The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-12-08

thom.' Witness made his flrst appIca-
Gartieid'r election. He called on Gen. Garfield
ut the White House. "Aftcr Garfield was at
leisure said Gutean, - shook hands with
him and handed him my speech, on which Was
written Paris Consulship. He knew mo Mt once.
left him reading the speech. and that's the
only interview ever had with President Gar
field. l wish to state, here, that my getting
Office or not getting Office had nothing what
ever TO do with my removing the President.
That was an act OF inspiration and was done
NJ q political necessity" Witness then re-
lated his experience at the State Department
and his interview with Secretary Blaine, de-
scrbing. as he termed 1t. the "modns operandi
Of getting at the Secretary OF State Witness
described his last interview with Blaine, who
rather hurt his feelings by his abrupt man
ner, which was SO in contrast with his pre-
yioIs cordiality. Witness then determined to
see the President, aud, with = considerable
exhibition Of excitement, related his efforts
to sce the President. Witness continued
The party was 1t loggcrheads, and got
very much worried over II. ! wrote several
notes to the President, telling him something
must be done, but he paid no attention to it.
kept Worrying he continued, '.oycr the po-
litical situation, and knew this nation Was
coming to grief Witness was then asked ~
to tho inspiration which he had said impeled
him to remove The President. and reped !.
"The inspiration. AZ understand it, is where
q mans mind is taken possession Of by SUI
premc power. Where ha acts outside OF him
SELF"
On the Wednesday evening after Conkling's
resign the assassin said he thought II
President Garfield was out Of the way all
would 60 well. Hc tried to shak. it on, but it
grew. In fortnght's time it had become a
fixed resolve. He never has doubted siuce
thmt time, about tho 1st Of june that he Was
inspired. He prayed and prayed, asking God,
IL Garfield were not to be thus removed. to
get rid Of him in somo other way. The re-
moval was nece Esary to save the nation from
ruin. 81 knew the Lord employed me because
he always employs the best material. / felt
the lord wanted me to do il, to advertise my
book"
Iuiteau said he believed in special Provi-
dences, and had no concern about his personal
safety. He felt the Lord aud Government
would take care Of him. 1.-The Lord" he SAID.
''is no fool. He uses the best means for his
work."
The assassin then briefly rec.ted his arrest
feeling as il relating tho commonest incidents
OF everyday life.
"When / was finally lodged in Jail" said
Gnitcau, II felt happy. said, Thank God il
il all over vith.'
After few questions had been proponndc.'
and objected to, Guteau broke out !. want
to define my position on this point I believe
Gen. Arthur is q friend of mine. He ought to
be, for am the man that made him, or my in
favor Of him, and don't suppose ever shall.
have had an idea in my head for twenty
years that should be President Of the United
States. suppose the people think have beer
badly cranked about that. l had that idea in
tho Oneida community. Iwent to Boston with
the distinct feeling that was on the way Il
the White House, and shall make 1t yet. Ii
am ever President it will be by the act Of God
shall get the nomination as Lincoln aud Cur
field did. and shall be elected AZ they were
anticipate decided change in the public opin
ion III regard to ME. don't care snap of m,
fingers about being President. / don't car.
ANYTHING about it. don't know il SHOULD
take il if ! were actually nominated and
elected"
FIFTEENTH DAT.
Upon the opening OF the court, the ASSASSIN
assumed the witness stand, and Judge Porte
began rapid fire Of int.rrogations, e.icitint
from the prisoner in his several replies tina
physically he was a coward and always KEEP
sway from personal danger. Morally he wal
brave as 1 lioa, when he thought the Deity wal
b., ck Of him. In his opinion tho doctors klllet
| the p..s'deut. The acts Of Jones and Macon
IN attempting to kill him, we're wrong, and the,
orght to DE punished unless they car
show that they were inspired D,
the Deity. The witness soon showed
signs OF imraticnco and excitability. and. stink
Ing bis o,en hand upon the desk, emphasized
every sentence he uttered. When pressed fol
answers, he finally became obstinate and
shouted to Judge Porter: II know yon well
and know bigger men than YOU are I've seer
/ you shake your finger at witnesses III New York
but you can't scare me-" Shortly after, whcr
asked if he believed III the ten commandments
| to which he responded in the affirmative. allt
| il he believed that the commandment Tho,
shalt not kill" ought to be read in his cas-,
"Thcn shalt kill" be became exceedingly yio
lent. lie refused to discuss the matter ut all
There was no murder in his case and no kill
ing. 1t was simply for the jury to determine
whether or not his act in removing the Prcsi
dent was inspired by the Deity or not. II we
oil nonsense 10 split hairs any longer over tina
word. II must be distinctly understood tha
the removal Of the President was an act Q
Deity.
Witness proved decidedly obstinate, and. al
ter iiatly contradicting lie testimony of tier
| Logan, Charles Reed and several other wit
| nesscs, he positively refused to answer sewers
questions, his inxarlable response being -
decline to discuss that with you." Witnes
seemed to be greatly annoyed at Judge Porter
habit Of pointing his finger at him, ~ he fr,
l
terrogatories, and again broke out sEgrily
You need not point your long finger at mi
Judge Porter. I've seen you do that before
but you can't scare me.
Witness declined to 60 into boarding -hou,
matters. as they had no bearing on the cas-
He supposed he owed $3.50 to various lam
ladies, and some time or other expected to pa
them. Judge Cox directed him to reply
questions. Witness was readily driven fro
one position to another. till confronted wit
tho evidence OF his own wltnesse
when he would unhesitatingly pr
nounce their evidence false. Once
emphasized his contradiction by Saying
ANYTHING ! swear to. Judge: y true. Y
can put that down as . hxod fact" Beiz
pressed rs to how he proposed to raise fund
which he said he Was expecting to receive v,
ness SAID = intended TO LOTION It from sou
Of my friends : and added: II will tell 70
Judge, how I borrow money. 1t may be
service to you when you want to borrow I
yourself. don't lie. nor sneak. but go rig
up to man and ask him for what want !"
Gnitcau became very indignant ut Judge Pc
ter's use Of the word murder" and shout
fercely "YOu seem to delight in the wor
kill and murder There's no use In 20
whining in that way. The mere outward "a
how removed the President has nothing whi
ever to do With this case"
| Guiteau was permitted to indulge his passi'
AYE tAlAiiS upon LUG PcuutHN pOutN0A cltuntp
at the time Of the shooting until, speaking
the Presidents ingratitude TO Grant and Con
ling, he was led by Judge Porter to admit th
"ingratitude was the basest Of crimes"
Judge Porter" Stop there. What wou
you have thought Of your act in killing Il
Presiden. had be given you tho Paris Cons,
ship, instead Of hay ing refused itY'
duiteau had previously said that CARTE
Was his lthe prisoner's) warm personal and p
litical friend that no personal motives whs
ever were involved in his act, aud fearing, Q,
dcntly. somo trap was being set for him,
hesitated y moment, and tnela, with great el
phasis, said: Il want to Just fasten y,
solid right here. would not have taken Il
Paris Consnlship after the Int Of June il h.
been appointed to it and tho President Al
Secretary Blaine had both betecched me
their knees to take it. had ut that time I
solved to remove the President for the good
the American people,"
eIxTEENTH DAY.
Judge Porter continued his cross-examin
ton, which proved ~ usual, irritating to I
prisoner, who made insolent responses oecasic
, ally. WAS il one OF your purposes in
moving the President to create demand