The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-02-02
Guiteau found Guilty.
THE LAST SCENE OF THE TRIAL

From the New York Times.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-Gulteau is guilty
and must answer for the assassination o
President Garfield by the forfeit of his life.-
The desperate wretch, shamming, lying, bias
pheming to the end, paradlng even under tho
very shadow of the gibbet as a partner will
the Deity in an atrocious murder, left his
prison this morning as an accused culprit, bu,
returned AS a convicted felon, adiudged by the
jury as personally and absolutely responsible
for his acts and Il fit subject upon whom to
visit the seyerest punishment known to the
law. Although it has been generally known
that the trial was approaching an end, few per
sons were prepared for a verdict tonight, and
the news OF the decision thrilled the city with
excitement akin to that which stirred it SO
profoundly during that day in July last when
Guiteau's murderous hand committed the
act for which he has just been branded as a
murderer.
When at nine o'clock this morning, the
doors of the dingy Court -hourse were besieged
by the usual crowd of noisy, pushing visitors
all furnished with red or white tickets, a light
mantle ofsnow was upon the ground, and the
flakes were falling thick and fast The space
within the central porch filled up, and yet
men and women struggled violently to
pass the gate and secure a more favorable po-
sition from which to fight for entrance to the
courtroom itself. Up the stone steps leading
to the eastern corridor clambered the personal
friends Of the prisoner, the counsel for both
prisoner and the prosecution, the newspaper
reporters, and scores of persons with tickets
of admission which would not admit These
tickets had been obtained from the Distri ct
Attorney or the Marshal, but were so numer-
GUS that it was out of the question to attempt
to honor all. The pslice-a faithful and cour-
teous group of men by the way, as ever wore
uniforms-resisted all entreaties and passed
very few persons except those whose faces
were recognized as those of men having bust
ness with the court. Occasionally, exceptions
were made at the personal direction of the
Marshal, but they were few and far between
AT $50 the doors at the front and rear were
thrown open and the usual frenzied rush be-
gan. Foremost in the crowd at the main door
way were the women, who spared neither man
nor woman in their impetuous scramble for
good places In an instant, almost, the crowd
in the corridor had squeezed itself through the
doorway and seized on all the seats, beyond
those set apart tor the lawyers, the jury, the
members of the press and the Judge
The calendar clock against the north wall of
the courtroom marked 10 minutes past 10
o'clock when the jury, led by Deputy Marshal
Fred Douglass, jr., filed in Invested themselves
Of their overcoats and hats, and took their
places in their usual order Marshal Henry
stands upon seat in the midst of the audience
and stops the buzzing of conversation by his
notice that demonstrations of applause or dis
approval will be followed by arrest and pun
shment. THAT applies to everybody except
prisoner says man who takes a seat he has
occupied through the trial, first folding his
overcoat under his chair and carefully depos-
iting large bundle OF lunch beneath his
chair. The Judge comes in and takes his seat
as calm and unruff1ed as he has been at all
times during the trial. Before him sit some
40 correspondents from all parts of the coun-
try, filling the Clerk s desk, surrounding the
counsel on both sides, and eaching to the very
feet of the jurymen. Col. Corkhll, Mr. Da
vidge, and Judge Porter sit near together Just
in front of the jury. Behind them, at a table
set at right angles with their own, are Mr. SEQ
vile, Mr.. Reed, John W Guiteau, and friends
of the assassin, and just behind them in the
front row of the audience, are the men and
women who have constantly sympathized with
the defense. There is no clear space, except
the narrow one III the dock at the extreme
left of the judges bench. This is not long
unoccupied, for promptly at 10 o'clock the
gray-headed crier shouts Silence" as the po-
lIcemen escorting Guiteau come in and hustle
their prisoner quickly across the little room
and into his accustomed seat. When his man
acles are removed and he is allowed to throw
off his overcoat, again is heard the quaint call
of the crier: Silence. Oh yez, oh yez! Ali
persons having business before the criminal
term of the Supreme Court, in the District of
Columbia, draw near and give your attend
dance. The court is now ready to proceed to
business" There are shouts of Silence from
all parts of the room, which do not, however,
quite restrain the hum of conversation before
Judge Porter, in a low, impressive tone, re-
sumes his summing up.
Just as MIR. Porter begins Griteau rattles off
a criticism of the newspaper statement pub
lished as coming from his sister, characterlz-
ing it as silly and not of his prom biting. As
the speech of the counsel proceeds, Guiteau
looks about him, turtively at first, and then
more boldly, until having assured himself
that no danger turks near him. he addresses
himselfto his daily task of writing his name on
packs of cards brought to him by the ballitfs
Occasionally he glances with a defiant look
toward Judge Porter. He writes diligently,
now and then holding off card at arms
length as if to admire his own chirography.-
AS Judge Porter proceeds to accuse him of
shamming insanity, of double dealing, and of
dabolism, he becomes excitable and garrulous.
Once loosened, his tongue does not cease to
wag while Judge Porter is talking. Most of
the time he talks while he writes While he
appears to be intent upon the cards before
him on the fiat rail, he is evidently more in
tent upon the speech, for an opportunity for
contradicting or abusing Judge Porter is new
er lost. His impudent retorts amuse the wo.
men and the coarser men in the audience, who
are, no doubt, in great measure to blame for
encouraging this murderer's clamor in his
deperate testing. Guiteau's rage was uncon-
trollanle when Judge Porter suggested that the
sentence of the court would again provoke the
language of malice and hate, aud would in
spire the prisoner if he had the bulldog
pistol in his hand to send the bullet home
again.
That's lie, Porter and you know it," he
shouted, and on he went talking at the top OF
his voice, while the criers cried "Silencem to
no purpose.
During his speech Judge Porter attempted
to correct some statement made in the English
papers concerning the conduct of the court
This not only excited Guiteau, but Scoville
and Reed as well, and these three and Judge
Porter for few moments were all talk ing to-
gether, and the court officers were yainly
shouting "Silence |" at the top of their voices
Judge Cox is calm, and shows forbearance te
the prisoner. Judge Porter is checked, an(
resumes his argument on another branch al
Guiteau declares: "You can't stop me-" anC
expresses his often expressed wish to get him