Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-07
GUlTEAU.
HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
HOW GARFIELD FELL.

Ills AUTOBlOCfRAPa
HOW GARFIELD FELL.
Conception ana Execution OF tho Assassiaa
| lOn OF the President.
Story Of the Tragedy at the WashinSto,
| Depot.
In his autobiography, given to the New
York Herald, Guiteau, the presidents as
sassin says The time that was pressing
the Paris consulship began about the frs
week in March and terminated, should
say. about the last of April. During
those weeks was pressing it and expected
to get it. l have never had any final au
swer either from the president or from
Mr.. Blaine in reference to my having ths
Paris consulship. 1t did not have tn,
slightest influence on me one way or thu
other in reference to my removing the
president
Il conceived tue idea of removing the
president" Gnitsau declares, "pendine
the answer, and as far as the Paris consul
ship had any influence on my mind at al
it would have deferred me from the act
because | expected as a matter of fact that
l would get tue Paris consulship. After
conceived the idea Of removing the prcsi
dent l did not 60 to MIR. Blaine or neal
the president to press my application
About two or three weeks interviewed from
the time that l called at the president
when the doorkeeper said, Mr.. Guiteau
the president says it will be impossible for
him to see you to-day to the time that
conceived the idea of removing him, dur
| ing which time l was waiting patiently
| for my answer, which, as matter of fact,
l have never yet received. l had been
pressing the president and Mr.. Blaine for
an answer aud thought that it would be
| better for me to keep away from them.
They had my address and thought if they
concluded to give me the Paris consulship
they would notify me or l should see an
announcement of the appointment in the
paper, and, as have stated, after con-
ceived the idea Of removing tho president
l did not go near the president or Mr..
Blaine. My conception Of the idea of re-
moving the president was this : Mr.. Conk-
lin resigned on Monday, May IS, 1881. On
the following Wednesday was in bed.
| think retired about a'clOck. l felt de-
pressed and perplexed on account Of the
political situation, and l retired much ear
lier than usual. felt wearied in mind
and body, and was in my bed about nine
O'Clock and was thinking over the poiit-
ical situation, and the idea flashed through
my brain that if the president was out of
the way everything would 90 better. At
first this was mere impression. 1t star
tied me, but the next morning it came to
mo with renewed force, and l began to
read the papers with my eyes OH the pos
cihil1txy hot tl,o I,o, 30
90, and the more l read, tho moro saw
moro Was impressed with tho necessity
of removing him. This thing continued
for about two weeks. kept reading the
papers and kept being impressed. and tho
idea kept bearing and bearing and bearing
down upon me that the only way to unto
the two factions of tho Republican party
and save tho republic from going into the
hands Cf the rebels and Democrats was to
quietly remove the president.
"TwO weeks after conceived the idea
my mind was thoroughly settled on the
intention to remove the president. l then
prepared myself. | sent to Boston for a
copy of my book, The TRUTH and spent
a week in preparing that. 1 cut out para
graph and 4 line and a word here and there
and added one or two new chapters, put
some new ideas in it and | greatly i'm
proved it. knew that it would probably
have large sale Oh account of tho motor
iety that the act of removing the president
would give ME, and wished the book to
go out to the public in proper shape. That
was one preparation for it. Another prepa-
ration was to think the matter all out in
detail and to buy a revolver and to prepare
myself for executing tho idea. This re-
quired some two or three weeks, and |
gave my entire time and mind in prepar-
ing myself to execute the completion of re-
moving the president. never mentioned
the conception to a living soul. l did most
of my thinking in the park and on tho
street, and l used to go to the Arlington
and the Riggs house daily to read the
papers.
Watching an Opportunity.
after had made up my mind to re-
move him the idea when should remove
him pressed me, and was somewhat con-
fused on that. | knew that it would not
do to go to the White House and attempt
it, because there were too many of his en-
plOyecS about and looked around for sew
him and one Sunday (the Sunday before
he went to Long Branch) 1 went to his
church in the morning. 1t is Il small frame
building, and stood there at tile door a
was little late; the services
bad progressed about one-third. l noticed |
the president sitting near an open window
about three feet from the ground, and |
thought to myself, That would be good |
chance to get him. l intended to shoot
him through the back of the head and let
;he ball pass through the ceiling, in order
hat no one else should he Injured. And
here could not possibly be a better place
% remove man than at his devotions. l
lad my revolver in my possession when /
irst went to the church, having purchased
t about ten days before the presidents
,oing to Long Branch. This was the Sunday
,rior to his leaving for Long Branch on
During tho whole week read
he papers carefully. l thought it all over
n detail. thought just what people
would talk and thought what a tremen-
lous excitement it would create, and l
,ept thinking about it all the week.
made up my mind that the next Sunday
would certainly shoot him if he was in
hurch and got q good chance at him.
thursday of the same week l noticed in
he paper that he was going to
Iong Branch, and on tho following Sat-
rday he did go to the Branch for Mrs. Gar
eld's health. | went to the depot all
repaired to remove him. I had the re- I
Oliver with me. l had all my papers :
icely prepared. spoke to man about '
carriage to take me, rs told him, over s
ear the Congressional cemetery. He {
lid that he wOuld take ma over for 30