Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1881 — Page 5

SUPPLEMENT.

ASSASSINATED.

President Garfield Shot Down at Washington. ' The Assassin a Chicago Lawyer, Named Guiteau. Full and Accurate Details of the Horrible Crime. The President of the United States was shot twice ou the morning of Saturday, July 2, hi the Pennsylvania railroad depot in Washington, by Charles J. Guiteau, of Illinois. One shot inflicted a more flesh wound—not at all dangerous- in the left arm. The second shot entered the lower left side from the j back, fractured one of the ribs, and lodged in the j lower part of the liver. When the President re- I ceived this shot he fell to the floor. The assassin I cried cut: “ President Garfield is dead. Arthur is Pre-ident, and the stalwarts are avenged I Bring I ou the police. I have a letter for Gen. Sherman I that will explain everything." lie was at once | seized by two officers in the depot, and, almost be- ! fore the crowd could realize what had happened, the assassin had been taken t> jail. From the voluminous mass of telegraphic dispatches to the daily press we condense the following connected account of the dreadful affair:

The President had alighted from his carriage a-.d was passing through the ladies' room to the cars. When about five feet inside of the room, the assassin, who was within three feet of him, fired one shot. The President .was dazed, and made no attempt at self-protection. Secretary Blaine had turned toward the door. The assassin fired a second shot within ten seconds from the first. The President fell, and Mrs. White, who attends the ladies’ waitingroom, rushed ;*_> him and raised up his head. Secretary Blaine also rushed to the assistance of the President. The assassin passed out toward B street, but Cant. Parke, the ticket agent, jumped through the window and caught the assassin, who made no resistance. Officer Carney, the depot policeman, ran up and took hold of the assass.ii, and immediately afterward Officer Scott also took hold of him. Parke lot the officers have him, and turned his attention to the President. Help came, and the President was taken up-stairs. He said not a word until he was laid down, when he asked that his shoes be taken off, saying he felt pain in his feet. As soon as his shoes were removed, he raid to Secretary Windom: "Go right home now and send a telegram to Mrs. Garfield, saying: ‘I feel considerably better,’ and, if she feels well enough, tell her to come to Washington immediately.” This dispatch was sent, and a special train was at once cent to Long Branch for Mrs. Garfie'd. Col. Kockwe 1, who was with the President’s party, i>t once dispatched mounted orderlies for physicians. The Piesldent was laid upon a couch at the depot 'i he dor rs were guarded against the crowd that began to mass about the depot, pale with excitement. Burgeon General Barnes, of the army; Surgeon General Wales, of the navy; Dr. Bliss, one of the most skillful of the army surgeons, and a ho-t of local pract.t'oners were soon at the depot. Tire President did not lose consciousness, but his pul-o ran down to 55, and after a short time he vomited. Iho shot in the back was thought for a time to be fatal. Reports that death bad already resulted speedily became current. Crowds gathered everywhere; carria es blocked every crossing ; every one seemed wild with excitement The public departin' nts at once suspend- d business, and nearly the whole population of Washington poured out into the street. The air was fresh and crisp; the wind was from the sea; a more lovely day had never been known there at this season. Instead of the usual su.try atmosphere of a Washington summer,the air was as fresh as a Northern seaside resort. The Preside nt himself was in a happy and chatty' mood that morning when he left the W hite House. He was in perfect health, and looking forward with delight to his trip to New England. He wore a frock suit of tourist’s grey, and a silk hat He was accompanied in his ride to the depot by Secretary Blaine and Col. Rockwell. The carriage that followed him contained his two boys, Harry and James, and Don Rockwell son of Col. Rockwell. Of the Cabinet officers beside Mr. Blaine, Messrs. Hunt, Lincoln, MacVeagh and James were at the depot.

INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE. The President was taken to the White House on a mattress in a police ambulance about 10 o’c’ock. Looking up as he reached the entrance be saw Cols. Crook and Morton, of his personal staff, and p’.uckily waved his band to them, as if to assure them that he was not so badly injured as bad been reporter). As he was brought in upon the stout shoulders of policemen, he passed Mrs. Blaine in the ante-room below, and kissed his hand to her with a reassuiing air. He was then carried up to his own bedroom, where Mrs. Garfield was sick so long, and laid upon the bed. A consultation of physicians was at once held. Mrs. Dr. Edson was installed as nurse. Col. Rockwell eat upon the bed, watching the President, while Mr. Crump, the steward, stood at the head of the bed. Dr. Bliss was placed in charge of the case. All the physicians were pale and trembling with excitement. The President was the coolest person in the room. He was perfectly cheerful, and immediately ordered dispatches to be sent to his wife and mother, to contradict rumors of his death that might have reached thenri The bedroom was cleared of all but the physicians, the personal attendants of the President and his two sons. All the members of the Cabinet were in the hali adjoining the bedroom, where they remained until favorable symptoms began to appear. At twenty minutes of 11 o’clock, Harry Garfield dashed into the private telegraph office in the White House and sent a dispatch to Mrs. Eliza Garfield, his grandmother, saying that the doctor’s opinion

