River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1881-07-07
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF
PRESIDENT GARFIELD.

| An dCLclHpJ WIS inlue OH 'otLufuds
last at a few minutes after nine
o'clock in the forenoon, by one
Charles j. Guiteau, to assassinate
President James A. Garfield. The
president went to the Baltimore &
Potomac depot to take the $50 a. NJ.
train for Long Branch where lie had
intended to join his wife preparatory
to their taking a trip to the New Eng
land States: lie was accompanied by
Secretary Blaine, with whom he en-
tered the ladies' waiting room; Gar
field and Blaine were walking arm in
arm, and after taking few steps
from the door toward the ticket office,
man fired two shots at the President,
both shots taking effect, one in the
arm and the other in the abdomen.
The miserable wretch who fired the
shots was within two feet of his vic
tim, and though there were many
persons In the room, no other person
was injured. The would-be assassin
was promptly placed under arrest,
and the president placed temporarily
in a room near by and medical aid
summoned he was soon afterward re-
moved to the Executive Mansion
where he has since remained in criti-
cal condition. Mrs. Garfield was at
once notified by telegraph of what
had TRANSFERRED and special train was
dispatched as soon us. practicable to
convey her to the bedside of her hus-
band who was feared to be mortalIy
wounded. Grave doubts of his re-
covery have been everywhere felt,
though his physicians have most of
the time encouraged the hope of his
recovery.
Though but few words were requir-
ed to convey to the public the terrible
news, the information came like a
thunder-clap from clear sky, and was
received with feelings of sincere re-
gret and universal sorrow which can
best be described by comparison with
the sentiment created by the sad news
of Lincoln's assassination.
Charles j. Guiteau, who thus so sud-
denly acquired worldwide notoriety
was formerly disreputable lawyer of
Chicago, is said to be a dead-beat of
the first water, and disappointed as
pirant for the honor and emoluments
of consular appointment. lie is said
to be insane; perhaps he is, but we
doubt if his ecceutricIties were of suf-
feient moment to secure his commit
ment to lunatic asylum by an impair
tial tribunal, previous to Lis attempt
upon the life of the President. We
that the insanity of one
who would make the deliberate prep
arations made by Guiteau previous to
shooting President Garfield, partakes
of the criminal in sufficient degree
to condem him as richly deserving the
of the most hardened
criminal for such crime. After
shooting Garfield, Guiteau informed
bystanders that he was a stelwart and
that Arthur was now President, thus
indicating that the Garfield Conkllng
contest was an important factor in
fixing his determination to assassinate
the President. This indication is con-
firmed by letter from Guiteau to
General Sherman, in which he says:
81 have no ill-will toward the Presi-
dent. His death was political neces-
sity. | am lawyer, theol0gian and
and politician. l am a stalwart OF
the stalwarts. ! was with General
Grant and the rest of our men in New
York during the canvass.
1t is to be hoped that President
Garfield will speedily recover, and
that Arthur will never be called upon
to administer the affairs of the gener-
al government as its Chief Executive.