The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1882-01-26
General News Summary.
Interesting Home and Foreign News.
TRIAL OF THE AssAssIN.

opened IN Lne hulleHu lf10l on the lbtn, SEQ
Vile began his address to the jury by confess
ing his unfamniarity with the modes Of prac-
tiCe in criminal Cases. All the defense asked
for was q fair, candid and impartial weighing OF
the evidence byfnir and candid men. The cOun-
sci would attempt no orutory because he was
not equal TO it and because he would not do It
if he could. He would address himself simply
TO the reason, Judgment and intellect of the
jury. The OratOry, eloquenCe and appeals to
passions, he would leave for the counsel
who would follow him Judge Porterl g,
the effort of the learned counsel Judge
Purterl to eNpound law or explain the
evidence he would invariably seek 20 in
huenCe them through their emotions 70
touch their hearts and sway their Bympathies
rather than 20 convince their judgments.
~ DO not care TO complain continued
SCOVihe, " although I do not think as COuu-
sci In the conduct of this case I have been
treated with fairness. Personally L care
nothing for IL; but when it Injuries the cause
in which my efforts are enlisted then I must
complain. I hold i'm my hand an Indictment
for conspiracy which 1 have framed inmy own
mind aud the object of the conspiracy was to
hang the prisoner" ScOville proceeded to name
the cOuspIrutors-the District Attorney. Judge
Porter, Mr.. Davidge and five of the Govern
ment experts, namely: Doctors Gray, Hamil-
ton, kempster, Mcdonald and Wooster. The
speaker warmed up with the subject and de
nounced, i'm severe language, the extra judi
prosecution, and i'm fact every one having any
thing to do with the case. He spoke during
the entire day, and was speaking at the time Of
adjournment
SCovHLE announced at the opening of
the Guiteau trial on the 18th that the prisoner
had short address that he would like to read
He stated that he had looked it over and had
found nothing Objectionable in it. No ohjec-
hOn beng raised, GuteHu then read an address
appealing to the Court TO charge the jury that
If they believe that if be believed at the time
Of the shooting that he was acting under spe-
Clal Divine authority, they must aCuuit on the
ground of transtory mania. Guiteau added
IL,
on this and other points, his speech, published
on the 10th, would probably settle him, and
appealed to the Court to permit him
10 read IL to tho jury. Judge Cox said
he would take the matter into consideration
ScOville then resumed his argument, attacking
the conduct Of 3orkhill in obtaining by false
pretenses a statement from the prisoner, and
described IL as scandalous. The medical eX-
perts, said the speaker, had examined Cult
'eau's mental condition several months after
the shooting and had no means Of telling what
was the state Of his mind July 2. Scoville crit
lclsed the entire course of the prosecution as
uRgentlemanly. They had abused the witness
es for the defense, but did not attack Drs
Spitka or kienan's facts or theory, because
they could not successfully do so, but sought
toovercone the effect of their manly and sCien-
tihc statements by police court methods.
SCOVille then appealed to the iuryif this was
tair treatment or in the interest of justice, and
whether It indicated desire of the prOsecu-
non for fair and impartial trial. The reason
for the extraordinary conduct OF the prOseCu-
ton was that the prisoner was insane and they
knew IL, but did not want the evidence to go
before the jury. He also warned the jury to
nemembeF when Porter would address them,
and that he had prostituted his talents for
money by accepting big fee to 90 to
Washington and Try and hang an in
hung because Of the false practice of
COrkhill, continued Scoville, COrkhiU
would be haunted all his life, il he had a CON
science, by a black vision Of the hanging
Corkhill was now attempting 20 ride on the
wave of popularity, but would later find him
self stranded on the shore Of popular con
tempt. ScOyille continued up to the hour of
adjournment his review of the life of the
prisoner, explaining his acts in the light of the
counsers (ScOville's) theory upon the case.
Guiteau occasionally commented, but never
seriously disturbed the course of the argu-
ment Adjourned.
