Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1882-01-25
rHE ASSAssIs's TRIAL.
Porter's Argument = Interruptions
By the VirtuOus Assassin.

me IhIAUs
Porter's Argument = Interruptions
By the Virtuous Assassin.
WASHINGTON. January 24.-As soon a.
the Court opened, Judge Porter was
about to resume his speech when the
prisoner forestalled him, and called out
from the dock: ~ desire to say that
some crank has signed my name to .
letter that appeared in o paper this
morning. 1t was without my authority
and I repudiate it. I also want to say.
in regard to . couple OF crauks that I
understand have been arrested for hang.
Ing around here. that II they undertake
to harm me they will DO shot down; I
want every one to understand this"
Judge Porter. who had paused to per.
NIT this preliminary announcement, BE-
gan by saying that the prisoner. a. usual,
has made the opening speech. After
thanking the Court and jury for their
consideration yesterday. which had made
il possible fer him TO appear before
them today. Judge Porter said: This
whole defense has been q shame and i'm
posture. an imposture which was sup.
posed to have gained . strength Of crs-
dencs from rsitsration. The truth a..
serted by this defense 10 that truth which
is uttered with ~effrontery, enforced by
persistency, and rsduplicated by r~sitsra.
ton. This is the truth which they as
sert in opposition to that truth which
you are to ascertain and declare. In
my remarks yesterday ] showed you
how the prisoner has belisd by his acts
his profession; how he has belisd by his
acts the character given him by his
counsel. I showed yen that be had
been o liar. swindler and murderer ct
heart from the beginning; that this man
has grown worse every year Of bis life.
A sharp selloquy between counsel en-.
sued. when Judge Porter removed the
objection by handing his authority to
the Judge, saying: "Itwill answer every
| purpose OF mine, Your Honor, II you
should have occasion 10 rule upon tho
point"
Returning to the crime and its com.
mission. Judge Porter said: "Who killed
Garfeld?"
Guitsau-The doctors.
Porter-The doctors2
Guiteau-Yes, the Lord let them do
it to confirm my act.
Porter-Secretary Blaine was respon.
sible.
G~uiteau-I say morally responsible.
Portsr-Mr. Blaine saved his life on
that night before the murder. simply by
his presence with him a. they walked
together. He might have saved bis life
on that fatal I'd Of July but for the fact
that the murderer stole up from behind.
Then Blaine Is morally responsible for
not preventing the crime. The prisoner
confessed that Mrs. Garfeld's presence
with her husband on q former occasion
had prevented him from shooting. He
was asked II Mrs. Garfield had been
leaning on his arm. instead OF Blaine.
upon the fatal morning, would you have
| shot him. and he answered "No." Then
| Mrs. Garfield ia responsible for her hus-
bands death. according to the fallacies
Of this wretched, fallacious defense. Re.
ferring to an oratorical flight Of the
counsel for the defense when ho pointed
10 the Presidents widow at her daily
prayers. praying Tor the acquittal OF the
prisoner In the name OF justice, Judge
Porter in burning language showed up
the profanity and Inconsistency OF such
assertions, and rebutted the assumption
Of a man who had never exchanged Q
word with Mrs. Garfield in presuming to
credit her with such monstrous senti.
ments. Continuing, Judge Porter said:
Who else is responsible? John II.
| Noyes. IL he responsible? he killed
Garfield; John II. Noyes. from whom
the prisoner stole his lectures?
Guiteau-That is false. I rely on my
own brains for my productions.
That father whom, when eighteen
years ago. he struck was responsible;
that father whom he never can forgive
and with whom he had not spoken for
the last fifteen years Of his honored life.
The mother, whom he scarcely ever re-
members was guilty, because she bad
an attack OF erysipslas some weeks be-
fore he was born and had cut OF her
hair, thereby transmitting to him con-
genital insanity. His drunken, DISCO
lutte uncle, who. however. did not be.
come insane until after the prisoner was
born, was responsible for the killing Of
Garfield. Uncle Francis was response
BILE because. disappointed In love, no
killed the husband OF the woman he
loved, and long afterward became de.
mentsd. His cousin Abbie 10 %responsi-
bic because, from q travelling mesmsrist,
she became On inmate OF an insane asy-
lum. She made this murderer insane.
Guiteau-Thers's enough to kill your
case by your wi showing.
The Chicago Convention killed Gar
field by nominating him. The doctors
killed him. His nomination and cleo
ton were two acts OF God, and the pris.
ousr would have rs believe the Deity,
who had thus twice confirmed his choice,
found 1t necessary to correct his labors
by appointing this wretchsd swindler,
hypocrits, this syphilitio m%onstrosity,
to murder the President, whose nomin.
alton aud election no had confirmed.
The deliberate murderer sits there
(pointing at Guiseau).
Said be to the jury: "The junior
counsel has said that you are kings, i'm.
plying thereby that you may override
tho Law and evidence In grasping an oil.
most intangible doubt and ignoring the
solid structure OF the evidence OF guilt.
You are not kings. and the man who
told you 90 Is the only man In fifty mil.
lions who could or would recommend
Guiteau for an Office"
Judge Porter, after recess, dealt with
Guiteau's cunning and duplicity. Re-
ferring to Guiteau's pious bursts, he
said with deliberate emphasis: 81 do
not believe that in oil. this asssmblage