The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1882-01-26
eu,rEAu fouNp GUILTY.

The great trial has at last come 10 al
end. The jury retired at $50 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon. They were cut
only six minutes, when they returned
with a verdict Of guilty ofmurder In the
first degree. The satisfaction over this
verdict throughout the country is very
great. All rejoice in the fact that the
greatest criminal of the age is to suffer
the punishment 80 much merited.
There Is prolone ed sigh of relief too,
that the " insanity dodge" Is not vic
toriOus. The conviction Of Guiteau Is
great back-set to the cranks," and
society can breathe freer. The acquit-
tai Of Guiteau would have turned loose
an army of blood hounds, and no law,
no bar rier, could have restrained them
in their murderous acts. The assassin
has had every privilege that can lie
accorded to q prisoner in the trial of
his case. The Judge has been severely
criticised for his great leniency, but all
must agree now that this leniency was
for the best. The jury was regarded
as one Of intelligence and respectable
ity-such one as even the sueruIous
prisoner has not objected to. There
Is not trial reported i'm history that
was more fairly conducted than this.
All prejudice and contempt were put
to one side to give the prisoner
chance. Now the end has come and
Guiteau will hang. Sentence has not
yet been pronounced, four days being
allowed his counsel to make motion
for new trial. Judge Cox's charge to
the jury was in substance as follows
The court began by pointing out the
provisions Of the Constitution in such
cases, and expressed the belief that not
one of these sacred guarantees had
been violated il the accused was guilty
of crime charged. No one deserved
the benefits of these provisions less.
II innocent, no one had more need OF
them. He referred to the repeated
declarations of the prisoner As to the
weight of public opinion being in his
favor, and he told the jury that he
would not insult them by warning
them not to be influenced by the law
less gable of the prisoner i'm regard |
to the opinion of the public or the |
press to convict him Of murder Nal |
ice afOrethOught must be proved to do |
this 1t was not necessary to prove i'll |
will. 1t was hardly necessary to say |
there was nothing i'm the case to make |
il manslaughter. The prisoner was |
either guilty of murder or innocent. |
The question was narrowed down la |
one of insanity, or as to whether the |
accused knew his deed to be u wrong |
one. a man was supposed to he limo |
cent until he was proven guilty, but |
with regard to insanity il was differ |
ent The Government was not com
PEELED to show that the defendant was |
sane. 1t rested with the defense Ia |
show that their client was insane. |
Crime had three elements. the kill
ing, malice aforethought and murder |
except for the plea Of insanity. Is the |
accused of sound memory and discern
nIent is technically expressed bv the
defense of insanity, which, If it has
been abused, was necessarily regarded
with suspicion. The court then pro-
ceeded TO define the different forms Of
insanity. la this ease there Mas no
question of total insanity in which all
exercise of reason was wanting. \
man did not always become irrespon--
ible 10y being insane. He might Ice