Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1881 — GARFIELD. [ARTICLE]

GARFIELD.

Washington, July 9. CONDITION OF THE SUFFERING PATIENT. Yesterday was another day of favorable symptoms in the condition of the President, the most favorable being the discharge of “ laudable” or healthy pus from the wound. This gives the physicians great confidence that there is no danger from blood poisoning. The yellow color of the skin has to some extent disapjieared, and with it all fear of the effects of jaundice. The President partook of more nourishment than on any day since the shooting. The weather was very favorable to the condition, and the work of producing artificially a better atmosphere in the sickroom ..is being pushed. The quickened pulse arises from the process of suppuration, which was expected, and which in the opinion of the physicians is progressing very favorably. The President maintains his courage and hopefulness, and the chances of his recovery increased 100 per cent, yesterday. The only message of sympathy which has been shown the President is the one sent by Gen. Grant. He has also been shown the resolutions adopted by the Williams College alumni. He has been told, however, that the public anxiety in his regard has been intense, and that telegrams and letters of sympathy were coming from all parti of the civilized world. SEEKING NOTORIETY. It is stated that a number of prominent Washington lawyers are anxious to defend Guiteau on account of the notoriety it may give them. Some of these persons have sought access to Guiteau, but have been refused on the instructions of District Attorney Corkbill. Insanity will be the ground of defense, but it is quite certain that the prosecution will try to show that Guiteau is sane and entirely responsible for his acts. . NO CONSPIRACY. Chief Brooks, of the Secret Service Division, who has been investigating with a view to ascertaining whether Guiteau was a member of a conspiracy, has come to the conclusion that there has’been no conspiracy, but that Guiteau acted alone. Chief Brooks does not think Guiteau is insane. He is only eccentric, but his eccentricity is of a fanatical and exceedingly mean variety. CONCERNING GUITEAU. “When will the matter be laid before the Grand Jury?’’ asked a reporter of District Attorney Corkhill. “No action will be taken regarding the case until the result of the President’s wound is finally determined.” “ What can be done with Guiteau if the President lives?” “If the President lives, the crime will be assault with intent to kill.” “Are you ready yet to give out the papers taken from Guiteau?” “That question is asked me by everybody, as if there was something very grave contained in them. These papers are not so very important. The only very important thing' I have is a full detailed history of the crime from its inception to its culmination, which I believe is accurately true. That, in due time, will be given to the public. I will say in addition that I think it exceedingly cruel, considering the fervid state of the public mind on this subject, and the horror with which every man regards the assassin, that any man’s name should he mentioned in connection with him. He is an egotistical, presuming, dishonest man, attempting to borrow money of people ; claiming acquaintance with persons whom he only knew by the fact of his going to them and speaking to them; speaking of persons as his friends whom he had no acquaintance with at all; attempting to obtain'money by representing himself as a man of great political influence, both here and in New York. To mention the names of these citizens in connection with this man at this time is improper and unjust. While everybody who has known anything about this man at all has been perfectly willing to detail to me his entire relations with Guiteau, still thei'e is scarcely one of them but has requested that his name be kept from the public.” “He was in the habit,” continued CoL Corkhill, speaking of Guiteau, “of going to the Riggs House, to the Arlington, and to Willard's, occupying the reading-rooms and conversing with people occasionally, although he was not generally communicative.” “ I would like to hear more about that detailed statement.” “ The statement to which I refer is a detailed statement of the crime, why it was done, when it was done, and just how it was done, given by the prisoner himself after I had told him certain facts that I had ascertained. I then got from him what I believe was a correct statement. He was so solicitous about its being correct that he even sent a messenger to me to return to the jail, as he wanted to say to me something that had escaped his memory. He was afraid I would learn it somewhere else, and then think he had concealed something from me.” LETTER FROM EX-SENATOR CONKLING. The following correspondence between exSenator Conkling and Attorney General MacVeagh has been made public ; CONKLING TO MAOVEAGH. Fifth Avknuz Hotel,) New York, July 5. J My Dear Sir : In the abhorrence with which all decent men alike shudder at the attempt to murder the President. I have given thought to a matter to ■which your attention may or may not have turned. Our criminal code treats. premeditated homicide in all cases alike, irrespective of the victim. Murder being visited by the greatest penalty, perhaps no distinction between one case and another could be founded on the public relations held by the person slain. But, in the case of an attempt to murder, a broad distinction can be made between assaßtng the life of an individual and an attempt to take life of special value to the whole people. The shocking occurrence of Saturday demands that the definition and punishment of assaults aimed at high executive officers, whether successful or not, should be made thoroughly rigorous. The man who attempts the life of a President, if morally responsible, commits an offense which the nation ought to guard against and punish by the exertion of all the power civilized nations may employ. I suggest this as deserving of consideration. My profound sympathies are with the President and with all of you every hour. The conflict of report* keeps hope and. fear striving with each other, with nothing stable except the facts and trust that the worst is past I wish you would express to the President my deepest sympathy in this hour, which should hush all discords and enlist prayers for his safe deliverance. Please, also, give to Mrs. Garfield my most respectful condolence. Trusting that all will be well, cordially yours, Roscoe Conkling. MACVKAGH TO CONKLING. Washington, D. C., July 7. The Hon. Roscoe Conkling, Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York: Thanks for your letter of the sth, which ha* just reached me. Its suggestions will be carefully considered, and its kind message of sympathy will be conveyed to the President and Mrs. Garfield st the earliest opportunity, Wayne MaoVmagh.

A MUNIFICENT GIFT. Postmaster General James received a telegram from George Wilson, Secretary of the New York Chamber of Commerce, requesting the Postmaster General to say to Mrs. Garfield that the members of the New York Chamber of Commerce have subscribed $250,000 to be presented to her, both as a token of their sincere esteem and sympathy and as a means of relieving the mind of the President entirely from anxiety with respect to the future of his family. To this telegram Postmaster General James sent the following reply : Executive Mansion, Washington, D. C.,1 July 7. f George Wilson, Esq., Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, New York City: Your dispatch hs* been.handed to Mrs. Garfield. On receipt of it she remarked that there was so much that waa touching and beautiful in the sympathy of the people of the whole country that she did not dare trust herself to think of it Thomas L. James, Postmaster GEN. SHERMAN. “In your opinion, General, is there any foundation for the belief that the shooting was the outcome of a conspiracy, however small or insignificant, political or otherwise?” asked a New Ybrk Herald correspondent. “Not at all; not at all,” said the General, with evident impatience. “To talk of a conspiracy of any kind in any way is to talk the wildest bosh. Tne dreadful act was committed by a fooL He don’t even rise to the dignity of a crazy man ; and if he is what may strictly be termed insane, he is so because of his wonderful self-conceit and consuming love for notoriety. Conspiracy ! Not at alt It was simply the act of an individual more or less out of his mental gear, and, therefore, partially responsible for his act. From what I have heard and read, this is my opinion of the miserable wretch ana his motives?’