The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-01-22

W a1nlnRton, G.-Upon entering the
court room this o. m, Guitsau took q
seat in the witDess box, rsmArking, as hs
laid out his papers, ~ sit down because
I car speak better. not because ] ana
afraid of bsing shot. This shooting bust
ness 10 getting played out" On an init
mstion froEa Judge Cox, she prisoner
carefully arranged HE glasses and with =
flourish began 10 read from manuscript
as follows:
aThe prosecution pretend that am 8
wicked man. Mr.. Seville and the rest
think ] ana lunAtic, and I presume goa
think ana. was certainly . lunatic
on July I'd, when I fred on the Presi-
dent, and the American people generally
and presume you think was. Can you
imagine anything more insane than my
going to the depot and shooting the Pres
ident OF the United Statea2 You are here
10 say whether / was insane or sane
when l fred that SHOT. You have moth
ing to do with my condition since or
before ] fired that shot. You must say
by your verdict whether / was sane or
insane the moment the shot was fired.
You have any doubt OF my insanity,
you must give me the benefit OF the
doubt and acQuit; that il il you have any
/ donbt whether fired that shot myself
or ~ the agent OF the Deity. Ii fred
il on my own account l Was sane, II l
| fred il suppOsing was the agent OF the
Deity, Was insane, and you must ae-
quit This is the record OF the law given
in . recent decision OF the New York
court Of sppeals. II revelutionizss the
old rules. and is u grand step forward in
the law OF insanity. II 10 worthy this
- ra1.A,1a ala inft IA al
pOnes, and it we'll comes from the pro-
grsssive state Of New York. l have no
hssitation in saying that it j. 8 special
providence in my favor, and ask this
court and jury to so consider it. Some
eminent people In America think me the
greatest man Of this age, and this
feeling is growing. The belief in
my Inspiration aHd thst provi,
dence and l have really saved
the nAtien another war. Ny speech
setting forth 10 detail nay defense was
telegraph d to al the leading papers,
and published on Monday, and now l
am permitted by his honor to deliver it
to you.
he then explained to the jury that bis
speech opened With quotation from his
Christmas greeting to the American psO-
pie, and in using it for the opening OF his
speech to the jury he had neglect ID to cut
out the date, christmas, 1881" After
thanking his counsel and paying . very
high compliment to the zeal and ability
which Scoville had displayed. whom he
proposed soon to reward With very lib
erel fee, he extended bis grateful &C.
knowledRnent 10 the court. the jury,
officers and bailIffs, and last, but nol
least, the American press. The latter
were power, though they generally
criticised 3 man when they got down on
him. They had been very heavy on the
prisoner at first, but when they knew his
motives they changed their views and
were treating him very fairly. With
this introduction the prisoner took up .
Newspaper aud proceeded to read
to the jury bic published speech.
His manner to casual OBJ
server seemed completely self possessed
as usual, but behind the ostentatious
SffectstiOn Of composure. was intense
feeling which was only held in control
through the undoubted strength OF will.
His excitement was betrayed by slight
hectic spot high upon each cheek, of his
usually colorless face, and by the unusual
delIbeTstion with which be began, and
for some time continued TO speak.
Whether this excitement was from
msrely the superficial effect upon his
emotions naturally incident to the oces-
sion, or whether it proceeded from .
deeper or more overpowsring influence,
the true realization of his position, Is an
almost convicted murderer pleading for
his life, il was difficult to dev;as. What.
ever the original character Of the feeling
it finally gained the Ascendsncy over his
powers OF control. As be reached that
part Of the speech which begins: have
always served the Lord, aRd whether
I live or die, ne broke down completely,
stopped, tried TO choke down the rising
lump in his throat, bat found it impos-
sible to keep back genuine sob. Taking
out his handkerchief he buried his face
In it . few seconds, wiped his eyes and
with determined effort started s2sin.
He seemed TO recover his copposure
so quickly that some believed the whole
affect was manufactured. Mrs. Scoville,
(his sister, however, thought Otherwise;
she was deeply affected and wept and
sobbed bitterly. For some time after
this incident Guitsau continued to read
occasionally adding brief comments upon
the text. As he proceeded all appearance
Va NERVOUSNESS kInQunlly WVIo OuS Auu
with the utmost composurs and JUNCTION
that bOrdered upon the ludicrous, the
prisoner read on with an attempt at every
conceivable form of oratorical, rhetorical
and dramatic effect. His description Of
the taking off Of the President was given
with striking effect. At times be closed
his eyes or turned them hesvenward;
waved his body back and forth,
sank his voice to 8 whisper, or raised it
to high treble. At times the intensity
OF his utteranccs seemed TO react upon
himself, but the effect was transitory,
and with the exception of one instance
| there was no indication of breaking
down. At frequent intervals he paused
10 emphasize some sentence or statement
by repeating or commenting upon it. At
one time. psusing, he leaned toward the
jury. and emphasizing with mis- head and
hands, said, with an attempt at great
Solemnity: 81 tell you, gentlemen, Just
as sure as there is q God in heaven, il
you harm hkir of my head this nation
will SO down in blood. You can put my
body in the grave, but there will be q day
Of reckoning" Guiteau concluded q.
ILLS; asd upon the announcement by
Corkhill sthat Judge Porter would be
unable to speak to-day, the court sd-
journed till Monday.
Hints ter Arthur.
No. Vii On rI,....y l:k:J IN,