Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-12
GUITEAU TRIAL RESUMED.
THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS.
MIR. DAvIDGE,S OPENING ADDRESS.
THE QUESTION OF INSANITY DISCUSSED

| Ing, so uncomfortably that it required much mora
| suasion on the part OF the ba1frS to keep tn
| space in front of the jury box, where MI Davidg
| was to stand while addressing the jury, clear O
spectators. Mr.. Davfdge, when he came in, carried
large portfolio, filled with manuscripts. H,
| spent the time, before the opening of the court
walking up and down In this space, with his hands
| In his pockets, and occasionally bending over hi
table to consult his notes When the court wa.
| raped to order, at 10 O'Clock, all of the counse
were present except Judge Porter, who arrived
Few minutes later The prisoner was brought In
Immediately. Mr.. Davidge, who had taken seal
during the usual preliminary proceedings. ther
rose, made his obeisa nee to the court and then be-
gan addressing the jury
Mr. Davidge'S Argument.
Hitherto, he said, the jury had been listeners
the time had now come when they were to become
acUors Whatever disorder and levity had char
acterized the trial there was but one sentiment re-
specting the cond uct of the jury; all commended
the dignity and patience OF their department. As
tney had merited cOmmendation in the past. he
uu u not DOUBT they would continue to merit it by
their decision.
THE ONLY QUESTION THAT OF INSANITY.
Ine only ques tion was whether the prisoner was
insane or not. At the beginning Of the trial an in
enectual attempt was made to attribute the death
OF the President to the malpractice of the physic-
1ans who had attended him; that attempt was
remaining was that OF insanity. In the trial many
vague terms had crent In. Tfny had heard OF
crazy men; men off ter balance The medical
Ihe law required but a Slight degree OF intelli-
gence TO make man guilty OF murder. The court
nad spoken upon the question of malice, and had
the two instructions OF the court
SPEAKING OF THE FIRST INSTRUCTION,
prescribing the test of responsibility, Mr.. Dav1dge
SAID It was simply rule OF human nature that a
man was not absOIved from responsibility unless
his reason Is obliterated by disease. II man knew
what he was doing, and that it was wrong, no
phrenZy, no passion, no disease OF his moral ma
ture, no belief, however profound, though he NAV
reach the conclusion that the act is comma nded by
Gou, Will afford any excuse whateyer. The only
excuse Is diSeis OF the mind obliteratng all sense
OF difference between right and wrong The de-
gree OF reason necessary TO make a man responSt-
ble is very limited indeed. A man may be what is
cailed crank, or even partially insane. and yet
be abundantly responsible for crime. What was
Ihe act committed here? Murder, murder by living
In wait; what is commonly called ass ls,nation
The PRISONER RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ACT OF ASSASSI-
NATION.
what degree OF intelligence was required to
make lawyer know that assassination is contrary
to the law OF the land? What degree of inteIli-
gence is required to make religious man know
that the eyerl sting edict had gone forth s'Thou
shalt do no murder?' He would regard the abso-
luton or this prisoner from Responsibility tlnta-
mount to fnvlt Iton to every crack lined Der
son to kill at pleasure This was the seat OF Gov
cTnment; the great officers of the government re-
SIDED here; was it too much ts tnat In this me-
to be ma niiest than elsewhere, that a man O. tlis
degree or Intelligence should be held res 1onSiDle
TO tle law? The defence had not the h ,rlihood to
say TINS man did not know what he was doing
MI. ScOyille, however, sail that this man did not
Know that 1t was wrong TO commit Il murder The
prisoner, however, said
HE WAS NO FOOL,
and he knew he was no fool He suoDlemented
the defence by another-that he had the degree of
Intelligence required by the law, but he was labor
Ing under a special delusion or pressure that he
was was commanded by Goa TO slay. The jury had,
doubtless, observed that the prisoner had de-
nounced MI. ScOvilie as a fool and a jackass He
Mr. Davidge) thought that what Mr.. Scoville had
cone Was for the best. He did all that could be
zone, though Heaven knows that that all Was not
much, for he had not the materials at hand. The
pflSon kne" that he could not run the gauntlet
tual nature would be stripped, so he had resort to
THE PLEA OF INSPIRATION.
