St. Landry democrat., 1881-07-09
Attempted Assassination OF
President Garfield.

entered the depot in Washington City,
to leave Oh the cars which were about
to start. While they were passing
through the ladies' room, man darted
in behind the President, stuck a.
calibre English bulldog pistol at his
back and fred two shots. The first ball
struck him in the right arm below the
elbow, and the other entered the right
side just below the ribs and about three
and half inches from the back bone,
and, it seems, went diagonally across
instead of straight through. The ball
did not go through, nor has it been
found by the surgeons. Since that time
the President has been vibrating be-
tween life aud death, with the chances
in favor OF the latter; and if he should
survive, it will be owing to the goodness
of his constitution and to his temperate
habits.
Nothing has ever happened in this
country that shocked the whole people
so profoundly. The assassination of
President Lincoln occurred at a time
when the two sections had hardly ceased
against each otheraa bloody and relent-
less war, when the North was rejoicing
over victory and the South sorrowing
over defeat and utterly detected with
forebodings of greater trouble. But
sixteen years after the war, with all
sectional differences settled, no political
campaign on hand, with Republican
president elected entirely by the North,
with the vote of every Southern State
against him, but at the same time per-
fectly acceptable to the whole South as
we'll as the North for such President,
under such circumstances, to be shot
down in the broad light of day, i'll the
capital of the country, by one of his
own party, and " stalwart of the
stalwarts," and for no other reason than
that it was political necessity is
enough to destroy our faith in repub-
lican government.
THE ASSASSIN.
His name is Charles Guitteau. He
was promptly arrested, and imprisoned.
When arrested he exclaimed, "Yes, |
have killed Garfield. Arthur is Presi-
dent of the United States. l am a
stalwart. / have a letter that will tell
you all about it. want you to take it
up to Secretary Sherman
THE PRISONERS REASONS FOR THE AS
sAsSINATION.
The following letter was taken from
the prisoners pocket at police head
Gully 2, 18s1-The White House-The
Presidents tragic death was sad
necessity, but it will unite the Repub-
lican party and save the republic. Life
! is a f1imsy dream, and it matters little
when one goes. A human life is of
small value; during the war thousands
of brave boys went down without a
tear. | presume that the President
was Christian, and that he will be
| happier in Paradise than here. 1t will
to part with her husband this way than
by natural death. He is liable to go at
any time. Anyway, had no ill will
toward the President; his death was a
political necessity. l am a lawyer, a
theologian and politician; | am a
| Stalwart Of the Stalwarts; | was with
Gen. Grant and the rest of our men in
New York during the canvass; | have
some papers for the press, which shall
leave with Byron Andrews and his CO.
journalists, 1890 New York avenue,
where all the reporters can see them.
l am going to the Jail.
A LETTER TO SHERMAN.
The following letter was found in the
street shortly after Guitteau's arrest
the envelope unsealed, and addressed
to Gen. Sherman or his first assistant in
charge of the war department:
To Gen. Sherman:
have Just shot the President. shot
him several times as wished him to &C
as easily as possible. His death was {
political necessity. [ am a lawyer, {
theologian, politician. am
sTALwART OF THE sTALWARTs.
Twas with Gen. Grant and the rest O.
our men in New York during the can
; vass. I am going to the Jail. Please
order out your troops and take posses
sion of the Jail at once.
Very respectfully,
CHARLES GU1TTEAU.
GU1TTEAU's GRIEVANCE.
J. E. Grudeau, the librarian at thu
nayy-yard, appeared at the department
of Justice to-day, and made a statemen
with regard to Guitteau. He says h
,, has been in the habit of coming Their
; to read, and has also talked to TIN
employees. He was always complainin!
: of Garfield and Blaine, particularly tn
, latter. He said he was with Charlie.
Farweli in the Illinois fight for Blaine
! and that the latter had promised hin
, a consulship, but had neglected to Civ
= fl to him, and had treated him YER
j, badly. He said he would have hi
revenge yet on the administration, talk
3 ing in the most threatening name
}, always when he mentioned the head
of the government, so that Grndea
was not surprised at the deed OF to-day
j. GUIFFEAU's HIsTORY-A DEAD BEAT.
!, CHICAGO, Julys.-Charley J. G uitteat
9 who shot President Garfield this morn
. ing, has been known in Chicago for tn
east twelve years, and for much OF tn
time has been considered as more tina
q blood in his veins, but was to all ar
pearance an American. He wore h
i hair brushed I'D in front, giving h
d face a startling look. When he fri
g arrived in Chicago he began practicin
law, He married sister of Geo. SCI
Vile, : well,known lawyer here, an
u lived out the place, but being of
o shiftless character he became nuisanc
d and was finally forbidden his house b
! Scoville.
). After living in a precarious fashio
9 here for some time, he went to Ne
] York. only to return in 1878. He the