The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-31
JURORS AUTOGRAPHS.
A STORY OF THE JURY ROOM.
Seo,IIlV. Pie. sDr /, New rrI.l-rA. slTn..ur. Of
the Jurors FOund on Newspaper Said 10
Be Clever FOrgtriss-ssStlits's PTra.
nidal Ch'sk-Appsal for help.

WASHINGTON, January So.-In the Criml
nal Court, District Attorney Corkhill lapplied
to the Court to fix day for the hearing o.
arguments upon the motion for new
trial in the case Of the United States against
@. J. Guiteau, stating that he was willing
tomorrow should be assigned.
Mr. Seoville called the attention OF the
Court to the fact that one OF the affidavits
In support Of the motion had annexed to
It a copy of the Evening Critics allegation
that during the progress OF the trial papers
had been read by or to the jury. It bore
on the margin what purported to be the
signatures Of four jurors. The jurors de-
MED that they saw any newspaper or had
put their names upon any newspaper
during the time they were impanneied,
This revived the issue OF fact which was
very important to be determined. It wasnot
a matter that the Court could determine on
ex parte aflidaVits, The jury admitted that
during the time they were impannelej
they gave their autographs to various per-
sons, and he thought 1t might be impor-
tant that he should have an opportunity TO
cross examine the men in that connection
to determine whether the signatures upon
the newspaper were genuine. The full
nameso Of two OF the jurors were on the
paper.
The District Attorney-"And one Of
them is spelled wrong"
ScoVllle-AH these things show the pro.
priety OF something more than ex parte
atEidavits in this matter. ! ask that the
jurors be produced in court, or the court
appoint commission to take depositions,
and that / be allowed to produce such
further testimony as think proper us TO
the genuineness Of the handwriting.
As to the argument for new trial, he
thought he could be ready by the latter
part Of this week, as oil the questions he
cared about taking up were as tothis news
paper and in respect to newly discovered
evidence.
The court therefore Fixed Friday for
the Argument.
The District Attorney said he did not in
tend that the jury should be put on trial
This newspaper was suspicious on its face.
The gentlemen who had filed the affidavit
and who had purloined the paper had nj
ready been bound over for forgery in the
district. He 1.-THE District Attorney would
show the court that this was clever at
tempt at forgery. He would not agree that
the jury, who had done their work 80
faithfully, should be put Upon trial and the
oath Of such man as that placed against
theirs.
The court stated that there was no such
practice rs appointing commission on a
question Of this kind, but that it was with.
in the discretion OF the court to interrogate
the parties making attidayits, and he thought
he would exercise that discretion.
Scoville said he was perfectly willing
that the court should interrogate the ali.
ants. When the District Attorney came
here and alleged forgery it became a serious
matter.
The court suggested to the District At.
torney that it might be well to have the
jury present Friday, and the matter went
over for the present.
John W. Guiteau says in reference to
his knowledge Of the Snyder affidavit thai
he has compared the names OF the Jurors
written on the margin Of the newspaper
with legitimate signatures written in his
album, and finds the similarity such that
would warrant any one in making an affi.
davlt that he verify believes the writing on
the paper was done by the jurors. His
sister also has an album with the sigma.
lures of the jury and Others connected With
the trial,
sCoville has issued card to the Ameri.
can people in which he says:
Under the circumstances l don't feel
called upon as matter OF public interest
alone, to give additional two months time
to the motion for new trial (for Guiteau]
before the court in banc. II my fellow
citizens, few or many, think the interests
OF Justice, the cause Of humanity or honor
OF the country require this contest to be
prolonged, and that no effort be spared ia
secure the verdict and judgment, after the
passion shall have subsidized in the public
mind, let them manifest it by providing
means, and competent counsel will be Sc.
cured at once. ask nothing for mysell
up to this time, but cannot give my own
services hereafter without compensation
At least $1,000 is needed. Should a sufIi.
cient amount not be received the money
will be refunded on request.
Address, until February 4th,
GEo. ScovILLE,
Washington, D. G.