The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-07-07
THE GREAT CRIME.

drove up to the Baltimore and Potomac
depot on Sixth street and sat in their
carriage near the door, officer Kearney
standing near by. The President asked
the officer how much time he bad (meaning
before the train started.) The officer re-
piled about 10 minutes. The President,
after conyersing a minute or two longer,
then got out of the carriage and with
Secretary Blaine walked slowly mp the
stairs into the depot. Officer Kearney
stated that he was standing close by and
saluted the President by raising his hat.
The President and Mr.. Blaine walked
through the ladies' psrlor and had enter
ed the large reception room in the main
portion of the depot when two pistol
shots were fired in rapid succession
The crowd screamed, she shot the Pres
ident, arrest the man" The assassin
was making his way as fast as possible
through the ladies' parlor toward the B
street door, carriage being there to take
him away. Kearney threw himself be-
fore him, seized him by both arms be-
tween the elbows and shoulders and held
him as with a wise. The pistol was in
his hand, when he first saw him and he
had just put it into his coat pocket when
the officer had him. The would-be assas-
SIN said, eyes, / finished Garfield, now
Arthur is President. | am q stalwart. +"
Kearney secured the pistol, a heavy FIVE
barrel English "Bull- dog" and hustled
the man to police headquarters, where
he was hurriedly searched and thrust
into a cell. The following letter was
taken from the prisoners pocket at the
police headquarters, showing his conclu
sive intention of killing the President:
july 2, 1881.-7O the White House,
The Presidents tragic death was 81 sad
necessity, but it will unite the Republi-
can party and save the republic. Life is
q fimsy dream and it matters little when
one goes. A human life is of small value.
During the war thousands of brave boys
went down without tear. presume
the President was a Christian, and that
he will be happier in Paradise than here.
1t will be no worse for Mrs. Garfield,
dear soul, to part with her husband this
way than by natural death. He is liable
to go at any time, anyway. | had no i'll
will towards the President. His death
was political necessity. [ am lawyer,
a theologian and politician. [ am a
stalwart; was with Gen. Grant and the
rest Of our men in New York during the
canvass.
/ have some papers for the press which
I shall leave with Byron Andrews and
his co-iournalists, at 1920 New York
avenue, where all the reporters can see
them. l am going to the jail.
CHARLES GUITEAU.
WASHINGTON, July 2.-Benson, ex-
Chief of the Secret Service, who happen
ed to be standing near, heard the shot,
rushed to the assassin, and just as he was
about to raise his pistol with three cham
bers still loaded-to shoot Secretary
Blaine, it is thought-throttled him and
threw him to the ground. The pistol
found in the assassin's hand is a murder
Gus looking weapon. 1t was five cham
Der heavy navy revolver of A caliber.
1t makes hole large as musket ball.
The balls remaining In it were designed
for self defense, or as some think, for
Blaine Those who stood near say that
Guiteau made movement when stricken
down as if to shoot Blaine. The latter
is very calm and collected, but intensely
pale. Doctors were summoned by tele
phone and telegraph, and DR.. Bliss
speedily appeared upon the scene. There
soon followed him score of the most
prominent physicians in the city. DIR.
Bliss at first said, sit is a safe wound"
After he had watched the president for
few moments he said with great thought
fitness, cit is not necessarily a mortal
wound"
After that Col. Robert Ingersoll was
admitted to the room. The President
stretched out his hand and in a voice not
strong, said: 81 am glad you have
come" Col. Ingersoll said, "Are you in
pain 2" The President answered, 81
feel prickly sensation in my feet.
One of the physicians said that the
prickly sensation was not good symp-
tom.
4 gentleman, who was an eye witness
of the attempted assassination gives the
following statement Of the occurrence: L
was coming down Pennsylvania Avenue
when l saw carriage coming up the
avenue. The horses were running so
fast that L thought they were running
away. Just as the carriage arrived IN
front Of me the man put his head out of
the window and said, Faster, faster, fas-
ter, damn it. After hearing this remark
[ thought there was something wrong,
and ran after the carriage. When it
reached the depot man jumped out and
entered the ladies' room. he had not
been there more than two minutes when
the President arrived, stepped out of his
carriage and entered the ladies' room.
The President after passing through the
door was Just turning the corner of seat
when the assassin, who was standing on
the left Of the door, fred. The ball
struck the President in the back and he
fell forward. I ran into the depot and
Just then the man fired again while the
President was falling. The moment the
President fell a policeman who had been
standing at the depot door keeping the
way clear for the President and his party,
grabbed the assassin by the neck, and as
he pulled him out OF the depot another
policeman came to his assistance. just
after firing the shot the assassin exclaim-
ed: 81 have killed Garfield. Arthur will
be President. l am stalwart.
While the President was lying on the
floor in the ladies' room he was surround
Ell by Secretaries Window, James and
Blaine. Mrs. Hunt, Miss Window and
Mrs. James were also standing near the
President. In three or FIVE minutes after
the shooting DR.. Bliss arrived. The
President was then put on bed and car
ried up stairs, where an examination was
made by the doctors.
Gen. Sherman then came and called
the ambulance to take the President to
the White House.
A spectator thus described the removal
of the President tc the White House:
The President lay in an ambulance prop
ped up with pillows, with his right arm
thrown oyer his head. His face was
ashy white but bore calm, placid look.
He seemed perfectly conscious and open
ed his eyes frequently to view the sur
roundings. While be was being carried
up stairs ne smiled sadly and waved his
hand in recognition of friends who were
gathered about him. His sufferings
must have been intense, but he gave no
sign of it and Was IS gentle and submis-
sive as child.
WASHINGTON, July 2.-The assassin