The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-02-08
Guitpau FOund Guilty,

ultsb VI luo AtIy-lOulL 0aJ vi VIC hAoA. "o
was constantly interrupted by Guiteau and
subjected to a torrent Of abuse. At 8 O'Clock
the Judge finished his address, the speeches
were over, and there only remained Judge
Cox's charge to the jury. At this time the
courtroom was densely packed, and the audi
ence had evidently come prepared to remain
there until the Jury should bring in its verdict.
Judge Cox had evidently prepared his
charge with a great deal OF care. He spoke in
q quiet, clear, judicial manner, and he had no
more earnest and attentive listener than Gui"
teau himself. who bent forward over the rail-
ings on the dock with his face resting in the
palms of his hands and his elbows supported
by the railing, making q noteworthy picture in
the dim twilight of the room. Judge Co1's
charge swept away all the cobwebs which the
lawyers on each side had constructed. 1t was
a concise, clear and positive statement Of the
legal definition Of insanity, OF the
gauge which the jury. must apply
to the evidence sustaining both the
sanity and the insanity claims. 1t left no sort
of dnubt in the minds OF the jury as to pre-
cisely what was inaanity as contemplated by
tie law, and gave them no opportunity for any
other discussion among themselves, excepting
the single one as to VIII Their the evidence in
troduced met the legal requirements. The
charge WAS one to which, even the counsel for
the defense said, little or no exception could
be taken, and no exception a" all WAS possible
upon his statement OF the law. Nevertheless
it sounded to the audience, and, as since
learned, was accepted by the jury like the
death sentence of Ghiteau. The prisoner was
given the benefit Of all that he could posi-
bly,, under the evidence, ask for, and yet
Judge COx's statement Of the case was 30 ter
ribly powerful against him that many people
believed that tho jury would be out but q few
moments. Once or twice Guiteau offered some
trivial comments, hut they were unnoticed by
the Judge and almost unheard by the people in
the courtroom. It did not escape notice of
members of the bar who heard the charge that
in come respects Judge Cox had been fairer
toward the prisoner even than his counsel had
asked him to be, whi;e on the other hand he
had brushed away as insignificant and OF no
prosecution had dwelt Upon with seemingly the
greatest confidence.
Soon after S o'clock, and while dusk was be.
coming darkness in the courtroom, the jury
took the case into it's OWL hands. A grim-vis.
aged bailiff making his way through the dense
throng that stood between the jury and the
door beckoned to them to follow him. A COL
orcd sheriff, gathering up some OF the docu-
mentary evidence, prepared to follow, and one
by one, thus escorted, the jury made its way
from tho courtroom into the consultation
room overhead. Judge Cox, after they had
gone, leaned over the bar and conversed quiz
eetly with one or two lawyers. Mr.. Scoville and
Mr.. Reed, the prisoners counsel. chatted with
one or two Of tho audience. Judge Porter sat
silent, while orkhill made the only exhibition
by gathering together the documents and pa
pers with which the tables were strewn.
Guiteau sat in the dock for five or six min
utes, like a statue, after the jury had gone. 1t
was too dark to see his features, but those who
stood near him said he was muttering m
thing to himself. He finally looked up toward
the judge and tried to get up, but he seemed to
have lost his strength, and the officers who
guarded him thought he was going to break
down. At last he said in a weak voice, unlike
that he has used to interrupt the proceedings,
that he would like to be taken out Of the court
into the marshal's Office, and Judge Cox con-
scented. Two baiiiffs took him one by each
arm and he was led through the
throng, his head bent over, his eyes
upon tho door, shutting along until he got
ont Of the courtroom. In tho marshal's Office
he was seated in a chair in the corner, and
him how he felt, he replied in o tremulous
voice that he was anxious to have it over, it
wore on lis nerves very much waiting for the
jury to come in. He would not say what he
thought of Judge Cox's charge. Fifteen min
utes, perhaps, after the jury went out Judge
Cox decided to give o receus for half an hour
As soon as the crier announced this the audi
ence began to converse in loud tones. Women
held dainty sandwiches in their fingers, and
there was tho fragrance Of freshly.cut
apples. The whispering became murmuring,
and the murmuring chatting. Everybody
who had q seat kept it no one would give up
a picture in pantomime. His round head
bobbed back and forth as he whispered to this
or that man, and he threw off some of the off,
cial dignity which routine has rendered heavy
for his shoulders. Mr.. Scoville stood like a
statue with his arms folded, while Mr.. Reed,
who WAS talking with n lawyer, sadly shook his
head, az if in anticipation OF o verdict.
Within ten minutes after the recess had been
taken the jury called to the bailiff in waiting
that they we're ready with their verdict. They
were informed that o recess had been taken,
aud that Judge Cox had left the court
room, 30 they remained in their room until the
court reassembled. The rumor that the jury
had agreed was quickly spread from ono to
another, and an excited crowd surged back
into the courtroom.
Suddenly q single shout from the court crier
brought perfect silence. The door from the
marshal's Office opened. They were bringing
in the prisoner.
As lie pissed o point where the light struck
his lace, 1t gave his features a gnaslly IooK.
His jaw was firmly get, however, and he
seemed to have recovered his self-possession.
He glanced at the jury box, and then sat in
the dock, his back to the audience.
A minute later there was commotion upon
the other sido of the room. A bailiff wliis-
pcred to the Judge, CorkLill Strengthened up
and looked very stern. Porter did not move q
muscle, and Scoville still stood there with his
arms folded.
"The jury is coming" ran in q whisper
through the courtroom.
The door opened and the shadowy forms OF
twelve persons we're seen filing into their place.
No one could SEQ enough Of their faces to catch
shouted their verdict as they entered, they
con d not have more fully convinced the people
what it WAS than they did by the silent process
sion to the place whence they would pro-
nopnce II.