Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-01-25

THE ASSASSIN TALKS TO THE JURY IN A
CROWDED COURTROOM.

OOnSICSo having ooyoui HSu wv VII
Monday, the Guiteau trial efforded the
sole attraction this morning to the Gu
rious and sight-seerS. Upon entering
the room Guiteau took seat in the
witness-box, remarking as he laid out
his papers Il sit down because | can
speak better, not that am afraid of
being shot. This shooting business is
getting played OUT
At an inlimation from Judge Cox,
the prisoner carefully arranged his
glasses, and with flourish began to
read from manuscript as follows:
The prosecution pretend that ] am
wicked man. Mr. Scoville and Mr..
Reed think am lunstic, and pre-
sumo you think am. certainly was
lunatic ON July 2, when 1 fired on
the President, and the American peo-
pie generally, and presume you, think
l was. Can you imagine anything
more insane than my going to that
depot and shooting the President Of
the United States?
You are there to say whether / was
sane or insane at the moment / fred
that shot. You have nothing to do
with my condition before or since that
shot was fired. You must say by your
verdict, sane or insane, at the moment
the shot was fred. If you have any
doubt of my sanity at the moment, you
must give me the benefit of that doubt,
and acquit. That is, you have any
doubt whether | fired that shot, or the
agent of the Deity. If l fred it on
my own account, 1 was sane. If I
fired it supposing myself the agent of
the Deity, was insane, and you must
acquit This is the law as given in
the recent decision of the New York
Court of Appeals. 1t revolutionzes
the old rules, and is grand step for
ward in the law of insanity. 1t is
worthy of the age ofrailroads, electrici-
ty, and telephones, and it well comes
| from the progressive State of New
York have no hesitation in saying
that it is a special providence in my
favor, and l ask this Court and jury so
to consider it. Some of the hest peo-
ple of America think me the greatest
man of this age, and this feeling is
growing. They believe in my inspira-
ton, and that Providence and l have
really saved the nation another war;
My speech, setting forth in detail my
defense, was telegraphed ca Sunday
10 oil the leading papers and published
on Monday morning, and now ! am
permitted by His Honor to deliver it
to YOU He then explained to the
jury that his speech opened with a
quotation from his Christmas greeting
to the American people, and in using
it for the opening of his speech to the
jury he bad neglected to cpt out tho
date, Christmas, 1881
After thanking his counsel, and pay
ing very high compliment to the zeal
and ability which Mr.. Scoville had
displayed-whom he proposed soon to
reward with very liberal fee-he ex-
tended bis great acknowledgement to
the Court, the jury, officers and bailifs;
| and last, but not least, to the Ameri.
can presa. The latter was power
that generally crushed man when
they got down on him. They had
been pretty heavy on the prisoner at
first, but when they knew his motives
they changed their views, and now
they were FreatiGg him EerE fairly.
With this introduction, the prisoner
took up newspaper, and proceeded to
read to the jury his published speech.
THE PRISONERS BEARING.
His manner to the casual Observer
sserpsd as completely selKpossessed as
usual, but behind the ostentatious affec-
ton Of composure there was an inten-
sity of feeling which was only held in
control through the undoubted strength
of will and nerve which the prisoner
has shown all the way through. His
eYcitepelt Yas betrayed by q slight
hectic spot high up upon each cheek Of
his colorless face, and by the unusual
deliberation with which he began and
for some time continued to speak.
Whether this excitement was from the
merely superficial effect upon his emo
tions naturally incident to the occasion,
" whether iSproeeeded from deeper
and more overpoweriug inauence-the
true realization of his position, an al
most convicted murderer, pleading for
his life-it were difficult to divine.
Whatever the origin or character of
the feeling, it finally gained the as.
eeudaney over his powers OF control,
and as he reached that point in the
speech, Il have always served the
Lord, aud whether | live or die'-he
broke down completely, stopped, tried
to choke down the rising lgmn In his
throst lut found it impossible to keep
back genuine sob. Taking out his
handkerchief he buried his face in it
a few seconds, wiped his eyes, and
with a determined effort started on
again He seemed to recover his COM.
nosnre so quickly that some believed
the Yhole effort was manufactured.
His sister, Mrs. SeoVille, however,
apparently thought otherwise. She
was deeply affected and wept and
sobbed bitterly for some minutes.
After this incident Guiteau continued
to read, occasionally adding brief com
laGnss upon tine text. AS be proceeded
with the reading all appearance of nerv-
BUSINESS gradually wore of, and with
the utmost composure, and an unctioa
that bordered upon the .tdicroas, the
prisaNeR READ on with an attempt ut
every conceivable form. of oratorical,
rhetorical and dramatic effect His
description of the taking off Of the
President was giyaa With striking
effect. AT times be closed his eyes or
turned them Heavenward, moved his
body back and forth, sank bis voice to
Q whisper, or raised it to high treble,
At times the Intensity ofhis ntterances
seemed to react upon himself, but the
effect was hut transitOry and with the