JAMES ABRAM GARFIELD.

then was that the wound way not fatal. A consultation was had at 11 and Surgeon General Barnes said a few moments afterward that a final examination would be made at 3 o’clock in the afternoon. The patient’s condition was so far favorable. His pulse had gore up from below 55 to nearly the normal rate. His face was losing the look of pain, and the tense muscles were relaxing. He did not think the spine was injured, because the President could move bis legs up and down without any trouble. Whether the intestines had been cut was not certain. If the spine and intestines bad escaped there was every reason to hope for • covery. The wound wax made by a very large flaring ball, and the edges were ragged. The President was very bravo and collected. He was continually reassu ing those about him, and made not a single word of complaint. When Dr. Bliss handed him a large glass of whisky, the President said, with a smile, as he took it: “ Doctor, you will make me drunk.” After the reaction and the stimulants inclined him to doze, the hope that he was not fatally injured quieted the excitement in the White House, but the excitement outside continued. After the President's arrival at the White House, there was a continued stream of diplomatic callers and officials. They were received in the hallway, near the President’s private room. Here, scattered about upon the lounges and easy-chairs of the wait-ing-rooms, were grouped, at various times in the day, all of the representative men at Washington. The glass doors which separate the large, wide hall of the White House from the hallways of the executive offices were closed and locked. The correspondent was admitted by Private Secretary Brown to the private part of the house, in the neighborhood of It o'clock. This hallway was darkened. Passing down this to the extreme end, another glass door, also locked, was opened, and the private room of Gen. Garfield was passed. It is a large, spacious room. The furniture is a light wood. The carpet is dark, overrun with small crimson roses and straggling vines. The room itself was moderately darkened, enough light coming in from the southern windows to light up the scene about the bed. There lay Gen. Garfield, with his head sli> htly supported upon a low pillow. Half reclining upon the bed near him was Col. Rockwell, in a gray tweed suit. He rested on his right elbow, gazing attentively at the President to anticipate every movement of his will almost before the utterance. The stolid and faithful house steward stood at the

head of the bed, and one or two messengers were ranged about, obeying the orders of the physicians. | Mrs. Dr. Edson, the celebrated woman doctor of the city, who was one of the principal physicians ; attending on Mrs. Garfield, was also in the room. 1 She is a tall, broad-shouldered, robust-looking woman, dressed in plain, rather seedy-looking i black bombazine. Her yellowish-gray hair was cut short, and comlted down straight likea man’s. She wore gold-bowed glasses that were continually falling off from her long, thin nose, so nervous and excited was this great friend of the President’s wife. Mrs. Edson occupied the position of nurse, f- he was not recognized by the doctors during the consultation. It was she who remained a greater part of the time by the General’s bedside, every now and then leaving the room and rushing to the telegraph office to send a dispatch to Mrs. Garfield, I at Long Branch, or to Mrs. Garfield, senior, in Ohio. ■ Coming in and out of the room constantly during I the physicians' long coneu'tation, held at 11 o’clock, were tli'e two boys of the President, Harry and James. Harry is a tall, stout boy, in the neighborhood of 16, although he looks a trifle older. The younger boy, James, is in the neighborhood of 14. The two lads behaved very bravely throughout the whole affair. THE EXCITMENT IN WASHINGTON. Before the President was removed from the depot I no one was permitted to enter except those whose ' presence was absolutely required. By some unaccountable means, news was conveyed to multitudes in the streets to the effect that, although the President was not dead, he was mortally wounded. Then a gloom seemed to settle down upon the city like a great pall, and the vast concourse of people waited patiently outside the depot for news from within. They reminded one strongly of the friends and relatives of a dying man waiting in the ante-room of the chamber of death. The suspense was dreadful. Business men and ladies, with faces pale with excitement, and eyes bloodshot with straining,stared fixedly at the door of the depot, and strove painfully to learn or divine something about the wounded man within. At last

