The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-01-05
WASHINGTON.
THE GUITEAU TRIAL.

WASHINGTON, January Sit was
very cold in the courtroom this
morning, and the jury, court Off
Gals and spectators sat shivering in
overcoats and wraps. Guiteau
made his usual speech. He said he
had had a happy New Year, and
hoped the audience had had the
same.
DIR. Gray took the stand, and
Scoville resumed his examination.
The witness had not. in giving his
opinion, indicated that the prisoner
was sane, but, to take into account
the evidence of the prisoner him
self, was sufficient to convince him
of his sanity. He thought the pris-
oner sane, and that he was sane on
the End day of last July. The wit
ness was asked if he was familiar
with the case of Lieutenant San
born, who was killed by DR.. Wright,
at Norfolk, Virginia. He replied:
Yes, sir; was sent by the presi-
dent to make an examination and
render my opinion of the case"
allow much did you get
for iii? shouted Guiteau. Witness
was closely questioned as to how or
by what physical examination i'll
sanity or diseased brain could be
detected.
Question-"Iiaye you ever had
patients in your asylum who have
recovered?"
Answer-"I es, sir, have"
Question-"Have you seen per-
sons who have recovered in three
months %
Answer-"Yes sir, l have"
Scoville-."Were they discharged
Witness-"Yes, SIR"
Scoville-"Well, now, if you ex-
pect to examine such patients i'm
mediately upon his discharge could
you tell by physical indication
that he had been insane only three
months previous "
Witness-"No, sir, not without a
history of the case"
Scoville-"Yout thought so 7"
Guiteau-"Your idea, doctor, that
a man can't lie insane unless his
brain is diseased. Is that it? ?"
Witness did not believe in what is
termed by some writers as emo
tional or moral insanity. Klepto-
mania he considered simply as
thieving, diplomaniu drunkenness,
and pysomia incendiarism. These
designations were simply cGnve-
nient terms for crime. Insanity,
said witness, is never transmitted
any more than cancer. 1 never
have known a man to be born with
cancer. Susceptibility-insanity is
undoubtedly transmitted from par
ents to child, but insanity does not
necessarily follow except from some
profound physical disturbance. The
examination progressed with tedi-
GUS detail in the effort to extract
something favorable to the defense.
The counsel renewed his attack on
witness again and again, and each
time met with an evasive or quail
fed reply. Scoville desired to put
in the evidence certain tabulated
statements from the annual reports
of the witness. From these it ap-
peared of fifty-four cases of homi-
eide by insane people seven of them
were by persons acting under insana
ucicEluiI, Ut ultlue duIUOTlly IOT
their acts. AT the request of the dis.
trict attorney witness described
briefly these cases and added each
case was one of marked insanity.
Recess.
DR.. Gray was asked few ques-
tions by Scoville.
When the district attorney an
nounced the conclusion of the evil
denee on the part of the govern
ment, Scoville walked over to the
dock and conferred with the pris-
oner few minutes.
After returning to his seat, he
said: "Your honor, am somewhat
taken by surprise by the action of
the prosecution in not calling sew
eral persons whose names had been
given in as witnesses for the prose-
cution. These gentlemen being en-
ployes of the government, were in
a position to know something of the
mental condition Of the prisoner
about the time of the shooting of
the president. I do not know what