Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1886-01-30

odtuT0 ADOuC Ln0 Trial.. OOrk.
hills Theory.
One OF the expert counsel who was
employed by the government ut a sal
airy of $50 a day to give testimony il
tho Guitea case, says Jules Guthridgt
in the Chicago News, tells me it was
the intention of the administration tc
find Guiteau insane, il possible. Both
President Arthur and his cabinet be,
lieved it would be better for this coun.
try to have the impression 60 abroad
that the assassination of Garfield was
the work Of a crazy man, rather than
the result of a carefully matured plan.
Before Guiteau was brought to trial
the fact was firmly established by the
government officials that Guiteau was
in all respects q sane man, which, OF
couse, necessitated a change Of pro-
gramme. My informant, who was for
many years superintendent of an asy-
lum for the insane, said:
''It WAS my business to sec as much
of Guiteau as possible. For weeks he
was scarcely out of my sight. l am sat-
isfed he vas noSmore insane than l. l
noticed ono curious thing about Gui-
teau. His demeanor in the court room
and at the Jail was the very antipodes
of each other. In court he was bois-
ferrous aud insulting, even to his own
counsel. He would make, if you re-
member, all sorts Of irrelevant remarks
calculated to- impress the spectators
that he must be insane. l studied
these actions carefully and compared
them with his subsequent manne at
the jail. Never was there a greater
contrast. In his cell no was rational
and calm always. After the first few
days l felt sure the man was playing a
part. If | ever qualified this belief it
was only to make it stronger the longer
my acquaintance With him continued.
"Gulteau was IN excellent lawyer.
II his brOther-in-!aN ScoTille, had fol-
lowed Guiteau's advice the assassin
would bo alive to-day. Guiteau want
ed to show that Garfield died from
malpractice and not necessarily from
the wound he had inflicted. But Sco-
vile was pig.headod. He had mapped
out q plan of defense and no5hing
could induce him to change it. Cult
a talked with me about this a great
deal. He said if once that theory were
advanced dozens Of doctors, in every
way as prominent as those who attend
ed Garfield, would come forward in
support of it. Ho said there would be
so much conflicting testimony that ths
Jury would get nnuddled and fail to
agree, or, at all events, they would
not dare to bring in a verdict of guilty.
l am inclined to think Guiteau was
right about this.
There is one curious feature of the
Guiseau trial which was. not brought
out very strongly, for reasons which l
L dare say, few people, even in
Chicago, remember. At the tinae
Guiseau was rushing about Washington
trying to secure "A foreign mission
Lawyer Scoville. was living al his
country home in Wisconsin. HIS
business brought him to Chicago daily.
Upon ono occasion, rs he alightsd
from the train, a letter was handed to
him. He read it with some agitation
and took the next train for Washing
ton. He arrived here on Sunday. The
President vas assassinated the day be-
fore. 1t was.always supposed by the
detectives wac worked up the matter
that tho letter was written by Guitsau,
and cnpfoinod tha ACKNOWLEDGEMENT that
he had decided Ia assassinato the
President il he did not succeed in So
surfing the place he wanted"
asked my informant if he believed
others besides Gui3sau were cognizant
Of the latosr's intentions.
II do" he replied. II have always
entertained that opinion. remember
once during the progress OF the trial
Guiteau remarked that he needed
money 3or soma particular purpose,
and added If it was not forthcoming he
would mako some disclosures serious
ly compromising several prominent
gentlemen. The mouoy-a great jeal
more, he told me, than he reeded-
was N his possession within twenty
four hours. Col. Corkhill, who con.
| ducsed the prosecution against Guiteau,
assured me repeatedly that Guiteau
was not alone IN the assassination OF
Garfield. he has always been berry
reticent in discussing the matter. but
at some future time to write tho inside
history of the case. in which he will
advances his theory and support it. he
believes, to the satisfaction of all fair.
minded men,"