Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-12-14

use that word murder. You are en-
tlrelv too free with the word
Mr.. Porter-Are you moi on trial TO
murder?
A.-So it is said. Can't you ust
the proper word-'removey'
Mr.. Porter--I can use the word re
move but it is as repulsive to me al
murder is to you.
The examination was addressed tc
occurrences of the night before the
shooting, when the prisoner followed
the President and Blaine
The prisoner said he had not shot
that night because it was hot and sui
try.
DO you think it would make you
hotter to pull trigger p inquired Mr.
Porter, raising his arm and making 6
motion of shooting with pistol.
Prisoner (coutemptuously oh
don't put on SO much style with trig'
ger.
Mr. Porter having again questioned
the prisoner as to his pistol practices
prior to the shooting, the latter turned
to the Court and said, If your honor
please, | want to know if it is necessa.
ry for Judge Porter to go through the
business again !? l do not see the per.
tinence of this kind of talk, and ask
the protection of the court. IF you
have any new question | am willing to
solve it. | object to going over this
ground again. If you have any new
ideas you want to show and elucidate,
1 will assist you
Mr.. Porter then called the prisoner
attention to the fact that he had made
arrangements to 60 to Jail, and asked
why be had done So
The prisoner replied he was afraid of
being mobbed before he could explain
his views to the people. They would
say he was disappointed office seeker
and would hang him up. That was
the only possible motive they could
conceive for the act
THE ASSASSIN CORNERED.
Mr.. Porter then asked the same ques-
tion as to the occurrences on the 18th
of June, when the prisoner refrained
from shooting the President on account
of Mrs Garfeld's presence, and finally
asked if Mrs. Garfield had been with
the President on July I'd, would you
have shot him p
Prisoner-No; I should not have
shot him in her presence. did not
know what effect it might have on her.
Q.-Then it depended entirely on
your will?
Alt depended on whether l had a
suitable opportunity.
Mr.. Porter asked why he would not
have shot in Mrs. Garfeld's presence?
PrisoneI-If your head is 50 thick
that you can't get an idea in, won't
try to pound it in. Don't ask your
questions in mean, sickly sort of a
way.
Mr.. Porter pressed his question,
whereupon the prisoner took up pa
per and adjusting his glasses began to
read the paper, paying no attention
whatever to the counsel
Mr.. Porter-What are you reading
Prisoner (without raising his eyes,
i am glancing over the New York
Herald.
Mr.. Porter-Don't you think the
time of the court and of the jury is ol
some value?
Prisoner-Not in the way you are
interrogating the matter 1t has been
discussed and repeated over and over
again (and the prisoner settled himself
back in his chair to read
Mr.. Scoville interposed that counsel
was going over the same ground four
times.
Mr.. Porter-I would like to hear
what he said on the subject.
Prisoner-You must be very stu
pid man, the papers are full of it; the
papers are full of my answers.
Mr.. Porter--What were your an
swers
Prisoner-I decline to answer
Mr. Porter-I suppose you have no
objection to answering what you did
on the day you killed him
The prisoner then gave an account
of his actions on the morning of July
I'd. He had slept the previous night
at the Riggs House, had risen early
and sat in Lafayette Park sometime
before breakfast After breakfast he
went to his room and put his revolver
in his pocket. A little before 8 O'Clock
went to the depot and had his boots
blacked.
Mr.. Porter-Did you want to be in
full dress when you killed him ?
Prisoner (drawling)-No; didn't
want to be in full dress. don't want
to be interrupted.
Mr.. Porter-And l don't want to be
interrupted.
Prisoner-Then keep quiet.
HE DESCRIBES THE SHOOTING.
The prisoner then prsceeded with
his story: Blaine and the President
drove up in single horse carriage and
not in the White House carriage
which showed how much the President
was under Blaine's influence. Blaine
was blowing and blowing and the
President was listening. They were
on the most intimate terms Blaine
got out of one side of the carriage anG
Garfield out of the other. They walk
ed up to the depot and passed within 9
few feet of the prisoner, who drew his
weapon and fred twice and hit hin
once.
Q.-You shot him in the back?
Al did not fire at any particular
place.
Odd you not fire below his back
A.-My intention was to shoot hin
in the back.
Q.-Did you think if he got tive
balls in his back it would remove him
Al thought so.
Q.-And you intended to put then
there?
Al did.