Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-12-15
State Committee, of which I was chair.

can State Committee, of which I was chair
man.
Q.-What political services, if any, did the
prisoner render to the Republican party dur
ing the last Presidential campaign ? A. None,
that know of.
Q.-Was there ever anything, to your
knowledge in his relations to yourself or to
General Grant, OF to Senator Conkling, or to
any leaders of the Republican party, socially or
politically, furnishing shadow Of a reasona-
BILE claim on his part for political preferment
A.-No.
Odd you or not ever give him any rea-
son to think that lie had, or could have, any
political or personal influence with you ? A
1 never did. 1 have been requested by counsel
for the defense to produce a letter written by
the prisoner and enclosed to me by his counsel
since his Indictment. That letter was receiv-
ed by me in the month of October last and not
preserved. l do not remember it's contents,
particularly, excepting that it contained some
claim to have rendered important service to
the Republican party in the Presidential cam
paign and an appeal for pOstponement OF
his trial to give him time to prepare his de-
fenSe.
On the 9th, the attendance of spectators in the
Court room was greater than for several days.
During the examination of DR.. Macarthur, for
the prosecution, in rebuttal of the plea Of in
sanity of the prisoner, while on the point of the
prisoners past moral character, and touching
offenses against the law of which Guiteau was
charged with being guilty, Mr.. Scoville ad-
dressed the court and objected to the character
of evidence given by the witness, on the ground
| that the evidence to any other crimes could
not be introduced here when the prisoner is
on trial for this particular offense. He desired
that all such evidence should be stricken out.
The Court ruled that evidence could be ad.
mitted to show the general character of the
prisoner. Witness then testified as to the in
tervieWs with the prisoner and said that he
never saw any indications of insanity in the
prisoner
Several other witnesses were examined. AL
of whom testified to the same effect as DR.. Nc.
Arthur, viz. q: that the prisoners 'disease' is
more of the nature of moral depravity than
insanity, and the Court then took the usual
recess.
After recess several more witnesses testified
to transactions more or less disreputable in
Guteau's past life, and the prisoner abused
them all, calling them liars and every abusive
epithet he could think of. Several insurance
policies we're put in evidence, in which Guiteau
asserted there was no insanity in his family
Guteau poured out such a torrent Of abuse
upon the witnesses that there was difficulty ir
conducting the proceedings. Court adjourned
until Monday
DR.. Spitska, the celebrated insanity expert
of New York, who lodged both the Govern
ment and the defense as witness in the Gui
teau trial. but was finally captured by the lat
ter, and compelled to come, made a close ex
animation of Guiteau in his cell last Sunday
and, as the result, declares that he can visit
anylunatic. asylum in the country and find q
dozen patients less insane than Guiteau is
This testimony will be very valuable to the de-
fense. Mr.. Scoville claims that the testimony
of DR.. Macarthur, which told so horribly
against Guiteau, was manufactured, and that
he will demonstrate it before the close of the
trial.
DR.. Spitzka was examined on Monday, hi:
examination continuing through the day, anC
remaining unfinished when Court adjourned
He testified to the belief that Guiteau wa:
born insane. During the proceedings on Mon
day, some one in the crowd shouted, ''Shoot
him now!" which caused great excitement
but the person offering the suggestion coult
not be found, and the excitement subsidized
Warden Crocker has received several anony
nous conn. mr.unications leading to the suspicion
that an attempt may be made to blow up will
dynamite the wing of the prison in which Gui
teau is confined.