Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-12-17

His Former Wife on the Stand
Claims to be . High Toned Chris
tan Man.
WAsHIxeroH, Dec. 16.

WAsaIHeroE, Dec. l6.
The court room, - usual, was dsnsely
crowded. The prosecuting attorney was .
| little late, and Guiteau improved the oppor-
| tunitv 70 make one of his speeches. Looking
over to the vacant seat. he said With chuckle
Il understand Gen. Reynolds il sick this
morsing. wonder if Corkhill is! l guess
they both got more than they wanted yesfer-
day. It's about time for Corhkill to get sick
and stay away"
Geo. ID. Barnard. deputy clerk Of the Su-
preme Court of Kings county, New York,
| took the stand to prove the divorce Of Anna
J. Guiteau from the prisoner. The witness
| presented the record of the court and An Or
| der of Judge Fox for the witness attendance
here this forenoon. Alter looking over the
papers, Scoville objected to their admission
upon the ground that they we're not certified
bv the clerk of court, ~ required by act OF
Congress. The court overruled the obJee-
ton, and admitted the papers - originals in
the case.
The papers were read by the District At
torney, and set forth the granting OF an alb
solute divorce upon the ground Of adultery.
no defence having been made by the defend
ant.
Guiteau, referring to the woman named,
with whom he had committed adultery, said i:
This woman, Jennings, was . high toned
woman in Now York. 1t was purely mat
ter of business between rs. committed
adultery with her to get rid of woman l
did not love. l thought it much more hon
orable course than to live with her and have
children year after year. l have been .
strictly virtuous man for six years past, and
always have been . high toned Christian
man."
Scoville desired to note an exception to the
admission Of the evidence.
Guiteau. with impatience-Oh. what is the
use of quibbling over that. l admit my mar
rage and my divorce. 1 don't care for that.
can get married agsin anywhere outside of
New York State, and for that matter, in New
York, too. Under the new law there, if a
man lives strictly virtuous life for six years
after being divorced the courts will let him
New York tomorrow, if l wanted to-"
General Reynolds was called.
Guiteau at once broke in petulantly, say
ing: hope you will cut of General Rey-
nolds and not waste any more time with him.
He has told all he knows about the case and
. good deal more.
Scoville cross-examined the witness, and
severely criticised his course in suppressing
the letters which the prisoner had given him
for publication.
Guiteau frequently interrupted, contradict
ed, and insulted the witness. At one time
he shouted out, would have been hung a
hundred times last July, but for the troops,
and all through your lying and Corkhilrs.
I'm going to get even with both Of you, some
way.
The witness explained that when he visited
Guiteau. his trial had not been arranged !;
Garfield was still living, and he (witness) had
not thought of being called a. witness.
You lie, shouted Guiteau, you came to my
cell a. . spy in the employ of the District
Attorney.
Reynolds read from the notes he had taken
on the occasion of his first interview with
Guiteau. Quoting the prisoners he read: If
there is q stalwart in the land am he. Grant,
Conkling, Logan and Gov. Cornell are among
the big guns, and rank with them.
Guiteau retsrted: l never said could
rank with them, but - Q matter of fact
think l can.
A number of newspaper slips which the
witness had read to the prisoner at this in
terview, to show him what we're the senti-
meuts Of Grant, Conkling and others, il re-
gard to his (prisoner's) crime, were then read
by the District Attorney.
Guiteau commented quite freely IS the
reading progressed. When the letter of
Gen. Grant was read, in which the
writer speaking of Guiteau said
Ny son tells. me he 10 dead, but
-Guiteau became very angry and shouted
This 10 what Fred Grant says; he is nice
pill, isn't he, hanging round his father l
should say he 10 bigger dead beat than
| am.
Another passage was read which spoke OF
Guiteau's crime % the ''most atrocious act. -
Guiteau interrupted. "And so it was, to
enter that depot and shoot down the Presi-
dent Of the United States, surrounded - he
was, by all his friends. l have wondered at
it good many times, how ever did it.
thought to myself this morning that
would not undertake it again for a million
dollars; but was in such desperate state
of mind could not resist. Twas impelled
upon the President by pressure could not
resist"
Ellen C. Grant was called, and Guteau al
once shouted, "Mrs. Grant 10 the lady
boarded with prior to the first Of July. She
10 very Ane lady and owe her 81. 4
trust shall pay you soon, Mrs. Grant; soon
as those fellows holding fat of3ces shall re.
spond to the call (striking the table excited
| ly) made them, and if they don't soon con
tribute shall call their names out in meet
ing"
| The witness, during the forty days the
prisoner boarded At her house she noticed
nothing to indicate insanity, nor anythins
peculiar from other people.
Scoville questioned the witness closely
asking how many times. and upon what oc
casions she had conversed with the prisoner.
| Guiteau became impatient, and turning an
grily towards Scoville, shouted, 'You are
consummate jacksss in . cross examination
You don't know when you have said enough
or when you have got through with your
witness. You've no business on the case
anyhow. you are compromising the case al
the way through"
Mrs. Anna J. Dunmere, (Guiteau's di
vorced wife) was then called. There was q
commotion in the audience and several ladie.
arose to leave the court room.
Guiteau moved unessily upon his seat, and
looking angrily towards the audience, criet
out:
| There won't be any smut on this examina.
ton; ladies do not 70 out. They have no bu
siness to put this woman on the stand, unles.
Corkhill wants to stir up 9th. say it is a