the door opened and s< of the doctors came out. The throng Dressed closely around them and begged for information. The medical men said: “He is not dead; ho is not in any immediate danger, and in fact there are hopes of his recovery.” The purport of these words was conveyed to the people present, and was transmitted from lip to lip and from lip to wire all over the country. The city drew a long breath, and the excitement, which had been at white heat, gradually subsided in intensity. Then there was a stir on the outer edge of the crowd, and the people | were moved off right and left, and. every way. It was to make room for an ambi’i'ince which had been summoned to transport the suffering President to the White House. Tenderly was he borne from the build'ng to the vehicle, and quietly and gently was he laid on a mattress therein. Then the vehicle drove off slowly to the White House, followed at a respectful distance by the crowd. When he reached it he was borne inside, and was followed by Surgeon Bliss, who had attended him from the first, and other physicians. The friends of the wounded chief stood sorrowfully about him, and the doors closed between him, his future, and the thousands who stood in the highways and byways of the city awaiting the end. SECRETARY BLAINE’S STATEMENT. Secretary Blaine was not going with the party, but went down to bid the President good-by. He said : “The President and I were walking arm in arm toward the train. I heard two ehots and saw a man run. I strarted after him, but, seeing that he was grabbed just as he got out of the room, I came to the President and found him lying cn the floor. The floor was covered with the President’s blood. A number of people who were around shortly afterward have some of that blood on their persons.” Mr. Blaine also gave a very interesting account of his talk with the President that morning going down in the carriage. The President said to Mr. Blaine: “You have no idea how happy I am this morning. I feel like a boy again—everything seems to go so well. The funding operations are all successful, and I think we have gotten through our hard times. The people seem to be with us, and I think we can look forward now to having a very successful administration.” He said: “I am so well satisfied with the situation, so well satisfied with the past, that I feel now that I can go to New England and just have a boy’s frolic. I intend to forget that lam President. I intend to forget all about my past troubles and have a good, wholesome rest.” Mr. Blriuc says that be never saw the President in such a joyful mood, and he was talking in this vein with him in the ladies’ waiting room when the ignoble a-sassin came upon them and fired the two shots that laid the President low. Mr. Blaine himself had a narrow escape, as be stood exactly in line with the President, and, had it not been for the attempt of the assassin to escape after having made the twoshots, he too might havesharedhis crazy fury. SECRETARY LINCOLN’S STATEMENT. Speaking of the shooting, Secretary of War Robert Lincoln said no one could have foreseen the incident, and the duration of its occurrence was barely three seconds. Secretary Blaine and the President stoed elbow to elbow talking about some ordinary topic. The sound of the two shots and the fall of the President were almost instantaneous. The exclamation of the assassin followed as quickly, and in the brief seconds of the occurrence the scene of quiet changed to that of excitement, so great that it amounted to a wild panic. The coolness of the depot officers and some of the local officials prevented anything like riot that was for a few moments threatened. The prisoner was conveyed to the Central Slation before the crowd fully realized what had been done. the president’s wonderful ner-z. Said Dr. Bliss: “From the very first the President has been plucky and brave. Indeed, he has at times been in an almost-frolicsome mood. I never, in all my experience, met with such a patient. I never have Been such nerve—never have seen such coolness, such self-possession. The Pre-i----dent has discussed his case with me at different times all day. When I came to him at the depot he shook me by the hand and said, ‘Bliss, how is it?’ and it has been ‘Bliss, how is it?' at different times all the afternoon.” “Yes,” said Gen. James, “ he shook me by the hand down at the depot, and as he gave me a strong grip he said: ‘James, what do you think was the motive of this man?’ and I replied: ‘Well, you will have to ask Father Kirkwood—he is here—he is older than I;’ and he then turned to Kirkwood, arid all tint Kirkwood could say was, ‘Devilish, iniamous.’ ’’ Mr. Blaine gave a very interesting incident of the

