Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-06
DOOMED BUT Defiant,
GUITEAU SENTENCED TO BE
HANGED.
His Execution Fixes for June 80
The Assassin Retains Nerve
Wholesale DeDunciAtiOn of the
fhcers OF Justice.

His Execution FiXeu for une 30
The Assassin Retains Nerve
Wholesale DenuncIAtIOn of the
(hieers OF Justice.
WAsHINGTON, February After the mo-
tion for 8 new trial had been overruled,
Guiteau, who had been permitted to re-
sumo his seat at the counsel table, called
out: of your Honor please, l desire to ask
II there is any motion that l ought to make
to rescue my rights"
Mr.. Seoville tried to prevent his speaking,
but he retorted: "Well, don't want any
advantage taken Of me. I want to know
how much time I shall have to prepare my
appeal to the court in banc."
Mr.. scoville-P'esse keep quiet. We
haven't reached that vet.
Gultesu with much excitement) =
won't keep quiet Pm here and l propose
70 do my own talking.
Judge Cox then informed Mr.. Scoville Of
the rules Of practice applicable to The filing
OF his exceptions, and after this matter had
been arranged Col. COrkhill renewed his
motion, saying: "It is now nv duty to ask
for the sentence of the court"
Judge Cox to the prisOner-Stand up.
llaHG E4u duyhu " ray WY sSlLCuEt
should not be passed upon you?
Guitsau still sitting-I ask your Honor
70 postpone the sentence as long as posi-
bic.
Judge C0x-Stand up. Have you any
thing to say why sentence should not be
now pronounced upon yCug
The prisoner ,hen arose, pale but with
lips compressed aud desperate determine
tiCn stamped upon his features. In a low
f7aTfhara 70 ha Er4E
mind became wild and violent, and pound
ing upon the table he delivered himself of
the following harangue:
81 am nOt guilty Of the charge set forth in
the indictment. 1t was Gods act not
mine, and God will take care OF IT, aud
don't let the American people forget it. He
will take care OF 1t, aud every officer of this
government, from the Executive down to
the Marshal, taking In every man on that
bench, will pay for It, and
the American nation will roll in
blood, I my body goes into the ground and
1 am hung. The Jews put tie despised
Galilean into the grave; for a time they
tTiunphed, bu, at the destruction OF Jeru-
salem, forty years afterward, Almighty God
got even with them. / sm not afraid Of
death. l am here as Gods man. XII me
to morrow IL you want to; am GOd's
man, and have been such from the start "
Judge Cox then proceeded to pass sen
tence, addressing the prisoner as follows:
"YOu have been convicted of a crime so
terrible in IT'S circumstances and so far
reaching that it has drawn upon you the
horror OF the whole world aud the execration
of your cOuntrYmen. The excitement pro-
duced by such an Cffense made it no
easy task to secure for you a fair and i'm
partial trial. But you have had the power
OF the Urited States Treasury and Govern
ment in your service to protect your person
from violence and TO procure evidence from
all parts Of the country. You have had as
fair and impartial jury as ever assembled
In aeOurt Of justice. You have been defended
by counsel with zeal and devotion that
deserves the highest eDc0mium, and I, Ger
tainly, have done my best to secure fair
presentation of your defense Notwith-
standing all this YOU have been found
guilty. 1t would have been a comfort to
many people If the verdict OF tie jury
had established the fact that your act was
| that Of an irresponsible man. 1t would have
left the people with the satisfying belief
that the crime Of political assassination was
| something entirely foreign to the instiiu-
tions aud civilization Of our country, but
/ the result has denied them that comfort.
The country will accept It as q fact thst that
| crime can be committed, and this court " II
have to deal with il by iuh citing the highest
| penalty known TO the criminal cOGe-tO
serve as an example 10 others. Your ca
rser has been so extraordinary that the peo-
| pie might we'll at times have doubted your
sanity. But one cannot but believe that
| when the crime was committed you thor
OUghlY understood the nature Of that crime
and its eOnseq equences.
Guifesu-I was acting as Gods man.
"And that sou had moral sense aud cor
science enough to recogniz3 the moral ini-
| guilty OF such an set
The Prisoner-Thst's a matter of opinion.
"YOur own testimony shows that YOU re-
COiled with horror from the idea. You say
that you prayed against it. You say that
you thought it might be prevented. This
shows that your conscience warned you
against it. But by the wre' ched sOphistry
OF your own mind you worked yourself up
against the D otest OF your own
conscience. What motive could
have induced YOU to DO this set must be a
matter Of conjecture. Probably men will
think that some political fanaticism or NOR
bid desire for self eXaltatiOn was the real
inspiration for the act. Your own testimony
seems to cOntrovert the theories of your
counsel. They have maintained and thought
honestly, | believe, that you were driven
against your will by an insane impulse 70
commit the act. But your testimony showed
that you deliberately resolved to do It, and
that deliberate and misguided will was your
sole impulse. This may seem to be insanity
to some persons but the law looks upon ft
as willful crime.
"YOu VIII have an opportunity of having
sny error 1 msy have committed during the
course OF the trial passed upon by the court
In banc. But meanwhile it is necessary for
me to pronounce the sentence OF the law.
That YOU be taken hence to the common
Jail of the District, from whence you came,
4 L.
Friday, the 3Oth day OF June, 1882 you be
taken to the place Of execution, within the
walls OF said jail, and there, between the
hours of 10 N. aud 2. p. m, you be hanged
by the neck until you are dead, aud may
the Lord have mercy on your soul"
During the reading Guitesu stood appa-
rently unmOved, ard with his gaze riveted
upon the Judge. But when the fEal words
were spoken he struck the table violently
and shouted;
'And msy the Lord have mercy on your
soul I'd rather stand where l do than
where that jury does and where your Honor
does. Pm not afraid to die l stard here
as Gods man, and God Almighty will
curse every man who has had q part IN
procuring this urr'ghte GUS verdict. No'h-
ing but good has come from Garfield's
removal land that will be the verdict Of
p0steTity} or my Inspiration. | don't care a
snap for the verdict of this corrupt genera
tion. 1 would rather thousand times be 10
my position than that of those who have
bounded me to death. l shall have gl0-
riOus fight To glory, hut that miserable
scoUndTel Corkhill will have a permanent
Job down below, where the devil is prepar
ing for him."
After apparently talking himself out, the
prisoner turned to his brother aud, without
the slightest trace of excitement, cOnversed
for some minutes before being taken from
the court room.