The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-28
The Guifeau Trial.


WASHINGTON, December 27.-The crowd
at Guiteau's trial this morning is az great
as usual. When Guiteau reached his seat
he looked around and, smiling, said: q
had nice Christmas dinner, and hope
everybody else did. had lots Of fruit and
flowers, lady visitors, and a good time gen.
orally"
DR.. A. i. Macdonald, superintendent Of
wards in an insane asylum, took the stand.
The witness had during his practice six
thousand cases Of insanity under his charge.
lie had given special attention to the study
Of insanity. He stated the difference be-
tween "delusion and insane delusion," the
former being the subject OF correction by
judgment and senses, the latter not being
correctiblc, and for that reason denOmi-
mated insane delusion. lie believed, iudg-
ing from his observation and experience,
that the claim Of inspiration frequently as
serted by insane persons proceeds from
hallucination affecting the senses.
Witness was asked il persons acting UNI
der the claim Of inspiration would indi-
cate it in any other way than by their asser-
tiOns, and replied: "Their actions and
behavior would indicate ii as well as their
assertions"
In answer TO the question il such person
would feel any apprehension OF bodily in
Jury, and take any precautions against dam
ger, witness said: "lnspirati0n always
Oyerrides all fear OF bodily pain, and rem
ders person who believes he Is acting I'M
der inspiration wholly obliyIous to such
They seldom plan with
deliberation, but, on the contrary, their
acts are sudden in both conception and
execution, as a rule, and they seldom at
tempt to avoid consequences in any way"
Guiteau suggested that there were two
kinds OF insanity-the crank insanity and
Abraham insanity, and that he belonged
to the latter class.
Witnessed described what is commonly
called temporary insanity, and said he did
not believe in such insanity, and in all his
experience had never seen an instance Of If.
DIR. Macdonald did not believe in heredi-
tary insanity. An occasional defect might
be transmitted, but not the disease Itself.
As Il rule, descendants OF insane persons
did not become insane. If they did, every
body in the world would by this time be
insane. The tendency was more towards
health than the Inheritance Of disease.
Neither did he believe in moral insanity.
The phrase is recent, and has been, since
lis invention, another name for wickedness
or craft. 1t was first used during the
French revolution to excuse the slaughters
of that period.
The counsel for the prosecution, i'm put
ting the questions, referred to Or. Spitzka
as a horse doctor, and 10 another witness
as an "agnOstic." Mr.. ScOville called at
tention to these reflections upon the wit
nesses for the defence and Judge Cox sus-
tanned his objections, and the offensive
terms were Withdrawn.
DR.. Macdonald said that in bis interview
with Guiteau the latter had spoken Of his
act rs "a conception " Of his own. His
throughout that interview was
a variation upon conceived the idea"
lie did not then speak OF inspiration"
and said he had conceived the idea about
six weeks before carrying il into execution.
lie had already said II was the act Of God.
I'm reply 10 MacDOnald's question
why he had not left the execution OF the
idea to God as well a. its conception. re-
piled that God left matters OF detail TO his
chosen instruments. Guiteau had discussed
the question Of insanity with Macdonald,
and to him had said he had been looking up
the question Of insanity, and, while he was
not medically insane, he was legally insane,
and expected acquittal on that ground, and
would be sent to an asylum; that after
being there Il short time he would apply for
4 commission Of inquiry, which OF course
would find that he was not insane, and his
discharge would follow. Macdonald saw
nothing i'm Guiteau's face or the shape OF
his head to indicate insanity
II % L..
rect question to Macdonald, whether from
his personal examination and careful con-
sideration Of the prisoner during the trial
be considered him sane or insane!
DR.. Macdonald replied: Il believe him
10 be "a sane man."
To further questions DR.. Macdonald
said he believed Guiteau had been playing
a part in the courtroom. lie had carefully
watched him when making his assertion that
he had been prompted by Deity, and had
observed that his gesticuatiOn, information,
and facial expression, while using this eX-
preston, were always the same except
once. Guiteau, during an interview in
Jail, apparently forgetting his part, half
completed the assertion IN an ordinary con-
versational way, but, suddenly recalling
himself, stopped and commenced the decla-
ration over again with the familiar effects.
As to Guiteau's habit of interrupting
N court, Dr. Macdonald did not
.hink an insane person would have had
'uch correct appreciation Of time and eff
ect, or shown so much method in his in
erruptiOns. An insane man moved by
impulse TO interrupt would have done so
regardless OF the stage of the proceedings. |
The conduct OF an insane person would |
lot be characterized by selection as had /
leen shown by the prisoner. lie had OBJ |.
eryed that Guiteau's Interruptions had /
)een most frequent and excited when evil /
lence was telling against him.
Here Guiteau interruptedD DR.. Macdonald |
" saying, You are making great TODD |
bout nothing. do not pretend that | am
insane nOw."
Witness noticed Guiteau's constant read /
ne OF newspapers, and concluded that |
newspaper comment had Influenced Gui- /
eau's conduct. As an example Of this he |
tied Guiteau's threats against his former |
wife, which had been referred to in the /
newspapers before she came on the stand,
5 evidence Of depravity, and when an OPP
,Ortunity offered Gulteau carefully re-
rained from executing his threats.
Guiteau frequently interrupted DIR. Mac
combating his conclusions and
dyising him to draw his money and go
Ome.
the SMALLPOX I'm the West.
WASHINGTON, December 27.-In view OF
he prevalence OF smallpox at various points
n the West, Surgeon-GeneralW Woodward, OF
be Marine Hospital Service, has issued AN
rider to his subordinates at Cincinnati, Lou
.yille. Cairo. and st. Louis To vaccinate