Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1881-11-24
Guiteau's Trial.
WASHINGTON, Nov. IL


from 1863, until the hour of his death.
answered as follows, the questions OF
the counsel:
QUESTIONABLE you acquainted with
the prisoner at the bar? Have you
ever seen him before?
Answer-I saw him occasionally dur
Ing the months of March, April and
May, not so frequently in May.
Q-Were you in company with the
president at the time of the shooting?
Al was by his side.
Q.-Will you relate to the Jury an
account of the proceedings III your own
manner, so that they will obtain full
narrative of the circumstances as they
ase familiar to you?
Witness-I wish to take directions
as to what point to begin the narrative.
Question-You met the president by
appointment on the morning of the
assassination?
Ans-Yes, sir. On the night of July
1st, l was engaged with the president
until near midnight, on public business;
on parting he suggested had better
call and see him in the morning before
! he left, because there might be some
matters to which he desired to call my
attention. | went to the white house
in the morning, reaching there at 9
o'clock; nor later than three minutes
past was detained some little time
in conference with the president in the
cabinet room and library, very few
minutes; [ then started with him for
the depot, he riding in the car
Stage in which wsnt to the white
house. The state department carriage,
in daily use by myself, following out of
| the white house grounds his own car
riage, in which his children were car
ried, under the conduct of Col Rock
well. We drove down the avenue with
out any notable incident, and at mod
crate speed. On reaching the depot on
the 'B" street side of the ladies' en-
trance, commonly called, we sat few
moments finishing subject on which
we were then conversing, and the pres
ident turned round to say good by"
NO." said I, ~ will escort you" I
a very large crowd surrounded him,
and mattresses were brought, | think,
from the sleeping car, and he was re-
moved to All upper room in the depot.
Medical aid was at hand as soon as pos
ible and an examination made. He was
returned to the white house, reaching
there [ should say, in about so minutes
or possibly an hour. [ now returned
to my own room, and wrote dispatch
to the public, especially to the Euro
pean public, directed to Minister Low
ell, at London. In that dispatch | said
cat this hour, 1920 A. NJ" (The presi-
dent being shot at 9:20 A. M That
enabled me to identify the time at
which the president got to the white
house. He got to the white house
about the time [ got to my house, pos
sibly a little before. These are in brief
the circumstances connected with my
observations. When in the pper
room of the depot there was gather.
ing of the cabinet minister's, who i'm
mediately respaired there from the
cars, there had yet been no report
made of whom it was, but | gave the
information. | saw him run and when
[ went after him, and saw him fall in
to the hands of the police, [ recognized
the man as Guiteau. [ made that
statement to the attending surgeons
and Gen. Sherman before the police
had discovered his name. OF course
the shot being behind my back,
didn't see him with the pistol in his
hand. He did not, in running, nave
the pistol exposed.
thought it not proper that the
president should go entirely unat-
tended. II will escort you," /
said, "and besides I wish to see the
members of the cabinet who are going
to leave with you" With that he
alighted. He had got in, of course,
first at the white house, and that
brought him on the side next to the
pavement at the depot, and as the car
riage was small coupe he got out first
as matter of convenience. He took
my arm as we ascended the steps and
turned to the left-he was on my left
to speak to some one, think police
officer, some officer who had told us
we had ten or twelve minutes time re-
manning. When he turned to speak to
him our arms became disengaged, ac-
cording to my impression, and as we
walked.through the ladies' waiting room
we were not arm in arm but side by side
He had got two-thirds across the room,
when suddenly, without any Fremont
ton whatever, there was very loud
report of stel discharge, followed
in a very brief interval by a second
shot. At the instant I first heard the
report. it occurred to me it was some
trouble between persons to whom we
were in no way concerned-sOme such
deed of violence, and I touched the
president as to hurry him on, as ]
thought there might be some danger to
his person or my own. Just as | did
! that the president kind of threw his
hands up, and said: "My God, what is
this ?" 1t was almost between the shots
that he said this. OF course in so al
J exciting and horrible scene 1 can only
: give the impression, not the abso.
lutte statement. Then there rushed
past me a man. According to my rec
objection, he passed on my right, though
! I am aware this statement must be
taken merely as my impression. i'm
mediately followed after the man, in
stinctively, and went, suppose, dis
+ tance of eight feet. I remember
stopped Just outside the door which lee
from the ladies' waiting room to the
: main room. Then a shout weat up
: 'we have got him. l found the presi
dent had sunk rapidly; he was sinking
as left. I was the first or second per
son who got back to him. He was vom
iting, and I think at that moment wa
unconscious. Of course, Immediately
The district attorney then produced
) diagram Of the depot, in which th'
: tragedy occurred, and at his request
Al ;rJIootoJ ~