Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-02

Many OF the reports sent out from Washington
concerning the Guiteau trial gross carcatureo.
The proceedings are in no sense "hoisterous:'
there is nothing Ike obstreparouS "hOrse
laughter" and Judge. jury and audience are not
on a continuous broad grin as represented by some
OF the illustrated papers The audience is much
above the general character OF such aSSemOla@eS.
weeded out as 1t is by the ticket system of adnis-
sion; the daughter" so much commented upon
Is rather OF subdued sort. and does not pervade
the entire courtroom As il is usually elected by
Ire odd SOfto rce remarks Of the prisoner il is apt
10 De confined to those in his immediate vicinity
who can hear distinctly what he says. At most
the laughter is nothing more than that always
witnessed In great criminal trials, and which
seems 10 come in as natures relief from the in
tense tragic strain prevailing. The jury have the
appearance of being a rather unusually sedate set
o: men; and Judge Cox, it is hardly necessary to
say TO The STAR readers, is the embodiment
oi dignity and deeOrum upon the bench. He has
been much cenSured for failing TO put stop to
Guiteaus utteranc6S in the court room by gaggng
him or removing him from the ROOM but it must
be remembered that the judge is responsible for
the conduct OF the trial, that the verdict shall
not be set aside a violation OF the law which
cures to the defendant in criminal trial the priv
1iege Of consulting his counsel and of being con-
fTOnted with the witnesses against him. Were
Guiteau either gagged or removed from the
court room while his trial in progress,
1t Is the opinion of good lawyers that he
might be able to make this plea successfully.
Again 1t should be borne in mind that Guieau is in
some sort acting his counsel, and that in this
capacity he may claim the right to have something
t. say 1t is evident, also, that Guiteau's shrewd
and pertinent suggestions and explanations have
the tendency 10 break down the theory of insanity.
Upon the whole, il IS probable that Judge COx's
course in his difficult task OF dealing with the
prisoner Will be ultimately accepted by the public
as the proper one under all the circumstances.
The pending speakership contest has been an
unusually quiet one. outside of the various he ad
quarters i has attracted comparatively little at
tentiOn- The kerT-RandaH struggle and the con-
test between Randall and Blackburn two years
ago excited almost everybody more or less, and
Kept W aShiHgton warmed up for a week. The
public mind IS largely occupied with the Guiteau
trial. and this, no doubt accounts for comparative
lack OF interest In the speakerShip race. TO-mOr-
row the caucus viii be held, and really the issue
Is just much in doubt was three or four DAYS
ago Candidates and their hackers talk confidently,
but they do not feel 3d. MeSsrs Hiscock, Keifer
and kaSSon are the leading candidates, and the
best judgment Of impartial men, members OF the
House. IS that no one OF the three has votes enough
ST. ured to give him the nomination, and that the
prospect promises sharp fight in caucus. The
Deiici that the three leading candidates viii de-
strOy each other is so strong that Mr. Dunneu has
taken the field as a compromise candidate. He is
org ;nZing his forces. and expects to come in for
votes enough TO win after HScock, Keller and
kaSSon shall have been compelled to retire. The
voting strength or the republicans is divided up
among so many candidates that lit is any mans
fight so far HiScOck seems to be in the lead, but
Only about 60 votes can be counted for him upon
quite liberal estimate, and that is II short of the
requisite number. The general belief is that there
VIII De lively time in caucus Tomorrow.
How II may appear to lawyers, from their point
OF view, we cannot tell, but it is little pulling
to laymen that SD shrewd a croSs-examiner as
Judge Porter did not press Guiteau little farther
inIhat direction, on Thursday, when the prisoner
declared that Mason and Jones would have been
guilty OF murder had they killed him when they
shot at him, sunless they could show that the act
was Inspired by the Deity" He might have been
ASKED With great proprety TO explain how they
could show such inspiration,-just how far he
would accept such showing satisfactory In a
case where he was the victim, instead of Garfield
and then been called 10 tell why train OF reason
M or character OF testimony which would fail or
convince in their case would not be equally worth
less or satisfactory in his own. In other words
the world entertains the opinion that Mason and
Jones had about as much inspiration for their act
a Guiteau had FOR his III he thinks otherwise he
ought 10 be able and required TO explain the
Inference