Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-05
THEASSASSIN'S TRIAL
EXPERT TESTIMONY TO-DAY.
GUITEAU GREATLY EXCITED.

Court the Guiteau trial not resumed till eleven
| O'Clock this morning. The prisoner was brought
up from jail half an hour later than usual, and on
! that account was greeted by larger crowd than
commonly.
GUITEAu AFRAID OF THE CROWD
| = ebegan to protest as soon as taken into the
court house against the manner in which he il
| taken through the crowd. He demanded OF Dep
| uty Marshal Williams that the van should take
| him to one Of the rear doors, where his passage
| into the building could be accomplished more
privately. He said that there were 40 or so dis
| reputable characters hanging around, and not
only he, but the Officers guarding him, would be
killed. MI. Williams declined to make any new
arrangement, as the present one had been sane
toned by the court People began to pour into
the court room before ten O'Clock.
MR.. REED AS COUNSEL FOR DEFENSE.
MT Chas. II. Reed was in good season, and at
| once took seat at the defence table. STAR re-
porter asked him as to the report that he was to
assume charge OF the defence to-day He said that
that was not strictly true. He expects to take
| part IN the examination of expert witnesses
Among those in the courtroom this morning
| were Gov. Bishop and
Ex-SPEAKER RANDALL.
Mr. Randall did not remain long. He visited the
narshal's Office and explained that he was away
| from home when Mr.. Scovilles subpoena was
| served on him Saturday. He desired to be excused
until Wednesday Mr.. Scoville, being called into
the conference, remarked that he desired to ques-
zion Mr Randall on the same topics ON which he
had questioned Senator Davis, but he was willing
| to excuse Mr.. Randall altogether.
THE PRESIDENT TO TESTIFY AS TO HIS INTERVIEWS
WITH GUITEAU.
MI. Randall then left. 1t was rumored that the
President would be put on the stand to-day but
this was denied by the defence. Messrs Scoville
! and Reed had brief interview with the President
yesterday, and made an appointment to meet him
to-day at O'Clock. The President, If he is placed
1ao
Gufteau had with him in New York during the DO
i1tlcal campaign and also to produce letter writ
ten 10 him by Gufteau. There was considerable
DuzZlng to-day regarding the alleged
BACKING DOWN OF FOUR OF THE EXPERTS
for the defence, since hearing Guiteau's cross
examination. The other experts kept silence in
the matter, giving evasve replies when questioned
about it. new expert, DR.. Jamin Strong, Of
Cleveland, Ohio, appeared in the court room this
morning. He was summoned by both sides, but
the most popular side. Experts say they have
never been called In case so remarkable as this,
where the testimony OF the prisoner himself forms
part OF the evidence on which they are to base
their judgments.
Owing, probably, to the counter attraction OF the
opening of Congress and the fact that it is popu-
larry supposed that the sfun" OF the trial is over
the pressure for admttance to the court room was
not SO great as usual this morning, though the
room was denSely crowded.
OPENING PROCEEDINGS TO-DAY.
The court was called to order at II :O7 o'lock a.
m, Deputy Marshal Williams opening the court
in the absence OF Crier Donaldson. The prisoner
was at once brought in, having bundle OF
newspapers in his hand. He was smarter In ap
pearance than usual, his hair and beard having
been freshly trimmed.
The First Expert Witness.
James G. Kieman. the first expert witness, was
then called to the stand and sworn.
WHAT GUITEAU WANTS THE EXPERTS TO TESTIFY TO
testimony tn
make short speech The very point which 1
Tahs vd the experts to pass Upon IS this have
man claims that he is impelled to do an illegal
act from power beyond him. which he cannot
want these experts to say whether that is sanity
or insanity"
=, "They VIII be heard on that subject" remarked
the court
THE WITNESS TESTIFIED
that he was physician OF Chicago, having grad
uated in medicine in 1874; that he was managing
editor of the Chicago Medical Reriec and lecturer
on medical diseases at the Chicago Medical Col
lege.
Mr. Scoville here read from manuscript hypo-
alleging that a man was aff1icted with hereditary
faint OF insanity; that he was under the delusion
Of inspiration, &C., and committed crime under
cred such person sane or insane
=, Assuming these facts to be true, should say
the prisoner was insane" replied the witness
'.Have You any doubt about it7"
The witness was then turned over for cross
1dge. The witness said he was formerly connected
with the insane hospital at Wards Island; he had
to sign a certain death certificate, and on account
of paper he read before a medical society.
:. After some further questions Mr.. Davidge asked
the witness If he thought strong case OF hered-
1tary insanity had been made out in evidence.
Mr. Scovllle objected to this question, as it
was the place OF the jury to weigh the evidence
THE QUESTION OF HEREDITARY INSANITY
The judge sustained this objection, but after
some discussion permitted Mr.. Davidge to ask the
question in the following form:
Assuming the evidence submitted to the fury
TO be true, do you mean to say that strong case of
hereditary insanity had been made out?"
Mr.. Scoville objected to this, and finally after
some discussion the prosecution was permitted to
ask If, conceding Mr.. North's testimony was true.
(Mr North testified to L. w. Guiteau's cranktness5
the witness considered the old gentleman insane.
That was the opinion judge, OF the entire city
OF Freeport," said the prisoner, addressing Mr..
Davidge:
city OF FreepOrt was" retOrted Mr.. Davidge.
All right, show it out" said the prisoner, and,
after pause he added: "a good man, but badly
cracked on religion"
The witness, basing his Judgment on Mr.. North's
testimony, said: " l should regard Mr.. Luther W.
Guiteau as person OF rather dubious mental con-
dition have not facts enough to form decided
opinion"
The substance of the evidence regarding other
members OF the Iamly alleSed 10 be insane having
been submitted to witness in the form of a query
he said he should certainly write the case as one
Of hereditary insanity.
The witness being questioned as to Dr. Rice's
evidence, he said he believed insanity could exist
without hallucinatiOn or delusion; he believed in
what is called moral insanity. The examination
OF the witness was frequently interrupted by dis
cuSsionS between counsel as to the admiSSibity of
questions and replies
The witness said that assuming DR.. Rice's state
ment to be true that the prisoner was in state OF
eXaltati0n and his Judgment was impaired, the
prisoner, II sent to an insane asylum, would not be
discharged.
The witness had, he said, seen two or three, If
not more cases, where patients had !abored under
q delust0n OF inspiration by the Deity, and under
that delusion had pursued the object OF the So
called delusion logically. The witness cited two
that had come under his notice or alleged in
spiraton. The witness did not think that fearless
ness was an unerring indication OF belief In In
spiratiOn.
In reply to question from Mr.. Davidge the wit
nesS, said that II man claimed to be inspired but
acted as a vulgar criminal, the presumptive evil
dence against his claim would be strong.
duITEAU AS AN EXPERT.
0There,s nothing OF that kind in this case,
fudee,n said the prisoner to Mr.. Davidge.
"Well, werl see" replied Mr.. Davidge
aIwant you stick to the facts and not to imagf-
nation" said the prisoner, and having loosensd his
tongue, went on and said: "The witness has struck