The Portland daily press., 1881-12-01

well.
Odd you contemplate his removal other
wise than by murder?
word murder"
Mr., Porter-I know you do not like the word
murder" 1t is hard word but it is there
Prisoaer-I do not reeollect the actual facts
in that matter. (Excitedly) Ii had shot the
President of the United States on my own per-
sonal account no punishment would be too se-
we're nor took quick for me but acting as the
agent of the Deity that puts an entirely differ
ent construction on the act, and that IS what
want to put to the court and jury to the oppos-
ing counsel. / say that the removal of the
President was an act of necessity from the situ-
alton and for the good of the American people
That is the idea that / want you TO entertain
and not settle down on the cod-blooded idea Of
murder because never had the first concep-
ton of murder in the matter.
Q.-Do you feel under great obligation to
the American people?
Al think the American people may some
time consider themselves under great obl:ga-
tions to me.
MIR. Porter--My question was whether you
felt under great obligations to them?
Prisoner-I do not know why should be.
Q.-Were you under great obligations to the
Republican party?
A-Not that know OF.
Odd the Republican party ever give you
any office?
Al never held any kind of political office
in my life.
Q-And never desired one?
Al had some thoughts about the Paris con-
sutship. That is the only office ever had the
slightest thought abou.
Q-That was the one that resulted in the
inspiration of murder.
A,-No sir. My getting it or not getting it
never had the slightest effect on my mind in
attempting to remove the President. That was
purely political necessity. If the political
necessity had not evisted the President would
not have been removed by me-
Q.-You never desired the removal OF Mr..
Blaine.
A.-No sir.
Q.-And never suggested it to anybody?
A.-No sir.
Porter.-Allow me to read to you your letter
written on the 23d of May four days. according
TO your account, after you made up your mind
to remove the President. Let me refresh your
recollection as to whether you desired at that
time to remove Mr.. Blaine also.
The prsoner-l had never the slightest
thought of removing Mr.. Blaine had not
made up my mind to remove the President in
May %, nor until the frsi of June. For two
weeks after got the conviction / was shaking
it off. My natural feelings were all against it
but the pressure continued pIessing me and
pressing me SO that at the end of two weeks,
and about the first yf June had made up my
mind as to the inspiration of the act and as to
the necessity for it.
deliberate utterance of yours made cd the 10th
of June the day on which you intended to
murder the President.
The prisoner.-I intended to remove him un-
der Divive pressure; never to remove him.
Mr.. Porter-sDivine pressure understand
you?
The Prisoner-Then state it in proper Lam
guage.
Porter-Oh certainly. On the 10th of June
in an addrass to the American people which
stgn Tod OH ha
after you had shot him said, II conceived the
idea of removing the President four weeks
ago." Was that lie?
The Prisoner-I conceived it but my mind
was not fully settled on it. There is diff
ference besween conceiviug a thing and actual
ly fixing it in your mind. You may conceive
the idea of going to Europe in month and
yet you may not go. That is no point at ALL
Porter-I will proceed with your address.
You say Il conceived the idea myself"
Prisoner-That is correct.
Porter-Why did you conceal it, why did
you keep it to youIself?
Prisoner-Why should go and tell it. That
is no point.
Porter-Had you made up your mind
whether or not it would be murder?
Prisoner-I had not made up my mind to do
the act until about the first of June. 1 was
resisting it with all my might and strength
and prayer. / prayed that if wrong the Deity
would stop me by his providence Please take
that in.
Porter--Let me return to the subject of
Blaine. You say in your letter to the Presi-
dent, "Mr. Blaine is wicked man and you
ought to demand his immediate resignation or
you and the Republican party will come to
grief"
Prisoner-Political grief, not physical grief.
Every intelligent man will see that 1 meant
political grief
Mr. Porter-Was that after that Wednesday
night when you conceived the idea of remoy-
ing the President.
Prisoner-That was a mere flash which had
not taken shape or form in my mind and did
not take shape or form for over two weeks,
All that time l was resisting the idea.
Mr.. Porter There was no inspiration In
May?
Prisoner-No it was mere flash, an em-
byro inspiration, mere impsession which
came into my mind that possibly it would have
to be done. My mind was fully made up
about June 1st.
Mr.. Porter-You say about the 1st of June.
Was it on the 1st OF June?
Prisoner-I say in about two weeks from the
10th of May. During that time l was resisting
it with all my might, and all my strength and
all my prayers. At the end of that time my
mind was fully fixed in regard to the necessity
andadivinity of the act.
Mr.. Porter-Then the question W. not
whether you should obey the inspiration, but
whether il was an actual necessity?
Prisoner was finding out during those two
weeks whether it was Gods Will or not AT
the end of two weeks made up my mind that
it was his will and it was for The best interests
of the American people. That is the way 1
get inspirations.
Mr.. Porter-Your making up your mind was
not his act?
Prisoner-Yes it was.
Mr. Porter-While you were praying and
protesting to be in doubt, were you in doubt
Prisoner-For two weeks was in doubt, but
l never had any doubt since that time.
Porter-What occasioned the doubt?
Prisoner-Because wanted to know wheth-
er it was the Deity that inspired me- 1 kept
praying that the Deity should not let me make
any mistake about it. The Deity has not made
any mistake about it.
Porter-Why did you have doubts about it.
Prsoner-Because all my natural feelings
were opposed to the act.
Porter-You regarded it as murder then?
Prsoner-So called, yes. 1t was not murder
for all my natural feelings were against it.
Porter-Were you aware that it was against
human law?
Prisoner-T felt that the Deity would take
care of me. / never entertained an idea of
murder in the whole matter. never had any
conception of the matter as murder. My
mind is perfectly blank on that subject and
has been.
Pnrter-Why were your natural feelings
against murder.
Prisoner-I cannot make myself any better
understood than have done.
AT this period of the cross-examination,
which the prisoner bore with considerable
self-possession although he occasionally got
Hurried and excited, court at 3 o'clock ad-
iourned.