The Rock Island Argus., 1882-01-24
ITEMS.
Porter Continues His Argu-
gument.
Cold Weather in the Eastern
States.
Fires and Murder Trials, Mis-
ceIIaneous news.
BEaINNINa on THE rNn.

begin his speech, when the prisoner fore
stalled him and called out from the dock:
Il desire to say that some crank has signed
my name to a letter that appeared in a
paper this morning. 1t was without my
authority, and / repndiate It. I also want
to say in regard to couple of cranks I
understand have been arrested for hanging
around here. II they undertake to harm
me they win be shot down. I want every
one to understand this
Judge Porter, who had paused to per-
NIT this preliminary announcement, began
by saying: The prisoner. Us usual, has
made his opening speech, after thanking
the court and jury for their consideration
yesterday, which has made it possible for
him to appear before them to-day
Judge Porter began by characterizing
the defense in trial shame and an impos
ture, and then continuing to depict the
character of the prisoner and the fallacies
of his defense, Porter was of course subject
cd to continual interruptions from the foul
mouthed assassin, but these he turned SO
quickly in the prosecutions favor that
Guiteau soon realized that he had better
have left them unsaid. The first serious
outbreak Of the morning occurred when
Judge Porter, ,adverting to the statement of
prisoners counsel and reiterated assertions
Of the prisoner himself, that the notes of
the stenographer Baily were destroyed by
the prosecution because they would have
benefited the defense, denied the right of
defense to see papers prepared by prose
cution solely for their own use.
Furthermore, said Judge Porter: There
was not contained in them, anything as
asserted by the defense, that would have
improved their standing in this case.
Scoville insisted upon being heard. and
demanded that the court should stop the
counsel from making any slcn statements
on his own authority, as to contents OF
papers which had not been in evidence
before the jury.
Judge Porter insisted he had right to
deny statement of the same character,
made by the other side.
Judge Cox thought the counsel had no
right to make any statement as contents
of such papers.
Porter with much feeling, protested that
he had been practitioner longer than the
Judge and had never before heard such
ruling, he Porter) was of course debarred
from taking legal exceptions. but he must
protest against the unfarrness of the posi-
ton which would admit all sorts of state
a. fhm onA from his
counsel, and yet would debar the prosecu-
ton from all opportunity of refuting.
Reed, with considerable excitement)
said: ''If was Judge I would put him
under arrest, such insolence to the court
should be punished"
Judge Porter resumed his argument and
proceeded to discuss the question of
reasonable doubt as an element Of defense
of insanity referring to the decision OF
Judge Martin New Jersey which had been
reinforced by a decision in Ohio. He was
again interrupted by Scoville, who desired
to know if arguments were to be heard
again upon law points, sharp colloquy
between the counsel ensued when Judge
Porter removed the objection byfhand-
ing his authority to the judge saying
cit will answer every purpose of mime,
your honor if you should have occasion
to rule upon the point.
Referring to the oratorical flight Of the
counsel for the defense, when he painted
the Presidents widow at her daily prayers;
praying for the acquittal of the prisoner in
%T,a - T,,Cr p1rtMr in
burning language showed up the profanity
and inconsistency of such assertions and
rebuked the assumption of a man who had
never exchanged word with Mrs. Garfield
in presuming to credit her with such mon
strous sentiments. Continuing, Judge
Porter said: who else is responsible? John
Fl. Noyes; he is responsible; he killed Gar
field. John Fl. Moves from whom the pris-
oner stole his lectures
Guiteau-''That is false. / rely on my
own brains for my productions.
That father, whom, when 10 years old,
he struck, was responsible; that father,
whom he can never forgive, and with
whom he had not spoken for the last
fifteen years of his honored life; the mother
whom he scarcely even remembers, was
guilty, because she had an attack of cry
sipelas some weeks before he was born,
and had cut off her hair, thereby trans
mitting to HIM congenial insanity; his
drunken, dissolute uncle who, however
did not become insane until after the pris
oner was born, was responsible for killing
Garfield. Uncle Francis was responsible
because of being disappointed in lsve h
killed the husband of the woman he loved
and long afterwards becoming demented
Cousin Abbie is responsible, because from
travelling mesmerist she became an in
mate of an insane asylum. She made thii
murderer insane.
Guiteau-'Theres enough to kill YOU
case by your own showing
The Chicago convention killed Garfield
py nominating him-The doctors kile-
nun, ms nomination and election was two
acts of God and the prisoner would have
US believe the Diety who had there twice