National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-01-14
THE SPIRIT OF EVIL
AS ExEMPLiFrED IN THE ASSASSIN.
Tho Fine Argument Of Mr.. DayidEc-Thc Testimony
OfJohn W. Gultcau and Others Analysed-'
Insolent Interruptions Of the Pris-
oner-To.Day's Proceedings.


and Attorney General Tan sat on the bench |
with Judge Cox during portion ofthe day.
The conversation was momcntary hushed to |
allow the Marshal to make short address, adj |
monishlng the audience to keep silent, and warn
ing the spectators that any applause on their part
would be followed by the arrest and imprisonment
fthe Offenders.
As soon MS the prisoner had been placed in the
dock he broke out with the following speech "In
Justice to the court, to myself and to Mr. Davdge,
want to say that
WAS MISTAKEN IN MY REMARKS
against him. received u letter severely denounc-
ing Mr., Dayidgc, but on inquiry find that Day
idgc Is n high toned Christian lawyer, and l
withdraw any injurious remarks made against
him. still maintain my opinion of Corkhill. l
am told that am right about Corkhill and wrong
about Davldgc"
Mr. Davldge then rose and proceeded with his
address to the jury, lie proceeded to analyze the
testimony oil John W. Guiteau. This witness was
to the prisoner bone Of his bone and flesh Of his
fcsh the child of the same womb, suckled ut the
same breast, with every possible inducement to
shield the prisoner, SO far rs he could do so con-
slsently with TRUTH He quoted some of the an-
swcrs of this witness on cross examination
that he believed the prisoners case was a case Of
demonism that he was possessed Of the
DEVIL that before God he was responsible
for his acts (Which he called moral
responsibility because he believed that some time
In his past life he made n choice to follow the
path Of evil, rather than OF good. II was to be
said to the credit of this gentleman that when in.
sanity was imputed TO his fnther, his uncle, and
other relatives, he rose In court and condemned
the course pursued by Mr. Scovile. He read and
commented upon the testimony of John w. Guiteau
as to the quarrel between himself and the prisoner
in the witness Office in boston, aud brought out
again, with great cicct, the exclamation given by
y st his ScST was S @os Sy
the devil. That was that 1t was the theological
view of his father his brother, and himself; that
there were two contcnding spirits IN the world
the spirit of good and
THE SPIRIT OF EVIL
and that las he beievcd) at some time in his
brothers life when he had the free will to choose
between good and evil lie must have through his
willfulness, his stubbornness his poverty, al.
lowed Satan to obtain, such complete control
over him that he was under the power of Satan
other demon or demons, There, said Mr.. Davidge,
is the judgment of the man above all others
most capable of forming an opinion in regard to
the intelligence and capacity of this prisoner 1
need not say H how reluctantly that opi9lon
Of this trial took place-when the prisoner was
put upon the stand because the theory on which l
have been commenting had absolutely broken
down. What was the rcsult7 No man In this court.
room, and 10 man out of this court room who
read his testimony, entertained any longer, If he
entertained before the slightest doubt In respect
of the absolute sanity and responsibility of this
RAN. There was no longer any darkness. Did
average men in intellectual ability? Did II not
come out that all that had gone before had been
sham and u cheat2
The Prisoner (egotistically)- about brains
u you read some Of the letters l get you would
think lha! was The greatest man OF this age.
Mr.. Davidge, in the course of his address speak
Ing incidentally Of the horror. disgust and loath-
ing with which the assassination Of the President
had been regarded by all Christians, the prisoner
exclaimed: That was true In July, sir; but IL Is
not true now. II Is just the other way" To an
illusion to the prisoners occurring. for money
to leeturing 10 serve the Lord.". And a reference
70 Moody as theologlan led him to ex-
claim: Moody was an evangelist and was q
thcOlogan; there Is no connection between the
two Offices Referring to the testimony Of Rev.
