The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-12-14
Us TRIAL.
Judge Porter knocks large 1Keaaa In
Ghc GaSst&aaisy Defense.

the night before the shooting when the nris-
oner followed the President and Blaine.
The prisoner stated be did not shoot that
night because it was hot and sul1ry.
"Do you think it would make you hotter
to pull the trigger p inquired Porter, raising
bis arm and making the motion of shooting
with q pistol.
Prisoner, contemptuously-"Oh, don't put
on so much style with your trigger.
Porter having again questioned the pris-
oner as to his pistol practice prior to the
shooting, the latter turned to the Court and
said If your honor please, I want 10
know If it is necessary for Judge Porter 70
60 through this business again. do not see
the pertinency Of this Kind Of talk at all, and
| ask protection Of the Court. IT you have
any new questions to solve, I am willing. |
object to going over this ground again. II
you nave any new ideas you want to show
and elucidate, | will assist you.
Porter then called the prisoners attention
to the fact that be had made arrangements
to 60 to jail, and asked why he had done so.
The prisoner replied that be was afraid of
being mObbed before he could explain his
views to the people. They would say be
was q disappointed Offices ecker and would
hang him up. That WAS the only possible mo-
tive they could conceive. Porter then asked
some questions as to the occurrences of the
18th of June, when the prisoner refrained
from shooting the President on account Of
Mrs. Gardeld's presence ; and finally asked {:
''lf Mrs. Garfield had been with the Presi-
dent On July q, would you have shot him ?"
No, I should not have shot him in her
presence. | did not know what the effect
might be ON her.
Question-Then it depended entirely on
your will?
1t depended on whether I had q suitable
opportunity.
Porter asked why he would not shoot il
Mrs. Gssfeld's presence.
Prisoner-If your head is so thick that you
cannot get an idea, | wont try 10 pound tin.
Why do you ask me your questions in q mean
sort Of away
Porter pressed his question, Whereupon
the prisoner took mp q paper, and adjusting
his eyeglasses, began to read the paper, pay
ing no attention TO the counsel.
Porter-What are you reading2
Prisoner without raising his eyes)-l am
g~lancing over the New York Herald.
Porter-Dont you think the time Of the
Court and Jury IL Of some value?
Prisoner-Not in the way you are inter-
rogatiDg the matter. It has been discussed
and repeated over and over again, and the
prisoner settled himself back into bis chair
TO read.
Scoyille %interposed that counsel was going
over the same ground four times.
Porter-I would like to lear what he said
on the subject ?
Prifoner-You must be q very stupid man;
the papers are tull of my nsWers
Porter-What were your answers?
Prisoner decline to answer.
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 81 Of July. He had slept the
previous night at the Riggs House; be had
risen early and sat in Lafayette Park some
time before breakfast. After breakfast he
went to his room and put his revolver into
his pocket. A little before nine O'Clock he
went to the depot and had his boots blacked.
Porter-Did you want to be in full dress
when you killed him?
Prisoner-No, / didn't want to be in full
dress. / do not want to be interrupted.
Porter-And I do not want to be inter-
rupted.
Prjsoner-Then keep quiet.
The prisoner then proceeded with his story.
Blaine and the President drove up in q single
horse carriage, and not il the White House
carriage, which showed how much the Pres
ident was under the influence of Blaine.
The President was listening while Blaine
was blowing. They were On the most init
mate terms. Blaine got out one side Of the
carriage and Garfield on the other. They
walked up TO the depot and passed within .
few feet of the prisoner who drew bis weapon
and fired twice, hitting once.
Q~uestion-You shot him in the back
Answer-I did not fire at any particular
place.
Odd you not fire for the hollow Of the
back
Any intention was to shoot il the
back.
Odd you think two balls il the back
would remove him