Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-01-25
PORTER'S TALK.
Second Day OF Judge POrter's Argu.
ment-The Fallaeies Of the
Defense Dispelled,
terly Arraignment.

WASHINGTON. January 24.-As soon As
court opened, Judge Porter was about to
begin his speech, when the prisoner fore
stalled him and called out from the dock:
81 desire 10 say that some crank has signed
my name to a letter that appeared IN the
papers this morning. 1t was without my au-
Ihority, and repudiate it. / also want to
say in regard to couple OF cranks, that
understand have been arrested for hanging
around here, if they undertake to harm me
they will be shot down. want every one
10 understand this"
Judge Porter, who had paused TO permit
this preliminary announcement, began by
saving that the prisoner. as usual, had made
his opening speech. After thanking the
Court and the jury for their consideration
Yesterday, which had made it possible for
him to appear before them to-day, Judge
Porter said: 'This whole defense has been
a shame and an imposture-an imposture
which was supposed to have gained strength
from reiteration. The truth asserted by this
defense is that truth which Is altered with
effrontery, enforced by persistency and redu-
plicated by reiteraiion. This is the truth
| which they assert in opposition to that truth
| which You are to ascertain and declare. In
INV remarks yesterday / showed you how the
prisoner has belied by his acts his probes
sion; how he has belied by his acts the
character given him by his counsel.
showed
/ swindler, murderer at heart from the begin
ming. That this man has grown worse every
year OF his life we have all seen and known. "
Guiteau-That's bosh; and you know it,
! Porter.
| Judge Porter continued to depict the char
acter OF the prisoner and the fallacies OF his
defense, when Guitesu again interrupted
him, at one time calling ont, Attorney
General MacVeagh wouldn't have anything
TO do with it"
Judge Porter, half replying to the prisoner,
said: "And this christian gentleman would
have you even believe that Attorney General
MacVeagh had dipped his hands in Gar6eld's
blood
Guiteau-Oh, that is very fine.
A moment later, allusion having been
made by Judge Porter to the present attor-
ney-general, Guiteau bawlea out: Hes a
high-toned gentleman and you are wine
bibber; I've got your record, Mr.. Porter"
Judge Porter with deliberation) We'll,
| perhaps / am.
Guiteau with drawing accent)-Well, l
guess you are, Mr.. Judge Porter.
Continuing, Judge Porter said: This
christian gentleman, who prays every night
and every morning, would have you believe
| am a wine-bibber;" and, with great effect
and an impressive earnestness of manner,
Judge Porter emphasized, by an anecdote
which he related, the distinction between the
spirit of love and the spirit of woe, tho lat
| Yer betug expressed IN ttIe life and character
of the prisoner.
The first serious outbreak of the morning
occurred when Judge Porter, adverted to
the statement of the prisoners counsel, and
reiterated the assertion of the prisoner HIM
self, that the notes of the stenographer,
Mr.. Bailey, were destroyed by the prosecu-
ton because they would have benefited the
defense, denied the right of the defense to
expect or demand to see the papers prepared
by the prosecution solely for their own use.
Furthermore" said Judge Porter, "there
was not contained in them anything, as as
serted by the defense, that would have i'm
proved heir standing in this case"
ScoyiIe insisted upon being heard, and
demanded that the Court stop counsel
from making any such statements on his
own authority to the contents of papers
which had not been in evidence before the
jury.
Judge Porter insisted that he had a right
to deny statements of the same character
made by the other side.
Judge Cox thought counsel had no right
to make any statement as TO the contents Of
such papers.
Judge Porter, with much feeling, protested
that he had been practitioner longer than
the Judge, and had never before heard such
a ruling. He Porter was of coJirse de-
barred from taking legal exception, but he
must protest against the unfairness OF the
position which would admit of all sorts of
statements from the prisoner and firm his
counsel, and yet would debar the prosecu-
ton from all opportunities of REPUTATION.
Reed with considerable excitement, said:
"If were the Judge / would put him under
arrest. Such insolence to the Court should
be punished"
Judge Porter resumed bis argument, and
proceeded to discuss the question of a rea-
sonable doubt as an element of the defense
of insanity. Referring TO the decision OF
Judge Martin, which had been reinforced by
a decision in Ohio, he was again interrupted
by Scoville, who desired to know il argu-
ments were to be heard again upon law
points.
A sharp coiloquy between counsel ensued,
when Judge Porter removed the objection by
handing his authority to the judge, saying:
at will answer every purpose of mine, your
Honor, if you should have occasion to rule
upon that point"
Returning again to the crime and its COM
mission, Judge Porter said, "Who killed
Garfeld?"
Guiteau-Yes; the doctors. The Lord let
them do it to confirm my act.
Judge Porter-Secretary Blaine was re-
sponsible.
Guiteau-I say morally responsible.
Judge Porter-Mr. Blaine saved the presi-
dents life on that night before the
murder simply by his presence with
him, as they walked together; he might
n IL I'D faa ne on on ina, 1na' ia ha'an "a
derer stole up from behind them. Blaine is
morally responsible for not preventing the
crime. The prisoner confessed that Mrs.
Garfeld's presence with her husband on a
former occasion had prevented him from
shooting him. He was asked that il Mrs.
Garfield had been leaning upon his arm in
stead of Blaine's on that fatal morning,
would he have shot him? He answered no.
Then Mrs. Garfield was responsible for her
husband's death, according to the fallacy OF
this wretchedly fallacious defense.
Referring to the oratorical light of ceun-
sci for defense, when he painted the presi-
dents widow at her daily prayers, praying
for 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 rebuked the assump-
ton OF the man who had never exchanged
word with Mrs. Garfield in presuming TO
credit her with such monstrous sentiments.
Continuing Judge Porter said: "Who, then,
is responsible? John III. Noyes; he is re-
sponsible; he killed Garfield. John II.
Noyes it was, from whom the prisoner stole
his lecture. Guiteau-That is false; rely
on my own brains for my productions.
Who else? HE father is responsible; that
father whom he struck when eighteen years
old; he killed Garfield. That father ><Ae4a
he says he can never forgive, and with
whom he had not, for tie last fifteen
years Of his honored life, exchanged a
word. Vino el-e is responsibility Why, tbs
mother. The mother whom he scarcely ever
remembers, who was guilty OF the monstrosity
of having an attack OF erysipelas, so as to
necessitate the cutting off OF her hair some
weeks before his birth, and for this reason, 1t
is asserted, transmitted coDgenitsl insanity
to this murderer Who else is responsible?
Why, Uncle Abraham, who was drunken and
dissolute, but not insane; he transmitted in
sanity to him, although he did not become
insane until after the prisoner was born. lie
killed Garfield by making the prisoner in
sane. Who else is responsible? Why, Uncle |
Francis killed Garfield; Uncle Francis, who,
as we are told, being disappointed in love,
either killed the husband OF the woman he |
loved, or fought a sham duel, and long after (
became demented. He killed Garfield !
by making this man congenital mon-trOs
ity, as DIR. SpitEka says. Then Cousin |
Abbey, she is responsible, who, uDfortu- |
nately, was taken possession OF by one Of this |
Guiteau tribe, travelling mesmerist, and her |
young mind so wrought upon that finally |
she was, for better protection, sent TO an |
insane asylum. She killed Garfield by max |
ing this murderer insane, and as if all this /
were not enough to kill President Garfield /
rGuiteau-There's enough to kill your case |
according to your own showing, Judge Per !