Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-07-18


stories published Justify me In stating
that the following is a correct and accu.
rate statement concerning the point TO
which reference is made: The assassin.
Charles Guiteau, came to Washington
city on Sunday evening. March fa.b
1851, and stopped at the Ebbitt House.
remaining only one day. He then Sc
| cured a room in another part of the citv
| and has boarded and roomed AZ vari.
| Gus places, the full details os
which | have. On Wednesday. Nav
18th. 1881, the assassin determined to
murder the President He had neither
money nor pistol at the time. About
the last of May he went into O'Meara's
store, corner of Fifteenth and f streets.
in this city, and examined some pistols.
asking for the largest calibre, He was
shown two, similar in calibre, and only
different in the price. On Wednesday,
June otn, he purchased the pistol which
he used, for which he paid $40. he
having In the meantime borrowed &15 of
a gentleman In this city, on the plea that
he wanted to pay his board bill. On the
| same evening about z O'clock he took
the pistol and went to the foot of Seven
teenth street and pracIced firing at a
board, firing ten shots He then re-
turned to bis boarding place and wiped
the pistol dry and wrapped it in his
coat, and waited his opportunity. On
Sunday morning, June 10, he was sitting
in Lafayette Park and saw the President
leave for the Christian Church, Oh Yer
mont avenue, and he at once returned to
his room, obtained his pistol, put it in
his hip pocket and followed the Presi.
dent to church; he entered the church,
but found he could not kill him there
without danger Of killing some one else.
He noticed that the President sat near a
window; after church he made an ex-
animation of the window, and found he
could reach it without any trouble, and
that from this point he could shoot the
President through the head without
killing any one else The following
Wednesday he went to the church,
examined the location and the window.
and became satisfied he could accomplish
his purpose, and he determined, there
fore, to make the attempt at the church
the following Sunday He learned
from the papers that the President would
leave the city on Saturday, the 18th of
June, with Mrs Garfield, for Long
Branch; he therefore determined to meet
him at the depot He left his boarding
place about O'clock Saturday morning,
June 18th, and went down to the river.
at the foot of 18th street, and fired five
shots to practice his aim and be certain
his pistol was in good order. He then
went to the depot, and was in the
ladies' waiting room of the depot,
with his pistol ready, when the
Presidential party entered. He saws
Mis-. Garfield looked so weak and
frail that he had not the heart to
shoot the President in her presence, and
as he knew he would have another op-
portunity he left the depot. He had
| previously engaged a carriage to take
him to the Jail. On Wednesday even
ing the President and his son, and l
think United States Marshal Henry,
went out for ride. The assassin took
his pistol and followed them and
watched them for some time in hopes
| the carriage would stop, but no oppor-
tunity was given. On Friday evening,
July 1st, he was sitting on the seat in
the park opposite the White House,
when he saw the President come out
alone; he followed him down the ave-
nue. to Fifteenth street, and then
kept on the opposite side of the
street up Fifteenth. until the Presi-
dent entered the residence of Secretary
Blaine. He waited at the corner of Mr.,
Morton's late residence, corner 18th and
II. for some time, and then, as he was
afraid he would attract attention, he
went into the alley IN the rear of Mr..
Morton's residence, examined his pistol
and waited. The President and Secre-
tary Blaine came out together, and he
followed them over to the gate of the
White House, but could get no oppor-
tunity to use his weapon. On the morn
ing of Saturday, July 2, he breakfasted
at the Riggs House about o'clock. He
then walked up into the park and sat
there for an hour. He then took
One-horse Avenue car and rode
to 9th street, got out and went
into the depot and loitered
around there, had his shoes BACKED. en-.
gagged hackman for two dollars TO take
him to the Jail, went into the water
closet and took his pistol out of his hin
pocket and unwrapped the paper from
around it. which he had put there for
the purpose of preventing the perspira-
tion from the body dampening The pow
der, examined his pistol, carefully tried
the trigger, and then returned ard took
seat in the ladies' waiting room. and
as soon as the President entered. adj
vanced behind him and fired two shots.
These facts, think, can be relied upon
as accurate. and | give them to the pub.
lie to contradict certain false rumors in
connection with this most atrociOus of
atrOcious crimes"
Colonel Corkhill says that the paper is
by no means "Guiteau's confession" but
merely narrative of ascertained facts.
derived sometimes from Guiteau and
corroborated; sometimes from other
parties and corroborated. 1t is in few
words what the District Attorney con.
siders to be complete report of such of
Guiteau's movements as have a relation
to his attempt to assassinate the Pressi-
dent. Guiteau's own statement Is still
in possession of the District Attorney.
and Colonel Corkhill is not disposed to
put reliance in all its statements
The District Attorney, in company
with the Minister from Venezuela,
visited the Baltimore and Poto-
mac depot, and Senor Camaceo. who
was an eye witness of the shooting.
pointed out to Col. CoIkhill the location
OF all the parties whom he knew at the
time the shooting took place. The mar
ration necessarily took very much more
time than the transaction, which the
Minister says is photographed on his
brain. When he first saw Guiteau raise
the pistol, the assassin's features were
set as OF marble, and his air was that of
calm, determined man. The first shot
fired took effect, the President staggered
and threw up his arm, and in an instant
the assassin became agitated and shot the
second time more at random. Then all
appearance of determination and firm
ness seemed to leave him, and his look
seemed full of terror as he turned TO fly
and heard cry of Kill him." This"
said the District Attorney, corresponds
with all other well founded statements.
The deed of murder done, as Guiteau
supposed, his only thought was TO escape
the peoples fury and gain the shelter of
the jail" He is, the District Attorney
thinks. an arrant coward, who had
braced himself up to that one deed Of
blood, and then found that all his cour-
age f0rsook him