Guiteau's Trial

Guiteau, at Scoville's suggestion, then read a chapter from bis book 'Trutb," whieh set forth the trials and teachings of St. Paul, elaborating and explaining as read' "That'smy case exactly," said Guiteau. "That's justwhy I tried to preacb the gospel." Shortly aftervvards the prisoner became involved in an angry altereation with Mr. Scoville, in the course of whicb he became very violent and denounced him as no politician and no lawyer. "You insinuated yourself upon the defense just because you happened to be my brother-in-law," said Guiteau. Judge Porter undertook to address the court when Guiteau shouted imperiously, "Now you just keep quiet, Mr. Judge Porter ; you are altogether too talkative this moming." Mr, Scoville stated that he desired to have President Artlmr testify in the case. Guiteau. interrupting, "Oh, yes, and Grant, and Conklin, and the rest of my friends. Mr. Scoville here takes altogether too narrow a view of this case." Mr. Scoville continuing, said that he had made every eftort to secure the Proiident's attendance, but without success. It was absolutely essential to obtain his testimony. After some discussion the counsel for the prosecution agreed to allow Mr. Scoville to prepare interrogatories to be submitted to the President and ailow his evidence in this form to be put in later. Mr. Scoville said that with this exception the defense had concluded. Guiteau, excitedly. - Iwant that order signed, judge. Judge Cox. - I fail to see the necessity for summoning the witness you have named, and shall therefore refuse the order. Guiteau. - Then I note an exceptiou. Reporter, put that down. President Arthur will be asked to answer a few written interrogations. Charles B. Farwell, of Chicago, on Wednesday, testifled that Guiteau once called upon him and offered to make liim president of the United States if he would invest $200,000 in buying the Inter-Ocean. Never thought Guiteau a sane man. On cross-examination Mr. Fanvell said he did not think Guiteau so insane that he could not distinguish right from wrong. Gmteau continually interrupted the witnesses and counsel on both sides with impertinent, insulting and amusing remarks. He told Scoviüe that he was getting cracked himself, and had insinuated himself into the case on the strength of being a brother-in-law. in rebuttal Gen. Sherman was the flrst wituess placed on the stand. He identifled a letter Guiieau sent Mm at the time of his arrival. When the shooting of Garfleld occurred a military forcc was ordered out "Wby was this done?" asked Corkhill. " Well," added witness, " the shootiflg of Garfield, under the circumstances reported, gave reason to apprehend that it was part. and parcel of a coiispiracy pervading the country. Of course the military was bound to act promptly, to be prepared for any emergency that might possiblv arise." Prisoaer- "I am obliged toSherman for ordering out troops for mv protection." The remainder of the day was occupied chiefly with testimony about Guiteau's father. ïhree or f our witnesses testified that they had been well acquainted witHthim, and had never regarded him as insane. The experts, more or less, employed to prove Guiteau's insanity have done but little in that way. A majority of the class. who regarded him in some sort of way crazy, still held him responsible for his crime, and even Scoville, brother of the prisoner's counsel, says to a California editor that from long and intímate personal knowledge of the assassin hc regards him as "cold blooded, selfish and thoroughly disreputable," and withal perfectly sane. District Attorney Corkhill is quoted as expressing the belief that the trial will not last more than a week longer. On Thursday there was considerable bickering, and a threatened falling out among the members of the Guiteau fanaily. John W. Guiteau ot Boston, while Mrs. Julia M. Wilson of Lead' ville, was on the stand, made some objections wliich caused Scoville to say he objected strenuously to John W. Guiteau interrupting the procetding witha view to show that there was no insanity. The prisoner got excited, and jumping up and pounding on the table said: "I take the same view. I wish John W. Guiteau would go back to Boston. He has crowded into this case, and only wants to gain a little notoriety. He has been a nuisance during the whole maj. ie is not of counsel and has no business to open his head here. He presumes en the fact that he bears the same name to make himself conspicuous here. I never recognized him as my brother until a few years ago I never called on him in Boston, but he seems to be a pretty clever fellow judging from his actions during the last three weeks since I became