Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1882-01-18
JeAN. ". sUITEAUy OPTION.
A. Expressed In . Letter WrltsOn
10 His Wife Yesterday,

BALTIMORE, Jan. T.-A special despatch
from Washington to the american says: Mr
John W. GuIteau was busy writing to-day in
the courtroom when the American man
addressed him:
"A private letter."
"Yes. to my wife," was the reply. and then
after few minutes talk Mr.. 3uiteau was In
duced to let the public know his private i'm
pressions Of the TRIAL. The letter, which Las
ten with the least idea Of publication, is az
follows:
WARRINGTON, d. g., in courtroom, 10 30
A. NJ My Dear Wife: Mr.. Scoville is now
making the closing speech for the defence,
He will speak two or three days, having to
review all Of the evidence and make and ap-
ply the arguments to show insanity. He is
opening well, and is a very easy, unpretend
ing, convincing speaker. His bump, or fac.
ulty Of ftirmness Is 50 fully developed that you
cannot move him from a theory he may adopt
In some respects his theory all along In the
case has been, in my opinion, defective. Stin
on this evidence IL hus Ueen introduced, lu
has very good case, and for the last few
days, or weeks, l have had good deal Of
hope that the jury will disagree, II they do
not actually acQuit. The Judges Instructions
as he intimated when the prayers were dis
oussed, were made more favorable than We
feared that they might be, and the public
sentiment has decidedly and rapidly chang
cd In favor Of the tact that the prisoner is in
h, ,.ka D~o.
July I'd, 1881. and nad been many years prior
thereto. Hundreds and thousands Of people
who have attended the trial have gone away
not doubling the apparent fact Of insanity
but they generally only quietly and privately
express their opinions. Occasionally a brave
man or woman is outspoken and several have
procured the publ ication Accommodation
siding with the prisoner and his fair trial. 1t
will almost be miracle If tho prisoner is not
hung by the first OF April public opinion is
10 severe. The newspapers have constantly
misrcpcsented him, his sayings and deco
rum In court; but to-day the sentiment in
Washington Is more In his favor than any
where else In the country, because the peo-
pie here by the thousand have seen the pris-
oner heard him In court daily, and know to
what extent the papers have mlsrepresented
transactions In court, and they have observ-
ed the plan and constant effort Of the prose-
cuttsn to mlsrepresent and PREJUDICE the de-
fendant and build0se the court and Jury into
accepting forced and unfair constructions Of
the fact and law. Thank God. the Judge on
the bench and the Jury In the box are honest
and honorable men, not to be Influenced by
public prejudice based on misunderstand-
ing OF all the facts. l have great hope that
Justice will be dealt out righte0usly In this
case. Public sentiment will change when the
truth about this poor lunatic Is fully known
and understood. | came here, as you know,
with mind free from bias and open as
sworn Juror is required to be, to DO Influenced
by the evidence and the law. which have
forced ne to the conclusion that the prisoner
was, and is, insane to degree Of irrespoG ST.
biIity, and oueh ht to be dealt with under the
laws ae all insane man, humanely-a and notas
d criminal, sublert to the death penalty
Thousands Of people here-reporters lawyers
and citizens-now have come to the same con-
clusion and many arc outspoken; but these
facts do not get out to the other cities, nor
into the papers here.
JOIN VI. ay1rrAu.