Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-17

| lowing MONDAY he WrObe 10 Cnp PRESIDENT INFORM
| ing him OF Mr.. Blaines statement, and saying h
| was satisfied Mr.. Blaine was endeavorng to run
the State department in the interests OF his own
candidacy for the Presidency in 1884. and appeal
Ing to the President direct for an immediate order
for his appointment During this time he con-
tinued to visit the Executive Mansion, and urge
and insisted upon an opportunity to see the PreS-
dent. Finally, 1t became necessary in order to
avoid his presumptiye intrusion, to prohibit his
entrance into the White House. Soured and in
dignant at this treatment disappointed and en-
RACED, on the 23d of May he wrote President Gar
ths IN In # the D no t6e
eye to detect the threat OF murder this is the first
premonition of the conception OF this crime. That
letter was the first indication that disappointment
| had turned his heart to malice, and that he haG
determined in revenge to commit the crime with
| which he stands charged. He was still smarting
| under the indignty cast upon him by the Secre-
tary of State; he was still suffering from the re-
bufs he had received at the hands of the employees
| OF the Executive Mansion; OF 1nOrdinate vanity.
| and OF unparalleled self-eSteem, he has keenly
| felt the personal Outrages he supposed had been
| committed upon him, ,and he determined to avenge
them That letter is remarkable one-remark-
| able as indicating the motive that prompted this
terrible crlme-remarkable as giving an insight
into the reasons that fmpelled this man TO nerve
himself up to condition TO commit this deed. II
was as follows:
| General Garfield: [Priyate.l
your attention the letter from Mr. BIains
of Chicago, Blaine vindlctive politician
This sr ~a Shows Be is E
and you ought to demand his immediate resignation
grief M will see you in the morning if can and talk
Wy Ms$y respectfully. S CHARLES eurrrAU.
You in these sentences his bitterness spirit.
| inspired by the treatment he claims to have re-
ceived at the hands OF the Secretary OF State and
the demand for his removal, and the threat if it
| was not done what would result Yet we will
find that ON the 21st OF March he wrote to Secre-
tary Blaine:
am glad personally that the President selected
| all others for the place.
That is one chapter in the history of this crime
other circumstance would not OF Itself attract
attention to its peculiar and significant express
sions But it will be shown that among the pa
perS left by this man for publication is found one
dated June 16, 1881, in which he uses this sgnif1-
cant language: 81 conceived the idea OF removing
the President four weeks ago." So that at the
| want my Office; Mr.. Blaine stands In my way;
demand his removal If it is not done, ruin for you
you to consider whether this was not as near
threat OF his determination to do this crime as he
dared then to make with his knowledge OF the law
| and the danger OF exposure
| When he conceived the idea he had been rebuffed
and, as he thought, insulted by the Secretary of
State He had been driven from the White House,
he was disappointed in his grand expectations, he
was without money, and an almost destitute wan
derer upon the streets, and he soon determined to
do the cruel deed; but here is the first conception
| the original inSpiratOn-here the ground work of
his settled determination. Once the idea conceived
| that he was a wrOnged and outraged man, it took
but little time for him to decide to represent his
actions as being the result of his desire to vindi-
| cate some great principle. He knew, and well
knew, that he must hang some screen in front of
the real motive for his crime His heart was wicked
enough to conceive from its own malignity the
crime itself, but his ShrewdneSS and vanity de-
manded that the public Should not gaze upon his
real motives
| This will account for many Of the extraordinary
circumstances connected with the crime. This
| will explain many OF his lofty and egotistcal
utteranceS
1t is true there was period during this time
when there existed diSsensionS In the party in
| power. 1t is a we'll known fact that, as between
men, there was a difference OF opinion as to the
course to be pursued and the policy to be inaugu-
mencement. 1t is true there were grave differ
ences OF opinion and earnest expressions OF senti
ment on questions of great gravity and import
ance to the peace and welfare OF the country, and
