The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-12-07
GUITEAU US TRIAL.
Hc Proves as Obstinate rs a MuEe ON
Cross examination.

tl1d1 w do 41CuIAtL@ tIAC AAoAA eA6 Al slS PASS-
ence Of the usual throng.
Upon entering the witness box Guiteau de-
sired before resuming the evidence to make
a personal statement and addressed himself
to the audience, saying, 1.-Two weeks ago
sent out an appeal for money. / did so on
my own account and the day afterwards
Scoville publicly announced that it was with
out his authority. Iagain invite any Of my
friends to send me money in the interest and
cause Of justice and for my defense. They
can send SIS, $40, SIS, or $1,000, if they
wish. If they don't want to be known they
can send it without q name to Scoville."
Judge Porter then began q rapid fire Of
| Undergraduates, elicting from the prisoner il
his several replies that physically he was a
coward, and always kept away from personal
danger. Morally he was as brave as a lion
when he thought the Deity was at the back
Of him. In his opinion the doctors killed
the President. The act Of Jones and Mason
in attempting to kill him was wrong and
they ought to be punished unless they can
show that they were inspired BY the Deity.
The witness soon showed signs Of impa-
tience, and excitedly striking his open hand
upon the desk, emphasized every sentence
uttered and when pressed for answers he
finally became obstinate and shouted to
Judge Porter: Il know you we'll, and I
know bigger men than you are. I've seen
you shake your finger at witnesses in New
York, but you can't scare me-" and shortly
after, when asked if he believed il the ten
commandments, to which he responded il
the affirmative, and if he believed in the
commandment, "Thou shalt not kill" ought
to read il his case, 'sThou shalt KILL" he
became exceedingly violent. He refused to
discuss that matter at all. ssThere was no
murder in his case and no killing. It was
simply for the Jury to determine whether or
not his act in removing the President was in
spired by the Deity or not. II was all nom
sense to split hairs any longer over that
word. It must be distinctly understood the
removal of the President was an act Of the
Deity" The witness proved decidedly OBJ
stinate. THAT he had no personal motives
whatever. You ought to know that I would
have removed the President at anv time be-
tween the middle of June and the I'd of july
if [ had found an opportunity. [ would
have done it for the good Of the American
people," Guiteau was permitted to indulge
in his passion for talking upon the pending
political situation at the time of the shoot
ing, until, speaking Of the Presidents ingrat-
itude to Grant and Conkling, he was led by
Judge Porter TO admit that ingratitude was
the basest Of crimes.
Judge Porter-Stop there. What would
you have thought of your act in killing the
President had he given you the Paris consul
ship, instead Of having refused it /?
Guiteau had previously said that Garfield
was his (the %prisoner's) warm personal and
political friend. Fearing some trap was be-
ing set for him be hesitated and positively re-
fused to answer several questions, his invari-
able response being-sI decline to discuss
that with you" Witness seemed to be great
ly annoyed at Judge Porter's habit OF point
ing his finger at him, as he frequently did il
the Wayo emphasizing his Undergraduates,
and broke out angrily, 'sYou need not point
your long finger at me, Judge Porter. I've
seen you do that before but you can't scare
me-
Witness admitted that be might have be-
lieved or thought that the pistol would some
time be in the State Department. Shortly
afterwards he became very indignant at
Judge Porter's use Of the word murder, and
shouted iercely-'sYou seem to delight ia the
use Of the words kill and murder There
is no use in your whining in that way. The
mere outward fact Of how I removed the
President has nothing whatever to dc with
this case"
Guiteau's shrewdness in detecting and an
~ticipating any point which might be made
against him was q marked feature in the in
Testigstion. Judge Porter pressed him very
closely to fix the day when he received bis
alleged inspiration to remove the President,
and Guiteau finally shrieked QUITO re-
move all this loose talk, | want a moment, 4
and then with great emphasis-ssI wan to
just fasten you solid right here. Icould not
have taken the Paris Oonsulship after the
first Of June # had been appointed to it,
and the President and Secretary Blaine had
both beseeched me or their knees to take It
I had at that time resolved to remove the
President from the government Of the
American people," Recess.
ssnbb
MOsDy sDs1gwlgaed.