The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1881-11-24
Guiteau'S Trial.
WASHINGTON, Nov. II

WASHINGTON, Nov. II.
Mr.. Blaine, after giving his nam
and stating that he was the presen
secretary of state, and that he wa
acquainted with James A. CARTEL,
from 1868, until the hour of his death
answered as follows, the questions O
the COUNSEL
QUESTIONABLE you acquainted witt
the prisoner at the bar? Have 20,
ever seen him before?
Answer-I saw him occasionally dur
Ing the months of March, April AM
May, not SO frequently in May.
Q-Were you in company with tn,
president at the time of the shooting
Al was by his side.
Q.-Will you relate to the jury al
account fthe proceedings in your owl
manner, 50 that they will obtain ful
narrative of the circumstances as the,
ase familiar to you?
Witness-I wish to take directions
as to what point to begin the narrative
Question-You met the president by
appointment on the morning of tn,
assassination?
Ans.-Yes, sir. On the night of July
!st, was engaged with the presiden
until near midnight, on public business
On parting he suggested I had better
call and see him in the morning before
he left, because there might be some
matters to which he desired to call my
attention. l went to the white house
IN the morning, reaching there at
O'Clock; nor later than three minutes
past. was detained some little time
in conference with the president in the
cabinet room and library, very few
minutes; | then started with him fol
the depot, he riding in the car
Stage in which I wsnt to the white
house. The state department carriage
in daily use by myself, following out Of
the white house grounds his own car.
riage, in which his children were car
ried, under the conduct of Col. Rock.
we'll. We drove down the avenue with,
out any notable incident, and at mod.
crate speed. On reaching the depot or
the "B' street side of the ladies' en-.
trance, commonly called, We sat few
moments finishing a subject on which
we were then conversing, and the pres,
ident turned round to say good by
"No," said l, 81 will escort you"
a very large crowd surrounded him
and mattresses were brought, l think
from the sleeping car, and he was re-
moved to an upper room in the depot
Medical aid was at hand as soon as pos.
ible and an examination made. He was
returned to the white house, reaching
there I should say, in about so minutes
Or possibly an hour. l now returned
to my own room, and wrote dispatch
to the public, especially to the Euro
psan public, directed to Minister Low.
ell, at London. In that dispatch I said
cat this hour, 1920 A. NJ" THE presi
dent being shot at 9:2O A. M Tha,
enabled me to identify the time al
which the president got to the white
house. He got to the white house
about the time | got to my house, pos.
sibly little before. These are in briel
the circumstances connected with my
observations. When in the up pe1
room of the depot there was gather.
ing Of the cabinet minister's, who i'm
mediately respaired there from the
cars, there had vet been no report
made of whom it vas, but I gave the
information. saw him run and when
l went after him, and saw him fall in
to the hands of the police, l recognized
the man as Guiteau. I made that
statement to the attending surgeons
and Gen. Sherman before the police
had discovered his name. OF course
the shot being behind my back,
didn't see him with the pistol in his
hand. He did not, in running, nave
the pistol exposed.
thought it not proper that the
president should 60 entirely unat.
tended. II will escort you,"
said, "and besides l wish to see the
members Of the cabinet who are going
to leave with you" With that he
alighted. He had got in, of course,
first at the white house, and that
brought him on the side next to the
pavement at the depot, and as the car
riage was small coupe he got out first
as matter of convenience. He took
my arm as we ascended the steps and
turned to the left-he was on my left
to speak to some one, think q police
officer, some officer who had told us
we had ten or twelve minutes time re-
manning. When he turned to speak to
him our arms became disengaged, ac-
cording to my impression, and as we
ked!through the ladies' waiting room
we were not arm in arm but side by side.
He had got two thirds across the room,
when suddenly, without any premoni-
ton whatever, there was very loud
report of q p stel discharge, followed
in a very brief interval by second
shot. At the instant l first heard the
report, it occurred to me it was some
trouble between persons to whom we
were in no way concerned-some such
deed Of violence, and l touched the
president SIS to hurry him on, as l
thought there might be some danger to
his person or my own. Just as did
that the president kind of threw his
lldIluo u duN ShIu' Al SOu, WlldV IL
this ?" It was almost between the shots
that he said this. Of course in SO an
exciting and horrible scene I can only
give the impression, not the abso-
lutte statement. Then there rushed
past me a man. According to my rec.
objection, ne passed on my right, though
| am aware this statement must be
taken merely as my impression. l inn
mediately followed after the man, in,
stinctively, and went, suppose, dis
tance of eight feet. I remember !
stopped just outside the door which led
from the ladies waiting room to the
main room. Then a shout weat up,
eve have got him." I found the presi.
dent had sunk rapidly; he was sinking
as 1 left. l was the first or second per.
son who got back to him. He was vom.
iting, and / think at that moment was
unconscious. OF course, Immediately
The district attorney then produced
diagram of the depot, in which the
tragedy occurred, and at his request
the witness indicated the positions oc