acquainted with him." The prisoner's brother paid no attention to his harangue. Frank Bartlett and wife of Chicago testified to frequent opportunities they had had of seeing Guiteau, but had never Ihought him erazy. Mrs. B., spoke of the dog incident so often alluded to, but saw nothing unusual in the occurrence. She thought at the time Mrs Scoville was more excited about it than the pnsoner was, and remembered distinctly that the prisoner. after the dor was hurt, carried food to kim, and seemed so desire to eiïace any bad impression it might have created The witness detected no signs whatever of any mental dissurbance in the prisoner. Warren Duncan, of Boston, with whom Guiteau had desk room for ten months, but to whom he paid no rent had never saspected insanity in all his conversations with the prisoner. John Palmer of Saratoga Springs testilied that Guiteau boarded a week with lum, and ran away without paying his board. Wel!, I might have confessed that and saved the government PRESIDENT ARTHUE'S ANSWEKS. Mr. Scoville read answers of President Arthur to the interrogatorios. To the first and seeond questions whether he knew the prisoner and how of ten he had seen him the President replied that he knew him ; that he had seen him at least 10 times and possibly 20 times. To the question as to whether he had ever conversed with him he replies, "None, excepting to return the ordinary salutation of the day andonee or twice in answer to his request to be employed iu the campaign as a speaker by the Ilepublican state committee of whc h I was chairman." To the tion, wnat pohtical services the prisoner had rendered the Republican party during the last Presidential campaign, the answer ia: "None that I know of.' The lif th question was whether there was anything in the prisoner's relations to himself, or Gen. Grant, or Senator Conkling, or any other of the Republican party, socially or politically to furnish him with any ground for supposing that he would receive any pohtical preferment? The answer is "Xo." Prisoner - That is a matter of opinión. The last question was: "Did you ever give him any reason to think he could have any political or personal influence with you ? "The answer is, I never did." Prisoner - He never had occasion to. Tke President adds to his mswm the folio wing: I have been requested by counsel for the defense to produce a letter written by the prisoner since his indictment. That letter was received by me in October last and was not preserved. Do not recollect its contenta particularly, excepting that it contained some claim of his having rendered some important services to the Republican party during the presidential champaign and an appeal for the postponement of his trial to give him time to prepare for the defense. Prisoner- That is all there was toit. REV. DR. MCARTIimt'S TESTIMONY. Dr. MeArtlrar, pastor of the Calvary church, H". Y., testifled that the prisoner introduced himself and wife to him oae Sunday after service, presenting a letter from a Chicago church. The prisoner stated that at the time in Chicago he had a lucrative practice of law, but owing to disasters following the fire his practice had entirely gone, and now he and his wife had come to New York to start life afresh. My heart went out to him kindly. I introduced him and his wife tomen of prominence in society and in church relations, and I know I was of service to him. The letter which he brought was referred (as our custom ís) to the committee. The chairman of that committee was a gentleman of very high standing, at one time Indian commissioner under the United States government. Prisoner and wifo were received into the church. L ier tne wife asked urgently for money, handing him the promisory note of the prisoner for $100. Mr. bcoville - Have you got that promisory note? Witness- No, I did not think it negotiable and have not presented it. [A laugh.] During the political campaign that fall the prisoner was not seen at our meetings so often, and the reason assigned by him was, using the phrase which he used, that he had gone to some degree into politics, and lie expected an office as the result of these political excitements. The Prisoner- I took some interest in Horace Greeley in '72. District Attorney- Do you recollect the office he expected ? Prisoner - I did not expect any office at that time, colonel. Witness- My iinpres?ion is that the office was minister to Chili. Prisioner - Nothing of the kind. I think it possible that I may have mentioned the Swiss mission. It was that which I had in my mind at that time. I never had any idea of the Chilian mission. I think I had some idea that if Horace Greeley were elected he would let