The prisoners position Was far more profound
than that taken by Mr.. Scoville, but yet equally
untenable. Mr.. Davidge said the crime was muir
der 1t was more than murder; it was
THE MURDER OF THE HEAD OF THE NATION.
One would suppose that ruler of q republic such
as we boast, in the simple majesty OF his office,
would inspire respect equal to that inspired by
either king or kaiser. This man slain was great
IN council, great in field and dear to the hearts of
the people. In point OF law the murder of one
man was as great as the murder of another When
1t comes to determining mans responsibility by
MS lhtellegence 1t Is 4 matter of Importance who
1t was that was slain. The head OF great republic
was not to be treacherously shot down like a dog.
The crime Was political assassination now.
WHO is THE PRISONER?
In the beginning we did not know who he was
For awhile he passed current AS an beetle. But
he has been uncovered In fact, he has uncovered
himself. This man, represented In the opening
speech Of Mr.. ScOville as a weak 1mbeclle incapa-
BILE OF coherent thought, is one of the vest of the
human race; capable or gigantic schemes. AS a
mere boy entering the Oneida Community, and
there lawlessly wallowng In the filth OF that Com
munity; then going to New York and endeavoring
TO establish the publication OF theocrat!c paper
Then he went to Chicago and undertook the
Chicago lntr7-Oced7 enterprise. 1t has been
SHOWN that he Is a man prone to all those great
and daring undertakings that are so fascinating
found love OF notOriety that distinguishes this
prisoner.
GUITEAU, COMBINATION OF vULTURE AND WOLF
In respect to his intelligence, it cannot be
doubted that he Is a man OF uncommon ability:
nor can it be doubted that he has nerve and reso-
luton enough to execute his conception To sum
up the man in word, he has the daring eye of
the vulture combined with the heart OF the wolf
THE PRISONERS CAREER IN WASHINGTON REVIEWED
Mr.. Davidge then reviewed the career of the
prisoner after his arrival here, to seek Office Not
one OF the persons who had seen him about the
State department or the White House had been
impressed, to the slightest degree, by the mental
condition Of the prisoner. MI. Dav1dge laid much
stress on the rebun given the prisoner by Secrs-
tary Blaine, on the 14th OF May, and the letter
written by Guiteau to the President, on the 18th
OF May, denounctng the Secretary Of State He
referred to the bitter political contention then
lexsting, and said the prisoner must have re-
garled his chances OF getting office Of no account.
he must have stopped to think that he could gain
more by uniting himself with the stalwarts On
the 18th this idea, he says, came to him while he
was in bed The idea that came to him was: THE
death OF the President viii strengthen the stall
Wart faction OF the party. He might add might
secure from the prisoners corrupt standpoint
great advantages to himself. It seldom happened
In the case OF crime, that they the germ OF it,
they saw its baleful fire, but it rarely hannned
that they could portray to twelve men the initial
point, where
THE DEVIL ENTERED THE MANS SOUL.
This prisoner saw that there was between the
factions but single life, slender partition. The
thought occurred to him: 'Why should not ex-
uDguish that little life, break down the PARTITION
and become the great benefactor OF the stalwart
party" 1t was monstrous. hell-born, but before
God, the truth. That was the conception of that
night as he lay on his couch. Daring, fndeScriba-
Oily daring. but not more daring than other enter
pfses that had entered the depraved heart Of this
man.
GCIrs.~s FIRST INTERRUPTION OF THE DAY.
Ii,a nr:scner here, ..ss.terrupting Mr.. DaNkige,
said: s'Tell us socc.!..lg about M. Winter Davis,
fsia, HDPvy