The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-07-09 00:00:00

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION

OF THE
PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES.

Mr. Garfield, the President of the United States,
was shot at and severely wounded by one Charles
Guiteau, a lawyer, of Chicago, in the terminus of
the Baltimore Railway in Washington, at nine o'cl3ck
on Saturday morning. At first it was believed that
the President could not survive many houfs, and in
the evening the medical report was that he was sink-
ing rapidly. On Sunday, however, hs rallied enn-
siderably, and good hopes were entertained of his
recovery.—We condense the following particulars
from The Times of Monday :
PHILADELPILIA, July 2, Morning.
President Garfield, in Washington, went to the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station to take the
Pennsylvania Railroad train for New York this
morning, about half-past nine. Upon arriving at the
station he was shot twice by a man described as a dis-
charged Government employ, who is insane.
President Garfield was shot in the ladies' room of
the railway station, immediately after entering the
room arm-in-arm with Secretary Blaine, who, hearing
two shots, rushed in the direction whence they came
to arrest the would-be assassin. Before reaching him
he Secretary returned to the President, who was pro-
strated. Both shots took effect, one in the right
shoulder, the other in the back, near the kidneys.
The Surgeon-General, Dr. Bliss, and Dr. Purvis, the
latter a coloured man, were quickly in attendance.
They probed unsuccessfully for the balls, and then
ordered the President to be conveyed to the White
House. By this time the streets were thronged with
excited crowds. Two companies of regular troops
were ordered from their barracks to aid the police in
preserving order.
The shooting was done in the presence of about 50
ladies, who were awaiting the train. The pistol used
was of the heavy calibre known as "California bull-
dozer." The President was removed to the White
House and made as comfortable as possible in his
chamber, and all persons were excluded from the
grounds. Immense crowds surrounded the enclosure,
anxious to learn particulars. Great sympathy was
expressed for the President, with threats of "lynch-
ing" the would.be assassin, who was taken to Wash-
ington Gaol.
1 p.m.
The President's physicians, at 11 o'clock, held a
consultation.
The President is conscicus, and does not complain
of great suffering. He had just dictated a telegram
to his wife at Long Branch. It is impossible to say
yet what the result will be, but the surgeons are of
opinion that the wounds are not necessarily fatal.
General Rockwell, at the President's request, sent the
following telegram to Mrs. Garfield :—" The Presi-
dent wishes me to say to you from him that he has
been seriously hurt, how seriously he cannot yet say.
He is himself, and hopes you will come to him soon.
He sends his love to you. '

Guiteau is in Washington Gaol, where by the
Attorney-General instructions all access to him is for-
bidden.
A strong guard of troops and police surround the
goal, threats having been made that the mob might
attempt " lynching, ' though nothing of the kind has
yet been indicated. The prisoner is thirty years old,
51 t. sin. high, and is supposed to be of Frencn descent.
He weighs 1251 b. Intense excitement prevails in all
American cities, immense crowds surrounding the
bulletin boards anxious for news.

Guiteau before shooting the President prepared the
following letter, which was taken from his pocket by
the police :

"July 2.
"To th 6 White Rouse.
"The President's tragic death was a sad necessity, but it
will unite the Republican party and save the Republic.
Life is a flimsy dream, an.i it matters little when one. goes.
A human life is of small value. 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. Ile is liable to go at any time; anyway, I had no ill.
will towards the President. His death was a political
necessity. I an a lawyer, theologian, politician ; I am
Stalwart of the Stalwarts ; I was with General Grant and the
rest of our men in New York during the canvass. lam going
to gaol. CHARLES GUITEAU."
A similar letter was found in the street addressed to
General Sherman. It read as follow4:
" 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. I am a lawyer, theologian,
politician ;I am Stalwart of the Stalwarts. I was with
General Grant and the rest of our men in New York during
the canvass. I am going to gaol. Please order out your
troops and take possession of the gaol at ones.
"CHARLES GUITEAU."

