Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-08

III. o,ane, now That my attentlon mas Deen
specially called to it, because it was the same
gentleman that I saw with the President
the night before, and I know posi-
livery That that gentleman was Mr..
Blaine. The President and this gentleman
one horse; this gentleman, l think. was driving.
1t was single carriage-a single-seated top
buggy. The President seemed to be in very
earnest and private conversation with this gen
tleman who evidently was Mr.. Blaine. although
at the time did not recognize him as Mr. Blaine.
They sat in the carriage should say some two
minutes; they had not completed their CONVEX
sation when they reached the depot. and during
the interview of two minutes they finished their
conversation. During this time they were en-
gagged in very earnest and private conversation.
as have said. The President got out on the
pavement side and Mr.. Blaine on the other side
They entered the ladies' room; l stood there
watching the President and they passed by me-
Before they reached the depot had been PROM
enading up and down the ladies' room between
the ticket-ofice door and the newsstand door, a
space OF some ten or twelve feet. | walked up
and down there should say two or three times
working myself up. as | knew the hour was at
hand. The President and Mr.. Blaine came into
the ladies room and walked right by me: they
did not notice me as there were quite number
of ladies and children in the room.
HOW THE PRESIDENT FELL.
There was quite large crowd of ticket pur-
chasers at the gentlemens ticket office in the
adjoining room, the depot seemed to be quite
full of people. There was quite a crowd and
connection around and the President was i'm
the act of passing from the ladies' room to the
main entrance through the door. I should say
he was about four or five feet from the door
nearest the ticket office. in the act of passing
through the door to get through the depot to
the cars. He was about three or four feet from
the door. l stood five or six feet behind him.
right in the middle of the ROOM and as he was i'm
from, 7 lo1-
the revolver and fired. He Strengthened up and
threw his head back and seemed to be perfectly
bewildered. He did not seem to know what
struck him. l looked at him; he did not
drop; thereupOn pulled again. He dropped his
head, seemed to reel and fell over 1 do not
know where the first shot hit: aimed at the
hollow of his back: did not aim for any par
ticular place. but knew if got those two bull
lets in his back he would certainly go. was in
diagonal dreetion from the President. to the
northwest, and supposed both shots struck.
THE ARREST.
81 was in the act of putting nv revolver back
into my pocket when the depot policeman seized
me and said. You shot the President of the
United States He was terribly excited; he
hardly knew his head from his feet, and | said,
keep quiet, my friend; keep quiet. my friend /
want TO go to jail A moment after the police
man seized me by the left arm; clinched me with
terribleforce. Another gentleman oderm
L should say. and less rebust-seized me by the
right arm. At this moment the ticket agent and
great crowd of people rushed around me, and
the ticket agent said, That's him; that's him.
and he pushed out his arm to seize me around
the neck. and l says Keep quiet. my friends;
want to go to jail and the officers one on
each side of me. rushed me right off to
the police headquarters, and the officer
VINO hrst seized me by the hand says, This
man has just shot the President of the
United States and he was terribly excited
And L said, Keep quiet, my friend. keep quiet:
nave got some papers which will explain the
Whole matter They let go of me and they held
my hands up-one policeman on one side and
one on the other-and they went through me took
away my revolver and what little change had.
my comb and my tOOthpick, all my papers and
gave them my letter to the White House; told
them that wished they would send that letter
to the White House at once. and the officer be-
gan to read my letter to the White House. and
IN IN, TINS envelope containing my letter to the
Mhlte House was my speech, Garfield against
Hancock He glanced his eye over the letter
and was telling him about sending it at once
TO the Mhlte House to explain the matter and he
SAID We will put you into the White House.'
so said nothing after that. They took me
around a little dark place and put me into a cell:
they locked the door and went off, and did not
see any one for ten minutes and then one or two
parties came and took look at me: they were
policemen and detectives and said. i don't know
him; don't know that man; never saw him be-
FORE
Il waited few moments longer and gentle
m came-a detective. who proved to be Mr.
McEilfesil-and he was very polite and attentive
L told him in brief who was and WHY did if.
tllaC lad some papers at the newsstand; that [
wished him to get those papers and take them
up to Byron Andrews and his coournalists that
the papers would explain all about the matter.
L also told him that | wished to 90 to the iaiI AFT
once. and he came in and put the handouts on
to me. There were five or six policemen and de-
tectives with him when he came in to see me
ana he went away and came back in a few
minutes and said that they had decided to take
NE right to jail, and said, That is Just what I
want And he and his brother officers took me
right out into the room and down the stairs
ana Into carriage, and he and three other
policemen got in and drove NE RAPIDLY TO the
jail: L met Mr.. Russ, the deputy warden.
McEltresh told him that had shot the President
of the United States, and he assigned me to cell
NO. :, and have been there ever since except
when have been to the wardens room to be
interviewed bya correspondent of the New York
Herald
PURCHASE OF THE REVOLVER.
Guiteau bought the revolver before the Presi-
dent went to Long Branch. 81 called at O'Mea-
ras, corner Of 18th and streets. Opposite the
Treasury, about two or three weeks before the
removal. l stepped up to the show case and
said, Let me look at that / saw it was
large bore, and he pulled it out. l saw it marked
British Bull Dog and saw that it was an unu-
. u'i AoNoiNci, anu He Siiu, 'InaU Will XIII q
horse or something to that effect There were
two just alike, except that one had an ivory ham
die for 80, and the other plain wooden handle
for SO; l got the best one for $40. 1
was very timid in holding it. l knew
nothing about weapons at all; 1 looked at it
in an unsOphisticated way, snapped it, and
said. that will makea good noise, and he said.
ooh, yes, that will kill horse;' he said Il never
want bullet like chat in me- said, Perhaps
/ may get that some of these days. Three or
four days afterward stepped in there and Sc
lected the revolver with the ivory handle and
got box of cartridges and little penknife
and he said he would give me the entire |
purchase for $40. 1 did not have the money |
when first went in: 1 got it from |
a gentleman in the interim. He loaded the |
revolver and said, Put that right into YOUR |
pocket Said l, is there any law here against |
carrying a revolver He said, Yes there is. |
but they don't enforce it except against drunken |
people, Where can 1 shoot this?' said 1. He |
says, We'll, you can 60 down to the foot of 18th |
street and fire it off into the river In the course
Of two OF three days q remember it was the |
Saturday night after 1 bought IT'D went down
about seven O'Clock in the evening and shot if |
off twice, that is shot off ten cartridges At the
first shot l was about ten feet from sapling
three inches in diameter, that was stuck into |
the mud, and pulled and struck the sappling.