Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-31
WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT.
THE ASSASSIN'S IRON CHEEK.
His Impudenee Uncheeked-The
Prosecution About Through
More DamsgIng EVidence-A
Wrangle of COunsel-ScOVlIIe
scores a Triumph.

WASHINGTON, December 3O.-The court
room was literally packed this morning. AS
soon as Guiteau reached his seat In the dock
he shouted cut: ''Some of the leading pa
pers in America consider me the greatest
fellow they have met in some time. At 8
O'Clock last night / received a telegram,
which viii read for the ediheation OF this
audience and the American people," He
then read:
Mr.. Charles j. Gssiteau, Washington. ID.
C.; ALI Boston sYmpathizes with YOU You
ought to be President.
"(Signed) A HosT OF ADMIRERS"
Pausing moment, he then branched off
into rambling harapgue, ending by saying:
Il shall submit my name to the
next Republican Convention. / shall
expect to be before 1t. There are only two
men In the country who want me hung.
Oae IS Judge Porter, who expects to get
five thousand dollars from the government
If am convicted, and the other is Corkhill,
who expects to get bounced, and who knows
l am the cause of f."
DR.. Kempsler then took the stand and
Mr.. Scovile I, sumed his cross-examination.
The witness did not believe In temporary
insanity In the sense that person could be
insane and wholly recover In an hour. He
believed Sickles was sane, but Coles, who
shot Hiscock at Albany, was undoubtedly
insane.
Col. Corkhill announced that he had but
one more witness to introduce on the part
OF the government, and he INQUIRED OF Mr.
Scoville how much time he would want to
consume on the surrebuttal.
Mr.. ScoYille replied that he had several
witnesses, whose names were presepted
since he closed the case, and he would ask
the court to permit them to be sworn on the
ground of newly discovered evidence mate
rial to the case.
Colonel Corkhill wanted to know what he
expected to prove.
Mr.. Scoville replied-'We have evidence
to offer relative to the state OF the prisoners
mind just before the shooting" He also
stated that he would probably require all Of
next week upon the rebuttal.
Mr.. Davidge objected to a reopening of
the case, aud Mr.. Scoville insisted that he
did not desire to delay the trial, but the
prosecution had consumed weeks with the
experts, and he did not propose to be cut
short In the matter Of time.
Mr.. ScOville suggested that the Jury be
allowed to separate and go home upon
parole, not to speak OF the trial during their
absence from court, giving as a reason his
solicitude for the health of the jurymen,
their close confinement Considerable dis
cussion followed, which was cut short
by the foreman's saying that the jury
did not care 10 separate, but de-
sired reasonable opportunity for fresh
air and exercise. The discussion
between the opposing counsel continued for
some time, with considerable acrimony,
when, finally, Mr.. Scoville in rep'y to Col.
Corkhill surprised every one by making one
nF ba hac
that has been heard in the court room since
the opening OF the trial, In earnest aud i'm
pressive language he vindicated the conduct
Of the defense, and severely rebuked the
course of the District Attorney In his un-
seemly efforts TO muzzle and drive the de-
tense from court.
ONE manifestation Of applause followed
the conclusion OF his speech, b1t it was
quickly checked by the court.
DR.. John P. Gray, Medical Superintend-
ent Of the New York State Luuatic Asylum,
then took the stand. Witness had made
the study of insanity his business since
1850, and in that time had treated or inves-
tgated twelve thousand cases OF insanity.
He had never seen a single instance where
the Onlv indication OF insanity was an
exhibition of immortality or wickedness.
He did not believe in what had been called
moral insanity" 1t was impossible to
dissever mental unity so as to locate an
impairment of the moral nature that was
not accompanied by an intellectual deterio-
ration. Insanity, 10 itself, had no more
tendency to excite 10 crime than neuralgia
or any other disease, at puts nothing new
into a mans nature; it only perverts what is
already there" DR.. Gray stated that he
made a thorough, complete and satisfactory
examination of the prisoner at the jail, and
at the request of the District Attorney gave
at some length the details OF his examina-
tiOn and of his conversation with the
prisoner.
Witness had irqlired OF the prisoner in
regard to his alleged inspiration aud asked
him If it came to him In the form of a voice
or vision or a direct command, and his
reply was: "No; it came into my head as a
conception, and | relied upon it until re-
solved that it was justified by the situation :"
Witness then asked The prisoner how this
statement accorded with his theory of in
spiratioD, and his reply was: "My inspira-
tion was in the form of a pressure con-
stantly upon me to commit the actn
Guiteau-"Tnat's all there is Ia the case.
Short and to the point You can talk about
it ak years If you want to-"
DR.. Gray continued the story of his inter
view with Guiteau, with occasional com
ments by the latter of assent or dissent, but
not to the extent of an annoying interrup
tior, until the adjournment.