The Portland daily press., 1881-11-18


name OF course the shot being behind my
back did not see him with the pistol in his
hand. He did not in running have pistol
exposed.
The District Attorney then produced a
diagram of the depot in which the tragedy oc-
Cured, and at his request witness indicated the
positions occupied by the President and him
self at the time the fatal shot was fired. He
also stated that though the second shot was
fred Immediately after the first it did not
follow it as rapidly as shots could be fired
from self cooking revolver.
Q-How often have you seen the prisoner
to the best of your recollection?
A.-Verv often. Numerical statements are
apt to be exaggerated when we are recalling
8 statement of this kind. According to my
recollections he visited the State Department
90 or rs times. 1t might possibly have not
been over ten but eight or ten visits of that
kind are apt to make an impression of 20 or %.
Uaughter.)
Q.-You saw him personally?
Ayes, very frequently.
Q.-Was he an applicant for Office?
Ale was very persistent applicant Tor
the consul generalship at Paris
Odd you have any conversation with
him ON that subject?
A.-Several times. never gave him the
slightest encouragement that he would receive
the appointment.
Q.-Do You recollect ever khaving made
use of any particular expression to him with
regard to that appointment
Al remember after persistent and re-
peated visits l told him there was in my Judg-
ment no prospect whatever OF his receiving the
appointment and that did not want him to
continue his visits wanted to bring lobbying
then 60 an end and told him there was no
prospects of his receiving it.
ODD you recollect the time of that re-
mark?
A.-There was no fact of special importance
49, 1r.fV INNS fiyaI 10
in the month of May.
Q-Had he written number OF letters?
A. Several.
Q-You have seen the letters?
Al have.
Q.-You are familiar with his hand writ
ing.
Al am.
Q.-Will you look at these letters (produc-
ing bundle of letters and handing them to
the witness)?
A.-(After examination) There are letters
taken from the files of the State department
on request of the government to which COM
nlied, and 1 have endorsed them. The letters
which bear my signature with date of delivery
to the government are the genuine letters
which were received from Guiteau and be-
lieved to be in his hand writing. / observe
theseletters contain signatures made on them
for Identification, and this Indicating paper)
is speech that was enclosed in one of the let
ters which he alleged to have made during the
political campaign, and on which he based his
claim for office, Here Indicating is letter
that came from the White House on an ordin-
ary executive mansion blank. 1t is mere en-
dorsement (Guiteau, Charles, applicant Aus
TRAN mission) That letter came from the
White House in this envelope.
By Mr.. Porter-Was the letter to Mr.. Evarts
found in the files of the State department?
A. That was on the regular files of that de-
partment before became Secretary OF State.
I observed the hand writing that came to me
and merely marked it for identification.
Q-0n the morning of the commission OF the
crime you say you did not see the assassin fire
the shot?
A-No.
Odd you see the body of Garfield when
it was brought to the District after he was
dead?
Al came with the funeral train and did
not see the body of the President after the
return here. 1t was not a pleasant sight. ]
it. saw the body after death at Elberon in
Francklyn cottage. where he died on the 10Th
of September.
ON what place did he die?
Ale died on the coast of New Jersey, in
what was called Franoklyn cottage belonging
New York who had very kindly tenderd to us
the use of the cottage for the President.
This ended the direct examination.
Decentralization.
The counsel for defense then held a short
consultation and the witness WIS cross-exam-
ined. After some unimportant questions by
Mr.. Robinson, Mr. Scoville ross-examined
the witness as follows:
Q-When did you first become acquainted
with the prisoner?
Al cannot say exactly that ever was ac-
quainted with him in the sense of acquain-
lance. He visited the State department FREE
quently after my accession to office. l can
hardly claim that persons visiting there are
acquaintances, but know and Unidentified the
man from time to time as / see him before me
now. AS to the identical day first saw him I
cannot say but think it was early in March
Odd you ever see and observe him before
that time?
Al did not.
Odd you meet him during the campaign
last year?
A.-Possibly I did. He correspondent with
the Maine committee, attempting to get into
the campaign as speaker. Very often persons
try to get into the campaign as speakers. This
is not an exceptional case. 1t is transaction
every speaker in the country is familiar with.
the general rule being never to take speaker
who applies himself to speak. (Laughter1 A
man of enough reputation to be of influence is
of consequence enough to be sought for and
not to seek.
was Guitean introduced to you?--
A-By himself
Q.-Alone?
Ayes, sir
Q.-Where was that?
AIN the State Department.
O. What was the purpose of it?
Ale disired an Office.
Q-What office?
A.-Accordin! to correspondence it seems he
first wanted the Austrian mission. What has
impressed itself on my memory was the Paris
consulate.
O-Did you give much personal notice to
the individual who was making the applica-
ton?
A.-So as to be able to identify him?
Q-So as to notice him or his appearance?
Ayes, sir.
Odd he come at any time with any back
ing for office, either written or personal?
Al do not recollect that he did. He con-
stantly referred to the fact Of Gen. Logan be-
ing his friend, and 1 am not sure he did not
have some letters. That is a fact could not
now state.
@ Did anything strike you as peculiar in
his case-in regard to the man?
A-No sir.
O.-How did you treat him?
A.-Possibly if had never seen but one Of
fice-seeker / might have thought he was per.
sistent. Having seen SO many OF the same
kind did not notice him. (Laughter.)
O.-How did he strike you in personal APP
pearance?
A,-There was nothing special to remark.
Odd you treat himsWith usual civilty?
A. Yes, SIT. i always trV W tIodb ANY sou-
tleman who comes to the State department
with civility.
O.-When did you finally reject his applica-
ton. State more fully as to the particulars OF
that interview.
A.-There is nothing very salient to state in
regard to it. He had come there repeatedly
without encouragement and the office was
more or less filled every morning with gentle
men who were applying for more places than
the admins ration had to bestow. He was
like the others, persistent in application and
coming and coming again and coming yet
again. i finally sai0 he need not have the
fajntest expectation of receiving consulship
and that did not desire him to speak to me
about it. 1 did not do it with any harshness
Odd you say substantially that if the
President chose to appoint him you had no OBJ
iections. Was not the interview concluded
with such remark?
Al should say not. I should have had de-
cided objection.
Q.-On what ground?
A.-The Paris consulate is a very important
office, of great consequence, and did not
think Guiteau belonged to this rank and class
of men that would naturally be assigned to it.
Q.-For what reason?
A.-For the very simple reason l think
man of sufficient consequence would nave been
a we'll known public man. Such an import
ant office is always assigned to a gentleman OF
conspicuous rank for intelligence and public
service. did not class him in that rank.
Q.-About public services, do you mean par
ty service?
Al may be party services.
rrba ;pour,hant at that time-Gen, Wall