The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-12-14
| have no conception OF il a. murder.

~ VIC
killing.
Z And you feel no remorse?
a. LIN allow and almost inaudibIe voice
OF course | feel remorse, SO far as nv DER.
sonal feelings are concerned. / feel remorSe
as much as any man and regret the necessity
OF tne act, but, (raising his voice)
Mr. Porter-The cross-examina,ion il
closed. But, continued the prisoner excited
", my duty TO the Lord and American neo-
PIE oyercame my personal feelings. If the
Lord had not inspired that act it would nor
have been done.
Gulteau left the stand this afternoon after
his three days siege, a broken man. He was
tired out, haggsrd. faded, Disguised, aullen,
ugly, and there seemed to be about him an
evident feeling that Judge Porter, the terrible
~cross-examiner. had, despite his cunning
theories and his persistence ia them, shown
that the inspiration theory was only q part
OF the defense planned long before the NAL
ice Of Guiteau brought him to the river bank
to FIRE at the marsh reeds for targets.
Do you feel any remnrse was the last
question which Judge Porter asked. After
having been pressed earnestly on this point
for some moments, the prisoner answered ut
last sullenly and desperately: / lave felt re-
morse, OF course, as far as my personal feel
iDgs are concerned.
Judge Porter quick as lightning, dramatic
ally s.id-That will do. prisoner your cross
examination is closed.
Guiteau, writhing under the tremendous
force Ut Judge Porter's question, saw the
terrible effect of the confession. During all
these months one part Of his defense has
been TO insist to all that he never had had
. single sentiment Of remorse. During the
cross-examination he had said a dozen times
70 Judge Porter's questions, that bis mind
was a blank upon that subject. To all the
experts that have called upon him be has in
sisted with pertinacity that a thought Of re-
morse never came to him that his mind
upon that subject was a blank. But at the
close of to-day's rigid cross-eXarnlnation the
sadness to his relatives and caused u sensa-
ton in court. He had killed fthe President
and had suffered remorse. With cat-like
quickness Guiteau rallied from what seemed
almost like paralysis caused by the tremend-
Gus laundering Of Judge Porter at him, and
endeavoured to correct what he plainly saw
was the effect Of that admission. Judge
| Porter would not listen to q word but waived
his hand. Scoyille tried to parry the effect,
but apparently without success, and Guiteau
left the stand more discouraged than he bad
appeared at any time during the trial. AL
though cowed and driven into q corner he
saw the force Of every one of Judge Portel's
questions, and endtavored to evade them and
manifested undoubted skill. There were some
words that almost made bin vince with ter
ror. He shrunk and seemed to shiver in the
witness-bux when Judge Porter used the
words .smurder," s.kill,'' assassin" Judge
Porter made it clear that Gulteau was able to
control the divine presence the day Mrs.
Garfield came &c the depot with the Presi-
dent, and emphasized the fact, which has
such an important bearing upon the question
of responsibility. The cross-examina'ion
| was emiuently successful. 1t lifted the mask
| and showed that the plot to murder the Pre-
sident was premeditated and deliberate, and
was the resul Of malice and revenge. The
prisoner felt it keenly. Porter broke down
the wonderful, quick, supple witness.