South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-02-10
Guiteau Sentenced to be Hanged.

ruled the motion for a new trial for
GUiTEAU.
After Judge Cox had refused a
new trial, he ordered the assassin TO
stand up and then said:
''You have been convicted Of a
crime so terrible in its circumstances
and 40 far-reaching in its results that
II has drawn upon you the horror OF
the whole world and the execratious
OF your countrymen. The excite
ment produced by such an offence
made II no easy task to secure for
you fair and impartial trial, but YOU
have had the power OF the United
States Treasury and the government
IN your service TO protect your person
from violence and TO procure evidence
from all parts of the country. You
have had as fair and impartial Jury
as ever assembled in court of ius.
tice. You hare been defended by
counsel with zeal and devotion that
merits the highest enconium. and |
certainly have done my best to secure
a fair presentation Of your defence.
notwithstanding all this you have
been found guilty. 1t would have
been comfort to many people if the
verdict OF the jury had established tie
TACT that your act WAS that OF an ir-
responsible man. 1t would have left
The. people the satisfying belief that the
crime OF the political assassination
was something entirely foreign TO the
institutions and civilization of your
country, but the result has denied
them that comfort The country will
accept 1t 20 Il fact that crime can he
committed, and the courtswill punisb
1t with the highest penalty known TO
the criminal code, to serve as an ex,
ample to others.
~ our career has been so cxtraor.
binary that people might we'll ut
times have doubted your sanity. Bat
one cannot bat believe thut when the
crime was committed YOU Thoroughly
understood the nature of the crime
and lie consequences. (Gnitcau III
VAS acting as Gods many And
That You had moral sense ana consci.
cnce enough 10 recognize the moral
lmQuIty OF such an act. (Gni;eau.
"Ihat'S matter OF opinion.") Your
own testimony shows that You recoil.
ed with horror from the idea. You
say THAI you prayed against it; but
by the wretched sophiatiy Of your own
mud you worked yourself up against
the. protest OF your OWN conscience.
What motive could have induced
You to tlis act must be matter OF
conjecture. Probably men will th:nS,
that some political tnnatacisin or n
morbid desire for self cxaitation Was
the real inspiration for the act. Your
OWN testimony seems 10 controvert the
theories OF your counsel They have
maintained and thought honestly. |
believe, that you were driven against
your Viii by an insane impulse 10
commit the act; but your testimony
showed that you deliberately resolved
TO do it, AM that deliberate and
misguided Will was the sole impulse.
This may seem insanity to some per.
sons, but the Law looks upon if as a
wlliiui crime. You Will have due
opportunity of having any errors
may have committed during the
course OF the trial passed upon by the
court IN banc, bat meanwhile It is
necessary for me to pronounce the
sentence Of the Law that YOU be taken
hence 10 the common jail OF the Die
!riet, from whence you came, and
there be kept in confinement, and on
Friday, the 30,h day Of Juue, 1882.
you be taken - the place Of cxecu
ton within the walls OF said iai!. ana
there between the hours OF l. and .
?. M, you be hanged by the neck un-
I'll you are dead, and may the Lord
have mercy ON yonr soul"
During the remarks of Judge Cox.
Guitean stood apparently unnoveJ,
AID with his gaze invited on the
Judge, bnt when the final words were
spoken, he struck the table violently
and shouted, "AnI may the Lord
have mercy on your soul. I'd rather
stand where | do than where that iu,
~ does, and where your Honor docs.
| am not afraid to die. ! stand here
as Gods man, and God Almighty
will curse every man who has had a
part in procuring ibis unrighteous YER
dict. Nothing but good has come
from Gariicld's removal. and that will
be tie verdict Of posteriiy on my in
spiraion. ] don't care a snap for the
verdict of this corrupt generation.
would rather thousand times be in
my position than that of those who
have bounded me to death. / shall
have glorious fight to glory, but
that miserable scouudrel CorRhill.
will have q permanent job down be.
low, where tho devil is preparing for
him"
After apparently talking himself
out, the prisoner turned to lis brother,