WHEN the court opened in the Cult
eau trial on the 18th Judge Cox announced
that he would render his decision on Guiteau's
application to be heard in his own behalf after
ScOvIlle had concluded his argument Scoville,
in his argument, then cited several cases from
DR.. Gray's reports of persons who had been
murdered under insane delusions, showing
sorrow afterwards, arguing from this that dur
ing the development of insanity certain faCgi-
ties were suspended merely, and might subsc-
quently operate nationally He insisted that |
Or. Gray's definition of an insane delusion as !
a false belief proved that Guteau labOred un- /
der such delusion, as he honestly believed he |
was Gods instrument i'm killing the President |
He did not pretend TO have no memory He !
did not pretend to be ObliviOUs Of occurrences. |
BACK or the prosecution Of this prisoner" |
exclaimed ScOyilc, there is something /
that feel the presence of. It rs /
not merely the effort Of the District At |
t0rnev. Back Of him is the Government of |
the United States, and L arraign before you,
gentlemen, as those who are CrOWding this /
man to the gallows persons high in authority. |
say without favor, that the movers Of this |
prosecution are those politicians who seek to !
hide their own infamy by casting the blame
upon this insane man. / say that such men |
AFfhT naryIrr,
made war without justification upon that dead |
President, whom they have since lauded to |
the skies, instituted that state Of things and |
manufactured that degree of public excite
ment and popular feeling that preyed upon |
this insane mind until reason left its throne, |
and he did that which, consider was in per
1eCt accord with their COunsels and their con
duct / should not perhaps have said this
gentlemen 1 did not intend to do it when |
impartial trial. j supposed would have the |
bare pittance that asked for, and which, as 1
an American citizen, was entitled to, and |
70 which every criminal was entitled to. until |
a jury pass a verdict on him. / have come |
70 the conclusion that 1 shan not spare |
those men who followed this strife and prompt |
ed these lawyers 70 make a sCapegoat of this |
man. so that they shall be revered and hOnored !
m the public estimation. For men placed so |
hlgh in power, elevated so high by the suffrages |
ana opinions OF their fellow men as these per /
sons, have feeling of regret that they should |
forget their high duties, that they should de-
scend from the high positions in which they
scramble for place and office, which was ex- |
hlblted in their warfare, Waged upon Garfield. /
10 you believe, upon your oathG, that this |
crime would ever have been committed /
n Conkhng and Platt had not resented /
the nomination OF RobertsonY' SEQ |
vile said these attacks were made wholly /
on his Own responsibility, and whether /
Others held the same opinions was q matter |
Of supreme indifference to him. He continued; |
-"Ihese men will rest forever with this OuprO-
brium upon them, and they will 20 down 10 |
their graves with the contempt and reproach |
Of their fellOw-citizens, unless they do the only
Thing that is left for them 10 do Let them .
write letter % that desOlate widow at CleVe-
lanql ana say, instead Of burdening her with /
their personal sympathy; Ii Is true, we are |
sorry; 10 iB true, we mourn with you; but we /
feel that this terrible calamity was In some de |
Et5e lne outgrO"t1, tne result OF that unJusut- /
able war we Waged against your dead husband, ]
and we pray you 10 forgive us. When these |
men do that, they viii show claim 10 the re-
gard Of the American people, and Il is the only /
thing that remains for them to do, 70 save their /
names from merited oblivion" SCOville's ar
raignment Of these men created profound /
Bensation In the court room. ScOvillo had not 1
concluded &C the time Of adjournment
SCovILLE resumed his argument in the
Guiteau trial on the 18th, by saying II viii |
close to-day He called attention TO the testi-
mOny Of several witnesses regarding the pris-
oners appearance and conduct at police head
quarters immediately after the shooting, and
testimony of one of the onicers who accompa-
MED him 10 the jail. Concerning whispered |
conversation with Detective MCElfersh which
the Qmeer could not overhear, the prosecution
refused 10 allow McElfersh 20 give evil
dence on that point, and IL was because
they knew 10 would not help their side /
ne urged that the appearance and conduct of
Guiteau Immediately after the shooting was
that Of an insane man, and he should Be al
lowed % demonstrate the fact Guiteau inter !
fFlupted with speeches, claiming that such was