Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-01-14
GUITEAU.
Davidge Continues his Argument,
Which Makes a Decided impress
sion.

| INV SACdb a. OSSIoC VI ihtCiiISOheO
does it take to inform q man that
that is wrong? What degree of III
telligence was necessary to make
lawyer know that it was in violation
of the law of the land to kill? What
degree of intelligence was necessary
to make religious man to know that
the everlasting edict had gone forth
from Almighty God, s'Thou shalt com
nit no murders" There is no hardship
in holding the man to responsibility
when he has sense enough to'know
tho act he is doing aud that it is
wrong. 1t is that element which
gives such great importance to the
present case. II 1 conceive it posi-
BILE that by your verdict you were
to assert that degree OF in
telilgence required by these
instructions did not exist
here 1 would deplore that re-
suit more deeply than [ have Ian
guage to express. I would regard
result of that sort as tanta
mount to an invitation to every
crack Drained, Unbalanced man with
or without a motive, to resort to
knife or to pistol, and to slay man
for party purposes, or it may be
without any purpose whatever.
After recess, when the court had
reassembled, the attendance was even
greater than in the morning, and for
every one that left the court room,
half dozen new applicants pressed
for admission.
Davidge resumed his argument at
five minutes past one. Touching
the evidence presented of the ex-
istence of insanity III the Gui eau
family, as bearing upon the probabil
ity OF the prisoner insanity, Davidge
summed up the force OF this evidence
with the remark, 50 But the unanswer-
able testimony of experts settles the
question of how much effect this col
lateral insanity could have upon the
mental condition of the prisoner. It
is but mere mockery to discuss this
question, in view Of the undoubted
ability of this man to distinguish be-
tween right aud wrong.
Guiteau interrupted and shouted
out, Il have always been Christian
man, and for six years have been
strictly virtuous; don't forget that
don't forget that, either. y
Mr. Davidge then passed to a re-
view of the evidence offered by the
defense, as to the habits of life and
the history of the prisoner from his
birth up, saying:
1t will be for you, gentlemen OF
the jury, to determine whether there
is single jot Or title to show that
this prisoner was not
perfectly responsible for his act on
the I'd Of July. You will find that
they have carefully picked out and
held up to>your view everything in
the entire career OF this man, which
may be considered odd or peculiar,
and it is for you to consider how
much value can be attached to this
evidence, when you come to con-
slider whether this man did not know
on the I'd of July, that it was wrong
for him to kill the Chief Magistrate
of the nation.
Davidge then took up the Oneida
community, and spoke of Guiteau as
wallowing there for six years.
Guiteau angrily shouted, "And /
say it is false, l didn't wallow. I'm
just as pure as you are, Davidge, and
a good deal purer. I went there to
save my soul, not from lust. Put
that down, Davidge, and don't you
forget it.
WASHINGTON, January l3.-Rain
and slush had no terrors to day foI
those who secured tickets to the trial
At an early hour the court room was
crowded, and at 10 o'clock possibly
200 persons were patiently waiting
upon the outside just before the
opening of the court. Upon the open
ing of court, Guiteau said: "In JUS
tice to myself and Davidge, l desire
to say that 1 received letter yester
day severely denouncing Davidge
and my remarks against him were
based upon that. 1 have fount
: out, however, that 1 was mis-
, taken, and that Davidge is (
! high-tonsd Christian gentleman
and sound lawyer; I desire, there
= fore, to withdraw anything l sai(
. against him. [ still entertain tn
: same opinion of Col. Corkhill; how
ever, L am satisfied was wrong
: about Davidge, but right on Cork
L hill"
T. Mr.. Davidge then resumed his az
= gument and review of the evidence
) He showed up by the evidence of
: W. Guiteau and other witnesses fo
'' the defense, the fallacy and absurd
ity of Scoville's pet theory, that tn
prisoner was an imbecile.
, After his opening speech, Guitea
remained a quiet listener TO
;, an hour, Mr.. Davidge hay
!" ing used some prett
. strong language in alludin
II to Guiteau such as "this unspeak
IS able liar The prisoner retortet
LII ooh, you are making all that Tin
- talk for money!" following it u
with frequent comments, "That hal
pens to be false" ''That ism
true, and similar expressions.
ba Davidge passed to the examinat o
of OF the prisoner himself; his appear
US ance upon the stand what he ha
is said and what capacity of intellect
lis had shown, and proving concIusivel
e. e. that what he had gone before had a
y y been a sham and hollow fraud, an
that Scoville had dilated upon hi
morality, and had asserted that tt
lack of intellect was b
o- failing; On the contrar.
- he had shown upon the star
~ wonderful memory, logic, reason al
. intellect, and inability, likewise, {