The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-07-15
LAT EST KILOGRAMS.
BLOoDTHIRSTY GUITTEAU
His Plans aud Attempts Be
fSre the Successful shoot
ing of President Garfield.

ing of President Garfield.
Washington, 14.-United States
District Attorney Corkhill furnishes
the following for publication: The
interest felt by the public in the de-
tails Of the assassination and the
many stories published, justify me
in stating that the following is cor
rect and accurate statement con-
corning the points to which refer
ence is made: The assassin, Chas.
j. Guitteau, came to Washington on
Sunday evening, March 9th, 1881
and stopped at the Ebbitt House,
remaining only one day. He then
secured rooms in another part of the
city, and has boarded and roomed at
various places, the full details of
which [ have. On Wednesday, May
18th, 1881, the assassin determined
to murder the President. He had
neither money nor a pistol at the
time. About the last Of May he
went into O'Mear's store, corner of
Fifteenth and T streets, this city,
and examined some pistols, asking
for the largest calibre. He was
shown two similar in calibre, and
only different in price. On Wednes-
day, June 6th, he purchased
the pistol which he used,
for which he paid SO, he
having, in the meantime, Dor
rowed SIS Of a gentleman in this
city, on the plea that he wanted to
pay his board bill. On the same
evening, about Z O'Clock, he took the
pistol and went to the foot of Seven
teenth street, and practiced firing at
q board, firing ten shots. He then
returned to his boarding place and
wiped the pistol dry and wrapped it
in his coat and waited his oppur-
tunity. On Sunday morning, June
18th, he was sitting in Lafayette
Park, and saw the President leave
for the Christian Church on Yer
mont avenue, and he at once re-
turned to his room, obtained his
pistol, put it in his hip pocket and
followed the President to church.
He entered the church but found he
could not kill him there without
danger of killing someone else. He
noticed that the President sat near
the window. After church he made
an examination of the window and
found that he could reach it without
any trouble and that from this
point he could shoot the President
through the head without killing
others. The folloWingWedne he
went to church, regained the loca-
ton of the window and became sat
istied that he could accomplish his
purpose, and determined, therefore,
to make the attempt at the church
on the following Sunday. He learned
from the papers that the President
would leave the city on Saturday,
the 18th of June, with Mrs. Gar
field, for Long Branch. He there
fore determined to meet him at the
depot. He left his boarding place
about o'clock on Saturday morn
ing, June 18th, and went to the
river, at the foot of Seventeenth
street, and fired FIVE shots to prac-
tice his aim, and be certain that 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
President and party entered. He
saw Mrs. Garfield looked so weak
and frail that he had no heart
to shoot the President in her
presence, and as he knew he
would have another opportunity,
he left the depot. He had previously
engaged q carriage to take him to
Jail. On Wednesday evening the
President and his son, and, [ think,
United States Marshal Henry, went
out for a ride. The assassin took
his pistol and followed them and
watched them for some time in
hopes the carriage would stop, but
no opportunity was given. On Fri
day evening, July 1St, he was sitting
on a seat in the park opposite the
White House, when he saw the Pres
ident 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 residence
of Secretary Blaine. He waited at
the corner of Morton's late resi-
dence, corner of Fifteenth and II
streets, for some time, and then, as
he was afraid he would attract at
tention, he went into the alley in
the rear of Morton's residence, eX-
amined his pistol 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. On the morning of
Saturday, July I'd, he breakfasted at
the Riggs House about Z. He then
walked up to the park and sat there
for Here the dispatch breaks
EDS.