Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-04
STILL AT HIS TRICKS.
GUITEAU IN A MERRY MOOD.
Hts Jolly New Year,s-MOre Strong
Evidence of HIS Sanity-The Prose-
cEtIOn ClOsed-Last Resort of the
Defense TO Secure Favorable Testi-
mOnY-A Rsbuke 10 the Assassin.


mOny-A Rtbuke 10 the Assassin.
WASHINGTON, January 3.-It was cold Ia
the court room this morning, and the jury,
court officials and spectators sat shivering
in their overcoats and wraps. Guiteau
made his usual speech. He said he bad
had happy New Year, and hoped every
body else did. He had lots of visitors, and
they all expressed the opinion that he would
be acquitted.
Dr. Gray took the stand, and Mr.. Scoville
resumed his crOss-examination. Witness
had not, in giving his opinion on the direct
examination that the prisoner was sane,
taken into account the evidence of the pris-
oner himself, but taking that element into
account his opinion would still be the same
that the prisoner was a sane man on the 21
Of July. Witness WAS asked IL be was fa-
miliar with the case OF Lieutenant Sanborn,
who was killed by D.. Wright at Norfolk,
Va, and replied: eyes, sir; l was sent by
the President 10 make an examination and
give an opinion on the case
"How much did you get for ~" shouted
Guitesu.
Witness was closely questioned as TO how
or by what physical K animation insanity and
"Have YOU ever had patients in your asy-
lum who have recOveredP"
''Yes, sir, have"
Have you seen persons who have recOv-
cred in three mOuths?"
Eyes, sir, have"
Mr. scoville-"And were discharged"
eyes, sir"
Mr.. scovine-'Weu now, II you experts
were to examine such q patient Immediate
ly upon his discharge could you tell by any
physical indications that be had been insane
only three mon hs previously"
Witness (hesltating)-"N sir. Not with
out a history of the case"
Mr.. Scoville-''I thought So"
Guiteau-''Y our idea, doctor, that a man
can't be insane unless his brain is diseased
is rather frivolous. You ought to study uD
spiritology. Then you would catch some
new ideas"
Witness did not believe in what is termed
by some writers emotional insanity" or
'mOTal insanity" Kleptomania he cOnsid
erei simply thieving, dipsOmsHia drunken
ness, Tysomania ince1diarism Their desig-
nations were simply convenient terms, which
had been invented to cover certain crimes.
"InsanltY," ssid the witness, ''ls never
transmitted any more than cancer. / never
knew any one to be born with cancer. A
susceptibility to insan ~ is, undoubtedly,
transmitted from parents TO children, bat
insanity does not necessarily follow, except
from some profound physical disturbance"
The examination progressed with tedious
detail. In an effort to extract something
favorable to the defense counsel renewed
the attack upon witness again and again,
and each time was met With an evasive
or qualified answer. Mr.. Scoville desired
to put in evidence certain tabulated state
ments from the annual reports of the wit
ness. From these it appears that Of fifty
four cases of homicide by insane people,
seven Of them were by persons acting under
insane delusious of divine auth ority for their
acts.
At the request of the District Attorney
witness described briefly these cases, and
added that eacd case was one of marked
insanity, independent of the hOmicidal act.
After the recess DR.. GRAY was asked few
more questions by Mr. ScOVille, when the
District Attorney announced the conclusion
of the evidence on the part Of the govern
ment.
Mr.. Scoville walked over to the dock and
conversed with the prisoner for a few min
utes. After returning to his seat he said:
"Your Honor, | am taken somewhat by sur
prise by the action of the prosecution in not
calling several persons, whose uames had
been given In as witnesses for the prOsecu-
tiOn. These gentlemen being employees of
the government were in position 10 know
something of the mental condition of the
prisoner about the time Of the shooting of
the President. l do not now know what
action in the matter the defense will wish
to take, but will inform the court to- NOR
row morning"
DIR. Bowkpr, OF Kansas City, was then
called by MIR. ScOville. Witness met Mrs.
Dunmire at Lesdville and conVersed with
her. She said she had entertain grave
doubts as to the mental condition of Gut
teau at the time she obtained her divorce,
and thought at the time that perhaps she
had better defer the divorce proceedings
and await some further developments ia the
mental condition of her husband.
The prisoner undertook to read letter, as
he claimed, from an old friend of President
Garfield in Ohio, showing that public opin-
ion was making in his favor.
Judge Cox ordered him to be silent.
Guitesu-'It shows the state of public
opinion outside this court room"
Judge Cox-"Be silent. Public opinion
has nothing n DO wi b this case I"
Guiteau-"When 1 speak 1 speak to fifty
miiliOUs OF people, not to this little crowd
In this court room
Marshal Henry (rising and moving to-
wards the dock )-"Keep quiet, sir"
Guitesu-"l've got through, sir."
The Marshal whis pered some instructions
to q bailiff sitting in the dock. moment
raOgue, and the bsiliff put his hand upon
his shoulder and attempted to quiet him.
Guitesu sn8rled Out: Get away from me,
or I'll slap you in the mouth" With this
Outhurst he subsided, however, and turned
his attention to writing autographs.
Mr.. SC vi le again brought uD the ques-
ton of Introducing new Witnesses. An
agreement was finally made that the de-
fense shall submit in writing tomorrow
morning their o ion, giving the names of
the witnesses and the facts to be testified to,
aud supported by atfi isvts giving the res-
son why such witnesses were not introduced
before.
ANOTHER TRICK OF THE DEFENSE.
1t is understood that the defense in the
Guiteau case will short introduce a new
feature. So called "cranks," numbering
between forty and fifty, have been arrested
here since GuiJeau shot the President, most
OF whom have been sent to St. Elizabeth
Asylum on a physicians certificate. The
physicians In each case will, it is said, be
subpeaaed for the purpose of COM
pairing those cases with that OF Guiteau,
with the view TO demonstrating that,
If the commitments referred to were
justly made, Guiteau must be like
wise insane. AmOIg the physicians whom
It is expected will be called TO the stand
are those upon whose certificates Biggins
was committed to the insane asylum. It
will be remembered that Biggins fsnced
that General Grant appeared to him by
means OF a KEY hole in his door and perse-
cuted him. Biggins was sent to the asylum,
and afterwards sued General Grant for one
hundred thousand dollars damages. He
was finally released, and is now engaged n
business in this city.