The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-12-02

1 had found an opportunity. l
would have done it for the
good Of the American people.
Gaitteau was permitted to indulge
his passion for talking upon the
pending political situation at the
time of the shooting, until speaking
of the Presidents ingratitude to
Grant and Conkling, he was led
by Judge Porter to admit that in
gratitude is 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 consulship instead of
having refused it?
Guitteau had previously said that
Garfield was his (the prisOner's)
warm personal and political friend
that no personal motives whatever
were involved in the act, and fear
ing some trap was being set for him,
he hesitated a moment and then
with great emphasis said 81
want to just fasten you solid
right here, l would not have taken
the Paris censulship after the 1st Of
June, if I had been appointed to it,
and the President and Secretary
Blame had both pressed me on their
knees to take It, had at that time
resolved to remove the President
from the good American people.
Recess.
Guitteau resumed the stand, look
ing very haggard. He had no ShreWd
purpose in using flattering words to
Blaine. / simply made the sugges-
ton to him, in case he assisted me
in getting the Paris consulship, that
l should feel bound if he was can
didate at the national convention to
assist him. That's the way they do
in politics.
Judge-And that is the way
politicians get on; you tickle
me, I'll tickle you. Did you
write President Garfield a Ter
ter, marked private, in which
you said 81 intend expressing SYM
pathy for you on account of the
pressure that has been on you since
you came to this city" Yes wrote
that letter. My idea was just this,
to express my personal regard for
General Garfield on account of the
pressure on him for Office, and that's
what mean by saying / considered
him my personal friend. | sympa-
thize with any president who has
this enormous horde of Office seekers
at his throat. At the time those
letters were written, / had not the
slightest conception of the removing
of the President. If you want to
bring those letters against me, that
were written at time when / had
not the slightest conception OF re-
moving the President, then you are
trying to do what you can't do,
banging the railing.)
The prisoner being asked how
many times he had spoken with
Conkling in the street, answered:
l met him once on the street. He
was exceedingly cordial, bowed and
said, How do you do Mr.. Guitteau.
1 was on good relations with all
those men during March and April.
Porter-Slowly and with great de-
liberation did Senator COnkling-
Prisoner Qnterrupting-Oh, don't
look so fierce at me; l don't care the
snap of my finger for you.
POrter-But you will answer my
questions.
Prisoner-Put your questions in
quiet, simple sort of a way, and L
will.
Porter-Did Senator Conkling
ever promise to support your appli-
cation for the Paris ccnsulshlp?
Prisoner-My idea about the Paris
cOnsulship was that l would get it
through my personal influence with
the President, Blaine and Logan,
and that when my nOmina-
ton went to the Senate, Sena-
tor Conkling and that sort of
men would see il through. But l
don't think it necessary to discuss
this matter of the Paris cOnsulship.
l went over it all yesterday and l
decline to discuss it further. There
is no use wasting the time of this
honorable court on it in going over |
it again. If you don't know the !
facts about it yet you had better
read this mornings paper and you
will find them.
The prisoner was questioned about
the inspiration of his suggestion to
Garfield that he would succeed him
self in 1884. He replied in a res0-
Lutte tone: l decline to discuss this
matter any further. You have gone
over it two or three times and l de-
cline to discuss it any more. If
your ideas were correct about my
having malice in the matter, Blaine
was the man for me to have shot
What possible ill-Will could I have
against Garfield. Blaine was the
man to have been shot according to
your theory. My getting or
not getting Office had
nothing to do with it whatever. It
only shows how absurd and non
sensical your theory is. If Garfield
had paid respect to those letters it
would have been all right. But
what did he 40. He went and sold
himself body and soul to Blaine.
He did not appreciate the sentiment
and kindness of those letters, but
threw himself into Blaine's hands
and allowed Blaine to use the presi-
dency to destroy Conkling and
Grant.
n ma 49,, -. - roc-1I 41,o4