
case for the Government, delivered a long and
eloquent address, in the course Of which ne
compared the circumstances of the aSsasslna-
tion of Lincoln and Garfield This trial was
a remarkable illustration of the genius and
spirit of our Government, when, after an aw-
full offense, the prisoner could stand here IN
safety and demand every privilege accorded by
the Constitution There was no similar case
in history Had the crime been committed in
any other country, the prisoner would have
paid the penalty by punishment as swift and
rapid as the crime itself. Corkhill reviewed,
at length, the circumstances Of President
Garfeld's intended departure, and the scene at
the depot, during the tragedy, and also traced
the course pursued by Guiteau, reading letters
soliciting office, addressed to the President,
Secretary Evarts and Secretary Blaine. The
District Attorney stated that the letters proved
the man to be of good hard sense and crafty
to degree, as was also shown by his conduct
during this time. He gave Guiteau's move
ments in detail previous to and on the day OF
the assassination. He was prepared to prove
that from the time of Guiteau'S arrival in the
city until he lost the expectation of securing
an appointment, he was all earnest so-called
Garfield man but when he lost all hope OF
getting place, with his knowledge of the world
(for he was a man of no ordinary ability III
this direction), he determined to take adyan-
tage of the political situation in New York
and give this as his reason for killing the
President. lie had been refused admission to
the Executive Mansion and been forbidden by
Blaine ever to speak of the Paris COnsulateto
him. Soured and disappointed, on May %, ne
wrote the following letter
"General GarfeldNI have been trying to be
your friend. do not know whetheryou appre-
ciate it or not but am moved to call your
attention to the remarkable letter from Mr..
Blaine, which have just noticed. According
to Mr. Farwell, of Chicago, Blaine is vim
dictive politician and an evil genius, and you
will have no peace until you get rid of him.
This letter shows Mr.. Blaine is wicked man,
and you ought to demandhis immediate resig-
nation, otherwise you and the Republican
party will come to grief. I will see you in the
morning if 1 can and talk with you. very
respectfully CHARLES GUITEAU."
This letter was the first indication of his
determination to be revenged for fancied at
fronts. 1t will be shown that, on June IL,
among his papers he wrote the words: II con-
ceved the idea of removing the President four
weeks ago." Once resolved on that course, it
took but little time for him to decide that he
must represent the action as being the ylndi-
cation of some great principle. LIE knew that
he must have some screen in front OF the real
motive Corkhill then went over the circum-
stances of Guiteau's borrowing money for the
purchase of pistol, his target firing, and final,
ly the murder, closing with all earnest appeal
to the jury to see that the great OFFENDER met
his just punishment. =.
During the delivery of the address quiet
reigned in every corner of the Court room
Guiteau himself was the only man who seemed
to pay no attention to it, He spent the time
looking over newspapers and occasionally con-
versing with his brother When reference was
made to Guiteau's assertion that Secretary
Blaine was running his department in the
interest of his own Presidential aspirations
in 1884, the Secretary broke out into good
humored smile. Later, when a letter was
read, charging the Secretary with being a
vindictive man and advising the President to
get rid of him, there was a general laugh, IN
which the Secretary Joined. There was one
marked scene in the delivery of the address.
In the passage where the District Attorney
showed that he had threatened ruin to the
President, the prisoner, who was apparently
careless listener, dropped his paper, broke out
and said with considerable nonchalance: 10
litical ruin, your Honor, not personal ruin ;
that's what l meant !" Upon being repri-
manded by the Judge for this interruption,
Guiteau said II will not offend again, your
Honor. 1 feel a deep interest in this case"
II should think, under the circumstances, you
would, - remarked the Court, dryly. Guiteau
then subsided. During the affecting close of
Mr.. COrkhll's address, Mrs. ScOville bowed
her head and wept Several other ladies were
in tears. Robinson announced that the de-
fense would reserve their opening.
! After recess GuiteIu again created scene
by attempting to address the Court, but was
promptly quieted by threats of removal. A
number of witnesses were called, all of whom
testified to incidents transpiring at the depot,
at the time of the shooting, with little differ
ence in their statements. The witnesses were
severely cross examined by Mr. ScOville, and
at the conclusion, the court adjourned
! Upon the opening of the court Oh Friday,
Mr.. ScOvile arose to make al explanation,