The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-07-13
\ Terrible Deasl.Ssatc9,.
Scenes in the Presidents Chamber Saturday
Night.
Special to the New York Times.

WASHINGTON, July 3.-Ncver since
the l4eh of April, 1865, When tn"
citizens Of the entire Nation were
looking fSr. the momeDtary death OF
the martyred Lincoln, has the White
House been the scene of such terri.
bic death watch as it Ras last night
Whether the President lives or dies:
the night Of the 2nd Of July will for
ever mark aD era in the history of the
Executive Mansion. and the incidents
of that night, when the life of Presi-
dent Garfield hung trembling in the
balance, will be read with interest
so long as the English language is
read or spoken. The full particulars
of that night of anxious watching and
fearful forebodiugs will probably never
be written. The actors in the scene
were too busy and too much excited :
BY their fears tu remember half of the
little Incidents which go to MAKE up
the tragic story; but some dim pic
lures of the terrible life drama which
was enacted 10 the Presidents cham
Der, while the whole world was await
ing with breathless anxiety its culmi.
nation, may be drawn at this time,
while the actors Of it still hold its
prominent features fresh in their
memory. The Times correspondent
has seen and conversed with most Of
of the ladies and gentlemen who passed
the night in the White House, hoping
and fearing alternately for the safety
of the life of the Chief Executive of
nation, and the stories which they re.
late serve to make graphic picture of
e scene which all Americans will look
upon with intense interest, and serve
still! more forcioly to depict the char.
acter of President Garfield and to
place him before the world as hus-
band and father as he never could
have been known but for the attempt
made upon his life yesterday by the
assassin, Guiteau,
From the time Of the shooting in
the Baltimore and Potomac depot
yesterday morning until very nearly
midnight, but little, if any, hopes of
saving the Presidents life were eu-
tertained BY the physicians who at
tended him. It is safe to say that
but for the remarkably abstemious
course of life which he had pursued
from boyhood up he never would have
rallied from the shock. His one
thought, when it became possible for
him to thiok calmly at all after being
remove to his chamber in the Execa-
tive Mansion, was for mis- wife and
children. He feared the effect Of the
terrible news upon Mrs. Garfield,
aud he was anxious to have her and
their daughter Mollie with him, that
he might reassure them, if possible,
and look upon them for the last time
if it was decreed that he should die.
He was very weak at this time, and
to all appearances sinking fast. He
was told by Mrs. James, wife of the
Postmaster General, and Mrs. Hunt,
who were doing all that sympathetic
women could do to make him COM
Portable, that Mrs. Garfield would
be with him by 6 o'clock. Every
moment seemed ao age to the fast
sinking father and husband. He
turned restlessly in his bed and asked
the time of day continually. 1t was
evident that his anxiety to meet Mrs.
Garfield was aggravating the effect Of
the wounds which he had received,
but nothing could be done. Six
o'clock came, and with it, instead of
Mrs. Garfield, the news that the en-
CINE of her train had broken down II
miles outside of Washington. This
rews was carefully kept from the
suffering Pesident, and fresh engine
started of to take the place of the
disabled one. It brought Mrs. Gar
field, Mollie Garfield, Gen. Swain,
aud Mrs. Rockwell to the the city, at
the rate of 60 miles an hour, and at
$50 the party drove up to the pri-
vate entrance in the rear Of the
White Honse.
Here the almost heart-broken wife
vas met by her SOD, James A. Garfield,
Jr., Mr.. and Mrs. James and Attor-
ney-General MacVeagh. She placed
her hands in those of Mrs. James and
directing a piercing inquiry into
her eyes, exclaimed interrogatively: :
'Well? ? oh, everything is going on
beautifully said Mrs. james 10 re-
ply, only he must not be excited,
You must be very calm when you
meet him Mrs. Garfield had nerved
herself for the ordeal and she answered |
simply, but with great fruness I |
can do it, Tie party then went sad.
ly up the stairs, young james \. Gar
field with his arm about his mothers |
waist. Arrived IN the library, every
body but Mrs. Garfield paused, and |
the doctors withdrew with bowed |
heads from the Presidents chamber. |
Mrs. Garfield passed quickly in, and |
the door closed. Of that solemn |
meeting between husband and wife no |
record will ever be given. The two
we're alone together, without witnesses |
At the end of about fifteen minutes
the door opened, and Mrs. Garfield
came slowly out. There were no tears
in her eyes, and she walked with a
firm step and took her seat 10 the |
library. She was very brave and bore
up nobly under the great blow which |
had fallen upon her As she left the
room Mrs. James passed 10. The