Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-07-20
A Statement.

a Statement.
The following statement explains
itself:
WASHINGTON, d. G. July 14-United
States District Attorney Corkhill has
furnished the following statement for
publication, in order to correct GER
tain erroneous assertions which have
been made relative to Guiteau, the
would-be assassin of President Gar
field:
The interest felt by the public in
the details of the assassination, and
the many stories published, justify
me in stating that the following is
correct and accurate statement con-
cerning the points to which reference
is made: The assassin, Charles Gui-
teau, came to Washington city on
Sunday evening, March 6, 1881, and
stopped at the Ebbitt House, remain
ing only one day. He then secured
a room in another part of the city,
! and has boarded and roomed at va
rious places, the full details of which
1 have.
On Wednesday, May Is, 1881, the
assassin determined to murder the
President He Lad neither money
nor pistol at the time. About the
last of May he went into OMearas
store, corner of Fifteenth and L
streets, in this city, and examined
some pistols, asking for the largest
calibre. He was shown two. similar
in calibre and only different in the
price. On Wednesday, June s, he
purchased the pistol which he used.
for which he paid $40, he having in
the meantime borrowed S15 of gen
tleman in this city on the plea that
he wanted 50 pay his board bill. On
the same evening about o'clock he
took the pistol and went TO the foot
of Seventeenth street and practised
firing at board, firing ten shots. He
then returned to his boarding place
and wiped the pistol dry and wrap
ped it in his coat and waited his op
/ portunity.
On Sunday morning, June II, Gui-
teau was sitting in Lafayette Park
and saw the President leave for the
Christian Church on Vermont ave
nue., and he at once returned to his
room, obtained his pistol, put it in
his hip pocket, and followed the Pres
ident to church He entered the
church, but found he could not kill
him there without danger of killing
some one else. He noticed that the
President sat near window. After
church he made an examination of
the window, found he could reach it
without any trouble, and that from
this point he could shoot the Presi-
dent through the head without kill
ing any one else. The following
Wednesday he went to the church,
examined the location and the win
dow, and became satisfied he could
accomplish his purpose, and he de-
termined therefore to make the at
tempt at the church the following
Sunday
Guiteau learned from the papers
that the President would leave the
city on Saturday, the 18th of June,
with Mrs. Garfield for Long Branch
he therefore determined to meet him
at the depot. He left his boarding
house about 5 o'clock on Saturday |
morning, June Is, and went down to
the river, at the foot of Seventeenth |
street, and fired five shots to prac-
tise his aim and be certain 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 Presidential
party entered He says Mrs. Gar
field looked 50 weak and frail that he !
had not the heart to shoot the Pres |
ideht in her presence, and, as he knew
he would have another opportunity, |
he left the depot He had previous
ly engaged a carriage to take him to
jail.
On Wednesday evening the Presi-
dent and his son and, l 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 Friday evening, July I. Gui-
teau was sitting on the seat in the
park opposite the White House, when
he saw the President come out alone
He followed him down the avenue to
Fifteenth street, and then kept on
the opposite site side of the street up
Fifteenth until the President entered
the residence of Secretary Blaine
He waited at the corner of Mr.. Nor
tons late residence, corner of Fiji
teenih and H, for some time; and
then, as he was afraid he would at
tract attention, he went into the alley
in the rear of Mr.. Morton's residence,
examined his pistol and waited. The
President and Secretary Blaine came
ont together, and he followed them
over t. the gate of the White House,
but could gel no opportunity to use
his weapon.
On the morning of Saturday, July
2, he breakfasted at the Riggs House
about Z o'clock. He then walked up !
into the park and sat there for an
hour He then took a one-horse car
and rode to Sixth street; got out
and went into the depot and loitered
there; had his shoes blacked; en-
gagged a hackman for 81 to take him
to the jail; went into the water closet
and took his pistol out of his hip
pocket and unwrapped the paper
from around it which he had put
there for the purpose of preventing
the perspiration from the body damp
ening the powder; examined his pis-
tol carefully; tried the trigger, and
then returned and took seat in the
4