Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-09-20
A RETROSPECT.
The Assassin's Shot and its Results.
A HISTORY OF THE CASE.


The President was shot in the Baltimore and
Potomac depot about half-past nine o'clock on
the morning of July Cd. The scenes about
the depot will neverbe effaced from the memory
Of those who witnessed them. The excitement
was wild. The President was on his way north.
He was to join Mrs Garfield in New York and
make pleasure tour through New England,
stopping first at Williams College, where he
was to be distinguished guest of his anna ma
ter on the 18th of July-the commencement day.
He was shot down in the ladies' waiting-room
as he entered the depot, accompanied by
Secretary Blaine. Charles ]. Guiteau, the as
sassln, who, as he afterwards confessed had de-
liberately planned the murder of the President,
and had for two weeks watched and followed
him, had been waiting for half an hour or
more at the depot. AS the President passed into
the building, the assassin came forward and
fired two shots in quick succession. The Presi-
dent fell to the ground, as it was believed, NOR
tally wounded. The assassin was at once cap
tured by the police and hurried off to place of
custody. Almost instantly swaying crowd of
people gathered about the depot. Such scenes
of excitement, as followed are seldom witnessed
in one mans life. The President was at once
A few minutes after he fell, he was removed to
one of the offices in the second floor of the build
ing, and there. he at once dictated an assuring
and comforting dispatch to Mrs. Garfield. 1t
was found that but one of the balls had struck
him. The bullet, which was A caliber, had en-
tered above the third rib, about three and a.
half inches to the right of the spinal column.
The course taken by the ball was uncertain
matt
cured he was removed in the police ambuia nee
to the White House. The attending physicians.
it is understood, will hereafter make complete
and exhaustive report of the case, which is one
which will always be studied with interest by
surgeons. The following is hasty review
OF the main points The first bulletin issued
about 10 o'clock on the day of the shooting and
said, Pulse fell from 15S to 1885, temperature
". Respiration clear, and condition seem
to be at this writing favorable" At
noon it was reported that there was
no perceptible change noticeable. It was
understood that his wound was mortal,
and that his death was only a question of few
hours. The only ray of hope was found in the
very uncertainty concerning the course of the
ball. as it was possible that no vital organ had
been touched. At six o'clock in the evening
at the bedside of her husband and began that
faithful watch which continued for so many long.
weary weeks afterwards. The following day
cheering news came from the White House that
the President might recover. On the morning
of the 4th Drs. Agnew, of Philadelphia, and
Hamilton. of New York, were summoned to
consult with the attending physicians The
bulletins issued during the day were re-
assuring; one of them announced that the
consulting physicians approved the course
OF treatment that had been adopted
Ihe next day the indications were all hopeful
and the public began to feel confident that the
President would recover The favorable bull
letins continued during the 9th and It'll The
morning bulletin on the Sth described the Presi-
dent as being more comfortable and that the
wound was discharging laudable pus. The pub
lie feeling OF sympathy at this time was indi-
Gated by the action of a number of members of
the New York chamber of commerce who on
the evening of the 18th, started subscription.
which they desired to swell to $3.50. 600 to be
invested in T. S. bonds, for the benefit of Mrs
Garfield and her children. The favorable con-
dition of the Presidents case continued UP to
the 10Th, when it was announced that the
President was safe, except in case of accident
One sign of public confidence in his
recovery, was the suspension of the meetings
for prayer for his restoration to health and
strength which were held every evening in the
Christian church up to the 18th. On the 10Th
the President was so strong that he ate some
beetSteak. His condition on the 18th may be
best represented by recitng the proceeding i'm
the Criminal Court that day The District at
tOrney stated that it had been thought that by
this time the case would have been presented to
the court. They were all gratied that the
PRESIDENT was on the speedy road to recovery
yet he could not at this time present the case to
the grand jury. He read the following letter:
"ExECUTIvE MANSION. WASHINGTON. July II.
1SS1.-Col. George y. COrk7tiU, U. s. District At
t0rnesf--Slr: In reply to your inquiry az to the
condition OF the President, we would say that
up TO the present time he has done exceedingly
well for one who has received so dangerous a
wound but while in anticipated recovery it is
not yet possible to assert with confidence that
his injuries may not terminate fatally. Very re-
specially,
ID. w. BLISS J. K. BARNES
Under these circumstances, he said he could
not present the case to the grand jury fer the
present, and suggested that they be adjourned
until september IL, which was done.
On the 18th a marked rise in temperature in the
evening appeared, but this the physicians re-
ported was not due to any untayOrable change
in the condition of the wound. On the 10Th
and goth the President was reported to be on
the road to recovery, but the evening fever con-
tinued. The next three days no material
change was reported. The bulletins were
favorable. The febrie rise which seemed now
to be expected every evening was reported Off
cally TO De due to local and temporary causes
rather than to any general unfavOrable change
in the Presidents condition" On the evening
OF the ed great alarm was caused by the
appearance of new symptoms. slight ripor
which, however, it was reported was promptly
followed by a reaction. The next morning it
was reported that the President had chill fol-
lowed by perspiratOn, and an increased
frequency of the pulse This was period of in
tense anxiety. These symptoms were reported by
physicians not connected with the case as in
dicating the presence of pyamia The hasty
summOning of Drs. Agnew and Hamilton did not
serve to allay public ALARM as it only seemed to
confirm the gravest reports concerning From
that date, one or the other Of the consulting sur
geOns continued in attendance upon the pa
tient. 1t was announced that the unfavOrable
conditions were caused by the formation of a pus
cavity in the track of the wound. On the morn
ing OF the Gath an operation was performed, con-
sistlng OF an incisOn a little below the mouth
OF the wound, aud through this incision the pus
cavity was drained. The most alarming symp-
toms toms disappeared, and on the following day the
PRESIDENT was again reported doing well. though
there was febrie rise in the evening. On the
eth he was reported to beregaininy lost gronnd
and for eight days following the bulletins were
favorable. On August LIST an experiment was