Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-01-24

"oulu nave made him do 1t II he died the ne x
minute, any time after June 1st-why did hs
not XII him! Because he thought he woulG
do it some other time. Because this politi
clan Thought he could become identified with
staiwsrt Republicans. Because he though,
| be had so carefully laid the foundation for bis
| defense against the crime, and for his protec
| tion from mob violence, that he might safely
commit the act in the light of day"
GUITEAU's PISTOL PRACTICE.
In regard to the incident of Guiteau prac.
ticipg with pistol at Riverside, Porter said
Who was it that was prac.icing. the Deity O,
the prisoner at the bar? Who fired at those
wires? Who sent them swerving down as
Garfield swerved? VINO hit them? Who
fred twenty times in order to accustom him
self to the noise of the report of the piste l.
to the end that it should not stun him wher
it murdered the President?
RESTRAINED BY NOTHING But cowARDIcF
As to his being restrained from murder by
the presence of Mrs. Garfield on one occasion
and that of two boys on another occasion
Porter remarked: There was no diabolism
so complets on this side of the Internal re.
gions that it has not some remaining twipges
Of conscience, and yet he firmly believed this
statement of the prisoners was as false as
anything else he had said. He had been re.
strained by nothing but cowardice on all such
occasions. He knew if he had murdered the
President in his wife's presence, no military
force could have prevented the people who
were around from tearing him limb from
limb, and on the occasion when the children
were present they had come surrounded by
their friends and domestics. Those boys,
though not strong, would on such an occasion
have felt that their arms carried the power Of
the Almighty ia defense of their murdered
father.
Porter also referred to the spirit of vanity
which made the prisoner chose wiite-han-
died pistol rather than black one, that it
might bear his name and fame " laundering
down the ages" and be more conspicuous in
the Patent Office.
AT THE DEPOT.
He rehearsed the scene at the railroad de-
pot, and said that after Guiteau fired the
bullet ne turned to run. Run where? Run
to jail. He was careful in the very last mo-
ment of his own safety. Hs held aloft his
letter to General Sherman asking him to sum-
mon instantly to his (Guiteau's) protection
that military force which had not been pres.
ent to protect the murdered President
sCovILLE INTERRUPTS.
Scoyille interrupted Judge Porter-I de.
sire to correct the speaker on the evidence.
/ do not find a single witness who testified
that tine prisoner ran after firing.
DaviGge, with earnestness, objected to the
interruption. He believed it but the first of
q series Of interruptions intended to break
the force of the closing argument. Counsel
had no right to interrupt unless the speaker
read incorrectly.
Judge Cox-We cannot have running dis
cussion, and that is just what this will lead to.
Scoville-I was interrupted one hundred
l,.A
twice, / propose to test this question right
here, If counsel persists in his misrepresenta-
tions.
Davidge-Your Honor can at once see the
object of this thing, and it is for your Honor
to decide whether the argument is to be given
in its entirety to the jury, or whether it is to
be split up in this manner.
Judge Cox-You will proceed, Judge Por-
ter.
PORTER CONTINUES.
The speaker, after this incident, continued
by saying: 81 cannot in this argument even
allude to Scoville or Reed, the counsel on
the other side of this case. The prisoner
looms SO immessurably above them that in
making close argument, | cannot even
allude to them, except as it may be absolutely
necessary. The evidence and papers pre-
sented here by General Reynolds" said Por-
ter, land among them the prisoners address
to the American people, are sufficient to
stamp him a cool, calculating and cold
blooded murderer. These papers at one time
could not be found. either In the District
Attorneys or Attorney Generals Office. and
neither OF the counsel for the Government
saw them until a day or two before General
Reynolds took the stand ; but, thank God,
the papers were found, and they are in evil
dencs before you, and before [ conclude
L l. rl,n - IL - IL s1oH ~
ore of you could upon this evidence acquit
this criminal unless you perjure your soul
and assume your share of the responsibility
for the murder of the lamented Garfield"
Guiteau-That's all bosh. I'm very glad
those papers are here. When the Attorney
General saw them he wouldn't have any
thing to do with this case.
INsINuaTIoN REPELLED.
Judge Porter then explained at some length
the relations of counsel for the prosecution in
this case, in reply, he said, to the frequent in
situations of the prisoner and his counsel
that he (Porter) and his associates were i'm
properly Influenced by the expectation of
money reward, and had entered into a con.
spiracy to execute the law and convict the
prisoner. The District Attorneys duties are
plain. and his salary is fixed by law. 1t is
simply 81, 600 year. and fees in certain cases
as prescribed by law.
Guiteau shouted-His Office, all told, is
worth 81, 900 year, and yet be can't pay his
board bills. lie spends it all for wine and
fancy women.
Speaking of his own compensation, Judge
Porter said that was matter to be fixed and
determined by the highest law officer of the
Government, and whether the prisoner was
convicted or acquitted would make no differ
ence, if his full duty in this responsible case
was performed.
PAY OF WITNESSES.
In reply to the broadcast imputation upon
the Government witnesses that they were
offered special inducements by Colonel Cork
hill to come here and testify, Judge Porter
said: g Not one dollar can Colonel Corkhill
draw from the treasury except upon proper
vouchers, certified according to law. and not
single witness has received Que dollar more
than the bare allowance provided by law"
IN COURT.
This man had appealed to the Court t.
give him every right, every constitutional
right, freedom of speech, perfect impartiality,
which would consist In making all decis-
ions in his favor He had been debating
to the Judge the charge which he pro-
posed the Judge should make to the jury.
He had shown himself averse to sitting in
the dock, which was disparagement to law
yer, theologian, politician, man of Ged, man
of prayer, patricia man whose name is to
go on through all ages.
PROSPECT OF A DISAGREEMENT.
Commenting on the intimations in the
press that there would be disagreement of
the jury, he remarked: Counsel for the de-
fense would not claim that there should be
an acquittal, Why not? Because it would
shock all Christendom. So all the struggle
of counsel for the defense had been to lead ore
of the twelve jurors to differ with his
fellows Mr.. Reed had made it very
evident. He thought there would be
cne, or perhaps two, OF the jurors,
who would disagree with the others. and
Scoville indicated pretty plainly that he
thought so teo. He (Porter) did not believe
it, and had not from the beginning supposed
that any cf them would not find a verdict
according to the evidence? If there should
be such division it would be very unfor.
tunate-unfortunate for any interest that l
can conceive of as an honest man. How
would the case stand if there were such q
division of the jury? 1t would stand thus {:
Here is a man who swears that he is guilty,