The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1882-01-28
THE CLOSING SCENE.
Jadge Porter's Closing Speech In the
Guiteau Trial.

Guiteau Trial.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 23.-For every seat In
the Courtroom this morning there we're At
least ten elamOring applicants bsseiging
every avenue of approach. The crush Was
greater than ever before. When the doors
were closed n thousand people were left out.
side. Al roon as the Court opsned Gniteau
said: 81 spent yesterday in examining my
mail. | had several hundred letters, many
from ladies, and some were very tender. |
desire to express my thanks to the ladies' for
those kind and tender letters. One letter
suggests that General Arthur should give me
a Cabinet Office. Now | want to say that ]
would not take any Office from President Ar
thur, and under the circumstances it would
not be proper that | should accept ono. Now.
in regard to Judge Porter, I want to say, As
no is to have the closing Of the case. II no at
tempts TO mislead the Court and jury, I ard
my counsel will stop him. lie came in this
case under a Misrepresentation on the part OF
| General Arthur. otherwise he would not have
been in the case. lie dom properly repre-
sent the Government; he only represents
himself"
Porter entered the Courtroom shortly be-
fore tho prisoner delivered himself Of this
warning. After a few moments delay. he
stepped in the open space before the jury.
and. in tones which betrayed his Weakened
condition began the closing argument.
Said Mr. Porter: "If it please your Honor
and gentlemen of tho jury, in my " in
trinity, for l share your fatigue, | proceed as
best l can to discharge my duty. The nature
of this duty is such that should feel that |
were almost an accessory, after the fact, II |
should fail to speak such words as can to aid
you in reaching a proper conclusion. Thus
far the trial has practically been conducted
by the prisoner and ScoyiIle. Everyone has
been denounced at their will. and even now |
am informed that | will be interrupted by
them both"
Mr.. Porter briefly recited the scenes of dis
order, abuse and SANDER to which everyone
in the case bad for two months been subject.
.And yet" he said, 'of the three speeches
which have been made by the defense, | will
do the prisoner the justice to say that his was
the least Objectionable. After sketching
the circumstances leading up TO the crime,
and pointing out with fervid language tho
damning wickedness Of its execution, he
turned his attention SO the prisoner, and be-
gan to despict his character in the following
terms: A beggar. hypocrite, robber and q
swindling lawyer, who never won a cause.
No Court, no jury failed to see in him a dis
honest rogue. and such men cannot win cases.
lie has left his trail Of infamy in a hundred
directions. This is the man who. as a lawyer,
bad such notions OF morality that when he
had taken debts to collect, and collected them
by logging the debtors. he held them; the
man who was capable of blastingthename Of
q woman With whom he had slept for years.
and still recognized as his wife; the man who,
when he tired OF this woman. pretending to
be a Christian and a believer Of the Bible,
looked into the Book and read, Thou shalt
not commit adultery" and then went out i'm
mediately and committed adultery with street
walkers; the man who pushed himself into
the fellowship Of Christian Associations, as a
follower of the Savior. when fresh from six
years fornication in tho Oneida Community.
G~uiteau-That lie ought to choke you
AS Judge Porter proceeded with a. torrent
of denunciation, the prisoner occasionally
called out, That's a lie" That's absolutely
false" or THAT amt So"
Passing in review upon the events Of the
prisoners life, Porter showed up in all its
hideous deformity the infamous BEN of his
nature. Abiding to. his dispute with his
brother, John w. Guiteau. in Boston. when
he struck the latter in the face, Porter said
that was the first and last time this coward
ever struck any one in the face. His coward
hand always struck from behind. After
showing who and what was the murderer.
Porter next described his victim. paying .
glowing tribute to the character and services
Of the lamsuted President, and pronouncing