Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-06-15
GUITEAU.

Guiteau received, with outward composure,
the announcement of the failure of the last ef-
fort of his counsel to secure rehearing Of his
case lie proceeded to denounce the Court IN
Janc as towards and cranks, and said God had
revealed to him that he was to be taken care
Of "God," he said, 'works through human
agencies, and President Arthur is to be the
agent to save me if necessary"
Charles II. Reed, in company with notary
public, visited the jail last Friday, to secure
Guiteaus signature. After an attentive read
ing of the petition Guteau signed it, remark
ing that it would be of no service as the case
was closed in his opinion, and he added that
his only hope lay in the Presidents interces-
sion. Reed explained that it was necessary
to first exhaust every legal resource. Guiteau
has finally consented to see a clergyman, and
he was attended on Friday by Rev. DR.. Hicks,
of Tabernacle Church of Washington. The
interview lasted one hour, and the prisoner
was much affected and earnestly joined in the
prayers offered by the minister in his behalf.
The assassin is reported as likely to break
quite down before the day of execution. The
local papers are beginning to publish daily bul.
letns of the assassin's physical condition.
One of them says:
''Jail officials say that the fact becomes more
apparent every day that Guiteau is failing,
mentally and physically. His condition yes.
| terday was startling in the extreme, and fore
bodies a total collapse before the 30th OF June.
A certain sign of physical and mental disinte'
grafton is the failure of 4 PERSONS appetite in
| CN,Iifoa a,,1o anpof ito 10 failinr
He has become taciturn and uncommunicative
since Lawyer Reed g visit yesterday, and spends
the entire time between rising and retiring, in
lying stretched out on his cot, pondering, per.
haps, on the few intervening days between life
and death. He will surely fail before hanging
day, in the opinion of those who see and know
him, and the jail officials will have to carry
him to the scaffold and prop him up until the
fatal drop falls. Abject fear is taking posses
sion of him. The Guiteau library, collected
by the assassin since his incarceration, remains
untouched. He cannot read or write, now
that death stares him in the face"
Warden Crocker, who has the immediate
charge of Guiteau in the Washington Jail
when asked what his demeanOr would be or
the scaffold, said: 'That depends upon cir
present it will nerve him to Spartan firmness
If, on the contrary, he shall be executed ir
that corridor over yonder pointing in the di
rection of the scatfold), with no spectators be
yond the prison authorities, he will die like {
craven and we will be compelled to drag hin
from his CELL"
The subject appointed for discussion by th'
Medico-Legal Society of New York, at its las
meeting, was the report of the committee oI
coroners, but the members overlooked tina
topic and branched off into the legal and NOR
al responsibility of Guiteau, the assassin
Mr.. Clark Bell, the chairman, opened the dis
cussion by reading paper on 1.-THE Duty o
the President Toward the Murderer" Mr.
Bell declared that there was no human pun
ishment sufficient for Guiteau, provided III
was sane, and that no power can save hin
from the gallows except the hand of Presiden
Arthur. The speaker held that no scientific
examination had really been made, as the eX
perts examined were in the pay of the Govern
ment, and that the question arose whether
board Of experts ought not to examine the as
sassin before his execution.
1.-THE verdict of the jury" said Mr.. Bell
lis of no account as to his mental state. Th
jury believe Guiteau to be insane-a majorit
of the legal profession entertain the same view
OF course, any action of the President in thi
direction would meet with storm of disap
proval, but it seems just that the Chief Magis
trate should appoint a commission of expert
to determine the assassin's mental state. Gul
teau fears solitary confinement worse thai
death. It is not the duty of this society t.
shrink from public duty. If Guiteau is exc
cuted without examination by experts it vii
he cause for regret''