Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1882-01-12
THE GUITEAU TRIAL.
The Evidence all in and the Lawyers
at the Jury.

The last of the doctors called to show
that Guiteau is sane left the witness
stand Tuesday, and Mr.. Corkhill said
the testimony for the prosecution was
concluded. Dr. Bowker of Kansas City.
testified for the defence that Mrs. Dun
mire, the assassin's divorced wife, told
him, after the shooting of the President,
that when she obtained her divorce from
Guiteau she feared he might be mental
ly deranged. This was in contradiction
of a portion of Mrs. Dummies testimo;
ny at the trial a few weeks ago. Gui-
teau's brother was called to testify con-
cerning the letter the prisoner recently
wrote to Don Cameron asking for mon
Iey, but the prosecution objected, and ad-
mitted that Guitcau wrote and sent the
letter, and so the witness was dismissed.
Mr.. Scoville wished to have the testimo-
ny of Clark Mills, the sculptor who took
a cast of Guiteau's head, but it was ruled
out by the Court. Mr.. Scoville wanted to
call some witnesses whom the prosecu-
tion had subpenaed and not used, and,
pending his preparation of an affidavit
to show what he wished to prove by
new witnesses, the court adjourned un-
til to-day.
Guiteau was unusually quiet, and bu-
sled himself writing his name on cards
handed up to him in the dock. He start
ed to read letter, which he said was
from friend of Gen. Garfield, showing
the drift of public opinion on his case.
Judge Cox sternly ordered him to keep
quiet, and the Marshal directed his men
to stop him, but Guiteau succeeded in
inf hn it1ru haf
the letter, the harsh feeling was all to-
ward the doctors now. At the end OF
the session Guiteau proclaimed his will
ingness to let the case go the jury now.
The testimony was concluded Wednes-
day, and the court adjourned until Sat
urday to give the lawyers for the de-
fence time to prepare their law points
for submission before the making of
speeches to the jury begins. Most of
the testimony offered by Mr.. Scoville
Wednesday was ruled out by Judge Cox.
Dr. Beard of New York, was called to
the stand by Mr.. Scoville, who said he
wished to show that in this doctors
opinion Guiteau WAS insane on July 2,
but the Court excluded the testimony.
Chief Brooks of the Secret Service teSti-
fled that he talked with the assassin at
midnight on July 2, and again the next
day, and that Guiteau told him he was
not murderer, but a Christian gentle
man, and had committed the act from
patriotic motives to unite the Republi-
can party. 1t was a political necessity,
and he had thought and prayed over it
for six weeks, until he became satisfied
he had to do it. When he witnessed the
in hot Gar6aId au6 Rlaipa
at Blaines hOuae, he made up his mind
they were still further conspiring against
the liberties of the people, and that the
President nust die.
Mr.. ScOville asked permission to call
several other witnesses, of whose exist
ence he had learned since the case for
the defence was closed, and whose tes-
timony would be material on the subject
of insanity, but Jud ge Cox refused to
admit the testimony. Mr.. Scoville pro-
posed to the prosecution that three doc
tors, who had been present throughout
the trial, and had not been summoned
by either side, should be called by the
Court to testify on the subject of the
prisoners il slnity, without being ques-
toned by any of the lawyers, and that
their testimony should go to the jury
without note OF comment. Mr.. Davidge,
for the prosecution, declined.
Guiteau, although Interrupting the
proceedings occasionally, was less noisy
than usual.
On Saturday, the Court granted sthe
jury leave to be absent from the court
room while the argument upon the law
points was being heard. Mr.. Davidge
opened the argument for the Govern
ment and dwelt upon the question of
the prisoners legal responsibility, citing
the decision laid down by British ju-
rists in the McNaughton case as a guide.
Judge Porter read portion of the charge
of Justice Noah Davis in the Coleman
case. For the defense Mr. Reed claim
ed that the question of malice in Gui-
tegu's act must be left for the jury, and
that the prisoner should have the, bene-
fit of any reasonable doubt of his sanity.
Guiteau annoyed the counsel by his in
Jerruptions, as usual.