The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-01-12
Judge Porter,s Argument

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-When Gui-
teau came into court as he passed his
brother, he whispered to him: Come
over to the dock, l want to see you about
something of great importance" TAX
ing his seat the prisoner laid down a
large bundle OF papers and spreading
| out the manuscript busted himself in
looking it over.
Judge Porter began his argument
shortly after 10 o'clock and at once fixed
the attention of every one IN the room
Guiteau pretended to be engrossed in
his manuscript, but soon laid it aside
and listened with Wrapt attention.
Nothing like it has been seen or heard
| during the past nine weeks in the Gui.
teau trial, as Judge Porter reviewed
| the CONDUCT of the prisoner aud the con-
duct on the part of his counsel in his
case. The CRIME IN all its ugliness was
held up to the detestation of the hearers
The silence became oppressive and the
presence of avenging justice in the near
future was suggested with force OF
conviction that swept from the court
room every vestige of that levity which
has 50 long danced attendance upon the
utterances of the prisoner, and the light
veil which obscured from the conscious.
ness of the spectators the horrors of the
crime and what should be the solemnity
| of its judicial consideration. The pris-
oner WINGED and nervously twisted in his
! place. For several minutes he was un.
able 10 say anything, but he gradually
regained his usual composure and re-
sumed his daily habit of interruption
| with contradictions and denials. Fol
once however, the insufferable impu-
dence of the prisoner was completely
overpowered. Neither his noise nor his
| abuse could interrupt or silence the
| avalanche of condemnation that swept
from the lips Of the eloquent counsel
''The prisoner is mistaken, your honor,
said Judge Porter "If he believes by
his unseemingly bawling he can
| prevent my voice from being heard by
the jury. The puppet cannot be moved
in such good time as when he sal
with his counsel and interrupted the
court. Now the hangman's moose is fast
Tightening about his neck" With q
nervous tWitching of the mouth Gui
teau muttered, Wen see about that
The heretofore audacious. and wholly
unabashed prisoner seemed i'll al
ease and at loss to understand
why his would-be sallies Of
wit or impudence wholly f1attened
with the audience; while the more Sc
we're became the denunciations of the
counsel, the more frequent and marked
the demonstrations of approval until
| finally, like wild beast brought to bay
Guiteau yelled out: az staked my life or
the issue and am willing to go to the
gallows tomorrow if it is the Lords
will. I am sick of this bosh
Judge Porter. wish you
would get your 5000, and go home: y
Judge Porter concluded his mastery
| argument at IL 40 a m. by reading from
| q letter of President Garfield to Judge
Payne, in which he complimented
and thanked him for brushing
away the net work of sophistries with
which it has of late years been custom.
ary to envelope the plea of insanity
when set up as an excuse for crimes
Judge Cox at II AS began the reading OF
a decision which began with q lengthy
review ON the subject of jurisdiction.