New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-22
THE ASSASSIN DRAWS A FIrI,T. BOTrsF

| lle s5iu once tnaJ he would draw " now leo
turer The announcement that he to speak
brought the largest crowd 10 the Ccurt House this
morning that has been seen there in many weeks,
and despite the driving rain the little courtroom
was packed. The Railways leading to either end of
1t were kept clear by the police, who guarded the
| outside doors and admitted only those having
tickets, but after the court met this barrier
was broken down in Of the halls and the shouts
and cries OF the mob which thus forced its way in
| disturbed the proceedings for some time. Several
women were severely handled in the crush
| The gathering in the courtroom included number
| OF members of Congress and many women. one or
| two even sitting near the Justice. Judge Porter
was absent, being still confined to his room. Tho
other counsel were in their usual places. Mrs SEQ
vile. with her little daughter and John W. Guiteau
sat at the table of the defence anXiOusly scanning
the faces of the Jury. They felt that this speech
was to be their last, perhaps their only ground Of
hope. They believed. to use the brothers words
that the jury "could not look in his face,
and sec the light in the eye and hear his argument
that he ought to be acquitted because what he had
done was right and had been great thing for tho
country, without believing he was an insane
man." Mrs. Scoyille watches the jury with gszs
that is almost painful In its intensity, and il said
that in her straining after hope she reads almost
every face in her favor.
Guitcau appeared at the usual time and with tho
usual escort of officers. and instead of passing
across the room TO the dock, he stopped at
tho witness box, which is directly in
front of the jury. Ills handcnfs
were removed, and he took the seat which he occu-
pied once before for three days as witness. As he
sat down he said he did so because he could read
better in that position. "Tm not afraid anybody
will shoot me-" hc said with vain-glorious wave
of the hand The four stalwart policemen made q
row behind him, keeping back number of specta-
tors. The little space in front Of the jury was
again filled, the Dis,rct-Attomey having taken
seat there and given his own place to a friend.
The assassin was thus literally surrounded by
his auditors. He was neatly dressed, his face
cleanly shaved, except the moustache, which has
grown out again. His invariabe standing collar
with tho points turned down was clean and the
rest of his linen was very neat and his clothes wcra
carefully brushed There seemed to bo little Of his
usual buoyancy about him. He was, perhaps,
little paler than ordinary occasions. and seemed
nervous and anxious. The room dark that
lamp was brought in for the stenographer When
Guiteau tired to read, lie complained also of tho
lack of light, and while one of the court attendants
went out TO bring another lamp the Distrct-At-
torney, who sitting directly in front of Gutesu,
took the lamp from the District stenographers
of the witness box.
Guiteau then began his reading. holding his paper
under the lamp so that the light fell full on tho
pale. gaunt wOlish face, and ilumned every
feature At first he read slowly and distinctly
a written preface to his speech in which he paid his
respects to Justice Cox. the newspaper press etc.
When he read the illusions to the press he turned
toward the body of correspondents, and toward
Justice Cox and the jury respectively when read
ing the compliments TO them There was u Ntiie
laugh when he read, with the most patrouizing air,
the statement that he should give his counsel an
ample fee especially Mr. Scovie. and proceeded TO
praise that gentleman with great benevolence Of
manner, but for the most part the spectators pre-
served good order
Having finished his preface he took in his hand
New-York paper and, jumping up from his chair, he
stepped down in front of the jury and
held the paper before them. showing the space 10
occupied. This was the first newspaper the jury
had seen near at hand in ten weeks Resuming his
seat Guteau began to read an extraordinary jumble
of nonsense and profane self-cOuceit which has
been printed
He read it IN stilted and most absurd
manner of which it would be difficult TO convey
any idea. There was something of the ignorant re-
vivalist and something Of the cheap actor and .
vast deal of the sublime vanity of Guiteau in it.
Somehow il recalled the remark of the gentle
in the old New-York fremcns play" Nose,
get Oft of dem hose"
That was about the style Of its elocution, though
elevated to the lOftcst Guiteau standard. Ono
sample will perhaps do as well as q dozen "H Houi
by hour he pronounced as "hou-r-r be hou.rr,"
ending almost every sentence with sinesong
cadence Some words he seemed unable TO pro-
nounre correctly All through the trial he has said
pacifc" for specific. "grieyiance" for grievance,
" designed" for destined, "McElhesh for Neil
fresh, and so on The opening paragraphs Of tho
speech he evidently knew by heart, because he re-
cited them to the jury without looking at ths
paper. When he began to read from the paper
q complete change appeared In biz
manner. He read rapidly. in matter Of fact
tone, without any attempt at elocuton. Then, after
a time, as he approached some passages which he
seemed to consider remarkably fine, he would re-
sumo his original manner, again drop IT, and again
resume it. At some of these times he seemed 70
show fatigue at others he would glance at the clock
and hurry OH. He read with especial emphasis that
part of the speech in which he said that many other
men in the Republican party were thinking Just as
be was at the time of the controversy last spring.
but that he was the only one selected by the Deity
10 do the work.
When he referred the second time to his suffering
i in bonds as a patriot his face began TO qnver,
but he put his hand up to his cheek and in moment
seemed to control himself AT this point the jury
istened and watched him with intense interest, as
Ill in the room did. No passage i'll the speech was
omitted apparently. He was permitted to read all
he letters. etc. which it comprised. He read in
oud voice and with excited emphasis tho
passage in which he declared that il
Jefferson Davis and few Others had
,een put in their graves in 1860 the country
would have saved million of men ani many mill
ons Of money, and sought TO show that he had
ayed the cnnnirY from civil war. He read twice