Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1881-12-03
The Guiieaa Trial.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-Shortly before
the advent of Judge Cox this morning the
Court room presented the APP
pearance Of a well filed theatre upon al
opening night.
The Court being opened, Mr.. Scoville
stated that Guiteau desired TO make
statement.
No objection being made, Guiteau read
from manuscript, substantially as fol-
lows:
81 propose to have all the facts bearing
on this case to 60 TO the court and the
jury, and, to DO this, have been forced
to interrupt counsel and witnesses, VINO
were mistaken as to supposed facts. L
meant no diseourtesy to them or anyone.
Any fact in my career bearing on the
question "who fired that shot, the Deity
or myself" is of vital importance in this
case, and propose that it go To the jury.
Hence my personal, political and theoloS.,
ical record may be developed. l am glad
that your honor and the opposing counsel
arc disposed to give historic review OF
my life, and ask the press and the puDllc
to do likewise. All l want is absolute
Justice; and shall not permit any crook
ed work. 1 have no idea my counsel
wants crooked work. They are often
mistaken on supposed facts, and L shall
have to correct them. Last spring GER
tain newspapers in New York and Wash
ington were bitterly denouncing the
President for breaking up the republican
party by improper appointments.
would like those newspapers TO report
those editorials now, and see how they
would look and sound. In attempting TO
remove the president, | only did what the
papers said ought to be done. Since
July 2nd they have been deifyinS tile
President and denouncing me for doing
the very thing obey said ought to be done.
l want the newspapers and doctors, VINO
actually killed the President, to share
with me the odium Of his death. L never
would have shot him Of my own volitlon,
Notwithstanding those newspapers, II
had not been commissioned by the Deity
10 do the deed But this fact does not re-
lieve the newspapers from the supposed
disgrace of the Presidents removal. III
he had been properly treated he would
have been alive to-day. 1t has been pub
lished that l am in fear of death. 1t Is
false. | have always been religious
man and an active worker for God. some
people think that am 4 murderer but the
Lord does not, for He inspired the act, as
in the case Of Abraham and a score OF
other cases in the Bible. The assault
made upon me on Saturday by q crank
has been condemned by the press. The
eyes Of the civilized world are watching
this case, and it behooves this court anu
the Metropolitan police 10 protect Inc at
all hazards. / hereby warn all cranks
Of high and low degree 10 keep away
from me under pain OF instant death. lie
would have been shot dead on Saturday
but for the rearing OF the horses III the
van as the officer was shooting. The
horses shook the van so that he lost his
aim, and though the van pursued him, he
temporarily escaped. | waste my argu-
ments on cranks. All they can see III the
case is policeman 5 revolver. Again, l
say if they value their lives they must
keep away from me. i desire the court
and the jury to dispose of this case on the
facts and the law, and leave all the re-
sponsibility about il to the verdict"
Mr.. Scovillc referred to his previous de-
mands for certain printed newspaper
slips which were taken from Guiteau at
the time of his arrest. "A cOllOquy ensued
between counsel, in which considerable
feeling was shown upon both sides. Mr..
Scoville protested against the course Of
District Attorney in the matter and the
latter contemptuOusly replied from his
seat, ooh stuff, stuff, all stuff"'
The controversy was finally settled,
ana Mr.. Scoville called John A. Logan
for the defense; witness did not respond,
however.
Guiteau, who seemed greatly excited,
here broke in again and shouted so as to
be distinctly heard in every part of the
10
that | want to speak about right now.
understand my divorced wife is to be
brought here as a witness against Inc. If
that Is so, there will be trouble. She was
Il poor, unfortunate thing, and l never
should have married her. But, if she
comes to testify against me and do me any
harm III rip up her whole record. She
was seduced in Philadelphia and had a
child before | married her."
With great difficulty Mr.. Scoville, after
some minutes of expostulation succeeded
in quoting Guiteau, who for the next
fifteen minutes devoted himself to his
newspapers. Two other witnesses were
called but failed to respond. Joseph b.
Smith, Of Freeport, ILL.,, then testified as
to his acquaintance with Guiteau's
family.
f. o. Foss, Of Dover, n. H., another
witness, was at the depot when President
Garfield was shot. His evidence was OF
No particular interest and in substance
that of others. There was several sharp
passages between Mr.. Scoville and the
Court for the prosecution during the ques-
tioning of this witness.
Charles III. Reed, of Chicago, detailed
several incidents in Guiteau's career as a
lawyer in Chicago. The witness was pros
ecuting attorney for twelve years, and
met Guiteau frequently buthis relations
with him were never intimate. lie had
loaned him money which is still due. lie
always regarded him very earnest, sim
cere man but not unbalanced. lie never
saw any indication Of violence, but al
ways deemed him harmless man until
recently. He met Guiteau several times
at the Riggs House and undertook to dis
s,lade him from seeking for the Paris con-
sulate and to seek clerkShip-all, how
ever, to no purpose.
The prisoner interrupted the witness
often making rambling and irrelevant re-
marks until Judge Cox quite sharply
threatened to gag him if he did not keep
quiet. Guiteau continued to interpOSe his
objections, however, but in n less obiec-
tionable manner and gradually subsidized
altogether.
\ recess was then taken.