New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-28

| life had been spared until dawn Their faces
| lghtened up little for their hope that every
hour of life might bring change in the suffer-
| er's condition. There were not many however,
| who were confident of good news following the bad
in the noon bulletin, and n little knots the side
walk in front of the newspaper offices this opinion
was freely though reluctantly expressed. As the
day wore on toward noon the crowds increased and
the rivalry to read the latest dispatches became
and more intense, Here and there the ordinary
courtesy of awaiting his turn did not to the
average citizen necessary to be Observed and
men pushed each other aside and
almost fought for a place in front of
the bulletins. The news grew more discouraging,
and the dispatch of Secretary Blaine that the Pres-
dents symptoms were of the most alarming charac-
ter was generally accepted a prelude to the
worst.
blaine gives tho truth away every time" ex-
claimed a brawny man, " if the doctors won't. It's
all over with the President now"
A group of well-dressed men echoed the sentiment
and sadly expressed the same opinion. 1t was
noticeable how the affection Of common sorrow
quickly drew together the richly attired and the
poorly clad. There caste at the bulletins.
Merchants arriving at these centres of news
would eagerly accost the first persons they encoun-
tered who had pushed their way through the throngs
after reading the dispatches, and anxiousy in
qure the story they had learned. Workingmen in
blouses who had snatcbed time from their MONDAY
meal to learn the news were conversng about
the calamity equal terms with men of position
and influence. Truckmen hauled their wagons up in
front of the bulletins leaned over their seats and
carefully read the news from beginning to end
Drivers the street-car lines would strive to read
| them they drove past at slackened race, and
sometimes conductor would leave his and
hurry to bulletin for glimpse at the latest dis
| patches. and then regain his car dead run.
Even the vendors that ply their trade around
| the City Hall edging their
way through the crowd and by the aid of ungainly
baskets secured a vantage-ground that could not
have been obtained in any other way. In front of
one of the bulletins, standing like statue, was n
tramp, destitute of hat coat and shoes and looking
as if he had slept in the gutter during the night.
After careful perusal of the dispatches he solicited
the opinion of everybody who approached his
neighborhood. His appearance was repulsive and
few answered his inquiries, turning away with
ill-concealed feelings of disgust at his oathsome
condition. Whenever he was answered by those he
addressed that the President would probably die he
replied by striking a dramatic attitude and shout
ing: "The stars foretold his death this month"; and
as surely there is God in heaven surely will
Garfield die tonight" Then he walked away with
a lofty air in the direction of the river.
The excitement was perceptibly increased by the
report that DR.. Bliss had said that the President
could not recover. That hope should be entirely
abandoned by the most hopeful of the physicians
attending the President generally recognized rs
the most disastrous of the day The gtoups on
the sidewalk cOnversed in still lower key and
sadly specialized the Presidents remaining
hours of life. The belief that he might be spared
day or two longer did not find many advocates The
worst it was feared. would come very soon and men
fingered long in the vicinity of the bulletins
as if expecting momentariy the dreaded
tdings of death. The cries of newsboys
with extras" formed a continuous chorus and
heir nf
asked and readily obtained for the papers, men
in their eagemess often hurrying their way with
out waiting for change. The boys did not confine
their cries to the headlines of the papers, which
were sensational enough, but sometimes shouted
that the President was dead, and that all Washing
| ton was in mourning. An irate old gentleman who
had been imposed upon IN this way, administered n
wholesome whipping TO youth, in domestic
| fashion, and then resumed his walk with an air of
| satisfaction.
The pathetic struggle of the President for life and
his long and painful illness common subjects
| of sympathetic remark
"The Nation had partially recovered from the
shock of July q" said a well dressed man to knot
of listeners "and we all hoping for the best
when this bad news came like fresh calamity II
wond have been better for him to have died where he
| fell that day than for our hopes to be raised and
then dashed to the ground. But suppose Priv-
| "Providencew exclaimed one listener. '"There
can't be Providence IN noble man like that being
Alarge element of the crowds drifted from bulle-
TIN to bulletin anxious to gather each detail of
| news. The efforts of policemen to clear the side
| walks were frnitless, and when passage had been
| made it would be quickly filled again by new ar
| rivals Occasionally the crowd would extend out
into tho street and narrow escapes from injury by
wagons were not lnfreqqcnt In addition to the ex-
pressOns of grief over the Presidents alarming con-
ditiOn, words of sympathy and admiration for Mrs
Garfield were heard on every hand. Her untiring
devotion and unfaltering hope subiectsof ire
quent comment among all the classes of citizens and
great satisfaction was expressed that she and her
| family had been provided for i'll the event of her
| husbands death
The feeling that Guiteau should be lynched has
more advocates among certain classes in this CITY
| than is generally supposed This was evident
Yesterday in Printing House Square Fiery threats
| of vengeance were INDUCED in by men who prophe-
| sled popular uprising i'll Washington 10 sack the
| Jail.
| " / would go to Washington Tomorrow said
bright young man in working mans dress /" if there
| was any movement started there to get hold of
| Guiteau I'd raise the money to 90 somehow and Ri
be glad to put at least one bullet into his cowarflv
| hulk"
| they try to put him IN an insane asylum. He's no
| more insane than am"
well, / think he will he lynched anyhow" said
a third" I've lived III Washington dozen years,
and know there are just the fellows there who
| would he glad to get the job"
| Criticism on the medical treatment of the Presi-
| dent was frequently heard the street corners
and the different phases of the extended medical
controversy over the discussed at differ
ent times in all their bearings. That the ball was
tunate decision on the part of the physicians. Fa-
| vorite medical authorities quoted from among
the physicians in this city in support of this view
while Others declared that everything possible had
been ne to alleviate the Presidents condition and
prolong his life. In the midst of the crowds were
noticed boys copying the bulletins paper pads
| and then hurrying away. They sent out IRON
various offices by their employers who were anxious
| to learn the latest news.