The gaolers say that Guiteau during the past two
weeks made visits to the gaol, but was not admitted.
JULY 3, 11 A.3f.

At this hour, eleven on Sunday morning, the Presi-
dent still lives, and hopes are entertained of his
recovery. He sank early on Saturday evening, but
afterwards rallied. At six o'clock his pulse was 140
and feeble ; at nine a rallying was reported; at ten
Secretary Blaine cabled to the foreign Ministers that
the President's condition had improved. In the
judgment of all the physicians in attendance, the
change was marked and hopeful at eleven, the pulse
being 124, the temperature 99, respiration 20, and all
the symptoms favourable. At one on Sunday morning
the pulse was 120 and the vomiting had then ceased.
At three the pulse was 124, the temperature normal,
and the respiration 18. At four o'clock the pulse was
120, fuller, and of a friore decided character, The
President was also more cheerful.
At half-past eight on Sunday morning the physicians
again went into consultation. They state that the
examinations show that the bullet which causes salici-
tude has entered the President's body between the
tenth and eleventh ribs on the right side of the spinal
column, passing forward and downward into and
through the lower end of the right lobe of the liver,
and finally lodging in the anterior portion of the
abdomen. At ten o'clock they issued a bulletin an-
nouncing that the President had rested quietly and
wakened refreshed, and that his improving condition
gave additional hope of a gradual recovery. The
pulse was 114, the temperature about normal, and the
respiration 18.
Vice-President Arthur lift New York at midnight

for Washington. Mrs. Garfield was brought from
Long Branch to Washington by special train, the
Pennsylvania Railroad being cleared. So high a speed
was maintained that she arrived at Washington at
half-past six 3 esterda,y evening.
The entire Cabinet remained at the White House
throughout the night. Sir E. Thornton, the British
Minister, with Mr. Victor Drummond, the Charg,' at
the British Legation, on Saturday afternoon delivered
to the Secretary of State in attendance upon the Pre-
sident a telegram from Earl Granville, expressing the
great concern of her Majesty's Government and a hope
that the report that the President had sustained serious
injury was not true. Subsequently Sir E. Thornton
delivered a second telegram from Earl Granville, to
the following effect :
"The Queen desires that you will at once express the
horror with which she has learnt of the attempt upon the
President's life, and her earnest hope for his recovery. Her
Majesty wishes for full and immediate reports of his con-
dition.
LATER.

At one this afternoon the President's condition was
reported steadily improving. The previous report
stated that the pulse Was 106 and other conaitions
were normal.
Vice-President Arthur arrived at Washington this
morning. It appears that the President's improve-
ment began after his wife arrived, and the physicians
permitted an interview last evening, the improvement
then beginning.
11 p.m.

The would-be assassin's full name is Charles Jule
Guiteau. He freely gave his pistol and papers to the
police when arrested. Answering questions, he said :
"lam a Dative-born American, born in Illinois. I did
this to save the Republican party. With Garfield out of the
way, we can carry all the Northern States. With him in the
way, we cannot carry a single one."
He further said to the officer :

"You stick to me; have me put in a third story front at
the gaol. General Sherman is coming down to take charge.
Arthur and all these men are my friends. I'll have you
made chief of police."
Being asked whether anybody else was with him in
the matter, he said :—" Not a living soul. I have
contemplated this thing for the last two weeks." On
reaching the gaol, Guiteau said he had been there last
Saturday, and wanted them to let him look through.
They declined, telling him to come on Monday. He
wanted to see what kind of quarters he would have to
occupy. The Government officials are making a
searching investigation to discover whether anyone is
in conspiracy with Guiteau, but while all sorts of
rumours are afloat, no evidence implicating anyone
has yet been disclosed.
Guiteau left a package of papers addressed to the
Washington Correspondent of the Chicago Inter-Ocean
newspaper, which he said explained his motives. The
authorities hold them, and will not make their con-
tents public. The correspondent denies all knowledge
of him. Guiteau seems to be a person of disordered
mind and restless habits. He was at times a religious
enthusiast. Last summer he turned his attention to
politics, apparently hoping to gain preferment by
making Republican speeches in New York. He was a
frequent visitor at the White House, seeking interviews
to urge his claims for office and frequently addressing
notes to the President expressing support for him in the
quarrel with Conkling, and asking for an audience.
While waiting for audiences which he never got he
wrote many letters and also cards, till the clerks
objected to his taking public stationery. He an-
swereo, "Do you know who I am? lam one of the
men who made Garfield President." He intermitted
his visits at the White House for one week till Friday
night, when he was seen in a porch at the main
entrance, On Saturday morning he came in a carriage
to the railway station just before the President
entered. He attracted attention by compelling the
coachman to gallop his horses along the street shouting
to him "Faster, faster."