as attendant upon those there were frequent
utterances OF bitterness by partisans on either
side. To this mans wicked and revengeful mind
| it Immediately occurred .shere is the opportun-
ity to commit this crime, to avenge myself and
shelter my action under the claim that it was the
OutgrOWth OF the present Strlfe;" and he system
atically and cunningly prepared an apology and
defence OF his crime in accordance with this
sented to you that from the time OF his arrival
this city, and until he had lost the expectation
o. favors to be received, and made up his mind
to kill the President, period OF nearly three
months, he was an earnest sO-called GARFIELD m
He announced to the President, as will be shown
by his own letter. his devotion and fealty to him
In the contest then going on. He desired con-
stantly to impress upon the President that he
for him as against every one else. You will find
him, on May 9TH, announcing to the President
that In the contest going on he stood by him. But
when he had lost all hope OF the appointment
| desired under the administration OF President
Garfield and all expectation of official recognition
from this source, he resolved to seize upon the pre-
text afforded by the situation to crafty his re-
venge to kill the President and Shield his real mo-
| tives from the public. After this had been fully
settled in his mind, with his knowledge of the
| world, with his experience Of human affairs with
| MS ODSerVdt1OlS or society. for he Is
| ordinary ability in these directions, he carefully
determined to make the situation of advantage 70
| him, and when he had fully conceived this idea,
when 1t had fastened itself on his mind, he went
to work to accomplish his purpose with spirit OF
v1ndictiveneSS-with cool determination that has
scarcely a parallel In the annals OF crime.
How many efforts he made to do this deed, or
! of its commission, no human mind can tell. ON
the Sth day OF June he borrowed from an acU,lain-
lance IN this city fifteen dollars representing that
| ne was out or money and desired the amount to
pay his board bill. After procuring this loan he
| at once visited @ the store OF Mr.. OMeara, on the
| corner OF 18th and streets, for the purpose of
purchasing weapon. In this, as in all other acts
connected with the commission OF this crime, he
| displayed the malgnity of his determination and
the wickedneSs OF his motives He asked for piS-
tol OF the largest caber and one that would dothe
most effective work, and was shown, and pur-
chased the pistol which lie finally used, weapon
terrible to behold carrying bullet OF the largest
size, weapon that was selfcocking, in order that
there might be no delay in its use when an emer-
gency occurred.
How for twenty flour days he carried that deadly
weapon, and how often he dOgged the footsteps OF
the unSuSpecting President how he watched his
| carriage, how he made his arrangements at the
church, how he followed him from the residence of
Mr.. Blaine. watching and waiting for the fatal
hour, he alone can tell.
But on the morning OF the 18th OF June he
aScerta1ned, from publications In the newspapers
that the President would go to Long Branch, and
he determined to kill him at the depot. How he
went there fully prepared for that purpose and
was deferred from its accomplishment his own
words best tell. Returning to his room he wrote:
WASHINGTON, Saturday Evening June 18TH 1881
intended to remove the President this morning
depot as he took the for Long Branch, but Mrs.
Garneld looked SO thin, cung tenderly to the
PRESIDENTS arm heart failed me to part them, and
decided to take him alone 1t will be worse for Mrs.
Garfield to part with her husband this way than by
natural DEATH He is liable to at any time anyway.
G. 6.
And after this came another period OF watching
and waiting. 1t might be a story OF thrilling in-
terest to know how often the fatal danger threat
encd the lamented dead, and how often, While
buoyant with life, the shadow of death haunted
him. But again, we are in the field OF conjecture
until We come to the morning OF the murder, the
occurrences OF which have already described
And this completes the story OF this crime:
This ends the recital OF the circumstances at
tendant upOn this national bereavement For it
cannot be forgotten that the effects OF that fatal
shot were felt throughout the land; that nos only
one family mOurned, but around every hearth
ox-orv fIQCi a hmm