Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-16
NEARING THE END.
REEDS PLEA FOR GUITEAU.
The Court Room DenseIy Crowded.
Outrageous Interruptions by the
PrisOner--A Constant Fire of Inn
pudence and Feeble wit.
EA FOR GUITEAU.

pallOu OF the opening argument LOT Gne
defense. At eleven o'clock the prisoner
was brought in, and as soon as he had taken
his seat he opened the days proceedings
with the following speech:
81 received thirty checks yesterday repre-
sentiDg about S75 900. Some of them, I
suppose, are worthless, and many OF them
are, no doubt, good. / don't want any one
to send me worthless checks. do my own
banking business and nv checks should be
made TO my or Ter. AIRY one who desires
to send me money can do so, but l don't
want any worthless checks"
Mr. Reed took position Immediately in
front OF the jury awaiting the signal from
the court to begin the opening argument
for the defense.
All eyes were turned IN that direction
when Mr. ScOville arose and addressed the
court, stating that he desired to know
whether the prisoner would be allowed
to speak in his own defense. II the court
proposed to accord him that privilege, both
he (ScOville) and his associate (Mr. Reed)
would prefer that he should speak first.
Guiteau-I want to be heard on that
question, your Honor. l want to close the
argument for the defense. l would not
trust my case in the hands of the best law
yer in America.
Judge COX-I should be 10th in a capi-
tai case to deny any man a proper OppOrtu-
Bity to be heard, even If be is represented
by counsel, but in this case It is safe to
the privilege, as he has done all
throughout the trial, and that what he would
say would be highly improper to 90 before
the jury. l shall, therefore, deny him the
privilege, as / said Yesterday. However, II
his counsel desire to read from his manu-
script ANYTHING which they deem proper to
be laid before the jury, they can do so.
Guiteau protested that be appeared as
his own counsel, and claimed the right,
as an American citizen, to be heard
I'm his own defense. Finding that
Judge Cox could not be moved, he
shouted: LET the record show that l ap-
pear here as my counsel, and that take ex-
ceptiOn 10 your ruling, Judge Cox shall
appeal to the American people and they
will OverTule you, and you will 90 down to
future ages with a black stain upon your
name"
Judge Cox made no reDly to this TRADE,
but simply nodded to Mr.. Reed to begin his
argument.
Mr.. Reed then rose to address the jury on
behalf OF the prisoner. He commenced bY
paying compliments to the jury for the seri-
business, sOlemnity and care which had
characterized it during this long
trIal-a trial unparalleled IN She his
tory of criminal jurisprudence. He
should not endeavOr to make any statement
Of evidence or to draw a gilded picture of
any scene, but he would simply talk with
them as between neighbOrs. Mr., Davidge,
counsel for the prosecution, had occupied
two davs in addressing the jury and that
effort and consumption OF time on his part
showed the grave apprehension felt by the
prosecution lest something might have ap
Deared in the case which would make the
jury say that the poor man was lunatic
and irresponsible.
The prisoner has certainly sustained bis
record for impartislity in abusing and con-
trad citing every one who has had anything
to say upon the case, from Judge Cox on
the bench to the humblest witness on the
stand. Before Col. Reed had been speaking
half an hour the prisoner began to comment
and contradict the contrasting mercy of
the Saviour towards those s1tlicted with
devils Gnsane). With the demands OF the
pro -ecuuon in this case, Colonel Reed said
they say: "Haug him." Gulteau shouted:
"And the American people say, Let him
gO.' The American people are on my side,
Mr. Reed. Now go on with your speech. F"
Soon after, the speaker had occasion TO
allude to the evidence of j. w. Guiteau
when the prisoner again interrupted, and
called out disparaging y: "Well he amt
nv reference. I've got better men than he
is fO~ nv reference"
Col Reed commented upon the incident
referred TO by several witnesses when
Guiteau struck his father at the supper
table, and Guitesu called out vehemently,
"That wasn't true. I never struck him
l never intended to strike him. / don't
fight any one. Pm peaceable man. II |
don't like any one 1 tell them so, and tell
them TO get out of the way, and that settles
them"
"This act" continued the speaker, "was
the first indication of his insanity. He
denies It, Probably he dOn'tremember IT,"
Guteau (sneeringly-"That is owing TO
my poor, weak mind and disordered intel
lect."
Colonel Reed continued. "Sfr. Davidga
cOndescended to read yesterday a portion
OF the evidence in relation to the incident
10 show, as he claimed, the mind Of the
prisoner, and Judge Porter kindly sug-
gested to him that Guitesu struck his
father In the back The full record says on
the neck or shoulder
Mr. Davidge Qaughingly) -"Donr go
back on the witness"
Col. Reed-"I'm reading from the record,
sir. 1t saws"
Guiteau, with an afr of satisfaction at his
superior dseernment-"WhY that was in
tended for pun, Reed, but you don't seem
to see It. 1 don't know as that should be
wondered at, for it would require a micro
scope for an ordinary mortal to see it."
After the recess, Col. Reed continued his
argument, reading two letters written by
Cultesu at the time he left the Oneida
Community, Gnu cOnterded that no man
could read those letters ana not reach the
conviction that the writer was OF unsound
mind. This evidence was not manufactured
for the occasion. It was on record years
ago, and many of the experts for the gov
eminent who had watched this prisoner
closely for weeks swear they did not
think the prisoner, by his looks,
by his talk, or by his actions
in this court room, has endeavOred to feign
insanity. "This," said Col. Reed, 'is a
point vital to this case, and l ask you, gen
tlemen, II half a dozen OF t eee experts
swear that he is playing part here, and as
many more swear to the contrary, and all of
them witnesses for the government; If,
say, these experts disagree so positively
upon this point, how much weight can you
attach to their opinion upon his sanity? 1t
does not require an expert to pronounce him
insane. You have seen him day after
day, shUffling in before you. You have seen
that strange, unnatural look of his eyes, and
it requires the opinion Of no expert to con
vince you that this is not the appearance of
a sane man. Continuing in this strain the
speaker said: "In my opinion, II this poor
creature is sent to an asylum he will be a
idiot within six months"
Guiteau had been quietly listening with
his elbows upon the rail OF the dock and his
chin upon his hands, his back being turned
to the audience and his attention apparently
fixed on something in the street. This
startling prediction amused him intensely.
Turning around ne looked over in the dires-
tiOn Of the speaker and enjoyed a quiet
laugh for some seconds. 'Their experts"
said the speaker, edo not swear to a fact,
fer none but the inscrutable Deity can
know what there is IN the brain of the man.
They swear only to an opinion, and you
have notable evidence OF how far from
facts the opinions of the most learned doctors
may lead in the sad case Of the late Presi-
dent. We had bulletins every day giving
his condition. We had the announcement
that a probe, or whatever It may be, had
been Inserted twelve inches in the wound,
aud yet the wound really was in an exactly
opposite direction. l say 1t would be a
shame to send a man to the gallows upon
the opinion OF doctors.
Alludiug to the structures OF counsel yes
terdsy upon the course of certain members
Of Guiteau's family in sticking to the pris-
oner, when they should have cast him off
as a wretch, Mr.. Reed said: "It is in evi-
dence that six years ago Mrs. Scoville be-
lieved her brother q mental wreck, an in
sane man, and should she desert him now,
that he is on trial for his life, she would be
the name of sister"
During his argument yesterday Mr.. Davidge
had stated that though he did not approve
a mob, yet in bis opinion the highest of
human motives were behind a mob. To this
sentiment Col. Reed offered the story of the
"Pilate was Judge. He had
said, ! find no fault in this man. l wash
nv hands of his blOod, but the mob said,