Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-13
TO THE JURY.



lawyedike Summing Up-continued
Interruptions by the assassin
W The Speech He Wants
To Make.
THE END DRAWING SLOWLY NEAR.
Judge Davidge commenced the argu-
ment of the case, on its merits to the
jury, yesterday, and while doubtless the
full synopsis furnished us by telegraph
gives fair resume of the general course
which he followed, it Is but just to him
to say, that it does not present the
points in the clear, logical and incisive
manner in which he doubtless made
them to the jury. He demonstrates,
clearly, that the orly Intelligent verdict
possible in the Guiteau case Is that OF
ges gaieItsSi Si,s ;Snassaa sS has %
can entertain any well grounded doubt
that Guiteau deserves the full penalty
of the law for his infamous crime.
Judge Cox's extreme leniency in the
treatment of Guiteau has given the
criminal the opportunity to practically
convict himself and he has done it to
the entire satisfaction of the public
which has watched with interest the
course ofthe trial. II has been very.
hard for the American people to submit
to such travesty Of O solemn judicial
proceeding as has been laboriously made
of this trial by Guiteau himself, but the
very latitude over which Guiteau has
chuckled, and which he has abused so
notoriously, has had more to do with
emphasizing to the public the convic-
ton of Guiteau's guilt, and Of his studi-
ously playing apart in the court, than
anything else.
WASHINGTON, January 12-As soon as the
court was called to order Davidge took a
position in front OF the jury and opened his
argument with a disclaimer of any inten.
| ton to make q set speech, but expressed
| the simple desire to render the jury what
| aid he could in their present and solemn
| duty The time had now come, in this
| trial, when the jury were to become the
| factors. What lack of disorder or leyity
might have characterized the. trial, there
| was but one sentiment in respect TO the
conduct of the jury. AL commended their
| dignified deportment, and close and patient
CN
not doubt, as they had received the com.
mendation OF all in the past, they would
continue to deserve il in the future, by
their decision in the case before them. AS
Dayldge treated the
Process OF Reasoning
| by which the prisoner gradually reached
| the conviction that but one life intcrposed
between himself and possibly great bene-
| fits. Guiteau became restless, and for the
| fips time since the opening OF Court, indi'
| Gated. by his nervous twisting about, the
usual preliminaries to series oil INTERRUPT
| tions, which, in this instance quickly FOL
| lowed. mot often, said Davidge, lin the
| record of heinOus crime, do We have such
| plain and pointed evidence as TO the first
| conception of the crime. In this case the
suggestion came to the wretch III the night
as he was lying in his bed"
at came to me when the Lord got ready
| to have it," snaGled the prisoner.
Davidge continued-"Th thought or
suggestion came to him Oh the 18th OF May.
| Still thinking that he might obtain the
| Office he sought and keep his hands clean,
| he made another effort, on the 18th oil May,
| TO induce the President" =, o.,
| Guiteau called out from the dock
| would NOT have taken a foreign mission
| after the lst of June, il 1t had been offered
| to me-"
| Davidge, apparently not needing him
| On the 2Sth OF May.
Guiteau-I am talking about the first Of
| June.
Davidge, pausing a moment-Just listen
| to him.
| Guiteau, sneeringly-They would listen
| TO you, but your talk is so weak it's hardly
worth listening 70.
J For several minutes Guiteau continued
| TO interiect n.ss comments with the evident
intention of annoying Davtdge, but finding
he could not effect this, he gradually SUBJ
sided into complete silence.
In the beginning, said Dayidge, ii was
sought to show that the prisoner was off
his balance, and now the court tells you to
| look for that degree of insanity that dis
ables a man from knowing that what he
was doing was wrong This is the test you
are TO apply upon the question Of inspira-
| ton, and think will be able to show to
| your satisfaction how little there is in this
| claim The only question, he said, was
| that of insanity. lie then argued that the
| prisoner had that degree .of intelligence,
| legal knowledge and moral sense which
rendered him responsible for his acts
In telling passage he showed that the
Prisoner Himself
| had the wit 10 see the fatal weakness OF SEQ.
| yille's line of defense ana repudiated il, ar
elling in his own behalf that he was no i'm
! bicle but q sane man, whose intellect and
| will had been dominated during q specified
| period of time, rendering him irresponsi-
| Die for this particular crime. He then re.
viewed the circumstances OF the crime aud
| the victim and the criminal. His analysis
| of Guiteau's character was graphic and ef-
| fective. "If," he exclaimed, IL were to sum
.t. ;,ta nf
| this man, / should say that he had the dar-
| ing OF a vulture combined with the
| Heart OF the Wolf"
In speaking of Guitcau's plan, he re-
! marked upon lis greater fear OF the mob
than the law, and exclaimed: We must
| say, to our shame, that this estimate has
foundation. 1t rested" he added, with the
| Jury to show the world whether Guiteau's
opinion was well founded.
"If he had fearcd,the law a. he feared the
mob. our martyrcd head and chief would
be alive to-day
At this point q recess was taken. When
the court reasscmbled, Davidge took up, in
order. the case OF each member OF the GUi-
teau family, upon whose mental condition
witnesses had been offered by the defense,
and recited il, in connection with the
counter evidence Of the prosecution, sum
ming up the force OF this evidence with
the remark: But the
Unanswerable Testimony
of the experts settles the question Of how
much effect this collateral insanity could
have upon the mental condition Of the
prisoner II is but the merest mockery to
discuss this question, in view OF the un-
doubted ability of this man TO distinguish
between right and wrong.
Guiteau interrupted once. and shouted.
have always been a Christian man, and
for six years have been strictly virtuous.
Don't forget that, either.
Dayidge continued: There is not sin.
gle fact or single jot or title to show that
this prisoner was not perfectly responsible
for bis act ON the 2nd OF July. The jury
will find the defense have carefully picked
out and held up TO view, everything in the
entire career OF this man, which may be
considered peculiar, and it is for you TO
consider how much value can be attached
to this evidence, when you come TO consid-
er whether this man did not know