Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-01-08
GUITEAU.
Argument Commenced on Law
Points.
The Assassin Still Ready With
Interruptions.
Effective Argument by MIR. Da-
vidge.

bers OF the press, and those VINO are
engaged upon this case will be adj
mitted to-day" was the announce
ment at the doors of the court room
this morning. Every avenue to the
court room was carefully guarded,
and even the policemen on duty IN
r. eated that the day would be one OF
unusual importance to the progress
of the trial. A number of ladies
succeeded in persuading Marshal
Henry to believe that they
were either members OF the bar
or the press; at least such would be
the natural inference, as the seats re
served for the legal fraternity were
quickly filed with ladies. There |
was fair representation OF the bar,
though by far the greater part OF
the audience was made up from the
gentler sex. The court room Was
filed, and with probably a less rep
resentative audience than since the
opening of the trial, in point of
standing and intelligence.
Mr.. Davidge opened the argument
upon the legal points, and was fol-
lowed with the closest attention,
: The jury were told by the judge
{ that they might be excused Tor the
day, but they preferred to remain and
: hear the argument.
The prisoner assured his counsel
: that he would not ask to take part III
the legal arguments to-day, but he
t should insist upon making any com
ments lie might deem necessary to
f set them right on either side" As
the argument progressed, Gtliteau
pretended to read letter, but III
reality followed Davidge with the
III III &osest attention. The few inter
'tV ,Dtions which he made were un-
az - ced by the counsel, save when
Gu Hh au called out Il didn't know
IL @ Ine >ference between right and
m wrong T8, L had no choice. Ii I had,
" W. Moui" W. It have done it.
- n ~ 'lliS r. Davidge said: Owe
=: VIII I,t conie 70 hat by and by
l'S Ine nIs6 Sesi7ation of the day was
caused by tnt reading OF Judge
tt, In the Coleman mur or case
a Judge Porter rel,ved Duvidgu,
rk and read from nt-cnaner slip.
lis Scovile, with some nnatience.
re objected to any more such 1ramatic
efforts on the part of Judge Porter
intended for effect upon the jury and
insisted that he (Porter) might as
well read a stump speech to the
ne jury that he (Porter) knew that il
Ia ~ had no bearing upon the case.
a. "Of course he knew it shouted
70, GIteau, and more than that, the
90 jury decided the case directly agains
e4 the charge of the court.
ho Judge Porter repelled the intima
h' ton and insisted that this fare,
which had so long been enacted b,
his the counsel for the defense, mus
're now stop. If not rebuked by til,
a., court, it would be by others Judg'
ck Cox ended the dispute by saying tht
is. matter read, was undoubtedly au-
ce, thority, and its application to thi
easel could be commente dupon b,
the counsel at the proper time.
When hIr. Davidge resumed, Gui-
m teau again shouted, Il want to ge
to this thing right before the jury
ast every one knows all about that Cole
in man case; the jury gave a verdic
eek against that charge and this prosecu
be ton knew it we'll
ers The effect was electrical when Nj
sht Davidge in most deliberate an(
Oat earnest manner said: ''Your honor
or this man was for three weeks held VI
INT to Us as an imbecile, and now lister
ian to him; he not only knows the diff
oeN ference between right and wrong
but he understands fully the law 0
the case"
Guiteau-"Transitory mania, that
,rd my case. I don't pretend lnsanit,
~ now. I've got as good head a
1n 1au you or Porter either Scoville's
G ~ fool, though. Irepudiate I him an
~ his whole theory of defence. Ali
49, want is two hours before that jury
: - and can set this thing all right
SO The scene was lively one for
ro- w. few minutes. Judge Cox raped 70
order, and Guiteau soon subsided
and Davidge continued without ful
ther interruption to the end of hi
Az argument.
tho Col. Reed addressed the court in IT
;+b ply to Judge Talmage, and conine
"a his argument to the consideration c
~ two questions First. The def1
~ itions laid down in the statutes c
NV murder and manslaughJer, unde
hor which, if malice be not shown, b
nor contended, the crime would be mar
A. slaughter. Second. The applies
ton to this case of the question {
reasonable doubt in the conviction
with the plea of insanity. Co
,1 Reed concluded at quarter past twt
va va with peroration, in which fig
'cn ured a glowing allusion to the lat
u tude of liberty and fair reaching in
1ilo partiality Of the law under our fre
',. Iac institutions.
ana alln Mr.. Scoville, upon being informe
by the court that th
10 prosecution was emitted t
the opening and closing, whel
both parties prayed instruction
i'm called attention to the fact that th
tine prosecution1had made one argumer
the to which the jury had listened tn
ems, morning, and would have the san
mach advantage Monday with the defens
,rify 6 Probably it was a mere aceiden
niger like Mr.. Dayidge's cold in the morn
Dost ing, which allowed Judge Porter |