The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-07-21
An Authentic Account of the Crime


District Attorney Corkhill has furnished
and authorized the publication of statement
OF the circumstances attending the attempted
assassination, as derived from Guiteau him
self and from other authentic sources as
follows:
The interest felt by the public in the de-
tails of the assassination and the many stories
published justify me in stating that the fol-
lowing il q correct and accurate statement
concerning the points to which reference is
made: The assassin, Charles Guiteau, came to
Washington city on Sunday evening, March
9th, 1881, and stopped at the Ebbett House,
remaining only one day. He then secured a
loom in another part of the city, and has
roomed and boarded at various places, the full
details of which l have On Wednesday,
May IS, 1881, the assassin determined to muir
der the President. He had neither money nor
pistol at the time. About the last of May he
went into O'Meara's store, corner of Fifteenth
and F streets, in this city, and examined some
pistols, asking for the largest calibre. He was
shown two similar in calibre, and only differ
ent in price. On Wednesday, June s, he pur-
chased the pistol which he used, for which he
paid $40, he having in the meantime borrow
ed SIS OF gentleman of this city, ON the
plea that he wanted to pay bis board bill. On
the same evening, about O'Clock, he took his
pistol and went to the foot OF Seventeenth
street, and practlced, firing at a board, firing
ten shots. He then returned to his boarding
house, and wiped the pistol dry and wrapped
it in his coat, and waited his opportunity. On
Sunday morning, June 10, he was sitting In
Lafayette Park, and saw the President leaye
for the Christian Church, on Vermont avenue,
and he at once returned to bis 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 some one else
He noticed that the President sat near win
dow; after church he made an examination of
the window and found he could reach it with
out any trouble, and that from this point he
could shoot the President through the head
without killing any one else. The following
Wednesday he went to the church, examined
the location and the window, and became sat-
isfed he could accomplish his purpose, and he
determined, therefore, to make the attempt at
the church the following Sunday. He learned
from the papers that the President would
leave the city on Saturday, the 18th of June
with Mrs. Garfield for Long Branch he there
fore determined to meet him at the depot He
LETT his boarding place about five o'clock Sat-
urday morning, June 18th, and went down to
the river, at the foot of Seventeenth street, and
fired five shots, to practice his aim and be GER
tain his pistol was in good order. He then
went to the depot, and was in the ladies' wait
ing-room o. the depot, with his pistol ready
when the presidential party entered. He says
Mrs. Garfield looked 80 weak and frail that he
had not the 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 a carriage to take him to
the jail On Wednesday evening the Presl-
dent and his son, and I think United States
Marshal Henry, went out for 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 LIST, he
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 side of the street up Fifteenth,
until the President entered the residence of
Secretary Blaine. He waited at the corner of
Mr.. Mortons late residence, corner Fifteenth
and II, for some time, and then, as he was
afraid he would attract attention, he went into
the alley in the rear of Mr.. Morton's residence,
examined his pistol and waited The Presi-
dent 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 2nd, 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
q One-horse avenue car and rode to Sixth
street, got out and went into the depot
and loitered around there, had his
shoes BACKED, engaged hackman for 50
to take him to the Jail, went into the water
closet and took his pistol out af his hip-pocket
and unrapped the paper from around it, which
he had put there for the purpose ofpreventing
the perspiration from the body dampening the
powder, examined his pistol, carefully tried
the trigger, and then returned and took seat
IN the ladies' waiting-rOOm, and as soon as the
President entered advanced behind him and
fired two shots. These facts, think, can be
relied upon as accurate, and give them to the
public to contradict certain false rumors in
connection with this most atrocious of atroc-
CiOuR crimes" -. Sts
Col 'Corkhill say that the paper is by no
means "Hnitean' 3 ,confesslon,' but merely
narrative of ascertGihed facts, derived some
times from Guiteau and corrobofated: some
times from other parties and corrobOrated 4 It
is in few words what the District Attorney
considers to be complete report of Guiteau's
as they have relation to his at
to 'assassiIate the President. Guiteau's
statement is SILL ia possession Of the District
reliance n al i its sta|t s' 20
There has been M election ttioQnn IF a y. S. Sena-
or to sncceed ex-senator Gonkling, The vote
IN the 10Th, stood Lapham, 90; Potter, AZ
%. Mr.. Lapham is the nominee of
he caucus of IS, and his vote was within Of
IN election. 1t is believed he will be elected