Destiny of the Republic - Candice Millard [159]
18 Garfield’s body, which was returned: Ridpath, The Life and Work of James A. Garfield, 657.
19 “The whole city was draped in mourning”: Mollie Garfield diary, September 29, 1881, quoted in Feis, Molly Garfield in the White House, 101.
20 “in many respects”: “Looking Upon the Dead,” New York Times, September 23, 1881.
21 Only one man had no place: Rosenberg, The Trial of the Assassin Guiteau, 48.
22 More than a week earlier: United States v. Guiteau, 599.
23 “a great big musket-bullet”: After hitting the wall, the bullet was said to have been flattened into a nearly perfect likeness of Guiteau’s profile. An enterprising man, R. A. Whitehand, made molds from the bullet and sold facsimiles, whose authenticity was certified by John Crocker, the warden of the District Jail, and by Guiteau himself.
24 Although he would later: There was an outcry against Mason’s sentence, and a fund was established for his defense.
25 He was tired, he said: Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield, 107.
26 “There is an American judge”: Rosenberg, The Trial of the Assassin Guiteau, 50–52.
27 “Mama says he ought”: Quoted in Feis, Molly Garfield in the White House, 95.
28 “For this man Guiteau”: “Gen. Sherman’s Timely Counsel,” New York Times, September 19, 1881.
29 “All a man would need”: Rosenberg, The Trial of the Assassin Guiteau, 98.
30 The legal standard for determining insanity: There is considerable disagreement about the spelling of M’Naghten’s name. Richard Moran, who wrote what is likely the definitive book on the case—Knowing Right from Wrong—devotes several pages to a discussion of this controversy. His conclusion is that the correct spelling is “McNaughtan,” and he makes a very compelling argument. However, the most common spelling is M’Naghten.
31 “gradual failure of heart’s action”: Moran, Knowing Right from Wrong, 186.
32 “We have seen the trials”: Quoted in ibid., 21.
33 “at the time of the committing”: Ibid., 22–24.
34 In America, it became known: Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield, 118.
35 In 1859, Congressman Daniel Edgar Sickles: Mitchell, “The Man Who Murdered Garfield,” 470.
36 “I plead not guilty to the indictment”: Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield, 116.
37 “Guiteau should have a fair trial”: “Guiteau’s Trial,” New York Times, November 14, 1881.
38 “If I didn’t think the unfortunate man was insane”: Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield, 117.
39 “I think he ought to be hung”: Rosenberg, The Trial of the Assassin Guiteau, 114.
40 It took three days: Ibid., 116.
41 “for the first time in anyone’s memory”: Taylor, “Assassin on Trial,” 3.
42 The courtroom itself had been renovated: Ibid.
43 The rest were first come, first served: Clark, The Murder of James A. Garfield, 121–22.
44 Guiteau had planned to make: Ibid., 122.
45 “General Garfield died from malpractice”: Quoted in ibid., 122–23.
46 “I deny the killing”: United States v. Guiteau, 226.
47 “Now, don’t spoil the matter”: Ibid., 1730.
48 “The rich men of New York”: Ibid., 1110.
49 Finally, Scoville himself asked the court: Ibid., 163.
50 “could not have been prevented”: Ibid., 2330–31.
51 “All the links in the chain are there”: Beard, “The Case of Guiteau,” 22.
52 Before the trial had ended: Rosenberg, The Trial of the Assassin Guiteau, 71–72.
53 “with his hereditary history”: Taylor, “Assassin on Trial,” 5. The psychiatrist George Beard, who was convinced that Guiteau was not only insane now, but had been since he was eighteen years old, would go even further. Those who knew Guiteau best, he said, and had failed to have him admitted to an asylum, were to blame for his actions. “On his friends rests the real responsibility for the assassination,” Beard charged. “Mr. Scoville is the real murderer of President Garfield.”
54 “Did you have any question”: United States v. Guiteau, 965.
55 “A man may become profoundly depraved”: Taylor, “Assassin on Trial,” 6.
56 “disease of the brain”: United States v. Guiteau, 1591.
57 “Hanging is too good for you