Evening star., 1932-02-07
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

"The latest appeal to the American
people," says The Star of January 81,
1882. has been issued by Mr.. George
ScOville. He gave it to the world last
c.,,-, night through the medium
ocoVllles of the Associated Press.
Annaol After expressing his finn
nPpo"i' conviction that Guiteau
was the victim of a controlling lllu-
sion, he enumerates his reasons for haV-
ing made the defense, the last named
being to save the Nation the lasting
disgrace Of hanging an insane man to
crafty popular revenge and at the
same time of placing on the records of
history, through a judicial proceeding,
the solemn Judgment that 1t was i'm
possible for an American citizen of
sound mind to murder the President of
the United States This reason, Mr..
Scoville says, is one of such general in
terest that have come to the conclusion
to submit it to my fellow citizens, and
their response will guide my conduct.
motion for new trial has been filed
and will be briefly argued this week
before Judge Cox, with bare posi-
bihty Of its being granted. If over
ruled, Judgment and sentence will be
passed upon the prisoner, to be exc
weeks will be allowed in that event to
make up a bill of exceptions and pre-
sent the case on appeal to the general
term of court. In my opinion there are
ample grounds for reversal OF the judg-
ment on appeal. The question of public
interest presented is whether such ap-
peal shall be earnestly and ably prose-
cuted. That cannot be done without
money He reviews his losses in bust
ness and by expenses during the four
months he has given 10 the case, say
ing that as An offset he had received
from friends in all about two hundred
and fifty dollars. My aged mother,
he says, lies sick. probably in her last
illness, and requires at least portion
of my time and resources. In the cir
cumstances, 1 do not feel called upon,
as a matter of public interest alone,
to give an additional two months to the
motion for a new trial before the Court
in Banc, and if my fellow citizens think
that the interest of justice, the cause
Of humanity or the honor of the coun-
try require that this contest be pro-
longed, and that no effort be spared to
secure a verdict and Judgment after
passion shall have subsidized In the pub
lie mind, let them manifest it by pro-
viding the means and competent coun-
sci viii be secured at once
The motion for a new trial was made
and on Saturday, February 4, 1882, it
was denied by Judge Cox who at once
sentenced Guiteau to be hanged on the
30th of the follSWing
oentenceQ 10 June. In prOnouncing
u. u,noJ sentence, as printed in
oe AAon nSe"' The Star Of that date,
Judge Cox said:
You have been convicted OF crime
so terrible in its circumstances and so
far-reaching In its results that it has
drawn upon you the horror Of the whole
world and execration of your country
men The excitement produced by such
an offense made 1t no easy task to Sc
cure for you fair and impartial trial,
but you have had the power of the
United States Treasury and Of the Gov
ernment 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 a
jury as ever assembled in the court OF
justice. You have been defended by
counsel with a zeal and devotion that
rEerits the highest encomium, and Ger
tainly have done my best to secure a
fair presentation of your defense. Not
Withstanding all this you have been
found guilty. 1t would have been a
comfort to many people If the verdict
Of the jury had established the fact that
your act was that of an irrespon-
sible man. 1t would have left the peo-
pie the satisfying belief that the crime
of political assassination was something
entirely foreign to the institutions and
civilization of your country. but the re-
suit has denied them that comfort. Your
career has been so extraordinary that
people might well at times have doubted
your sanity. But one cannot but be-
lieye that when the crime was COM
mitted you thoroughly understood the
nature Of the crime and its conse-
quence. You will have due Op-
portunity of having any errors 1 may
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, and there be kept in
confinement and on Friday, the 3Oth
dav of June 1882. to be taken to the
place prepared for the execution within
the walls of said jail, and there. be-
tween the hours of II m. and 2 pm,
you be hanged by the neck until you
are dead, and may the Lord have mercy
on your SOUL
Early in the morning Of February 4,
1882. fire destroyed the Jefferson School
Building. at the corner of Sixth street
and Virginia avenue, in this city. The
~, blaze, the origin of
Inc JEFFERSON which was at first
cobool prrrs undetermined began
oeiiooA No. about o'clock and
was first noticed at 800 by one of the