The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-10-13
Guiteau'S Confession.


The New York Herald prints q
long confession from the assassin
Guiteau. The narrative begins with
the presidential campaign. Guiteau
was very anxious to be sent out as
one Of the campaign speakers, and
hung around the Republican head
quarters in New York, besieging
the committee for week after week
One speech, entitled Garfield against
Hancock, he thought was a remark
able performance. This he had
printed, but got no opportunity to
deliver it except to a colored meet
ing in New York. After Gar6eld's
election he went to Washington
and sent in his application for the
Austrian mission, accompanying
his application with his great
speech. He wrote numerous notes
and letters to the President and to
Secretary Blaine. Finding he could
not get the Austrian Mission he
applied for the Paris Consulship.
While this application was pending,
he being sanguine Of the appoint
ment, it sudder ly occurred to him
that the President must be ere.
moved;'' that it was necessary for
the preservation of the country and
the Republican party; that if the
President were out of the way the
party would become united; other
wise the government would fall
into the hands of the ''rebels and
Democrats" This impression kept
growing upon him till he felt him
self impelled by divine authority to
remove the President. He thus
describes his conception of the
deed:
My conception of the idea Of re-
moving the President was this Mr..
Conkling resigned on Monday, May
16, 1881. On the following We'd
nesday I was in bed. I think I re-
tired about 8 o'clock. | felt de-
pressed and perplexed on account of
the political situation, and | retired
much earlier than usual l felt
wearied in mind and body, and I was
in my bed about 8 o'clock. and | was
thinking over the political situation,
and the idea flashed through my
brain that if the President was out of
the way everything would go better.
At first this was mere impression.
1t startled nae with renewed force, and
| began to read the papers with my
eye on the possibility that the Presi-
dent would have to go; and the more
| read, the more | saw the complica-
tion of public affairs, the more was I
impressed with the necessity of re-
moving him.
This thing continued for about two
weeks. I kept reading the papers
and kept being impressed, and the
idea kept bearing and bearing and
bearing down upon me that the only
way to unite the two faclions of the
Republican party and save the repub-
lie from going into the hands o. the
rebels and Democrats was to quietly
remove the President.
He then proceeds to recount the
attempts to carry out his purpose.
He went to the Christian Church
on Sunday and saw that the Presi-
dent sat by window. He made
up his mind to come back the next
Sunday and shoot him there; bat
ne learned in a day or two that the
President was going to Long
Branch with Mrs. Garfield.
He went to the depot for the
purpose of 'removing" the Presi-
dent. He gives as his reason for
not killing him then that 'Mrs.
Garfield looked so thin and clung
to his arm so tenderly that I did
not have the heart to fire on him"
Knowing when the President
would return from Long Branch
be went again TO the depot for the
purpose Of killing him. It was a
hot, sultry day. While waiting in
the ladies room he says, 4 thought
it all over and made up my mind
thai would not fire that day. Il
did not feel like it.
He next followed the President
while out riding with his son and
another gentleman, but did not get
q chance to shoot.
He next followed him as he went |
alone to Mr.. Blaine's house he |
waited in the alley for the President
opass By on bis return but when
be returned Mr.. Blaine was with
him.
Next was the successful attempt
At the depot July 2nd.
4 white man named Church was
taken out of Jail at Newton, Cataw-