afternoon. He said that at one time the President alluded to the assassin, and that is all. He asked who it wa-<, and was informed. He said, “What could have been the man’s motive?” Mr. Blaine eaid he thought he was some crazy man—that it was an act of lunacy. He said it was charitable, at least, to suppose that. The President then looked up with a smile and said, “Probably he thought it a great thing to be a pirate King.” ARRIVAL OF MRS. GARFIELD. The most touching episode of the day was the home-coming rs Mrs. Garfield. A dispatch had been sent to her early in the day to come. The dispatch was carefully worded so as not needlessly to alarm her. A peremptory dispatch was sent to Judge Swayne, who was with her, to charter a special train and bring her on as rapidly as possible. All the afternoon the President kept inquiring for her. At the time the carriages first appeared in sight, there was aery: “Oh, there they come!” There were three carriages, and the horses attached to them were lashed into a gallop. So furious and swift were they coming that hardly had they appeared in sight when there was a crash and roll on the gravel, and the close black carriage and black horses belonging to the President's own stable came with a whirl up in front of the Attorney General, and were checked by a blue-coated messenger who stood there waiting. The colored man on the lox did not turn his head. He sat as if carved in marble. The Attorney General ran forward, seized the door es the carriage and opened it. Just back of him came running little James Garfield, young Rockwell and Mrs. MacVeagh. f Every head was bowed as Mrs. Garfield stepped resolutely out. There were traces of tears about her eyes. She showed no other signs of weakness. Her little boy sprang forward and cried : “ Ob, mamma.” Thatwasallhe said. She pressed his band warmly, and then, leaning upon the arm of the Attorney General and leading her little boy, she started up the steps. Then came Mollie Garfield, weeping, a pleasant-faced little lass in gray. She was followed by Mrs. Rockwell, a snow-white haired lady, whoso appearance of youthfulness did not correspond witu the gray of her hair. A servant or two with wraps followed. They walked quickly up-stairs. There was hardly a dry eye among the few spectators who watched the pathetic home-coming of the poor woman who had suffered so much. Something of her resolute character was shown as she walked almost without assistance to her husband’s room. She went in and walked up to him quietly without the first evidence or sign of any emotion that would annoy or irritate or make him nervous. She said simply: “I am glad to be home.” He said: “I am very glad to have you.” They kissed, and then she, after a moment or two. passed into a aide room, fearing that she would not be able to control herself in his sight. A moment or two afterward she was seen in company with Judge Swayne and her boy James. The boy had his arm about his mother's waist and ho was doing his best to console her. She ver.” nearly broke down after this, but in a moment she regained her selfcontrol. THE ASSASSIN’S LETTERS. When Guiteau was arrested he made no resistance, saying that he had contemplated the killing of the President, and it was for the good of the country. About 9 o’clock the assassin went to the hack stand adjoining the depot to engage a hack from Barton, a, colored hackman. He said he wanted to go to Gienwood Cemetery in a short time, and wanted the hackman to drive very fast when he should get in the hack. He agreed to pay $2 for the hack on condition that the hackman should drive fast. When stopped, the assassin was going to the hack he had engaged, and be insisted that it was important for him to go and deliver a message to Gen. Sherman. When the officers refused to let him go he begged them to take a letter he Lad to Gen. Sherman. Following is a copy of the letter: July 2,1881. To the White House The President’s tragic death was a sad necessity, but it will unite the Republican party to save the republic. Life is a flimsy dream, and it matters little when one gees. A human life is of sma 1 importance. During the war thousands of brave boys went down without a tear. I presume the President was a Christian, and that he will be happier in Paradise than here. It will be no worse for Mrs. Garfield, dear soul, to part with her husband this way than by natural death. Ho is liable to go at any time, anyway. I had no ill-will against the President. His death was a political necessity. lam a lawyer, a theologian and a politician. lam a stalwart of he stalwarts. I was with Gen. Grant and the rest of our men in New York during the canvass. I have some papers for the press which I shall leave with Byron Andrews and his co-journa ists at No. 1,420 New York avenue, where all reporters can see them. I am now going to jail. Charles Guiteau. The following letter was found on the street shortly after Guiteau’s arrest. The envelope was unsealed and addressed: “Please deliver at once to Gen. Sherman or his first assistant in charge of the War Department;” To Gen. Sherman : I have just shot the President. I shot him several times, as I wished him to go as easily as possible. His death was a political necessity. lam a lawyer, theologian and politician. lam stalwart of the stalwarts. I w.is with Gen. Grant and the rest of our men in New York during the canvass. lam going to jail. Please order out troops and take possession of the jail at once. Very respectfully Charles Guiteau.

TALK WITH THE ASSASSIN. The assassin was taken to jail by Lieuts. Austin and Eckloff and Detective McElfresh. The following conversation took place on th dr way to the jail: McElfresh said: “ I asked him, ‘ Whore are you from? ’ ‘I am a native-born American, born in Chicago.’ Ho said he was a lawyer and a theologian. I asked ‘ Why did you do this ? ’ and he replied, ‘ I did it to save the Republican party.’ ‘ What is your politics? ’ said I. He answered, ‘I am a stalwart among the stalwarts. With Garfield out of the way we can carry all the Northern States, and with him in the way we can’t carry a single one.’ He then said to me, ‘Who are you?’ ai d I replied, ‘A detective officer of this department.’ ‘You stick to me,’ he said, ‘ and have me put in the thirdstory front at the jail, and Gen. Sherman is coming down to take charge. Arthur and all those men are my friends, and I’ll have you made Chief of Police. When you go back to the depot you will find that I left two bundles of papers at the news stand, which will explain all.’ I asked him, ‘ls there anybody else with you in this matter?’ and he answered, ‘ Not a living sou’. I contemplated this thing for the last six weeks, and would have shot him when he went away with Mrs. Garfield, but I looked at her and she looked ro bad that I changed my mind.’ On reaching the jail the people there did not seem to know anything about the assassination, and, when we took him inside the door, Mr. Russ, the Deputy Warden, says, ‘ This man has been here before.’ I then asked him, • Have you ever been here before?’ Ho replied, ‘No, sir.’ I said, ‘Well, the Deputy Warden seems to identify you.’ He said, ‘ Yea, I was down here laat Saturday morning and wanted them to let me look through, and they told me that I couldn’t, but to come Monday.’ I asked, ‘ What