me have the Swiss mission. It is only a small affair any way. Only $5 - 000 a year. [Laughter.] Witness (without noticing the interruption) - I remember that he was arrested and thrown into Jefferson Market jail because of some difficulty with the hotel. I saw the prisoner in the corridor of the jail, and although besought very piteously by him to intercede in his behalf and to procure bail for him if possible, I shut out the ural prompüngs of my heart and told him that I feared he was a bad man and that he must allow the law to take its course. In the meantime it came to the knowledge of the offlcers of the church that he had beenguilty of gross immorality. The Prisoner- That was the time I committed adultery so that I mightget a divorce; that was all there was in it. I was not going to live all my life with a woman I did not like. I had no business to marry at all. The witness (ignoiing interrupting -And about the 13th of April, 1875, he was summoned to appear before the advisory committee to answer to a charge of gross immorality. There were three counts to the charge: First, that he took money which his wifè earned by working in a hotel in the country and which was remitted him to assist in supporting him. Prisoner (interrupting)- That is absolutely false, doctor. I never heard that story before. Witness (still ignoring the interruption) - And suent it in imnmnor voin_ tions with other women. Prisoner (with excitement)- That is absolutely false. If rny wite told you that she told a lie. The witness (continuing his narrative)- The second count was that he had been guilty by frequent acts of violation of his marriage vows. Prisoner (again breaking in)- I only married that woman on ten hours' notice, and that is reason enough why 1 could not live with her. Witness- The third count was that as the result of those repeated acts of infldelity he was suffering from a vile and loathsome disease. The Prisoner.- That is false. The witness- Those charges were recited to the prisoner by myself in (he presence of the committee. The Prisoner- That is erroneous. I beg to differ from you. The Court (severely) - Keep quiet. -.et the witness go on. Witness- I recited those charges to he prisoner, and he acknowledged the truth of every one of them. He stated as his excuse that his wife was absent; that nature's demands had to be met and he could not resist the enticements of lewd women on the street. He was pressed to know whether he feit a sense of guilt; whether there was any consciousness of remorse or repentance for the past or any promise of ref ormation for the future. The church was disposed to deal fairly. The gentlemen on that committee were gentlemen who were above anything like unfairness toward any person. Trisoner (in spite of all Mr. Seoville's efforts to repress him) - I remember this. I take back my contradictions to what the doctor said, because upon thinking it over Ifinditis correct. The men on that committee said that they had been in the same boat themselves, and for that reason they feit sympathetic. They thought that if a man had been unfortunately married, he had a right to get out of it. Mr. Scoville objected to the evidence as entirely inadmissable, and the court sustained the objection. The witnesses of Thursday and Friday have demolished the insanity plea, and demonstrated that Guiteau's characteristic is "develish depravity. G. W. Plummer a Chicago lawyer, Stephen English, editor of the Insurance Times, New York, Warren Brown, attorney of New York, Charles H. Wehle, lawyer, New York, had all been associated with him. but harl npv thought him insane, only ambitious to become known either by fair or foul means. He was a vain, egotistical revengeful adventurer. Mr. Shaw of New York said that Guiteau had said to him as early as 1873 that he would some day shoot prominent a man, or do something of the kind to make himself known. Mr. TVehle of New York testffled to a number of claims the prisoner had collected for one of his clients. When he ooncluded the prisoner declared that he would not give 10 cents a bushei for all the claims, and demanded to know the amout of the claims he liad collected. Wituess - The items collected amounted to $585. The Prisoner (excitedly)- Do you claim that I collected those claims. Is that your business, Mr. AVhateveryour-name-is ? ine Witness (not notieing the interruption) - My cliënt wanted me to see whether or not I could get the money for him. The .Prisoner - I wanted you to pay me $100 and take those things off my hands. ïhat was eight years ago You would not pay me $100 and I would not deliver them up. ïhe witness was constantly interrupted by the prisoner declaring his testimony