Arizona republican., 1914-02-16
TRIAL OF GARFIELD'S
 ASSASSIN

It will be thirty-two years on June 30 that Charles J. Guiteau was exc Cuted in Washington for the assas- of President James Abram Garfield, the deed having been com mitted about year previous, on July 1881. Following the assassina- tion of the president Guiteau made an attempt to escape, having a car riage waiting for him on the outside of the station at Washington where he committed the deed.
 Guiteau was intercepted however and was taken to police headquar- ters, where, after a brief preliminary examination, hew as committed to jail. It needed but little investiga- ton to demonstrate that the attack was consummated after deliberate and carefully laid plot. During Gui- teau's imprisonment, three attempts were made to take his life, the first by Guard Magill, the second by Ser geant Mason, the latter a federal trooper detailed to guard the jail,
 
 ing the trial, by William Jones, a young farmer living near Washing ton
 Following Garfield's death and bur ial the latter part of September, 1881, on the Sth of October, the grand jury for the District of Colum- bia presented an indictment against Guiteau and on October fl the pris oner was first arraigned in court. After the bill was read and the culprit was asked to plead, he at tempted to lead from a paper which he had prepared, but was prevented, the court remarking: Some other time will do for that" The prisoner finally entered plea of not guilty.
 The trial began on November Is. three days being occupied in select ing a jury. On the first day of the t,ial Guiteau became boisterous and began the conduct which as much, perhaps, as any single feature, made the trial that followed one of the most memorable in the annals of American jurisprudence.
 District Attorney Corkhill delivered his opening address to the court on November r. and the same day Hon. James G. Blaine told the story of the assault at the Baltimore x Ohio depot on the fatal July 2 On the 18th of November was introduced
 the medical history of the case by DTS. Bliss and Reyburn The testi- mony of the prosecution was finished on the goth. The next day the pris- oner made an address to the court, and MT. Robinson, whom the court had assigned as counsel for the de- fense, was granted permission to
 son, as he alleged that he could not maintain amicable relations with MT. Scoville, Guiteaus chief counsel. On the 22d of November Scoville opened the case for the defense. ar guing insanity on the part of Gui- teau. The examination of witnesses for the edfense was continued during the week following. Guiteau went
 on the stand in his own behalf on lasting until December ?. He de- scribed his career from his childhood up to the hour of his testimony.
 The expert testimony on behalf of the prisoner began on December , and was concluded the following day. The closing days of the trial
 were marked by the extreme vio- lence of the prisoners conduct. On the 27th of December Guiteau issued a Christmas address in which he gave d sketch of his vagabond life and declared himself q patriot and an inspired man. On December 28
 was one of the most dramatic days, on which Guiteau abused the court, insulted Judge Porter, counsel for the prosecution, called Scoville a jackass. and was placed in the dock, where he trembled in terror of being shot. The testimony for both sides was closed on January ?.
 It was not until January 9 that Judge Cox submitted the case to the jury, and after brief deliberation g verdict of guilty was returned. On February Guiteau was brought into court and sentenced to be hanged
 on June 30 within the walls of the jail of the District of Columbia. A number of efforts were made by the prisoners counsel and by others
 not connected with the trial, but who believed the prisoner insane, to save his life, but they were of no avail. With the realization that his case was hopeless, the assassin's manner changed and the fierce defiance (which had previously marked his con- ouct gave way to a spirit of resigna- tion-the resignation of despair. Guiteau was impenitent to the last and protested his inspiration in the face of death After ascending the scaffold he read a prayer which he had written for that purpose, and after he had finished he started to lead some verses which he said were intended to indicate my feelings at the moment of leaving this world.
 He then began chanting number of verses. beginning. T am going to
 the Lordy. l am so glad" which were widely printed at the time. The exc crtion occurred shortly after noon on June 30.