His brother, John Guiteau, residing at Boston, says
Charles was born at Freeport, Illinois, in 1841. He
was a tractable boy. When a youth, he joined the
Oneida Community at New York, living there several
years, but left because he could not live up to the re-
strictions of the community. He left Oneida about
ten years ago, and studied law in Chicago. Guiteau's
brother says he has seen little of him for the past
twenty years, but has often heard from him. He had
long considered him insane, and always expected that
he would end his career in a lunatic asylum or meet a,
a worse fate. He does not believe he had any precon-
ceived purpose to kill the President, but thinks that
he took a sudden notion to do so. He had intense
Republican views, but in politics he was too unreliable
in every way for any one to have intrusted him with
such an undertaking.

At the public departments business has been almost
entirely suspended. All the Cabinet officers have been
during the entire day a the White House, as well as
many other officials. The sidewalks about the exe-
cutive mansion are densely thronged with people.
Guiteau said on his way to the gaol that the Presi-
dent's assassination was premeditated, and he went to
Longbranch for the purpose of shooting him, but
was there deterred by the enfeebled and saddened
condition of Mrs. Garfield, which appealed so strongly
to his sense of humanity, that he came back without
carrying out his intention.

WASHINGTON, July 3.

The news agencies have never closed since the
attempt, and all the papers throughout the country
have been issuing special editions during the day,
which were eagerly purchased by the excited people.
Meetings were held in many towns yesterday evening
to express abhorrence at yesterday's event. The greater
portion of these meetings were held in the South,
where the feeling of horror is very manifest. All day
long despatches have arrived from prominent men of
all parties, anxiously inquiring after the state of the
patient and expressing the hope that God will save the
President's life. _ _ _

Prayers have been offered in the churches every-
where to-day for President Garfield's safe recovery.
The sports and pastimes arranged for the 4th of July
have been countermanded in consequence of the Pre-
sident's condition.

The attempt upon the President's life is the sole
topic of interest throughout the "United States, and
the sympathy and horror expressed are universal.
NEW YORK, July 2.

From all sections, and notably from the south,
come despatches announcing the deep grief and in-
dignation felt at the shooting of President Garfield.
In many places business was suspended on receipt of
the intelligence, and intense anxiety prevails every-
where as to the President's condition. The New York
Stock Market declined sharply on the news being re-
ceived. Later on the market became less excited on
the first favourable reports, but continued feverish up
to the close.

WASHINGTON, July 4, * a.m.

A bulletin issued at 12.30 a.m. states that the change
in President Garfield's condition since the last report
is very slight. Some symptoms of tympanites have
been observed by the medical men in attendance.
The President no longer complains of the pain in his
feet.
The prison officials where the would-be assassin
Guiteau is confined say that since his arrest the
prisoner has conducted himself very quietly, making
no demonstrations o any kind. He seems to have
prepared a plan for his conduct in advance, and is
evidently observing it strictly. It is considered that
if Guiteau is mad, there is a considerable amount of
method in his madness. The prisoner evinces no
desire to enter into conversation with the prison
officials.
The records of the Pension Bureau show that two
months ago Guiteau applied for a pension on the
ground that he had been a soldier during the Civil
War. His papers are on the file in the Bureau, and
bear the endorsement of the examining surgeons
stating that the applicant was insane.

