Abstract

One hundred years ago, in July 1881, President Garfield met his death by assassination. The trial of the murderer, Guiteau, and the controversy about his mental state, were extensively commented on in the Journal of Mental Science between July 1882 and January 1883. First there is a lengthy editorial (an ‘Occasional Note of the Quarter’) in which the Editor gives his own opinion as to Guiteau's sanity and responsibility, and in later pages there is a full report of the Judge's summing up in the case. The October issue contains a detailed account of the post-mortem carried out on the body of the murderer after his execution; and lastly, in January 1883 the Editor replies to letters and criticisms he has received. The following is a condensed version of the first editorial.

Highlights

  • The President One hundred years ago, in July 1881, President Garfield met his death by assassination

  • First there is a lengthy editorial in which the Editor gives his own opinion as to Guiteau's sanity and responsibility, and in later pages there is a full report of the Judge's summing up in the case

  • The October issue contains a detailed account of the post-mortem carried out on the body of the murderer after his execution; and lastly, in January 1883 the Editor replies to letters and criticisms he has received

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Summary

Introduction

The President One hundred years ago, in July 1881, President Garfield met his death by assassination. Dr Gray, in his evidence, stated that he asked the prisoner, "How did you come to think of insanity as a defence, and when did it occur to you?" and that the prisoner's reply was, "I knew from the time I conceived the act, if I could establish the fact before a jury that I believed the killing was an inspired act, I could not be held to responsibility before the law."

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