The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-12-17
ScoviIIe's Lecture.
The Counsel for Gmteau on the Stand as an
Orator-Incidents Of the Great Murder
Case

The Counsel for Guitedu on the Stand as an
OrdtoI-Incidents Of the Great Murder
Case.
In Washington on Wednesday night, Geo.
Scoyille, the brother-in-law and counsel for
Guiteau, delivered lecture, his subject being
the AGuiteau Case" Though quite large
number of tickets were sold the audience was
a small one, but heartily applauded the lee
turcr. When he made his appearance he pre-.
missed his lecture with the remark that he had
not the least intention of rejecting on the
court or of endeavoring to affect the trial IN
any way. He came to this city expecting a
fair trial, and so far he had no reason to COM
plain; but in this fair trial was contained not
merely what transpired within the walls OF the
court house, but the conduct of the press and
what was said by the people; in short, public
opinion, and it was to that public opinion that
he desired to address himself without endeav-
oring to extenuate the crime or to create pub
lie feeling in favor of the prisoner. He COM
planned that the press had not the disposition
to give that force and consideration to the
defense which had been lnterposed, which
ought to be given. Not only the press but
the pulpit had prejudiced the case. The pull
pit condemned Guiteau on the assumption
that he was sane man. and yet not single
minister of the Gospel had called on the
prisoner in his cell, and not single letter had
been sent by them to him as sane man call
ing on him to repent and turn to God. APP
plause1 Nineteen-twentieths of the letters re-
ceived by Guiteau were simple threats against
his life, and not more than two or three
breathed Christian spirit. He criticised
the action of Judge Davis in a recent murder
case in New York for going outside OF the
case and instructing the jury IN the Gultea9
case. and giving as law what Judge Cox would
bo(
Applause.
In the course of his remarks the speaker
said that he was satisfied he had good reason
to think, good reason to believe, that the prs
oner would not live until the conclusion of his
trial He (Scoville) was here to see that
Guiteau had a fair trial under forms of law,
but he was not here to guard the prisoner with
a troop of soldiers. Let the responsibility
rest where it might, he gave this warning, ana
he knew whereof he spoke. 1t was not 10r
the life of this man that he gave 1t, but because
he wanted to see order prevail, and because
he did not want the American people dis
graced bv having man on trial for his life
assassinated like dog. The lecturer declared
that the greatest peril to the prisoner was III
his passage from the courtroom to the prison
van, and pointed out the danger that some
desperate man would stab the prisoner with
dirk and escape without detection. he eX-
pressed, in the most earnest language, his SIN
cere admiration for Judge Cox, than whom,
he said, no more candid, careful, conSclen-
tious, iudicious man could be found IN the
country. He defended Judge Cox from the
criticisms of the press, contendlng that he
could pursue no other course toward the prlS-
oner than he had pursued without prejudglng
the case. IAll references to Judge Cox were
loudly applauded by the audience, among
whom were several members of the District
bar.
The speaker then branched off to the sub
iect of the prisoner insanity, and III this con
nection read an extract from letter received
in 1875 by Mrs Scoville from her father, III
which he stated that his son Charles was IN
Chicago trying to borrow money to buy up the
Inter ocean, ''Yo on may judge for yourself,
he writes, whether he is insane or not. 10
my mind he is fit subject for an insane
asylum. and if had means | would send him
there He is instigated by the devil. 1t
was not the prisoner alone who was on trial
the question of capital punishment was on
trial-for he predicted that should Guiteau be
hanged and post -mOrtem examination prove
him to have been insane it would be almost
the last case of capital punishment in the
country. At the conclusion of his lecture Mr.
Scoville was applauded and a resolution, Of
fered by one of the audience, was adopted, eX
pressing sympathy with the family OF the pris-
oner and complimenting Mr.. Scoville on his
management of the case.