Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-05-21
Goodbye to Guiteau.

raz oPINIoN-DIsPosAL OF THE PRIsoNEB.
WASHINGTON, May 2O.-A unanimous de-
'cision of the District supreme court on the
questions raised by the defense in the Guiteau
case will be announced Monday.
The Post tomorrow will give the follow
ing as the points of the decision: "The opin-
ion Of the court will broadly sustain the po-
s;tion taken by the district attorney that the
jurisdiction is complete where the fatal blow
was struck without re gard to the locality of
actual demise. The court holds that the bull
let fred at the President by Guiteau in this
city was the cause OF his death, and that the
trial could only have been held in Washing
ton: that the death of the president in New
Jersey, except as affected by the local statute,
could not change the juris fiction; that the
assassin had not been in New Jersey and had
committed no offe1se against New Jersey
laws; and that the mere fact Of the victim be-
iag removed to Elberon to prolong his life or
save it If possible could not be made to effect
tle character of the crime. The court will
hold in addition that there are several grounds
on which the jurisdiction as exercised might
be maintained if it were necessary to decide
the case.
First-That this is United States court,
with all the powers of any ciccuit court of the
United States.
Second-That this is a judicial district, and
nat under the provision of law, when crime
IS begun in one aud completed in another dis
tcict, the offense is complete in either.
Third-That murder being an ofense in this
district against the United States the re-
moVal of the president to New Jersey did not
take him beyond the jurisdiction of the gov
ernment against which the ofense was CON-
united.
Considerable anxiety has been expressed as
to the action of the supreme court Of the
United States, it beng announced that appii-
cation would be made to that body by the de-
fandant's counsel for writ of habeas
corpus. There are are now only two justices
of that court in the city, court having ad-
iourned for a time), Chief Justice
Waite and Justice Miller. The best legal
authorities express doubts whether
such writ could be granted by the full court
il session, and it is not believed that any
single judge will take the responsibility OF pas
stag on so important question, when it is
recalled that the court was in session for
three months after the sentence was passed.
It may therefore be concluded that Guiteau
Will hang, and that there is ne hope for him.
The Post adds After delivery of the opinion
tle prisoner will be taken from the solitary
cell, where he is now confined, and placed
under guard, better known as the "death
watch.' Every action will be observed up
to the fatal moment, and not a word will be
permitted to be spoken 20 him except by his
advisor, or by persons specially
Authorized by the warden, Gen. Crocker. who
has had entire charge of and responsible for
the assassin from this time on until his dead
body is ready to be submitted to post mortem
examination. District Attorney CorkhIll has
determined upon an examination of the brain
OF the assassin by board of the most emf
aeat experts in the United States to put at
Eest,as he believes, any further question of his
sanity. After the autopsy the body will be
delivered 10 the relatives of the doomed man,
i any call for IT.