San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-01-26
The Guitcau oase....A Centre Shot.

utbt III vi baoO 30 o'bt toAbS w cuNNN
Porter is making the closing speech,
Mr.. Scoville, who preceded him for the
defense, spoke for some three or four
days, and did himself much credit.
We quote a passage from his speech
which exhibits most telling point and
demonstrates the holiness aud nerve
of the speaker. Read:
tell you, gentlemen Of the jury, back of
this prosecution is IN influence which have
felt a ID which you may feel, gentlemen, be-
lore Ghis trial is ended. There are polite
inns who seek to hide their own shame be-
hind the disgrace of this poor prisoner and
make him the scapegoat for their crime. l
did not intend gentlemen of the jury, to
| take up this feature of the case, but when
| find out the power and influence this gov
eminent used against me in refusing me the
small pittance that 1 have asked, fair and
| impartial trial. and the small facilities need
ed for proper defense. do not propose to
keep quiet say that such men rs Grant,
and Conkling and Arthur are morally and
intellectually responsible for this crime
Conkling shall not escap. Hcsha!l not shirk
the responsibility of the state of things that
led to this act He shall not escape the con-
domination of the American people if l can
help it. for his share in the disgraceful
scramble for office that led to the conflict
with the chosen ruler of this great nation,
andled this poor insane man to compass
what they would have hailed with satisfac.
ton, as would probably hundreds of other
politicians, if It could occur other than
through assassination. the removal of Gar
field who stood in the way of their upright
eous and disgraceful struggle for Office.
Neither shall Grant escape that condemna-
tion.to which he is so justly subjected when
coming from Mexico and coming with undue
haste he threw his own name into the petty
quarrel about small Office in the Repubi-
can party and sought to ferment the differ
ences that had sprung up. I am not going
to see the misdeed of these men high in
power visited upon the head of this poor
insane man if can help it. This clamor
for his blood is notfor the purpose of aveng-
ing the death of Garfield or of satisfaction
of Justice, but their theory is this: If it can
be shown that this was the act of q sane
man then those politicians in high places
would say, of course, ''We are not respon-
sible for the act of sane man. To be sure
we had some differences. but then it could
never have led sane man to do such an act.
But on the contrary, gettlemen of the jury,
what is the effect of your verdict if you &C
quit him as an insane man? Willy, the peo-
pie will saysome one is at fault. They say we
will fix the blame upon the heads and hearts
of those men who urged war upon our poor
dead President until it drove this poor in
sane man from reading daily in the papers
what Grant says; what Conkling says, and
from constantly thinking upon it, to his in
sane act of killing the President and those
men in high places, really culpable ones,
will go down to posterity with stigma upon
their names and theldetestation of their coun-
trymen fastened upon their memories.
Scoville's denuncation OF Conkling,
Grant and Arthur caused a profound
sensation in the court. AS soon as le
cess was announced, the speaker was
surrounded by ladies and gentlemen and
congratulated on his fearless exro-
sition. One gentleman exclaimed: that
is the correct sentiment, and the Amer
icau people are behind you OH that
The recess of the court was enlivenea
by several heated discussions in the cor.
rid ers and upon the outside on the gen
eral question Of moral and intellectual
responsibility as set forth by Scoville
The comments of the Galveston News
which we copy below are exceedingly
forcble and pertinent:
Mr.. Scoville continued his argument yes
terday in defense of Guiteau, and it is fair
to give him credit for presenting the case of
his unfortunate client with force aud elo-
qucnce. If his judgment was Mt fault in
assailiug the stalwart trinity. his convictions
of duty moral courage aud fearless bearing
under the weight of terrible responsibility
must win for him the respect OF the nation
and the regard of sympathetic men every
where. His arraigument of Arthur. Conk-
ling and Grant rs the moral agents OF the
great crime created sensation that Will con-
tinue to be felt long after this trial shall
have passed into history. aud it is not i'm
probable that the boulder he has thown on
the great ocean of public opinion put in mo-
ton wave of thought and inquiry that
may roll on and perhaps wreck Il e ambi-
tious crafts of the three "cu,pable Ones"
whom the bold speaker O fearfully denoun-
ced as 'n orally responsible for the ime."
and who are to Ego down to posterity with
q stigma upon their mare e.. and with the de-
testation of their courtrymen fastened upon
their memories" Mr. Scoville but gives
utterance to what every thinking American
Thought and felt ut the time of the assasinn-
ton. and which they may come again to re-
gard as the true tie ~ OF the case. Mr..
Scovile reasons most piausibly, and the log
ic of his conclusions compact and decid-
eddy damaging to The regulations of the trio
OF stalwartism whom he accuses. lie has
ut least formulated an indic:men. against
The three foremost politicians in the coun-
try. and has submittel it to the grand in
quest OF popular opinion. The charges and
specifications will take hold of tho public
mind and sooner or lhtcr the yerlict will be