Litchfield enquirer., 1881-07-07
Attempt to Kill the President !!


 
 On Saturday morning the whole country was shocked to hear of the shooting of Presi- dent Garfield by half crazy Chicago lawyer It appears that little after nine o'clock, the President drove up to the Baltimore and Po- tomac Station, intending to join his wife at Jersey City and pass Sunday at the residence of Cyrus W. Field. at Irvington on the Hud- son River. The scene at the station is thus reported in the Sun:
 The President entered the depot, Mir. Blaine with him, and was passing along the aisle leading from the door to the inner or large waiting room. Suddenly there was report 30 loud and resonant that every one supposed one of those large frecrackers used on the Fourth of July had been fired. The Presi- dent himself did not apprehend trouble, not even paying the slightest heed to the report. Had he done so, had he turned, he might pos sibly have seen the assassin, who stood there, cool and quiet, and not more than three feet behind him, with a revolver pointed at his back But the President did not turn. Mir. Blame did not manifest the slightest Hneasi- ness, and even, thronged as the depot was, people within arms reach of the assassin, no one seemed to realize or to know that murder was about to be committed. It was done in an instant The reports were only such 8 time apart as suff1ced for the re-cocking of the re- volver. Then came the second one. TLe President stopped turned, saw the assassin standing there with the ready revolver, and for an instant the President and his murderer were face to face Then the President reeled. He tainted not to unconsciousness but to weakness, and even before he could be caught he fell to the floor, striking the bench as he did so. There was terror at once. The Sec retary of State seemed instantly to realize what had happened and what it's consequences were. He shouted for help. He called Rockwell, Rockwell, where is Rockwell ?" Then he turned and seemed about to pursue the assassin, but the assassin was already in the firm grasp of an officer.
 The President it seems never lost conscious ness, From the very first he feared the wound was fatal, and said Gods will be be done, am content, either way" He en- quired the assassin's name and asked MT. Blaine what motive he could have had. The latter said he was evidently maniac and asked Mir. Garfield if he was aware of any motive the fellow could have. The President smiled and said, 'I suppose he thought it would be glorious thing to be pirate king"
 The first telegram from Secretary Blaine, immediately after the President had been re- moved to the White House expressed strong hopes of recovery. Later intelligence grew worse. Mra Garfield, herself very weak from illness, arrived, about seven in the even- ing. He recognised and talked to her. He was thought to be rapidly failing, but the lat ter part of the night showed some improve ment and people began to take hope. On Sunday morning he rallied and showed mark ed improvement. Through Sunday and Mon- day there were conflicting reports, but Tues day morning brought news of a reasonable hope of recovery.
 The assassins name is Charles Guiteau. He is about forty years of age, claims to be Amer ican by birth, and was for time, in his youth, in the Oneida Commul ity. He was admitted to the Chicago bar some dozen years since, but did little business, being eccentric almost to the point of insanity, He greatly persecuted young lady of that place with his attentions, and was finally compelled to desist only by threats of arrest. From Chicago he went to New York for few years, and then left for Milwaukee He tried ID vain to get employment as public speaker from Re- publican committees in last years campaign. When Garfield came in, he appeared about the White House in the role of office seeker. He bored strangers for inducements" forced his way uuinvited into the Presidents presence and special orders for his exclusion had te be given the doorkeeper. He has continued to haunt the neighborhood pf the White House, the President was in. This he did on Friday night. His whole professional life has been that of fraud. He has swindled boarding house keeper after boarding house keeper in Chicago, New York and Washington, being in fact a sort of professional tramp getting a living by imposing on one community till found out, and then emigrating to another. Heclaims to have committed the crime of Saturday in the interest of the Republican party, and as- serts that the death of Garfield was necessary to ensure the success of the party. He spec ially announces himself ''stalwart of Stal- warts." While there are some evidences of alteration of mind it is generally thought that he is more knave than lunatic, and that if Garfield should die his chance of hanging would be excellent.