Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-12-14
TRIAL
TRIAL
OF
GUITEAU, THE FIEND.

dent Garneld, mas all the time since
the murder of the President declared
that God inspired him to kill Gar
field. His lawyers set up the de-
fense of insanity, and the prisoner
acted his part quite well as an insane
man, missing it only in one thing, and
that was that he displayed too thor
ough knowledge of first principles,
and too thorough an acquaintance
with points in the case Insane peo-
pie generally have trouble in keeping
first principles in sight Guiteau had
no trouble in that direction. He
seemed to understand where almost
every question led to. The public
believe that a man that understands
all the fine points raised in the case
cannot be insane
PROMINENT WITNESSES
He desired to have Grant and
Conkling summoned as witnesses,
also President Arthur; but when he
discovered that the President would
not appear in person but send writ
ten answers to written questions he
cunningly said to his lawyer: Il don't
think it at all necessary for General
Arthur to be here. I don't care what
you want. Tn doing this myself. 1
ask as personal favor that he shan't
be dragged into court. 1 think a
good deal of General Arthur. He. is
President of the United States, and
1 don't think he should be bothered
with this matter. He's President of
the United States, and 1 made him
so, and I think I should have some
thing to say in this matter.
General Sherman was called, and
testified that he had called out the
troops on the End of July, 1881, un
der the belief that a conspiracy had
been organized to overthrow the gov
ernment, but he soon bacame con-
vinced that such was not the case.
Nor INSANE
Previous to this the murderer's
lawyers had it pretty much their own
way on the insanity dodge, but now
a new class of witnesses were intro
duced that expressed the opposite
view, that the assassin is perfectly
sane, and also expressed the belief
that the father and sister of the pris-
oner were not insane people.
Edward L. Barton, of Freefort, Il
linois, had known Luther W. Guiteau
from 1856 to the time of his death.
He was intelligent, and his mind was
peculiarly logical one The prison
er's uncle he also considered sane.
The witness was only slightly ac-
quainted with John Wilson Guiteau
and Mrs. Scoville, and never had any
idea but that they we're perfectly sane.
All Abram Guiteau's chilnren were
sane SO far as he knew.
A. I. Green, q collector of Free
port, testified to his belief in the
sanity of the whole Guiteau family,
and the cross-examination failed to
oldhc Ills ttStltnOuN.
Benz. 7. Buckley, a practicing ply
sician of Freeport was the next wit
ness. For some years he had been
the doctor of L. W. Guiteau's family.
He had always regarded Mr.. Guiteau
as man of fine intellect, with clear,
logical mind. Witness never saw the
indication of mental trouble
in that man. 1t is not true that
Flora, the prisoners half sister, was
sent to an insane asylum. She had
trouble with her eyes, and went from
home to have them treated, and they
raised the story that she was sent to
an insane asylum. On that point the
District Attorney said: Il have let |
ter from that girl on this very sub
ject. She feels it deeply, as she
ought to feel it. 1t is shame that
an unmarried girl, twenty-four years
old, against whom not a word has
been uttered, should be dragged in
here by an imputation that she is suf-
fering from faint of insanity" The
witness said that she stands high in
the community.
Smith d. Atkins, editor of the Free
port Republican, had resided in Free
port since 1S4S; knew L. w. Guiteau
intimately; never saw any indications
of insanity in him never saw or
heard of any insanity in the Guiteau
family previous to this trial.
J. S. Cochran, lawyer, has resided
in Freeport since 1858. Knew L. w. |
Guiteau intimately for % years, and
never saw any indication whatever of
in him. Witness was &C
luainted with Abram Guiteau "a