Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-11-30
Talks Very Chilly.
Denounces the Oneida Community
WASHINGTON. Nov. IS.

/
previous day of the trial. As usual, the ma
| iority of those who succeeded i'll crowding
| iato the court room were ladies.
The opening OF the court was delayed
until 10 I5 Guiteau took his seat looking
pale ard careworn, and his whole appearance
testified to his subsequent assertion that he
was not feeling at all well. lie was almost
Immediately called to the witness stand by
Scoville, and took his place closely watched
and guarded by policemen and court officers.
| He was asked by ScOyille to give some incl
dents from his earliest recollections OF his
mother. Guiteau replied Am | to be
put a regular witness today, or only to
| identify some letters? | supposed the latter.
am not feeling at ali well today, but shall
| be much better in week or So" Scoyille
said Il had arranged to examine You to-
dav and there are no other witnesses present
Guiteau-You should have had your wit
nesses on hand. | object to going on the
stand when am not feeling we'll. to be sub
jected to cross-examination by the counsel
for the prosecution. have got good deal
to say. I want to go over the whole business
carefully and scientifically, 50 to speak, and
want to be in good talking condition.
Scoville-I shall only ask you some simple
questions.
Guiteau--I am willing to answer, provided
the prosecution will not take advantage Of
my presence On the stand and force me to
state my entire defence.
Judge Porter, of the prosecution, sug
gested that the letters and papers which were
put in evidence and identified yesterday,
should be read. as they must necessarily be
at some stage of the trial.
Scoville explained that he had endeavored
to arrange for the introduction of his evil
dence according to his idea of propriety and
legal fitness. lie knew the prisoner was not
feeling well, and he had expected he would
become tired or exhausted, when he had pro-
posed to ask the indulgence of the court to
postpone further examination He did desire,
however, to ask the prisoner a few questions
today.
Guiteau-''I am perfectly willing to do
that. | do not want the prosecution to take
advantage of my presence here to cross-eX-
anime today"
Scoville said, ''The Court will relieve you
if Won feel i'll"
Guiteau-'With that understanding will
go on
Corkhll-.'We can't submit to any such
arrangement as that
Scoville-'I don't ask your consent. |
shall appeal to the Court
Judge Cox stated that if the witness went
upon the stand to testify, he must sub
NIT to being cross-eXamined, and if his ex-
animation as witness was begun it could
not be suspended except by the consent of
the counsel on the other side.
Guitcau holding his head approyinglv-
That's the rule, Judge, as upderstan! it"
After some further discussion Guiteau was
removed from the stand and Scoville pro-
ceeded to read the letters. They were all
written by Guiteau to his father and other
members of the family and covered a period
of fifteen or twenty years.
As the reading of the letters progressed,
Guiteau occasionally commented upon them,
or suggested the proper word when Scoville
hesitated. While one dated from the Oneida
Community was being read, Guiteau said,
well, you can see was badly cranked about
that time" Another time Scovlle hesitatel
and said. ''here is a word I cannot make
out" ..Civiization is the word" prompted
Guiteau, s'you can see hsw badly mixed up
got with that miserable community. 1t makes
me mad every time think of it. wish
those letters were out of existence"
Scoville read from one of the letters, Il
am with Jesus Christ 4 Company. | am
working for them That was my sent.-
ment." said Guiteau. ''and that has been my
position ever since"
In another letter addressed to his father
dollars. Gniteau commented upon this let
ter, saying Father didn't send the money !;
he always thought | was badly cranked."
Another letter was read in which the writer
criticised the Oneida Community and referred
to circular enclosed which also denounced
the Community and practices. Guiteau ex
claimed: s'Several New York dailes took
,Ip NV circular and devoted editorial com
mrnts to it. That little bit of revenge
had for living in that miserable society.
I'm glad they're broken up now. was
virtuous man all the time was there. though
wasn't understood"
The reading of the letters was finished at
II o'clock, and Guiteau resumed the witness
stand. Scoville began to question him rela-
tive to his early life. Guiteau responded
promptly. intelligently and with perfect cool
ness, for some minutes apparently enjoying
the situation and his freedom to talk; allud-
ing to his fathers second marriage he said
smilingly, ale went of one day without
consulting me at all and got married.
thought that funny way of doing bust
ness, and got very mad about it.
Whenever an allusion was made to the
Oneida community, Guiteau became very
much excited and denounced he community
and his fathers course in persuading him TO
20 there
w ny 10 YOU Diahie your Iatner. asked
Scovile. because if ne was out of the wav
| never should have gone under the infiu-
ence of that miserable fanaticism. There
never was such spiritual fanaticism in the
world The amount of it all was, to speak
pisinly, Moves sole idea vas The bal
| ance of the sentence was too indecent to
print, showing the base indecency of the as
| sassiu's thoughts. All the time Was there
| was practically Shaker. am glad that
the miserable. sinking community is broken
up and hope the United States government
will break up that miserable Mormon com-
munity in Utah" Guiieau gave his views
on his fathers religious belief and was asked
if his father had any peculiar views on the
| healing of diseases. He replied: '.Oh, yes,
father was an awful crank on that subject
Scoville-"What do you mean BY crank"
Gniteau-'.Well, that's a short way of put
ting it when you want TO say man is pretty
badly crazed." w@
Guiteau. in reply to the question said, he
didn't believe in any religion; had been
| little wild like all boys until his confession.
He said il was in 1859 when he came under