The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-12-23
A Merry Christmas TO ali.
THE SANITY OF 1UITEAU.

Eminent Experts Say He Is Feigning insanity
Tie following, found in dispatches, shows
something Of expert opinion concerning
by the actor, Mr. Harris, exposes the trickery
Of Guiteau winch will be realized as it is
suggested. lie is playing the game of in
sanity high, but ought not TO win.
A Washington special says Sixteen of the
experts summoned on either side of the Gui-
teau trial have held consultation, at which it
was found that all were agreed in the opinion
that the assassin is sane, and legally respon-
sible for the murder of Garfield. This num-
Der includes practically the whole body Of
experts now here attending the trial. One
of them said tonight that he did not know
a single expert who would testify that Gui-
teau was insane.
Mr.. Harris, the leading man Of Mary An
derson's company, who has been on the stage
for the las thirty years, says Guiteau is not
insane, but he is a very good actor. To be
sure, he has the advantage of realistic sur
roundings and in acting for his life, but still
he deserves credit for his cleverness. He
has not, perhaps, brains enough to be insane,
but certainly sufficient 10 be very danger
Gus eccentric. One strong evidence against
the idea Of insanity is the fact that he grows
weary at times and rests himself, just as a
man acting on the stage does. Now, fatigue
is something utterly unknown to man who
is insane. The brain Of All insane man is
never wearied. This fellow, Guteau, nurses
himself up to his acting point either by pre-
tending to write or by hiding himself behind
a newspaper which he pretends to read. II
is mucl easier TO act where everything is real
than where everything is advertised as ari'
fi,sIal, on the stage aud in play.
Emory Storrs, the eminent criminal law
yer, whose testimony was such surprise to
the defense in the Guiteau case, says:
think Guiteau will be convicted. Crazy is
not the right kind of word. Nothing has
so far appeared in the case to indicate that he
did not at the time Of the assassination OF
the President and before Il and during all
the time since then, fully comprehend the
difference between right and wrong. He
fully understood the nature of the act com
mitted and the consequences, anu conse
quehtly nothing tends to snow that he hac
not control over his own conduct and nothing
TO show that he was acting under an irre-
sistible impulse proceeding from diseased
brain or from any other cause. The public
are convinced he has very badly balanced
mind; that he has not good strong common
sense, and that he has an iuordnate desire
for notoriety and would stop at nothing L
| achieve it. But have yet seen nothing il
the case to indicate that in legal sense h,
was or is insane. He had perfectly clea
comprehension of the case from the com
mencement of the trial of the points IN
yolyed. His bursts Of violence and his abust
of witnesses aud others have been indulgeC
| in because he thought himself in
sane. Had he apprehended punishment
of any kind for these outbursts, have no
the slightest doubt but that he would hay'
been entirely quiet. Judge Cox is a man o
very excellent standing in Washington, AM
doubtless has been proceeding upon the as
sumption that he would give the prisoner tn
largest latitude possible so there could b.
no error in the record or in the proceedings
But [ have 10 doubt il was in his power, a
it is in the power Of every court to maintain
common decency aud order in the proceed
ings, and that some method could be foun'
for furnishing Guiteau for contempt, elthe
in his position as counsel or as a prisoner
which would have been etiectaal. Thes
demonstrations have hurt Guiteau's cas-
badly.