Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-07-05
ATTEMPTED
ASSASSINATION J!
OF THE PRESIDENT.
GARFIELD SHOT +!
Assassin Arrested-The Words
of Guiteau-"Now we will have
Arthur for President.
DETAILS OF THE DEED.


DETAILS OF THE DEED.
An Atrocious Act that has, arous-
ed the whole country.
SPECTATORS STATEMENTS.
The news received here early last Sat-
urday morning, by telegram, that Presi-
dent Garfield had been shot, was, at first,
regarded as cruel hoax. but confirma-
tory kilograms were soon received,
which put beyond all doubt the fact,
that the life of the President had been
attempted, and a universal feeling OF
horror pervaded every breast accom-
panied with out-spoken words, earnest
ly and sincerely uttered, of condemna-
ton of the terrible crime that had been
attempted.
The first report that the deed had been
committed by G Southern man was ut
terly repudiated and would not be be-
lieved, but yet caused deep feeling OF
depression, and a great load was lifted
from the hearts of many when it was
afterwards learned that the deed was the
work of one Guiteau, of Chicago, and
there was nothing sectional in the affair.
There was no great excitement here
every one seemed too deeply impressed
with the seriousness of the great calam-
ity, and pondered deeply over the start
ling crime, which seemed to forebode
still greater evils in the future, and even
to threaten the foundations of our Re
publican government.
The bulletin boards were thronged
during the day, and. up to a late hour Of
the night, with crowds anxious to learn
the latest news of the Presidents condi.
ton, and hopes and wishes were ex-
pressed on all sides that he might re.
cover.
DETAILS OF THE CRIME
as near as we have been able to gather
them are as follows:-
The President was shot at 9:2S A. M.
as he was entering the Baltimore and
Potomac depot to take the train for Long
Branch. Others of the party had taker
seats in the train, and the President anG
Secretary Blaine entered arm in ARM
AS they reached the ladies' waiting
room man who stood on the right of tn,
President raised his arm and deliberate
Iy fired two shots from a revolver, ex'
claiming as he did SO "Now we viii
have Arthur for President"
The first shot struck the President il
the right arm. The President and Sec
rotary Blaine seemed too much bewild
cred to realize the truth. Blaine shout
ed, "Where is Colonel Rockwell?" Thu
assassin Immediately fired another shot
which took effect in the Presidents side
and the victim sank to the floor.
Col. Rockwell and several police Of
ficers came at once to his assistance
and he was carried to- the superinten
dents room on the floor above. Th
President did not say a word when frs
shot. Meanwhile the assassin was seiz
ed by those near, and would have beer
torn to pieces but for the efforts of tn
police.
He was taken across Pennsylvania
avenue to the police station. and it wa
there discovered that his name wa
Charles Giteau. AN attorney-in law from
Chicago. Drs. Bliss and Reyburn wer
at the depot at the time and at once wen
to the Presidents side.
Drs. Lincoln and Thompson were sen
I for at once. Hurried consultation wa
held, and at 1920 A. M. an ambulanc
was called and the wounded Executive
was lifted in by Col. Rockwell and tw
police officers, who also took seats there
in, and the vehicle started for the Whit
House. The news had spread like wild
fire.
Pennsylvania avenue was as crowde
almost as when the President rode to tn
White House in state on the 4th G
March. A squ4d of mounted polio
forced passage through the throng, an
officers on foot guarded the entrance t
the White House grounds.s
He was carried at once to his cham
Der and laid on bed. Surgeon Genera
Barnes was also in attendance by thi
time; cursory examination shove
that the second shot had lodged in tn
groin just over the kidney.
When the President reached tn
White house his pulse was so degrees
and he appeared to be almost unconsci
GUS. His pulse at Ills A. M. had in
creased to 80, and the patient has rallie
after one attempt to extract the ball.
| The Presidents first action on recov
ering consciousness was to dictate tele
gram to his wife, as follows:
"Mrs. Garfield, Elberon, Long Branch
1.-THE President wishes me to say t
you from him that he has been serious
ly hurt.
How seriously he cannot say. He
himself and hopes you will come to hi1
soon. He sends his love to you.
"Signed: A. F. ROCKWELL"
SIXTY LADIES WITNESS THE SHOOTING
The shooting occurred in thepresenc
of some fifty or sixty ladies. The piste
with which the firing was done is
California weapon with an extremel
heavy calibre, better known as "bul
dozer."
The assassin is young man five fee
six inches in height and weighs abou
100 pounds. He had been around tn
White House and departments for sew
eral days acting in strange manner
and the attaches thought him crazy.
He had been noticed in the Whit
House grounds on the previous evenin
and on the morning of the shooting ha
engaged carriage at stable saying b.
wanted a quick team, that he wanted t
stop at the depot and then 60 to Airing
ton.
Guiteau came to Washington severa
days before the Inauguration OF tn
President, and has been there since. II
first obtained rooms in boarding hous
kept by Mrs. L. Lockwood, at No. 81