Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-01-13

about something" Taking his seat,
the prisoner laid down large bundle
of papers, and spreading out the man.
uscript, busted himself in looking it
over.
Judge Porter began his argument
shortly after 10 o'clock. and at once
fixed the attention of everyone in the
room. Guiteau pretended to be en-
crossed in his manuscript, but soon
laid it down and listened with rapt at
tention.
Porter went On to say, that although
the president had died the government
still lived, and his successor was prose-
cutting his assassin.
YES" said Guiteau, "and arthur
employed you under misapprehen-
sion"
"Yes," said Judge Porter, "under the
misapprehension that the law was
stronger than Guiteau. Guitesu
seemed TO think that he was stronger
than the law"
81 do not claim to be stronger than
the law, but I claim that God Almighty
is stronger than the law. said Guitean,
"You will come before God Almighty
presently, said Judge Porter. solenmly.
Until then he would do well to refer
but little to Him. He will feel soon
what he never felt before. Divine
pressure informs him of the hangman's
moose. The prisoner had sw IN on the
stand that he was predestined to re-
move the president. He had forgot
ten to say that he was also predestined
to he hung for it. Speaking again of
his interruptions and of the Or ,nptings
of his family, Porter said he had SUI
preme contempt for all the Guiteaus,
not the respectable ones, but those who
/ sympathized with the assassin.
Porter then took up the authorities
cited by the defense, pIonouncing them
either misrepeated or bad Jaw from OBJ
scure benches. He sneered at the as
sertion of Scoville that the antiauated
arguments of the prosecution could not
stand in the. light of a defense which
purported to be the outgrewth OF an
enlightened age-an age of Guiteau's,
when hungry politician kills presi-
dent from plque. "a politician" CON
! tlnucd Porter, "who aad such belief
in the gullibility ami depravity or
mankind that he supposed he was
doing men like Gen. Grant, Mr.. Conk-
ling, the greatest parliam entarian. and
one of the foremost statesmen of his
| time, and even President Arthur. ser
wee for which he woult receive re-
ward. Why, had Gen. Giant, Mr.. Conk-
| ling or president Arthur been standing
at the door of the Baltimore & Poto-
mac railway depot on the morning of
the shooting; had they seen the assas-
sin creeping upon his victim, revolver
IN hand, aiming at the presidents back,
an iron hand would have descended
which would have paralyzed the assas-
sin and saved the president"
The audience were carried out of
themselves by Porters eloquence, anc.
applauded vigorously despite the cries
of order and silence.
Guiteau was deeply affected but he
managed to say: "Thr stalwarts are
| coming to my side every day; you
ought to see some of the letters | get.
They are coming to think with me-
Porter ran over the decisions of state
courts collected in the st. Louis Law
Journal, introduced by the defense yes
terday, and showed that the courts of
eighteen states held view. of the pris-
oner that the insanity OF the assassin
must be proved by prelonderence of
evidence. The federol courts unani-
mously adhered to the same view, while
the courts Of eight states held, feebly,
that the accused was entitled to the
benefit of doubt
Nothing like Judge Porters address
1 hoo 7
nine weeks ago. At the closing of his
speech the crime was held up in all its
hideous ugliness. The silence became
oppressive and the presence ofaveng-
ing justice in the near future was for
cibly suggested. Judge Cox took up
the question of the legal test of insanity
and every material point Of his ruling
were directly against the prayer of the
defense.
Adjourned till Thursday morning.