Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-07-08

against the President personally, l helped
to elect him.
Reporter-Had you no fears Of future
punishment !?
Guiteau-Not at all. What did was
for the benefit of the Republican party
and the public. 1 have no fear but mat IT,
will be liberated. l am a stalwart of the
stalwarts. l know Vice President Arthur
and General Grant very we'll.
Replying to question as to his insanity
he said: II had two cousins in the insane
asylum once. My only other relatives liv-
ing are sister IN Chicago and brcthe'
in Boston," =,
Reporter-Did you think your act would
make a martyr OF your
Guiteau-I had no such thought. l
knew that it was necessary for some one
| to retire Garfield, and l made up my MIND
to do it and save the country and the par
ty, am truly sorry that my act has
caused him so much pain, but knew Of
no easier way to rid the Republican party
of him than by the bullet. My only mo-
| tive was to have a stalwart for President.
He was asked how he had rested. and
replied: "This is the first rest have had
in six weeks. This thing has been on my
mind and 1 could not sleep. Now that it
is over, my only wish is that he may not
recover and make my act fruitless. Ny
mind would be perfectly at rest If he died,
and | DO not fear any consequences
HOW THE NEWS WAS RECEIVED BY THE
PRESIDENTS WIFE.
Mrs. Garfield had just returned from the
dining room, at the hotel at ElberOn, N.
j., where she had breakfasted, and was
pleasantly chatting with her daughter
Mollie and Mrs. Colonel Rockwell and her
daughter when General Swain entered.
Their conversation was on the expected
| trip to Jersey City to meet the President.
| General Swain first remarked that he had
| received serious news from Washington,
which would interfere with their proposed
| trip, as the President was unable to leave
the capital. All the ladies in the room
Immediately inquired the nature OF that
which caused the delay. General Swain
replied that the President had met with
an accident and that probably it would be
necessary for them to 60 to Washington
Immediately. Little by little he broke the
news to them, saying that the first reports
| were probably exaggerated, that they
| would find the President better on their
arrival, and that they need not be in any
| fear of his death. Mrs. Garfield had been
nerving herself for this last announcement
all through the Generals remarks, and
when she at last fully learned that the
President had been wounded her face
blanched somewhat and her hand trembled
as she grasped chair to support herself.
| She sank into the chair quietly and her
head fell upon her breast. She did not cry
out nor moan, but tears trickled down her
| face. Then rousing herself she quietly
| said to General Swain:
I'VE must 60 to Washington immedi-
ately."
The ladies gathered around her and Of
| fered their sympathies, and little M0llle
| Garfield crept up close to her mother and
| threw her arms around her neck. The
girl IS eyes were filled with tears, but, iml-
| Eating her mother, she made no cutlery and
only expressed a wish to ''go to papa y
Mrs. Colonel Rockwell and her daughter
cared for Mrs. Garfield and began to make
ready for their journey, while Gen. Swain
| left the room to ascertain the quickest
| means of reaching Washington.
| A few minutes afterwards he entered
| and gave the following telegram to Mrs.
Garfield:
'slMrs. Garfield, Elberor, Long Branch:
s'The President wishes me to say to you
| from him that he has been seriously hurt.
How seriously he cannot say. He is him.
self, and hopes you will come to him soon.
He sends his love to you.
ga. F. ROCKWELL"
A large throng of the cottagers and Wis
itors at Long Branch now filled the par
lors of the Elberon, all anxious to offer
their personal sympathy to Mrs. Garfield.
General Grant was at his cottage few
hundred yards above the Elberon when
the news was brought to him. He did not
believe it at first, but Immediately drove
| down to the hotel, and there the story was
confirmed. He met General Swain as the
latter came from Mrs. Gar6eld's apart
| ments. The two hastily interchanged a
few words, and then General Grant went
alone to Mrs. Garfeld's room. Those who
were present represent the meeting as
most affecting. General Grants counte-
nance plainly betrayed his intense sorrow
and bis great sympathy for Mrs. Garfield.
She endeayored to rise from her chair to
welcome General Grant, but he requested
her not to rise and gently offered her his
sincerest sympathies. lie remained few
minutes conversing with her and encour.
aging her to hope for the best. He did not
STAY moment in the hotel, when he went
down stairs, but Immediately entered bis
carriage and drove away to his cottage.
THE ARRIVAL OF MRS. GARFIELD AT THE
| WHITE HOUSE.
| ter, Miss Mollie, and her oldest son. Harry
arrived in Washington, about 1880 O'Clock
that evening, the train having been de-
| layed fifteen minutes at Bowie Station by
an accident to the engine, a piston. rod
blowing out. They were met at the depot
| by Attorney General MacVeagh, Col
! Rockwell and Major swain, who followed
them to the White House in another car
riage. They arrived there at 7:45 ana en-
| tered by the rear door, thus avoiding the
| crowd at the avenue entrance. which in
| OF < n3o1na1r until fhorc
were at least 5000 persons present, the
crowd reaching from Fifteenth to Seven
teenth streets, scattered about in groups
| Mrs. Blaine stood on the rear pOrticC
with the Presidents second Oldest son
James, and assisted Mrs. Garfield out OF
( the carriage, kissing her and urging hel
to be calm. Mrs. Garfield answered, sob
yesl" and sprang out of the carriage, going
| up the stairs supported on one side by her
son and on the other by Mrs. Blaine, Miss
Mollie following with her brother James.
On entering the room the President recog-
| niZed them, and moved as il he wanted To
sit up and receive her embrace, but failing
in this, remained quiet. The scene was a
sad one, and brought tears to the eyes OF
all who were in the room. Surrounding
the bed where the President lay were
| several cabinet offices and their wives,
Justice Harlan, of the United States Su-
preme Court; Gen. Sherman, the several
surgeons, and others. In other rooms of
tue mansion were Mrs. Gen. Sherman
Mrs. Rockwell, Gen. Raum, the Commits
sioner of Internal Revenue, and wife, Mrs.
Gilillan, Treasurer Gilfllan and others.
Mrs. Garfield remained most of the even
ing at his bedside, until requested by him
to seek rest for herself, when she quietly
withdrew. Upon leaving the sick cham
Der after her first visit Mrs. Garfield
said confidently to the ladies who met her
in the corridor: HE will not die" an
| opinion to which she has since chung
Later events fortified this opinion, and
when she left the President for the night
she said to her friends, cheerily referring
Ia !, oondition. I'll no