The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-01-14
TRIAL OF THE ASSASSIN.

placed in the dock.
When the suggestion was made Gulteau spoke
up defiantly: ~ am criminal. am no more
of a criminal than you, Mr.. Porter. am more
thouoht of on the outside than you are. The
English papers are saying that am bigger man
than old Porter, and 1t is true
The next witness was DR.. Jamin Strong,
perintendent of the insane asylum at Cleveland,
Ohio He made personal examination of the
prisoner in Jail and observed him closely in the
court.
Guiteau-I will save you trouble, Doctor. |
am in excellent health and am not insane.
The witness (sarcastically Yes; agree with
YOU in that respect.
Guiteau-If you tell the jury whether my free
agency was destroyed on July2 you Will help
the matter.
Judge Cox Ito the prisoner THAT is enough;
keep silence.
Guiteau-There is great lot of rubbish get
ting into this case, and want to prevent IL II
can. ~
After the witness had resumed his statement
the prisoner again broke in: " In other WORDS
Won found that | was no fool. The Lord never
en,nIove fools to do His work. He employs the
hest brains and He takes care OF the man, TOO,
and He will take care of me.
Mr.. Porter-These Interruptions by the prls-
oner are equally annoying to the Court and the
Jury, and insist that the rule must be enforced.
When the prisoner speaks he must speak from
the dock.
Guiteau-Your are very much excited tins
morning. Judge Porter. l have just as good a
right to speak as you have.
Mr.. Scoville (defantly to Mr.. Porter)-Go on
and make YOUR motion to the Court. There Is
no necessity for your making speech.
Mr. Porter (haaghtily)-I am not to be con-
trolled by YOU MI. Scoville has undertaken to
insult eminent gentlemen in the witness-boK.
Judge Cox-You are mistaken, Mr.. Porter; L
do not think Mr. Scoville has done so.
Mr. Porter-I want to give an admonlt10n to
the prisoner that on the very next instance OF
interruption by him / will insist on bis being
placed in the dock.
Guiteau-Do it now and have the matter de-
cided. | come here my own counsel ana In
the name of the American people.
Mr. Porter-I now ask that, in the due admin
istration of Justice the criminal be placed IN the
dock.
Guiteau-As matter of law the Court cannot
do it. l am no criminal. l stand better than
you in the community.
the President. He has declared in open court
that he is perfectly sane; that he recovered his
sanity within an hour after the deed.
Guiteau-Yes, just as soon as got my inspira-
ton off the insane spirit left me.
Mr. Scoville-I would like to know what Mr.
Porter meant by his speech.
Mr. Porter apply to the Court to direct the
Marshal to remove the prisoner to the dock.
What will do after that depends on the contln-
uance of these Interruptions.
Judge Cox-That is matter which [ have
under consideration. l give an admonition to
the prisoner, but do not want to act hastily In
the matter.
Guiteau-I will do whatever Your Honor
pleases. l am entirely under the direction of the
Court.
Mr. Seoville-Let Mr.. Porter make MS little
motion. We do not oppose it.
The District Attorney-This is not little mo-
ton at all. We have sat here under calumny
and insult and outrage.
Guiteau (interrupting(-I told you the truth,
Corkhill, and every member of the bar knows it,
and knows that you are a first-caSs fraud, and
the American people know 1t.
The District Attorney-The dock is where this
man belongs l have no objection to his speak
ing from the dock when the time for him to do
30 comes But if he attempts to interrupt the
proceedings the Marshal will keep him quiet.
Guiteau-I do not come here an ordinary
prisoner
Judge Cox-Keep silence.
The prisoner obeyed, remarking that he would
do what His Honor said.
Then the witness proceeded with his narration
of the result of his examination of the prisoner.
The prisoner he said, thought quickly and con-
secutively. He showed power of language and
conference. The evidence which struck the wit
ness with the greatest force was the prisoners
power of attention. This showed that he had
control of his mind; because man cannot fix
his attention a given subject without exercis-
ing his will power.
DIR. Abram M. Shaw, superintendent of the
Middletown Conn Hospital for the Insane and
member of the Psychological Society, was the
next witness. In his opinion the prisoner was
sane on July 2.
After the recess, which was taken at this point,
the croSs-examination was conducted by MI.
Reed.
Guiteau broke in with the remark that though
socially the experts might be very fine men, he
would not give cent bushel for their opin-
ions.
The Court commanded him to keep silent, and
Mr.. Porter reminded him that the suggestion to
have him placed in the dock was in allegiance
The next witness was DR.. Orpheus Evarts, of
College HILL Ohio, medical superintendent of
private hospital for the insane He said that if a
man should, after committing an act, express re-
morse for it. that would indicate that he was cap
able of reasoning, of reviewing it and passing
upon it.
Guiteau.-It would indicate that he was
good fellow.
From his examination and observation of the
prisoner the witness had formed the clear opinion
that he was sane on July2
Guiteau-It is the universal opinion of the en-
tire American press that the act was the act of a
mailman They could not conceive that man in
his right mind could do that thing. These experts
have seen me since then, and because am sane
now they think was then.
NJ G, 10 Sta tod that on Of