The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-07-09
The Shooting of the President.
Particulars Of the Crime-Arrest Of the
Assassin, Charles j. Guiteau, Disap-
pointed Office Seeker.

The suboined account OF the attemp-
ted assassination Of President Garfield at
tile Baltimore AND Potomac railroad
depot, Washington city, last Saturday
morning, is culled from Associated
Press kilograms and special dispatches
to the New Orleans Democrat:
1t had been we'll known for several DAYS
that the President. accompanied by several
members Of his Cabinet and their ladies
would leave Washington Saturday morning
for two weeks trip in New England
Mrs. Garfield was to be one Of the party.
Her sojourn ut Long Branch had complete
ly restored her 10 health, and Gen. Swain
had been sent to Elberon to escort her to
New York, where she was to have joined
the President this afternoon. Two sons and
q daughter OF Gen. Garfield were with their
mother, while the two elder boys, James
and Henry, were to have accompanied their
father.
1t was within five minutes Of the time of
surfing when the Presidents carriage
drove up to the b street entrance to the
depot Mr.. Blaine and Gen. Garfield
aliglitcd from the carriage and walked arm
in-arm up the stone steps leading to the la
dies waiting room. From this room doors
open into the large waiting loom Tor gentle
ACu, which IL WIS necessary 1Of
the President to pass to reach the train.
While Gen. Garfield an. the Secretary of
State were passing through the ladies'
room into the main apartment and engaged
Ill rapid conversation, u man d;trteu i'll from
another door leading into the main room,
stepped quickly behind the President, and.
drawing IL large revolver from his pocket,
fired two shots in quick succession.
At the second shot the President stag
Unrpn and foil tn tl,n II a nf tIa
most intense excitement followed. There
was larger crowd present at the depot
than usual, many persons having been at
tracted there to see the President and the
members Of the Cabinet. AS soon as the re-
ports of the pistol were heard a rush was
made for the ladies' waiting ROOM Some
body shouted, Blaine is murdered" but
the Secretary of State rushed tranticaliy
into the main room, shouting for Col. Rock
well. Mrs. White, the woman in charge Of
the waiting room was The first to reach the
President. She lifted up his head. lie was
deathly pale, but retained consciousness
His son bent over his father and sobbed
frantically. The Secretary Of State could
hardly reprcss his emotion. Mr.. Jameson
and others called upon the police to disperse
the crowd that the President might have
air. A small space was made, but the po-
Icemcn were absolutely powerless to pre-
serve order.
The news Of the assassination flew along
the streets with electric swiftness, and with
Ill ton minutes there were over a thousand
people at the station. The members OF the
Cabinet and their wives were notified Of the
event, and the gentlemen rushed from the
car into the station, while the ladies were
lett in a state of speechcss suspense.
AS soon as those who surrounded the
President recovered their almost paralyzed
senses, i. mattress was brought down from
the Pullman Office and the President was
laid upon it. Blood was oozing from his
wounds and soaking through his clothes
upon the floor He von,ited protuscly. lie
through the large waiting room and up stairs
into one OF the private offices. The officers
succeeded but poorly i'll keeping the crowd
back, and the outer doors of the dcpot were
closed and fastened against them. Physi-
clans were Immediately summoned. Those
called were DR.. D. NJ. Bliss, who was placed
in charge Of the case; DR.. G. NJ. Ford. Dr.
Harrington, U. S. A., DR.. J. J. Wood, U. s.
A., DR.. Townshend, Robert Rey burn, Sur
seon General Wales, Surgeon Basil Norris
DIR. Lincoln and DR.. Patterson. A prelimi.
nary examination Of the wound was made
at the depot, but it was deemed best to re
move the President to the White House.
whittier he was transported in an ambulance.
Mrs: Garfield was telegr;phetl for and ar
rived III 9 few hours on u special train.
Meantime the assassin had not been al
lowed to escape. After firing the shots he
started at a rapid pace through the main
waiting room, apparently intending to es-
cape by the entrance on Sixth street. He
held the smoking revolver i'll his hand, but
was prevented from passing by the crowd
which pushed towards the spot where the
President was lying He turned sharp
about. passed within ten feet OF his victim
n a ffAJ tad t1.f 1,1.<l
trance, through which the President had
just passed. A policeman named kearney
was standing on the corner OF Sixth and
streets when the shots were fired, and he
ran to the entrance on the last named
street just i'll time to meet Gutcau as he
was coming out of the door. Without know
ing that he was the assassin, but attracted
by the mans desire to get away, the officer
grabbed him and held him as in q vice.
Guiteau struggled Il little to get away, his
shirt being torn in the encounter. but
special officer Scott came to kearneys as
sistance, and the murderer submitted quiet
ly. Yes, said the assassin, 9 have Killed
Garfield. Arthur is President of the init, d
States. am a stalwart. | have q letter
that will tell you all about it. want you
to take it up to Secretary Shcrman.'
The wonld-bc assassin proved to be
Charles J. Guite;lu of Chicago, Il SINISTER
lawyer who had been persistently hut
Intellectually seeking an appointment to
some foreign consulate. There has been
no evidence discovered to Indicate that
any one was implicated with him in the
attempt to take the Presidents life The
suhjoined letter Was found on Guitcau's
person:
July ,, lS3l.-The White Housc.-The
Presidents tragic death was a sad necessity.
but it Will unite the Republican party and
save the republic. Life is i; hinlsy dream.
and it matters little when one goes. A n,l,
man life is of small value; durin" the war
thousands OF brave boys went down without
i tear. presume that the President was /.
Christian. and that he will be happier in
paradise than here. 1t will be no worse for
Mrs. Garfield, dear SOUL to part with her
husband this way than by natural death
He Is liable to go at any time. ANY way. |
,ad 10 i'll will toward the President; his
lcatll was i political necessity. am !, Stall
wart of the Stalwarts; was with Gen, Grant
md tho rest OF our men i'll New York during |
the canvass; l have some papers for the |
press, which shall leave with Byron An
lrews and his co journalists l41O New York
Avenue. where all the reporters can see |
.hcm. am going to the Jail.
CHARLES GUITEAU.
Shortly after the assassin's arrest this
note was found in the street, enclosed in
N unsealed envelope and addressed to
len. Sherman or his first assistant in |
;harse Of the War Department:
10 Gen. Sherman:
have just Shot the President. shot him |
several times as wished him to 90 as easily
rs possible. His death was a political ne
'cssity. | am a lawyer, a thcoIosi;n a Dol.
tlcan. | am Il St;lwart of the Stalwarts
was with Gen. Grant and the rest of our
men i'll New York during the canvass | am
GOING to the jail. Please order out Your
r"opS and take possession Of the jail ut