false. The witness considered Guiteau sharp and keen and rational. Prisoner- That was eight years ago. It has a great deal to do with this case, hasn't it, colonel? (in an ironical tone to the district attorney). "You produce those notes" (alluding to the notes which Wehle said he received from Guiteau), he shouted wildly to the witness, "or get off that stand a disgraced man; if you come to slobber over me you must produce those notes or show yourself a liar." (To his sister, Mrs. Scoville, who was endeavoring to restrain him) "You keep quiet and mind your own business. I don't want any more talk from you in this case. It makes me mad," he continued violently, "that the prosecution should attempt to ruin my professional character when they know it is a lie. It is a shame that these men, Corkhill aud Porter, should slobber over my character. They have been digging up my prefessional record, and thty haven't found anytning against me yet, and they can't. I was straight in the law business, and I want the American people to understand it. The oniy thing against me is that 1 owe some board bilis and that I ccmmitted adultery in order to get rid of my wife." The Court (sternly)- That will do. The Prisoner- I have got through now. I have made my final speech in this matter. It is disgraceful tor Corkhill to bring in this evidence. The prisoner while he was delivering this tirade was apparently under the control of violent passion. His oonduct toward his sister was such that Scoville was obliged to make her change seats with him in order that he might be as close as possible to the prisoner and try to repress his violence. Senator Ben Harrison, Ind., testiüed that he had met the prisoner a few times in Washington last spring, some time after the inauguration of President Garfleld. He applied to the witnesa for some assistance in connectiou with his application for office. The witness saw nothing either in the conduct or conversation of the prisoner that raised in his mind any question of the man's sanity. When Mr. Shavv testifled that Guiteau had said he would yet kill somebig man and imítate Wilkes Booth, the prtsoner shouted "That is a lie." The witness said - And get hanged f or it. "Well, said Guiteau, "that is au after consideration." The witness did not carry that conversation anv further. The Prisoner- I have not known anything about this man Shaw for eight years, but when he repeats this kind of testimony say to him; You are a liar; a low, dirty, liar; I never had that kind of conversation with you in my life, and you know it; you claim to be a good churchman, too. That story is a falsehood from beginning to end, and jou are a sneaking liar; that is my opinión of you. I wili publish you all over the world, and when you go back to New York you will be the laughing stock of all your frisnds. I never thought so, and I never said so. I would liketo have you state all about it in detail; if you cannot do that you stand a condena ned liar. Tne prisoner continued: He is no lawyer; he is a pettifogger; he gets men about New York to do all bis jury business. Shaw used to lie around and get Patterson to try his jury cases because he had not brains enough to do it himself. District Attorney - IIow did you regard himmentally? Witness- I did not think much of bim mentally at that time. Prisoner (continuing to rail at the Witness)- Not after L owed you -50. After that you could see no good in me. I have heard of your running with women. My wife told once in Chicago that you went and visited her. I am going to show you up, you wretch You are a low, dirty-Hved puppy, to come here and lie about me in that way. The Court (severely to prisoher)- Silence. Prisoner- He had no right to come here and lie about me. That would make anybody mad, the lying whelp. Monday, Deo. 12, was the flrst day of the fifth week of the Guiteau trial. Dr. Spitzka of New York, an expert witness callcd by Scoville, was on the stand. He was positive Guiteau was a crazy man. The cross-examination was directed to Spitzka's previous practiee, and he was asked if he had not been ahorse doctor. Witnesss replied that he had no reason to feel ashamed of his sphere of dnty in that connection, and said to Mr Davidge :; My treatment has been conflned to asses. When an ass with two legs asks me a stupid question I endeavor to treat him as he deserves. The sossion was very exciting. Guiteau abused Corkhill, and Spitzka Davadge. Spitzka's explanation of what constitutes insanity completely bewildered the jury and counsel. Neither understood mucli what he was talking about. When Guiteau was at his most abusive point, howling at Mr. Corkhill and making a fooi of himself