DR.. Macarthur aud to the incident Of the prisoner
then at service the prsoncr Said THAT s is false
she was never worth cent He also contradcted
which led Mr.. Davidge to say to the Jury:
"TIIIs RASCAL SAYS
he did not do this. What do You believc-the
man of God, the minister of the Holy Gospel, or
the prisoner in the dock p The prisoner again
did not 1t is no6oJys business but my own. It
other" Aiuding to shaws testimony as to the
eonyeration about Wilkes Booth and the assas-
prisoner had the ambition OF
1.-THE youth who fred the Ephesian dome.
And who outlived In fame
The pious fool who reared IT.
In keeping with the grand idea that, on Garth
there Is but one grand central figure, and that his
name g is Charles J. GuItean., ..,.. .u,
Is the best thing you have ever said That Is what
the American people are beginning to say. too.
If you saw some OF the letters that am receiving
you would say SO, too. am the brain of this bust
ness. am running this thing here. Aud say
that, too, without any egotism at ALL"
Mr.. Davidge then advercd to the testimony of
Mrs. Dunmire, the divorced wife of the prisoner
commenting on the fact that the defense had not
cross examined her MS to the incidents which led
. her to the belief that the prisoner was sane
The Prisoner-She had not seen me for eight
years, and did not know anything about IT,
Mrs Scoville, who had been bilsiy engaged in
writing al morning. here looked up from her
manuscript ana sngrily muttered. shes liar
stratcd with her, but she only repeated her re-
mark, and sullenly resumed her writing.
prisoners tongue devlated to one side Mr.. Dayidge
related the fact that the medical experts at
meeting at Wizards Hotel examined each others
tongues, aud 1t was found that of the half dozen
present only two could put their tongues oul
straight.
The Prisoner
THEY WERE ALL RATHER ToNGUEY.
Mr.. Davidge (continuing)-But VIC may say tina
those experts were sane men.
Hardly" was the prisoners dry comment
"What INDUSTRIOUS, miserable testimony" con
tnued Mr. Davidge was necessary to bolster uy
The PriSoner-The rotten business IL a goot
comment upon your side oft,
The court then lat IL o'cock) took a recess 70
Mr.. Davidge resumed his argument and crlt
cised The expert testimony for the defense.
moral nature. We have shown that in religion h,
is u hypocrlte, in law n petliogger and shyster
and in all things swindler, an impos,or, and
cheat"
The Prisoner-That is all false, and you are say
ing IL for money.
Mr. Davidge-Then came the light of science
and science brands on his forehead so that tn,
whole world may see It and read it, and know IT
the word sane" ! have now done with the frs
department of this case. The second department
Is that II was in consequence ofwhat this prisone
calls divine pressure that he committed this act
When he writes the word God we know that tn
word devil ought TO be written; and when h
writes the word "divine," If we write what hi
own brother says, ought to be written satanic"
Is true Let me read from the Episte of ST. James
first chapter, fourteenth. fifteenth, and sixteenth
vcrsus
AT this point Of the proceedings lady seate,
in the back part Of the over crowded court room
fniuted, and good deal of confusion was occa
stoned by her removal 10 the open dir. The prs
oner called the Courts attention to this fact an,
suggested that some fresh air be admitted. Thi
suggestion was followed by the opening of a tran
Beforecommeneing General Reynolds testimony
Mr.. Davidge defended that gentleman from thu
aspersions cast upon him by the. prs
Oncr and his counsel, denOuncing tn
statement that he had gone to the Jail as sp
as the most unqualified unmitgated lie. ATTIC
several Intellectual attempts to interrupt Mr.. bay
idge the prisoner ut last exclaimed IN Il loud tone
so as to drown tie speakers voice: ARC
Brooks report Attorney General McVeagh wOul,
not have anything 10 do with the case, because IN
was Christian man and did not want TO have III
Deity down on him.
MI Davidge 90 the Jury)-when don't answe
] don't want to be understood as giving any sane
ton TO the falsehOnds uttered here.
The Prisoner-Then coniine yourself 10 tn
truth.
When Mr.. Davldge read the remark by the prs
oner 20 the effect that Couklng and Grant an,
Logan and such men would make themselye
known as his friends, the prisoner said Yes
"suneillanee" occurring In the testimony, til
prisoner said sarcaslically): "That Is very swee