The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-07-04
THE BALL STILL
The PRESIDENTS
BODY /!
Latest Reports Of the Presidents
Condition Less Favorable.
SORROW AND SADNESS
ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY.

WASHINGTON, July 2.-The President and
Secretary Blaine passed out of the White
House grounds this morning at g. Is o'clock in
the Prssident's carriage. The two gentlemen
rscined on the back seat, with their feet upon
the front one, the President smoking and smil-
fngly talking to his Secretary. He looked par
ticularly careless and easy, as if he had thrown
completely off the cares and annoyances of
state affairs, and looked forward to his three
weeks 1aunt with all the confidence of boy
entering upon his summer vacation. At $50
he reached the street entrance of the Balti-
more 4 Potomac depot. AS he placed his hand
on the carriage door, as if to open it, he said to
the policeman on duty, "How much time have
III About ton minutes, said the officer
secretaries Hunt and Window and Postmaster
General James, with their families, had al
ready taken their places in the car. The Pres
ident and Mr.. Blaine fingered yet a moment
in convsrsation, and then the President passed
int the ladies' waiting room little in adj
yanoe Of Mr.. Blaine, who was at his left side
There were but two or three persons in the
room, one being the woman who waits on the
female passengers, an another being the assas-
ain. The President had nearly reached the
large door opening into the main hall when
the assassin stepped forward from the line of
seats on the right of the President. Without
uttering word he fred, his hand being close
to his own body, at a level with his hip, and,
attracting no attention from his victim before
the shot. This shot lodged in the right side,
Just above the hip. The ticker seller was look
ing through tho window of the ticket office
Into the ladies' room and saw the flash, The
President received the shot, the first one, but
seemed not to have noticed that he was struck.
The assassin, as quick as the weapon could be
again discharged, fred the second time, aiming
higher, the shot striking the right arm near the
shoulder. The President fell close by the
door OF the ladies' ROOM The assassin ran
past the President, and met Mr.. Blaine and
the officer. He then turned toward the main
hall, Mr.. Blaine following him, calling out,
Rockwell, where is Rockwell" and pointing
to the assassin. The officer seized the man,
whe made no resistance. The pistol he had
just placed in the side pocket of his loose sack
coat. He said:-"Yes, 1 have finished Gar
neld; now Arthur is President. am stall
wArt." By this time the passengers, who had
taken their places in the train, the usual
crowds about the doors, hackmen, etc., had
not yet knowing that the President was GER
tainly wounded, though some had cried out
that he was SHOT. Secretary Blaine turned
then and stopped to the President Mrs.
White, the attendant of the ladies' room, had
reached the President the first of any, and had
taken his head in her lap. Mr.. Blaine ex-
claimed;-"O! my poor Presddent!" Seeing
that the assassin had been secured, Mr. Blaine
told tho officer to see that no harm came to
him, and the President nodded assent The
officer removed his prisoner to a hack outside,
and drove to the police headquarters. So
quietly was his removal effected that few out
siders were aware of the arrest
Statement Of an Eyewitness.
NHw YORK, July 3.-Simon Comacho, Min
lister to this country from Venezuela, who re-
saoes az west Fortieth street, was present in
the depot ut Washington to-day when Presi-
dent Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau.
Mr.. Comacho arrived in this city at o'clock
this afternoon from Washington. He gave
the following account of the attempted assas.
sination:
was in Washington to-day, looking after
the attempted interests of Venezuela, and 1
had made arrangements to visit New York
tnis morning In company with four lady
friends, members Of my family. was to meet
them at the Baltimore * Potomac depot at
9.l5 a. m. A few moments after O'Clock
alighted from my carriage and entered the
station: After purchasing my ticket walked
leisursly about the depot, when presently I
saw carriage drive up and two gentlemen
alight therefrom. 1 took little notice of them
at tho time, but in a minute 1 observed that
the two mon we've President Garfield and
Secretary Blaine The President and Secre--
iary stood beside the carriage and conversed
together for some minutes, when thew walked
into the depot AS they entered the depot.
both bowed to me, l had just raised my hat
and was about turning around for the appear
ance OF my lady friends, when suddenly l
heard report OF a revolver. Quickly l
wheeled around, and before me behed the
staggering form of the President of the United
States. Lalso saw the would-be assassin within
few feet Of the President. He had revolver
in his night hand. His knees were slightly
bent, and he took two or three haSty steus
toward the President and fred again. The
first ball took effect in the Presidents right
side and the second one struck him in the
back. When the second shot was fred the
President fell to the earth The would be
assassin, seeing Gen. Garfield fall, turned and
attempted to escape by the B street entrance
and hurried toward that door, and when the
villain saw that l intended to head him off, he
turned and ran toward the opposite entrance,
where he was caught by number of employees
in the depot. When the President was shot
and when he fell to the ground he spoke not
word, nor did his would-be murderer 1t was
quickly noised about the depot that the Presi-
dent had boon shot, and the doors of the depot
were Immediately closed to prevent the crowd
from rushing in. When Secretary Blaine
heard the report OF the revolver he sprang
toward the door, but when he realized that the
President had been shot he Immediately ran to
his aid.