Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-11-30


mont that make them horrible to con
template. No words can faithfully
depict the scenes of that fatal JUL
morning. twas bright and beautiful
and as the morning sunlight gilded th,
dome Of the Capitol, IFS rays fell upor
a city adorned with all the luxurian
loveliness OF Summer leaf and flower
| The President, wearied with officia
cares, was especially joyous at his ap
preaching vacation. HIS official life
had been one of anxiety and labor, buI
on this occasion he was bright with
hope for the future. He was on hii
way to join convalescent wife al
Long Branch, and then to visit the
college from which he had graduated
and to join with comrades of his stu
dent life in q reunion in the halls OF bis
alma mater, 1t was TO him an ap
preaching season of great pleasure
and he started from the Executive
Mansion, in company with the Secre
tary Of State, for the depot, buoyant
and glad.
Early on the morning of July %
last, the prisoner at the bar made
preparation for tho murder. Break.
fasting at the Riggs House he took
the fearful weapon that he had pre-
viously obtained, and going to the foot
of 18th Street, away from residences
and beyond observation, he planted
a stick in the soft mud on tho river
bank where the tide had gone out and
deliberately practised his aim and test.
ed his weapon He intended there
should be no failure in the accomplish
ment Of the crime for which he had
been preparing Returning, he took
with him a small bundle OF papers and
went to the Baltimore and Potomac
railroad depot at halEpast eight o'clock
p. NJ, an hour before the arrival of
the President. After reaching the
depot be went TO the news stand and
left certain papers, with a letter ad-
dressed to Byron Andrews, a CORE.
spondeut Of the Chicago Inter. Ocean,
and q package addressed TO Mr.. Pres.
ton, OF tho New York Herald, and
then went into the closet, carefully
examined bis weapon, placed it in his
pocket, returned, and went outside to
the pavement, had his boots blacked,
and then, in order to avoid the swift
vengeance Of an outraged community,
which he has properly feared, engaged
hack TO take HIM, as he said, to the
Congressional buTying ground, this
point being near the jail, then entered
the waiting.room to watch for his
victim.
All unconscious of this preparation
for bis murder, President Garfield, in
company with Secretary Blame, ar.
rived at tho depot, and for iow mo.
ments remained in the carriage in
conversation. While thus occupied
the assassin stood gazing at them
waiting and watching for favorable
opportunity for the porpetration of the
deed.
The President and tho Secretary of
State aligbted from the carriage; with
his usual courtesy President Garfield
hesitated q moment on the step to
acknowledge the salutation of the
policeman at the door, and then entered
the depot. He had gone but a few
steps when the assassin, lurking in the
rear, stepped up behind him, and
pointing his pistol with deliberate aim,
fired at his back the first shot no
doubt doing its fatal work. The
President shuddered, staggered and
attempted to turn, when another shot
was fired and he fell, bleeding, to the
floor, unconscious. Tho horror that
seized every one may be imagined, but
no words can describe it. The ball
from the assassin's pistol had entered
the middle Of the back Of the Presi-
dent, about three inches to the right
of the back bone, inficting fearful
wound, which resulted in his death
after nearly three months Of pain and
suffering.
And here the story of this crime
might legally end. The unlawful
killing of any reasonable creature by Il
person of sound memory and discro-
ton, with malice aforethought either
expressed or implied is murder. The
motives and intentions Of an individual
who commits crime are OF necessity
known to him alone No human
power can penetrate the recesses Of the
heart No eye but the eye OF God
can discern the motives for human
action. The law wisely says that
mans motives shall be judged from his
acts, 30 that If one kill another sud.
denly without any provocation the law
implies malice. If a man uses q deadly
weapon it is presumed he intended to
commit murder, and in general the law
presumes n man to intend the natural
consequences Of his act. Were there
nothing more against the accused than
the occurrences of the morning of July
%, the evidence Of his crime would be
complete and you would be authorized
to conclude that he ielonlously, will.
fully, and with malice alorethought
did kill and murder James A. Garfield.
Bot crme is never natural. Tho man
who attempts to violate the laws Of
God and society goes contrary to the
ordinary course OF human action. lie
is world to himself He is against
society, against organization and Of
necessity hia action can never be
measured by the rules governing men
in the everyday transactions Of life.
No criminal ever violated the laws, who
did not leave the traces of his crime
distinct aud clear when once dIscov.
cred. So in this case we can only add
to the enormity of this otfense by
showing you its origin, its conception
and the plans adopted for its execution,
One year ago the llth day Of the
present month, no addressed to Hon.
VIM. Nj. Evarts, then Secretary Of
State, the following letter:
NEW YonK, November II, 1850.
Hon, Wa. NJ Erarfs
DEAR sth I wish to ask you question. II
President GARFIELD appoints Mr.. A. TO q foreign
mission docs that fupeucde President Hayes
commission for the zane appointment Do not
all foreign ministers, appointed by President
Hayes, retire on March 9Th nexti Please an
sgcr mo At The Fifth Avsnue Hotel at your EARL.
est oonytni'ucc. ] an solid for General Gar6eld
and may get an important appointment from him
next Spring, cnARLrs GuirEAu.
At this time over q year ago 1t will
bo seen he had in his mind an applica-
tion for, and expected OF, receiving an
office under the approaching admins.
tration. In persuance Of that hope
the prisoner came TO this city on the
afternoon of the 9th of last March, no
doubt believing that he would receive
at the hands OF an administration ho
supposed ho had assisted in placing in
potVav auah racouuifion "a appnrding