The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-12-15
TRIAL OF GUITEAU.

trial was unabated, and the courtroom WAS
crowded Notwithstanding IL was the opening
day of Congress. The following eight doctors,
who have made a study of mental diseases,
wore called bv the defense Doctors ]. G..
Riernan, Charles II. Nichols, superintendent
of the Bloomingdale New York city) insane
asylum Charles Folsom, OF Boston Samuel
Worcester Of Salem, Mass; W. W. Golding,
superintendent CT the government insane asy..
lum at Washington; James II. Mcbride, OF
Milwaukee; Walter Claiming, OF Brookline,
Lass; and Theodore W. Fisher, of Boston.
A hypothetical question, in which tho points
relating to the prisoners mental condition as
sot forth by the defense, including the insanity
in his family, and his alleged belief that he
acted upon inspiration, wore assumed to be
true, was road to the foregoing and they were
asked whether upon the state OF things
they thought Guiteau was insane. Seven OF
them replied that if the propositions were true
the man was insane. DR.. Worcester would nd
express an opinion, because he wanted
clearer explanation of the word inspiration than
Dir. Scoville gave him. Guiteau constantly
ttefsqred in the proceedings. He began by
saying that he wanted the experts to pass upon
the question whether when o man claims he is
impellcd to do an illegal act by power beyond
him he is sane or insane. He showed pretty
clear understanding of the testimony given, and
once pointed out how well 1t fitted his case. AS
usual he was sensitive on tho question OF his
mental powers, and was angry when
field Speech declaring he would rather be
hanged as sensible man than acquitted
ts a fool. He was also attended by question
implying that he was vulgar criminal There
MAS nothing vulgar about this case, he ex-
claimed it was all heightened. At the end Of
The DAVIS proceedings. when Mr.. Scoville an
bounced that he expected TO have President
Arthur as witness, Guiteau insisted that
General Grant, ex-Senators Conkling and Platt,
Ex-Governor Jewell and others should be called
10 show what was the political situation before
The assassination. He also suggested that
President Arthur would do well to appoint
Emory A. Storrs as attorney general.
The first itness called for the defense on
the nineteenth day was Congressman Charles
B. Farwell, of Chicago, who testified that he
had had one or two interviews with Guiteau,
and regarded him as insane; but on cross-ex-
between right and wrong. After short exam
ination of George c. Gorham, editor Of the
Washington Republican, during which
Guitedu- constantly and violently interrupt
ed and asked questions, at one time
saying that his counsel, Mr.. Scoville, was
"getting cranky on this business" the defense
closed, Mr.. Scoville saying, however, that he
expected some testimony from President Arthur
and DIR. Spitzka. Mr. Scoville explained that
what he wanted to show by the Presidents tes-
timony was that in October last Guiteau wrote
him letter on public business and he i'm
piled that he regarded this letter as proof of
the prisoners insanity. 1t was arranged that
he should send written questions to the Presi-
dent. During the close of the session curious
scene occurred when Mr.. Scoville proceeded to
read from Guiteau's book, "Truth." Mr. Scovillo
Haid he would have to read the whole book,
and he was beginning to do so when the
prisoner called out to him: "Do not read it
like schoolboy. Read it with some spirit"
Thereupon MIR. Scoville proposed that the
pris soner himself should do the reading, and
h0 la1 To- Il xtyit1 tIo, fgAr
at defamation and with occasional illustrative
remarks, such as, "That is the way that Paul
got in his work." When slight disturbance
was caused by some of the spectators trying to
get out, the prisoner commanded order and
said: "Some of this book is interesting. 1t is
good religious talk. 1t will do people good to
hear it read" After about three-quarters of an
hour spent in this way the dstrict-attorney in
tervened, representing that this was waste oi
the time of the court, and as the result oi
some discussion it was agreed that Mr.. Scovlle
should the next day mark the portions of the
book to which he proposed to call the attention
of the jury.
Guiteau began proceedings on tho twentieth
day by declaring himself dissatisfied with the
development of the facts relating to the politi-
cal situation, wherein lay the gist OF the al
legged offense, and he renewed his demand for
The testimony Of Grant, Conkling, Platt,
''and those kind of men," He announced
also his purpose to make the closing
speech for the defense. No answer hav-
ing been received from the half-dozen
quootiono sulnittod in writing TO Presi-
dent Arthur the court said that the defense
should have the benefit of this testimony when
obtained. Guiteau disclaimed wish to bring
the President into court, expressing a high re-
gard for him and claiming the credit of having
made him President. The prosecution called
to the witness stand General w. T. Sherman,
who identified the letter that was placed in
his hands after the shooting written by Gui-
teau, and said that he suspected at the
time that there might be a conspiracy,
but afterwards he concluded that
the shooting was the act of one man. Guiteau
here thanked the general for protecting him
with the military at which the warrior smiled
grimly. The prosecution then put upon the
witness stand ten citizens Of Freeport, ILL.,, who
testified to their intimate acquaintance with
the assassin's father, and declared their belief
in his perfect sanity, which they never heard
questioned until after July 2last. Their names
are Edward ?. Barton, lawyer; A. T. Green, q
collector; G. W. Tandy, boot and shoe dealer;
Dr. D: 7. Buckley, who had been
Atkins, editor Freeport Republican,; J. S.
Cochran, a lawyer; G. W. Oiler, justice of the
peace; A. A. Babcock, q lawyer; State Senator
d. II. sunderland, and Horace Tarbox, capital
ist. While one of these witnesses was being
examined the prisoner took occasion to COM
ment upon the Presidents message, saying:
am glad that General Arthur has raped
those miserable Mormons, and 1 hope he will
do it again. / want him to make it specially
of his administration to destroy Mormonism.
The message shows that he is a very fine man
in his administration. 1 expect he will give us
the best administration we have ever had. The
message has the true ring to it."
dulteau came into court on the twenty-frst
day escorted in the usual fashion an officer
walking in front, second one behind him,
holding him by his left arm under which there
was bundle of newspapers, and behind still
another officer. The day was more exciting
than any recent day of the trial, and the mass
OF evidence taken was exceedingly damaging
to the defense. The first witness called was
Mrs. Julia Nj. Wilson, cousin Of the assassin,
daughter of the Mrs. Julia Maynard whom
the defense had sought to make out insane
Mrs. Maynard was q sister of Luther w.
Guiteau, the assassin's father, and the purpose
OF the defense was, OF course, to show parallel
cases OF insanity in that generation of the
Gulteaus. The witness eulogized her mother
with quivering voice, and testified that she
had never seen the slightest trace of fightness
in her conduct. In the course of her testimony
Mrs. Wilson stated that her father was insane
before he died, and this led to scene between
the assassin and his brother. John W. Guiteau
rose, and addressing the court asked that the
question and answer be stricken out as irrele-
want. He protested against having things OF
this kind, not affecting any blood relation of
the prisoner, go out to the world. The dis
trict attorney intimated that the testimony was
valuable as showing that if Abby Maynard Zone
of the two members of the Guiteau family who
have been members of insane asylums) was in
sane, she probably inherited insanity from her
father. MIR. ScoYille was now on his feet,
angrily objecting to any interference by John
u think he's perfect nuisance" he
shouted, banging his fist on the table in front