The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-01-26

an insane man. In reviewing the pris-
oners Hfe Mr.. Scovlle said "When he
left the Oneida Community he sought out
Beecher's Church, the Young Mems Christian
Association, and the society Of Christian peo-
pie. His tendencies at this time were not i'm
moral, nor had he shown any indication of that
awful with sarcasm) crime of not paying bis
board bills, for which this prosecution are try
ing to hang him." Corkhill-" Oh, no !; if he is
hung at all it will be for murder, not for owing
there amt much chance of my being hung any
way" Scoville continued up to the hour Of ad-
journment his review of the life Of the pris-
oner, explaining his acts in the light of
counsel's (Scoville's) theory upon the case.
Guiteau occasionally commented, but never
Scoville spoke of the monumental assurance of
the prisoner in naming himself in connection
with Grant, Conkling and Arthur. 81 should
say pretty fine quartet" said the prisoner.
when Guiteau again called out: "You better
not read any more, Scoville; it will 60 dead
against your fool theory" Adjourned.
scovIILE ATTACKS THE sTALwARTs-A sENsA-
TIoN IN COURT.
Mr. Scoville resumed his argument upon the
third day by charging that DR.. Gray, who tes-
tilted for the prosecution, was hired to help hang
Guiteau. He was one of the co-conspirators
in the conspiracy of which the District Atror-
ney was the chief, and Mr.. Scoville said that
before he got through, he would contradict
him out of his own mouth. Scoville pointed
out In the conduct Of Guiteau parallels to the
illustrations given by DR.. Gray, and then went
on to deny that the prisoner had been playing
part. Discussing the horrors of the crime as
often shown in acts of insane criminals, Seovilie
said: "There is nothing in this act to compare
with some of these acts Of insane criminals,
and gentlemen Of the jury in oE my opinion, nhaa
back of this prosecution, this prisoner never
would have been brought to trial. But tell
you, gentlemen Of the jury, back Of this prose-
cution is an influence which have felt and
which you may fee, gentlemen, before this
trial is concluded. There are politicians who
seek to hide their own shame behind the dis
grace Of this poor prisoner and make him
scapegoat for their crime. l did not intend,
gentlemen Of the jury, to take up this feature
influence Of this government used against
me in denying the small pittance that have
asked for a fair and impartial trial and
the small facilities needed for proper
defense, do not propose to keep quiet. say
that such men a. Grant, and Conkling, and
Arthur are morally responsible for this crime.
Mr.. Conkling shall not escape, shall not shirk
the responsibility of the state Of things that
led to this act, and he shall not escape the
| condemnation of the American people If can
help, for his share in this disgraceful scramble
for Office that led to conflict with the chosen
this poor, insane man to compass
what they would have hailed with satis-
faction, as would probably hundreds
of other politicians, if it could occur other than
who stood in the way OF their t1nrighteous and
disgraceful struggle for Offices Neither shall
Grant escape that condemnation to which he is
! 80 justly subjected when coming from Mexico,
and coming with undue haste to throw his own
name into this petty quarrel about small
Office in the Republican party, and sought to
| foment the differences that had sprung up.
| am not going to see the misdeeds Of these men,
| high in power, visited upon the head OF this
| poor insane man, If / can help it. This
clamor for his blood is not for the purpose of
avenging Garfield, or of satisfying Justice, but
| their theory is this: If it can be shown that
this was an act of a sane man, then these
| politicians IN high places will say, "of course
| we are not responsible for the act of q sane
man; to be sure we had come differences, but
| then it could never have led q sane man to
| such an act" But on the contrary, gentle
men Of the jury, what is the effect of your
verdict Il you acquit him as an insane
many Why the people will say some
one is at fault; they will say we will fix
the blame upon the heads and hearts of those
men who waged war upon our poor dead Presl-
| dent until it drove this poor insane man, from
reading daily in the papers what Grant says,
what Conkiing says, and from constantly
| thinking upon it, to his insane act OF killing
| the President. And there are men in high
places, the really culpably ones, who will
| go down to posterity with stigma upon their
names and the detestation of their country
men fastened upon their memories" Mr..
| Scoville's denunciation of Conkling and
others created profound sensation in
| the courtroom. As soon as . recess was an
gentlemen, and congratulated upon his Fear
| less exposition" When Scoville resumed. after
| recess, he discussed the conduct and actions
of Guiteau at the time and Immediately
after the shooting, and contended that they
| were entirely in keeping with the theory OF
insanity that his coolness, his quietly going
to bed, and peacefully sleeping the night
after the murder were characteristic incl
dents of crime such as would be expected
from insane men, and only insane men.
Ecoville continued with his review Of the evi-
dence, and called attention to various incidents
| in Guiteau's life, arguing his insanity as evi-
denced by an undoubted lack of something in
| his mental composition as possessed by other
| men. Guiteau called out sarcastically, "Give
them that dog story; it cost Corkhill $500 to
get it here" Scoville continued until Court adj
journed. -.l
THE fouRTH DAY OF scovnLE's ARGUMENT,
AND STILL HE Is NOT DONE.
Scoville is talking against time, wearing out
the Court, the Jury and the audience. His
argument is more in the nature of an assault
on the prosecution than defense Of Guiteau.
A running fire kept up most of the day between
him and Col Corkhill. Scoville disclaimed ~
his main motive the desire to shield the
prisoner for the honor OF the Guiteau family.
His greatest desire was to save the American
nation and the American Judiciary from the
disgrace of hurrying to the gibbet an insane
man. Abiding to the evidence Of DR.. North.
the speaker charged: This WAS anothsl
instance Of the unfairness Of the District
Attorney. Without the slightest evidences
or reason for SO doing, he had asked
. witness. We're you ever indicted fol
crime2' and witness had responded quickly and