The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-01-21
PRICE THREE CENTS.

for the prosecution. He said he had framed in
ms own mind an Indictment for conspiracy
| 70 hang the prisoner. The conspirators he had
IN mind were the district attorney, Lawyers
forter and Davidge, and five of tho expert
| witnesses for the government. There were
twenty counts in this mental indictment, the
nrst OF which was that they had perverted the
law IN THIS CASE On this point he spoke of
Lawyer Porter's introduction of what Judge
Davis said about insanity in his decision in the
Coleman case in New York city. This quota
ton from Judge Davis, he claimed, had no
place there, and he averred that Judge Davis
mad gone outside of the case before him and
attempted to influence this case. Mr.. Scoville
also pointed out what he charged were devia-
nons from or misrepresentation of the testi-
mony by the prosecution. He did not specify
the remaining counts in his supposititious in
dlctment. He argued that if Guiteau's mind
was oVerpowered by the consciousness that the
Deity commanded his act, and if it was the re-
suit OF mental disease, then the act from Gui-
teaus own point of view was right, and he was
not responsible.
At the opening of court on the forty-seventh
DAY Gulteau arose, and in a pretentious. sra
torical manner read the following statement:
intend no disrespect to this honorable
court. desire no controversy with this nom
orab'e court. In general z am satisfied Wild
the law as proposed BY your honor But !
have still broader view of the law, which
ask your Lonor to follow, to wit, that II the
jury believed that l believed that it was right
for me TO remove the President because | had
special Divine authority so to do, and was
forced to do it by the Deity they will acquit
me on the ground of transltory mania. Sickles,
MacEarand and Hiscock [meaning Cole] we're
acquitted on the ground Of transitory mania.
In my speech, publ shed yesterday in all the
leading newspapers of the country, and which,
| honor hos r NV
reasons for asking your honor 30 to charge.
Mr.. Reed made brilliant and lawyerlike plea
for the defense. and Mr. Scoville is making
strong argument on his theory. But neither
Mr.. Reed nor Mr.. Scovile represents me in
this defense. l am here as my own counsel,
and have been from the beginning. No one
represents me to this jury. / know my feel
ings and inspirations in removing the ,Presi-
dent, and have set it forth in my speech yes
terdsy; aud | ask your honor in the name of
justice, In the name of the American judiciary,
in the name of the Americ, n people, to allow
me to address that jury of my countrymen in a
case where my life may be at stake II man
upon that jury has doubt as to his duty to
acquit me, my speech will probably settle it IN
my favor Therefore, in the interest of JUS
tce, it is OF the greatest Importance that
the jury should hear me in my de-
fense." Judge Cox said he would con-
slider Guiteau's request to address the jury.
MI. ScOVlile cOntlnneu Ills speech Tor TIC
defense. He contrasted Guiteau's plea that
the act was right because it was inspired by
God with what he called the real defense,
namely, that Guiteau never had any inspiration
Of any kind, and that it was a delusion all
through, and proof of the diseased condition
of the assassin's mind. Mr.. Scoville commended
that the prosecution, in Directing to the intro
duction OF certain evidence by the defense, had
not shown spirit of fairness. He sharply
criticised Lawyer Porter and District Attorney
Corkhill for the manner in which the case for
the prosecution had been conducted. Porter,
he said, had prostituted his mind for money to
hang an insane man. Guiteau suffered from
chronic insanity, and during his lecturing
tours he was simply a peripatetic mailman. He
had got the idea that another civil war was
imminent from Senator Chandler CT Michigan.
The way he was affected by that idea showed
that he was insane, and the steps by which his
mind was led from that to the conception of
the assassination further proved his insanity
Guiteau occasionally interrupted his counsel,
among other things saying that he had received
several checks for large sums on New York
banks, and was in a position to pay his board
bills.