River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-02-02
CONVICTED.
It Takes the Jury in the Gui-
teau Trial Just Ten
Minutes to Find
the Prisoner
Guilty.
FIFTY-FIRsT DAY.


for admittance to the court room as
there was this morning. 1t was almost
impossible for court officials and mem
beers of the press to force their way
through the packed throngs that i'm
peded every passage. Those holding
special ticke's were not able to get near
enough to the policemen and bailiffs TO
show them, and the doors closed upon
over thousand people waiting for adj
mission. Guiteau at once got in his
usual little speech, in which he gave
warning to Judge Porter, that if he at
tempted to mislead court or jury, he
or Scoville would stop him.
After a little delay Judge Porter
stepped into the open space before the
jury, and in tones which clearly be-
trayed his weakened condition, began
the closing argument.
Passing in review the principal
events of the prisoners life, Judge
Porter showed up, in its hideous de-
formity, the events of his nature--al-
luding to his dispute with his brother,
John w. Guiteau, in Boston, when he
struck the latter in the face.
Judge Porter said this was the first
and last time that this coward ever
struck any blow in the face. His cow
ard hand always struck from behind.
After showing who and what was the
murderer, Judge Porter next described
his victim, paying a glowing tribute to
the character and services of the la
mented president, and pronouncing a
most touching eulogy, as it were, on
| hn alo Of
oner to be praying man were consid-
cred, and the hollow mockery of the
claim shown.
Guiteau angrily shouted: 81 pray
every night and morning and before
every meal. If you did the same you
would be a better man; you would not
be here looking for blood money"
Porter-The prisoner says he prayed
for six weeks. Why, if he made up
his mind unalterably to murder the
president on the first of June, did he
still continue to pray down to the very
act of the murders
Guiteau-I prayed to see il. the Lord
wouldn't let me off from killing him.
Porter-What was he praying for
The man who claimed to receive Divine
inspiration; himself prepares his de-
Tense in advance, for an act to do which
he was Divinely inspired. The believer
in inspiration, after the order of the in
spired book, yet substituted for it q
book of his own. That he didn't shoot
the president on the first occasion"
said Judge Porter, twas due to his cow
ardly 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 cabinet and his friends. His son
was not yet strong, but he would have
been urged at such a time with God
given strength to defend his father, and
the assassin's craven heart failed him,
and he said not yet; at some other
time."
With graphic picturing, Judge Porter
related the DIGGING of the presidents
footsteps to the little church and the
incidents or accidents on each occasion,
which baffled him. President Garfeld's
Wis tito Secretary Baine's house, logged
by the assassin, was visibly por-
trayed. "It was night" said the
speaker; "dark as that night when the
devil first whispered this crime in the
assassin's ear He lay in hiding, in the
hallway, with the inspiration of God
resting upon him, to kill the president,
and with a pressure that would have
made him do it if he died the next
minute after. On June LIST, why did
he not kill him? Because he thought
he would do it some other time; be-
cause this politician thought he would
become Identical with the stalwarts and
republican party; because he thought
he had so carefully laid the foundation
for his defense against crime and for
his protection against mob violence,
that he might safely commit the act in
the light of day. This careful man is
careful of his own safety. He made
every preparation, even to his convey
ance to the jail, and when he had seen
his victim fall, he turned and ran
where
"Where could he rum" Scoville in
terrupted
Judge Porter adverted to the inter-
ruption of the prisoner, his false claims
of sympathy, or that the press was
with him, and said in contradictions:
81 have yet to see single American
newspaper that has one word to his de-
fense."
Scoville vainly tried to get the ear of
the court, protesting that Judge Porter
was exceeding the court rules by such
statements.
At length Judge Porter paused, and
Scoville demanded that he be allowed
to make similar statements in reply.
Porter attempted to go on, but SEQ
vile reinforced by the prisoner, sue
ceeded in getting the floor, when with
much excitement he demanded his
rights, and he claimed his rights should
be respected. He said Porter had no
right to state what the newspapers said,
and he desired an exception of the
duty noted.
FIFTY SECOND DAY.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24.-As soon as
the court opened, Judge Porter was
about to begin his speech, when the
prisoner forestalled him and called out
from the dock:
desire to say that some crank signed my
name to a letter that appeared in paper this
morning. 1t was without my authority, and |
repudiate it. also want to say in regard. to
couple of cranks | understand have been hanging
around here, that if they undertake to harm me
they will be shot down. want every one to
Understand this.
Judge Porter, who had paused to
permit this preliminary announcement,
began by saying; "The prisoner, as
usual, has 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:
The whole defense has been to show the impos-
ture which was supposed to have glined a
strength of eredence from the reiteration of the
truth as asserted by this defense-that truth
which is uttered with effrontery enforced by per-
sistence and reduplicated by reiteratien-thi
nth which they assert in opposition to tina
truth which YOU are to ascertain and decide In
my remarks yesterday, showed how the prisoner
has belied, by his acts, his profession OF the
character given him by his counsel. ! should
think-but swndler and murderer at heart
from the beginning-that this man had grown
worse every year. This we have all seen and |
know.
Guiteau-That's bosh, and you know
it, Porter.
Judge Porter continued to depict |
the character of the prisoner and The
fallacies of his defense, when Guiteau /
again and again interrupted him; at
one time he called out: attorney |
General MacVeagh would not have any
thing to do with it."
Judge Porter, half replying to the
prisoner, said "and this christian gen.
tIeman would have YOU even believe I