New-York tribune., 1881-12-03
WITNESS AND ATTORNEY

clusion Yesterday. The assassin spoke OF hiih-
self "a a man of destiny. He described the
"ael;obtful and cosy fellowship" he witnessed
between President Garfeldand Secretary bialne'
and which, he said, intensified his cohVic'ion
that the President must be removed III
order IN avert the evils of Mr.. Blaines lnhu-
.nca over him. He admitted having had
oo,e rernorse for his crime, but quickly QUAIL
6ad the admission as he saw its bearing on
his case. He was involved in some contraalc-
tions but he adhered to his claim OIL tiispha-
tion. He would not say that he was insane
The salient features of the proceedings are
commented upon by TRIBUNE correspoho-
ent
THE SPECTACULAR WITNESS CONCLODh0'
fBr TELEGRAPH THE rRIBUNEl
WASHINGTON Dec, 2.-Guiteau stepped doWn ana
out to-day as a witness, which MEANS IL ~ W o0
hoped that it will not be long before ne Steps uo"h
and out of the public view entirely and the haus'
ating spectacle in Justice Cox's courtroom comes "
an end He showed the same cunning ana QUICK
ness to-day as before; the same promptnes' 10 Seo
the drift of question still unfinished, and the same
readiness in wrigging out of it, and the same mon
strous vanity aud brutal malice. And wnlie ne was
involved as he was yesterday, in number OF con-
tradictons on minor points he nevertheless adhered
with singular tenacy to his theory OF the defence'
Two admissions of considerable Importance were
made, however, in the course OF the day. one
sGnped from him when he was brought up by Judge
Porter's harassng cross-examination to ht OF
anger. The other was only worried out OIL MN py
persistent questioning The first came when Judge
Porter pressed him to tell why he should nave hlreo
carriage to take him to the jail after the shooting
when he knew he was acting under Divine inspra-
tion and believed the Lord would take care OF him.
The assassin had already been in a dozen RACES
because Judge Porter persisted in dwelling upon the
Incidents of tho murder, and when he
insisted upon an answer to this question
Guiteau broke out angrily, "Why," said ne
shaking his right hand toward Judge Porter,
wasn't going to be torn 10 pieces by mob knew
theyd sav He's disappointed offce-seeker; hang
him at once"
"Oh You expected that, did you ~ said Judge
Porter in his hlandest and most insinuating tone.
Guiteau seemed to see that he had made a fatal
slip "But I knew it would be all falseP he
shouted angrily.
"But, you expected it ~ persisted Judge Porter,
still bland, yet with more menacing intonstiOn
"Ya-as l expected it," said Guiteau. with his IA
vorite snarl, now angrier than ever.
The other admission referred to was statement
which closed the cross-examination. Judge Porter
gave to it dramatic effect He had been
questioning the assassin upon the incidents OF the
shooting. Then folding his arms and fixing his dark
eyes full upon him, Judge Porter said, with slow,
impressive utterance: And from that day to this
you have never felt remorse for the deed"
Guiteau tried to escape from the query. He
shifted about restlessly in his seat, and his eyes,
which were lowered, ran backward and forward
along the top of the witness-box. He seemed to
shrink from looking at Judge Porter Being pressed
hard for an answer, he finally replied. throwing
angry and furtive glances at the crossexaminer,
''Whv of course felt remorse so far"
THAT is allD said Judge Porter gravey, sitting
down. The cross-examnation IS ended"
Guiteau had seen the mistake as soon as he had
made it, and Judge Porter did not get his words out
of his mouth before the assassin was pounding on
the front of the witness box and hotly explaining
that his remorse only regret for the necessity
of the act. 1t an impressive and significant
ending to the long cross-examination Judge Por-
ter Stood most of the time that he was questioning
the assassin at the foot of the jury, hardly more
than fifteen feet away from the witness box, All of
his questions put in the same clear, musical,
measured voice. Sometimes be had folded paper IN
his hand and held to his lips while he bent his mild,
benevolent-looking face full on the prisoner Some
times he thrust his right hand into his coat and
held the other behind him, and dropped his head on
one side, while he slowly told off his sentences.
Some of his deadlest questions put in his
blandest tones, while sitting in his chair with his
hands comfortably clasped about his knees, and bis
eyebrows raised away above his spectacles. and a
general air upon him of merely asking for little
information. Much of the time he held printed
report of the testimony in his hands, and founded
his questions upon various passages In IT.
As for Guiteau; the very first question and
answer of the day showed that he was quite as
much master of himself as all the days before.
The examination began promptly upon his en-
trance The Judge in his seat and the cIier had
done his CRYING Guiteau was led III by the police
men, and had hardly sat down, when Judge Porter
said: "Did you kill the President to create de-
nnand for your bookp Guiteau's reply came
promptly "To preach the gospel as set forth In the
book"
HIS many-sided egotism was illustrated in some
new ways He grinned with pleasure when Judge
Porter in significant tone, assured him that he
was man of ability. He declared
that his book was 1.-THE Bible brought
down to the present time" and
proclaimed himself to have been doing the same
work as Paul, Christ and Luther. He read his brief
address to the Oneida Community aloud with evil
dent pride and showed anxiety lest the steno-
Rrapher might not get 1t in his report. lie told
Judge Porter that the long address was paper
"full of important ideas should say from looking
at il y and, as he said il, his face wore faint grin
of pleasure. While Judge Porter was showing that
his book was a plagiarism of John II. Noyess
"Berean" Guiteau defended his work very earnest
". Ii was better than Noyess writings, better
written and strongly stated. / didn't
need any other mans brains-got some Of
my own" he said, with much of
swagper as a man could make when sitting down.
When Judge Porter questioned him about having
hs boots BACKED Just before the shooting, he said
with an air of pride which it would be impossible to
describe al was well dressed and wanted my boots
blacked. had good suit of clothes ON and clean
shirt
His inpudcnce to the counsel was extraordinary
"Shall I read the paper ~ Judge Porter asked once