The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-01-24
Judge Porter's Closing Argument
for the Prosecution
THE PRISONER MAKES HIS CUSTOM
AIRY SPEECH.
The Court Room Densely Packed with
Spectators.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 22.-For every seat in the
court room this morning there were at least
ten clamoring applicants besieging every ave-
nue. of approach. Members at the press, coun-
sci and court officers found the greatest difhcul
ty in forcing their way through the immense
throngs that blocked every passage way. Even
the holders of special tickets were in many IN
stances unable to get near enough TO the po-
licemen and baliffs to show their credentials.
At $50 the doors were opened and IN an In
credibly short space of time every nook In the
r orn was filled and the doors were again clos
ed Several hundred perhaps Thousand, peo--
pie were left shivering upon the outside and
many of them still remained at the hour OF re-
cess.
After the usual warning by Marshal Henry
the court was duly opened and the prisoner
brought in. AS soon as seated, Guteau opened
the days proceeding with the following an
nouncement:
1 spent Saturday examining my mail / had
several hundred letters, many of them from
ladies, and some were very tender. l desire
to express my thanks to the ladies for these
kind and tender letters One letter suggests
that Arthur give me Cabinet oface. NOW L
want to say I would not take any office from
Arthur and under the circumstances ! don't
think it would be proper that should accept
one Now in regard to Judge Porter want to
say as he is to have the closing of the case, II
he attempts to mislead the court or the jury
or my counsel will stop him. lie came on this
case under misapprehension on the
part of General Arthur; otherwise he would
not be on the case. He don't properly repre-
sent the government. He only represents him.
self
Judge Porter entered the court room shortly
before the prisoner had relieved himself of
this warning. After moments delay he
stepped to the open space before the jury and
in tones which clearly betrayed his weakened
condition began the closing argument SAID
Judge Porter
If it pleases your honor and gentlemen of the
Jury in my own infirmity-for l share your
fatigue-I proceed as best can to discharge
my duty. The nature of this duty is such that
I should feel that / were almost an accessory
after the fact if I should fail to speak such
words as can to aid you in reaching proper
conclusion. Thus far the trial has practically
been conducted by the prisoner and Mr.. SEQ
vile. Everyone has been denounced at their
will, aud even now l am informed that VIII
be interrupted by them both.
Porter briefly recited the scenes of disorder,
the abuse and SANDER to which everyone upon
the case had for two months been subjected,
land yet," he said, "of the three speeches
which have been made by the defence, | will
do the prisoner the justice to say that his was
the least objectionable"
After sketching the circumstances leading
up to the crime and painting with fervid Ian
guage the damning wickedness OF its execution
Porter turned his attention to the prisoner and
proceeded to depict his characters beggar,
hypocrite, robber and swindler, a lawyer
who never won case. No court, no jury
failed to see in him the dishonest rogue, and
such men cannot win causes. He has left his
trail of infamy in hundred directions The
man who as a lawyer had such a notion OF
morality that when he had debts to collect and
and collected them by DIGGING the debtor, he
held them against his client. A man who was
capable of blasting the name of the woman
with whom he had lived for years and still rec
ognized as his wife; man who when he tired
of this woman, pretending to be Christian
and believer of the Bible, looked in the book
and read, 'Thou shalt not commit adultery"
and then went out and deliberately committed
adultery with street walker; man who
pushed himself into the fellowship OF Christian
associations as follower of the Saviour, when
fresh from six years of foul fornication in the
Oneida community.
Guiteau-That lie ought to choke you.
AS Porter proceeded with atorrent Of denun-
citation and invective the prisoner occasionally
called out, "That's lie ''-"That's absolutely
false,'' or "That amt SOL
Passing in review the principal events of the
prisoners life, Porter showed up in all its hide
GUS deformity the infamous bent OF his nature.
Abiding to his dispute with his brother, John
W. Guiteau of Boston, when he struck the lat
ter in the face, Porter said, "This was the first
and last time this coward ever struck any
blow in the face, His coward hand always
struck from behind" After showing who and
what was the murderer, Porter next described
his victim, paying a glowing tribute to the
character and services of the lamented Presi-
dent and pronouncing the most touching eulogy
as it were upon his memory. The claims of the
prisoner to be praying man were considered
and the hollow mockery of the claim was
shown.
Guiteau angrily shouted, ~ pray every night
and morning and before every meal. 1t you
did the sameEyou would be better man.
You wouldn't be here looking for blood
money"
"The prisoner says he prayed for six weeks.
Why, if he had made up his mind unalterably
to murder the President the first of June, said
Porter, sdid he still continue to pray down to
the very act of the murder"
Guiteau-I prayed to see if the Lord wouldn't
let me off from killing him.
"What was he praying for?" continued Judge
Porter. "The man who claimed to have re-
ceived divine inspiration himself prepares his
defence in advance for an act to do which he
was divinely inspired. The believer in inspira-
ton, he would himself alter the inspired book
and substitute for it a book OF his own. That
he did not shoot the President on the first oc-
casion was due to his coward heart. Had he
done it on that occasion he would have been
torn to pieces and he knew it, On this occa-
sion the President was surrounded by his
friends. His son, not yet strong but who would
have been urged atsuch time with God-given
strength to defend his father, was also by his
side, and the assassin's craven heart failed
him and he said, mot yet. AT some other
time"
With graphic picturing Porter related the
logging of the Presidents footsteps to the little
church, the incidents or accidents that on each
occasion bafded him. How President Garfelds
visit to Secretary Blaine was logged by the as .
sassin, was wildly portrayed. "It was night,
said the speaker clark as that night when the
devil first whispered this crime in the assassins
ear He laid in hiding in the alley. Why,
with the inspired command of God resting
upon him to kill the President, and with a
pressure that would have made him do it if he
dare the next minute as any time after June l,
why did he not kill him then? Because he
says it was too hot and he thought he would
do it some other time. Because this politi
clan thought he could become the idol OF the
Stalwarts and of the Republican party Be-
cause he thought he had SO carefully laid
the foundation for his defence against the
crime and for his protection from mob violence
that he might safely commit the act in the
light of day, This careful man, careful OF his
own safety, made every provision even to his
conveyance to Jail, and he had seen his victim
fall, turned and ran. Ran where? Where
could he run?"
Mr.. Scoville, interrupting Judge Porter, said
81 desire to correct the speaker on the evidence
do not find single witness who testified that
the prisoner ran after firing"
Mr.. Davidge with earnestnest objected to the
INTERRUPTION. He believed it but the first of a
series of interruptions intending to break the
force of the closing argument. The counsel
had no right to interrupt unless the speaker
read Incorrectly.
Judge Cox-sWe cannot have running
discussion and that is just what this will lead
to-"
Scoville-"I was interrupted lat times, have
done SO but twice and propose to test this
question right here if counsel persists in mis-
representations"
Judge Davidge-''Your honor can at once
see the object of this thing. 1t 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"
The speaker after this somewhat breezy
incident continued by saying, 81 cannot in this
argument even allude to Messrs Scoville or
Reed, counsel on the other side. This case
looms up SO UNNECESSARILY above them that
in making the closing argument | cannot
even allude to them except as it may be abso-
lutely necessary. The evidence and papers pre-
sented here by Gen. Reynolds, said Judge
Porter, and among them the prisoners address
to the American people, are sufficient to stamp
him COOL calculating cold-blooded murderer.
These papers at one time could not be found
either in the District Attorneys or Attorney
Generals offices, and neither of the counsel
for the Government saw them until day or
two before Reynolds took the stand. But
thank God these nanarg ware fOund and thew