The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1882-01-11
CUTTING WORDS.
The Guiteau Case
Aud Carries the Audience Along in
His Flood of Logic.


teau came into court as he passed hi.
brother he whispered to him, "Comt
over to the dock, i want to see yor
about something Of great Importance
Taking his seat. the prisoner laid dowr
a large bundle OF papers and spreading
out a manuscript busted himself in look.
ing it over.
Judge Porter began the argument
shortly after 10 O'Clock and at ono
fixed the attention Of every one in the
room.
Guiteau pretended to be engrossed in
his manuscript, but oon laid it aside
and listened with wrapt attention.
Judge Porter began the address with
reference to the disorder which had
characterized the proceedings of the de.
Tense and then spoke of Reeds argu.
ment as lawyer-like and based on only
law points which with any plausibility
could be addressed by the defence. OF
Scoville's argument he said it could
only have been delivered by one of the
family of Guiteau, who as he had him
self boosted, had learned his law in the
police courts and acquired his manners
among hooting owls in the woods OF
western Ohio.
Porter reviewed the arguments of
Davidge, pointing put its strong points.
Malice, Mr.. Davidge had rightly said,
was the presumption of the law ques-
ton for the judge not for the jury.
Should the judge decide as the defence
desired, that malice was a question of
fact for the jury, he would overturn
law. He would create a precedent in
this famous Ease which would newt
ably be condemned through all time to
come.
y, Porter dwelt upon the generalization
lof Guiteau. referring to his lyings-in-
wait, and to his logging the footsteps
Of the president. He said: WAS this
worthless vagabond the man to be Sc
lected and inspired by God, a cheat, a
swindler, a creature of the vilest habits.
He then is junior in the firm of Jesus
Christ & Co., this murderer tracking
his victim at night, at church, at the
railroad station, everywhere till the
deed is done. But grant this hideous
~pretension. and allow him the inspira-
tion of Paul, which he impiously
quotes, that does not protect as it did
not protect Paul, from stripes and
death"
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 misapprehensions. :"
YES" said Judge Porter "Under
misrepresentation that the law was
stronger than Guiteau. Guiteau seems
to think that he is stronger than the
law"
81 do not claim to be stronger than
the law, but God Almighty is stronger
than the law" said Guiteau suddenly.
"You will come before God AL.
mighty presently" said Judge Porter
solemnly, until then you would do well
to refer but little to Him; he will feel
soon what be has never felt before, the
Divine pressure in the form a hang
mans moose" The prisoner had sworn
on the stand that he was predestined to
remove the president. He had forgot,
ten to say that he was also predestined
to be hung for it. Speaking again OF
his interruptions and of the prompt
ings of his family, Porter said he had
supreme contempt for all Guiteau's,
friends, not the respectable ones, but
those who sympathized with the assas-
sin.
Porter then took up the authorities
cited by the defense, pronouncing them
either misrepresented or bad law from
obscure benches. He sneered at the
assertion of Scoville that the anti
quated arguments of the prosecution
could not stand in the light of those O
the defeuse, which purported to be tn,
outgrowth of an enlightened age, al
age of Guiteau's, when a hungry poll
tician kills a president from pique
"a politician" continued Porter
''who had such a belief in the gull
bility and depravity of mankind tina
he supposed he was doing men Xix
General Grant and sfr. Conkling, tn
greatest parliamenta, ian and one of tn
foremost statesmen of his time. an
even President Arthur service 70
which he would receive reward. Why
had Gen. Grant, Mr.. Conkling o
President Arthur had been standing a
the door of the depot of the Baltimor
Il Potomac railroad on the morning O
the shooting, had they seen The ASSASSIN
creeping up on his victim revolver Il
!, hand aiming at his back, an iron han
would have descended which woul
have descended which would have pai
alysed the assassin and saved the pres
dent.
The audience. carried out of then
sslves by Porter's eloquence, applaude
vigorously, despite the cries of 'order,
and ~''silence." Even Guiteau was Al
, fected, but lie managed to say: 9Th
stalwarts are coming to my side ever
, day. You ought to see some of the lei
tiers L get. They are all coming I
. think with me, and so are all decor
: people"