generally, some one at the window just back of him yelled : "Kill the mnrdprer o), him now!" Theeoward turned almost green m the face, and shrunk into nis seat. The spectators rose to their feet in excitement, andofficersrushedtothe window to arrest the man, but when tliey got there no one was to be seen -The _ incident ;reated a great sensation in the court. Witness said he had made a pretended phrenological examination of the pnsoner's head, an was of opinión that the inequality of the two sides of the head was three times greater than in the normal head. The inequality could be taken as an indication of mral iinbecihty only in proportion toits degree The witness continued : "If i had only that man's (pointing at Guiteau) mean face tojudge by, I would say he was a aepravea man or an insane man but introducing the other facts of unequal formatioTi of the head, inequality of facial expression and deviation of the tongue, 1 am of the opinión that the trouble ís of congenital origin." The closest attention was paid bj Guiteau to the evidence of this witness, and his salisfaction was plainly indicated by the expression of his countenance Ihe witness was asked ifjhe had not appeared as an expert in a certain case aud af ter taking a fee on one side, re' turned it, and taken a larger one from the other side. Guiteau again interrupted in great rage and in a voice which cempletely drowned the utterances of counsel and witness, yelled out : Thafs a very dirty question for you to ask, Corkhíll It just suits your brain. rm i„„ - u Arthur to take you out of tofs case Why, this man is one of the first scientists ot the country. Why, he would not condescend to spit on you, Corkhill ïou are in bad repute, Corkhill, with every member of this bar. You are an unmitigated nuieance in this case " deiwedly1 finaUy anSW6red' '"Most American travellers abroad are Dretty unanimous in the opinión that the Eng hsh do not know how to keep a hotel. Acting on this idea a company ThÜT8 'VT fc ,Ín Lndon' uPn the Thames Embankment, a big hostelry on the American plan. If it ís as well managed as our best hotels in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago it will be sure to succeed, for it will flnd ample patronage from the thousands of tounsts who run over to Earope for pleasiire every summer. and mniro i„ stays in London as the most interest ing of foreign cities. They will regard an establishment where a guest is lodged and fed at a flxed price, and can eat when he pleases and what he pleases escaping tke anuoying restrictions and exactions of Eaglish inns, as a haven of comfort and delight. Perhaps the English themselves will patronize it out of curiosity and come at last to see Kin 1S good thin to afiord the tiaveller the conveniences of baths baiber shop, reading-room, smokinrooffl, public parlors, etc., under one roof, and let him know in advance iust how much he has got to pay. . John Taylor, the successor of Brisham Young as head of the Mormou church, has taken unto himself another wife. The Mormon "President" appears to stand in more dread of the United States statute against polygamy than did his predecessor, for he did not venture to have the ceremony perf ormed in balt Lake City, but went off to a country town where he could enjoy the exclusive company of the "Saints " Probably it would be of no use to arrest Mm for this f resh offence against the law, for the witnesses to the marriage would not testify, and yet it may be worth while for the government officials to make the attempt. If they could succeed in bringing him to justice they would strike polygamy a crushmg blow. & ' The Abbe Liszt has with him in Rome this seaEon, his granddaughter, the young Baronesa yon Bulow Shê is a girl of eighteen, dresses elegantly and, without being handsonie, ia attractive. Her face is stroug in outline like her grandfather's, and full of character. Mrs. Garfield has been ekcted the first honorary member of the New Shakespeare Society of London, " as a, shght tribute of admiration for the loving devotion shown by her during the long and painful illness of thi late President." The Princess Beatrice is for the nr.it lime tasting the pleasure of dring away her own earniags. She has lust bestowed, out of the proeeeds of her ''Birthday Book," $2,000 upon a child's hospital in London. That this sum should be only a part of her rece.pts implies a large sale of the book. The wivts of Governor Colquitt and of ex-Governor Brown, of Georgia will H is reported, show their housewifely qualitks in an old-fashïoned spinuino; match at the Atlanta -t-xpositiou. The King of Siam has just purchased in London, through an agent iurniture valued at 1,250,000 '