In a telegram from Philadelphia, dated July 4, the Corre-
spondent of The Times says:—
America has passed a sorry Fourth o: July, the terrible
event at Washington restraining the ordinary celebration of
Independence Day. The public feel more like holding a fast
than a jubilee.
On Sunday in all the churches prayers were offered up for
the President's recovery ; more than one clergyman
denouncing the assassination as the outcome of that factious
political spirit which now dominates, more especially in New
York. The universal demand is that the Senate contest
there should end, either by electing the Senators or adjourn-
ing the Legislature.
rhe national salute usually fired at sunrise in Washington
on Independence Day was omitted to-day. The city is un-
usually quiet. The customary firing of guns and crackers
has been almost entirely abandoned. Crowds from an early
hour gathered around the White House enclosure, inquiring
as to the President's 3onditlon4
Much anxiety to learn the President's condition has been
shown throughout Canada, and prayers for his recovery were
offered in the English Cathedral in Quebec on Sunday.
Inquiries as to the President's condition, with messages of
sympathy, have been received from the King of Sweden and
Norway, the Peesident of the Council of Ministers of
Roumania, and from almost all the American Ilinisters to
the European Coarts.
The chief of the Treasury detectives, Mr. Brooks, who has
been carefully examining Guiteau's case, expresses hi
opinion that Guiteau had no accomplices and that he alone
was concerned in the crime. He declines to say whether or
not Guiteau, in his opinion, is insane. The Washington
prison officials describe him as eccentric, but not insane.
In every statement which he has made, Guiteau declares
that the plot was conceived and executed by himself alone.
Fe asks all his visitors how the President is, expressing
regret that he is not dead and wishing that he had put
another hall into him to end his sufferings. His only
motive, he says, was to cause the retirement of General
Garfield and to have a " Stalwart " for President. Being
asked how he had rested, Guiteau said, "This is the first
rest I have had for six weeks. While this thing was on my
mind I could not sleep. Now it is over my only wish is that
he may not recover, making my act fruitless. My mind
would be perfectly at rest if he died. I clo not fear the con-
sequences."
M. Grevy, at Paris, has sent the following telegram to
Mrs Garfield :—" Accept the expression of our deepest
sympathy."
- -•

Telegrams of condolence continue to arrive, including
messages from the Emperor of Japan, Mr. Parnell in the
name of the Irish members, and various foreign Ministers on
behalf of their respective Governments.
-

Despatches from all the chief towns report a very quiet
Fourth of July, with little or none of the usual celebrations,
the customary national salute being also omitted.
The brother-in-law of Guiteau asserts that the latter has
been several times examined by physicians, who pronounced
him to be insane. The same person states that his insanity
took the form of imagining himself to be a great man.

WASHINGTON, July 4, 5.30 p.m.

"President Garfield partook of a quantity of chicken
broth a short time ago, and has retained it. He is now
resting. He is about the same as when last reported."
The physicians have succeeded in relieving the pain in the
feet and legs of which the President this morning complained.
It was due to the injury to the nerves leading to the lower
extremities. The symptom was not regarded as dangerous,
but it was feared that the pain, if allowed to continue, might
act unfavourably by causing restlessness. The patient's con-
dition is in other respects unchanged since the last official
bulletin. He is now resting quietly. The physicians con-
tinue cheerful and hopeful, and the persons belonging to the
entourage of the President express themselves as more san-
guine than they were last night, owing to the patient's
courage, calmness of mind, and great vitality.
Dr. Agnew, who is an eminent surgeon, states that in his
judgment there ard some features which are extremely
encouraging, including the fact that the kidneys and
intestines are entirely uninjured and capable of per-
forming their functions. The liver is lacerated to some
extent, and the large nerves leading from the spine to
the lower extremities have been so injured as to cause
the pain which is at present felt in the feet. The
stomach, however, retains nourishment, and the patient is