Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-22
TEARS, IDLE TEARS.
Guiteau, in the Course OF His Speech.
Apparently Breaks Down and
Bursts Into Tears.
A Rather Dramatic Piece of Acting. but
Entirely Too Thin for Practical
Purposes.

WASHINGTON, January 21.-Cpon entering
the courtroom this morning Guiteau took
his seat in the witness-box, remarking, as he
laid out his papers: Il sit down because ]
can speak better, not that ! am afraid OF
being shot This shooting business Is getting
played out"
At an intimation from Judge Cox the
prisoner carefully arranged his glasses, and,
with a flourish, began to read from a manu-
script as follows: "The prosecution pretend
that l am a wicked man; Mr.. Scoville and
the rest think | am lunatic, and | presume
you think 1 am. L certainly was a lunatic
on July ID, when l fired on the president,
and the American people generally and,
presume, you think | was. Can
you imagine anything more insane
than my going to that depot and
shooting the president Of the United States?
You are here to say whether l was sane or
insane at the moment l fred that shot. You
have nothing TO do with my condition before
or since that shot was fired. You must say
by your verdict sane or insane at the mo-
ment the shot was fired. II you have any
doubt of my sanity at that moment, you
must give me the benefit of that doubt and
acquit me-that is, if you have any doubt
whether l fired that shot or was the agent OF
the Deity. Ii fired il on my own account,
l was sane; if l fred it supposing myself
the agent Of the Deity, Yves insane, and
you must acquit. This is the law, as given
in recent decision Of the New York Court
Of Appeals. 1t revolutIonizss the old rule,
and is grand step forward in the law of
insanity. 1t is worthy of this age of rail-
roads, electricity and telephones, and
State of New York. have no hesitation in
saying that it is a special providence in my
favor, and ask this court and jury so to
consider it. Some of the eminent people of
America think me the greatest man of this
age and this feeling is growing. They be-
lieVe in my inspiration, and that Providence
and l really saved the nation from another
war. Ny speech setting forth in detail my
defense was telegraphed to all the leading
papers and published Monday morning, and
now l am permitted by his Honor to deliver
it to you"
He then explained to the jury that his
speech opened with a quotation from his
Christmas greeting to the American people,
and in using it for the opening of his speech
to the jury he had intended to cut out that
christmas, 1881"
After thanking his counsel and paying
the jury high compliment, and testifyiDg
to the zeal and ability which Scoville had
displayed, whom he proposed soon to re-
ward with very liberal fee, he extended
his grateful acknowledgements to the Court,
the jury, officers and bailiffs, and last, but
not least, the American press. The latter
were power that generally crushed man
when they got down on him. They had been
pretty heavy on the prisoner at first, but
when they knew his motives, they changed
their views, and now they were treating him
very fairly. With this introduction, the
prisoner took up newspaper and proceeded
to read to the Jury his published speech.
His manner 10 the casual observer seemed
self-posse sse1, as usual, but behind
his ostentatious aflectation of composure
was intense feeling, which was only held in
control through undoubted strength of will
His excitement was betrayed by a slight
hectic spot high up on each cheek OF his
usually coloriess face, and by the unusual
deliberation with which he began and for
some time continued to speak. Whether this
excitement was from the merely superficial
effect upon his emotions naturally incident
TO the occasion, or whether it proceeded from
a deeper and more overpowering influence
Of the true realization of his position-an
almost convicted murderer pleading for his
ife-it were difficult to divine; but what
ever the original character of the feeling, ii
inally gained ascendancy over his powers of
control, and as he reached that point in his
speech, 81 have always served the Lord, and
whether live or pie" he broke down COM
1letely, stopped, and tried to choke down the
Using lump in his throat, but found it i'm
possible to keep back a genuine sob. Taking |
'ut his handkerchief he buried his face in it
| few seconds, wiped his eyes, and with de- |
ermined effort started on again.
He seemed to recover his composure so |
quickly that some believed the whole effort !
vas manufactured. His sister, Mrs. Scoville, |
However, apparently thought otherwise. She |
vas deeply affected and wept and sobbed bit |
erly for some minutes
After this incident Guiteau continued to
cad, occasionally adding brief comments
pom the text. As he proceeded with the
eadiDg, all appearances of nervousness grad
ally wore off, and with the utmost compo-
ure and an information that bordered upon
he ludicrous, the prisoner read on, with an
tempt at every conceivable form of orator.
;al, rhetorical and dramatic effect His de-
cription OF the taking off of the president
-as given with striking effect. At times he
losed his eyes or turned them heavenward,
aved his body back and forth, sunk his
dice to whisper, or raised it
a high treble. At times the
ltensity of his utterances seemed to react
pom himself, but the effect was transitory,
nd with the exception of one instance there
equent intervals he paused to mphssize
,me sentence or sentiment by repeating il
commc1ting upon it. At one time paus-
e he leaned toward the jury, and empha-
zing with his head and hands, said, with
4 attempt at great selemnity of utterance,
tell you, gentlemen, just as sure as there's
God in heaven, if you harm a hair of my
ead this nation will go down in blood. You
IN put my body in the grave, but there will
day OF reckoning" Guiteau concluded
s address at IL AS o'clock, and upon the
announcement by Colonel CorkhIll that
ldge Porter would be unable to speak to-
", the court adjourned until Monday.