The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-07-21
ANTON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JULY 9l, 1881.
GUITEAU's CONFESSION.
How He Followed the President to Carry Out
His DeslRn

hAo DSnAbus
WASHINGTON, July 1s.-United States District
Attorney Corkhill fuEnishts the following for
publication
"The interest felt by the public In the details OF
the assassination, and many stories published
justify me in stating that the following is the cor.
rect and accurate statement concerning the
points to which reference is made The si sassin,
Charles Guiteau, came T. Washington City sun.
day evening, March 9th, and stopped at the
Ebbitt House, remaining only one day. He then
secured a room in another part Of the city, and
has boarded and rOOmed at various places full
details of which l have. On Wednesday, May
18th, the assassin determined to murder the Pres.
ident, He had neither money nor pistol at the
time, About the last Of May he went intl
O'Meara' store, corner Of Fifteenth and Streets
this city, and examined some pistols, asking for
the largest Calibre. He was shown two similar in
calbre anu only different in price. On Wednes.
day June 8th he purchased the pistol which he
used, for which he paid $40, he having in the
meantime borrowed s15 Of a gentleman in this
city on the plea that he wanted to pay his board
bill. On the same evening about o'clock he
took the pistol and went to the foot Of Seven.
teenIh street and practiCed firing at a board,
firing ten shots. He then returned to his board
ing place and wiped the pistol dry and wrapped
It in his coat and waited his opportunity.
'0n Sunday morning, June 18th, he was sitting
In Lafayette Park and saw the President lehVe
for the Christian church on Vermont avenue,
and he at once returned to his room, obtained his
pistol, put 1t in his hip pocket and followed the
President to church, but found he could not kill
him there without danger Of killing someone
else. He noticed the President sat close to a
window. After church he made an examination
of the window and found he could reach it with.
out any trouble. The following Wednesday he
went to church and examined the location and
window and became satisfied that he could ac-
complish his purpose and he determined there.
fore to make the attempt at church the following
Sunday.
HE learned from the papers the President
would leave the city ON Saturday, the 18th OF
June, with Mrs. Garfield for Long Branch. He
therefore determined to meet them at the depot
He left his boarding place about FIVE o'clock on
Saturday morning, and went down to the river at
the foot OF Seventeenth street and fred five thots
to practice his aim ana be certain his pistol was
in good order. He then went TO the depot and
was IN the ladies' waiting room of the depot with
his pistol ready when the Presidential party EN-.
tered. He said Mrs Garfield looked 30 weak and
frail he had not the heart TO shoot the President
In her presence, and as he knew he would have
another opportunity he eft the depot, He had
previously engaged carriage ID take HIM to
Jail
ION Wednesday evening the President and his
son and l think, United States Marshal Henry
went oul for ride. The assassin ok his pistol
ana followed them aud watched them for some
time In hopes the carriage would stop, but no Op.
pOrtunity was given,
ION Friday evening, July 1st he was sitting on
seat IN the park opposite the White House,
when he saw the President come out alone. He
followed him down the avenue to Fifteenth street
and then kept on the opposite side OF the street
up Fifteenth until the President entered the resi-
denCe Of Secretary Blaine, He waited at the cor
ner Of Mr. Morton's lale residence, corner Of
Fifteenth and II, for some time, and then as he
would attract attention he went into an alley in
the rear OF MOrton's residence, examined his pis.
tOl and waited, The President and Secretary
Blaine came out together, and he followed them
over to the gate Of the White House but could get
no opportunity to use his weapon.
ION The morning of Saturday, July %, he took
breakfast at the Riggs House about seven. He
then walked up into the park and sat there for an
hour, He then took one horse avenue car and
rode to Sixth street. got out and went into the
depot and loitered around there. He had his
shoes blacked, engaged q haCkman for 50 10 take
him to jail, went into the wateI.cloSet and took
his pistol out OF his hip pocket and unWfapped
tbe paper from around It, which he had put
there tor the purpose OF preventing penpirat0n
from the body dampening the powder, examined
his pistol carefully tried the trigger, and then re-
turned and took a seat In the ladies' waiting
room, and as soon as the President entered ad.
Yanced behind him aud fred two shots Thtse
facts, think, can be relied upon as accurate and
give them to the public 10 contradict certain
rumOrs In connection with this most atrocioub Of
atroOious crimes"