The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1881-07-22
Garfield Would Have ersppled Guiteau

Garfield Would Have Grappled Guiteau.
Colonel Rockwell, President Garfeld's per.
sonai friend, was asked by New York Herald
sIsit true that on the morning Of the deed
the President turned handspring over his
bed?n
cit WAS the morning before" the colonel re-
piled. 6 Jimmie, there the fellow sits" point
ing to Private Secretary Browns desk ''came
into his fathers chamber, half dressed, and in
his nimble way turned a handspring over the
bed and back again. See here, papa, if you
we're not SO stout you might do that too;
couldn't your The President kept on with his
toilet until Jimmie's bantering somewhat
nettled him, and before the boy could realize
it the President had turned gracefully from
one side of the large double bed to the other
and came down with a thump on the floor.
There, my boy, the son is not greater than
his father; now finish your dressing.
81 suppose. continued the colonel, the
story vas told to illustrate the strength of the
President and his suppleness at his age of life
Very few men of fifty years, for the President
will be that old the 9th day of November next,
would dare to undertake such feat. But the
story has thrilling secret. You know the
ladies' room, where the shots were fired, is
about twenty feet wide--that u.s. from the door
sill to the opposite hall The aisle way leading
to the main hall is formed by double rows OF
seats, heavily cushioned and of large frame
work. When the President entered the depot
with Secretary Blaine he was in the checriest
mood. He passed half way down the aisle,
Blaine preceding him very few steps. Guiteau
stood at the inside end of the row of seats, near
the main entrance, on the left when he fired
the first shot, which did the President no harm,
for he turned to see from whence tho sound
came and saw Guiteau advancing. He
was preparing to leap over the seat; that is,
he realized when he turned partially around
that the man had fired at him. He instantly
determined to attack the man. The next
instant the President would have been face to
face with Guiteau. His confidence in his ability
to spring over the barrier-for the back of the
seat is about four feet high flashed upon him,
and his whole muscular strength was strained
for the act when he fell forward struck by the
second shot Gulteau was behind him. The
instant he pulled the trigger the first time he
stepped forward four feet. It was but the very
fraction of a second between the explosion and
the Presidents alarm. That fraction was on
the side of the would-be assassin. His pur-
pose was also to fire the second shot, and he
stepped quickly forward to get Us near tho
President as possible They were not six feet
apart, SO that the instant the President realized
the situation his intense activity of mind and
muscle made him aggressive, and it was that
instant he received the staggering bullet and
fell forward against the wainscoting of the re-
ception-room at the head of the aisle leading
to the main hall. Till now the impression
seems to have gained a hold that Guiteau's act
wac done SO quickly that the President did not
comprehend what was going on. It is true, as
l told you awhile ago, that the reports OF tho
firing were close together-that it could not
have been longer than it. would take to cock a
pistol-yet during this time Guiteau was ad-
vancing and the President preparing to
advance upon his assailant. Any ono who
will take his watch and carefully OBJ
serve the beats Of the secondhand will
be surprised at the distance one can gel
over in a single second if impelled by a
strong motive. 1t is more satisfactory to know
that the President had determined to grapple
the wretch, undaunted by the appearance of tho
ugly weapon aimed at him. The position in
which Guiteau stood made it necessary for him
to shoot at nearly an angle Of forty-five de-
grees, while the position of the body of the
President was also at about the same anglia
with the seats when the ball struck his right
side With this understanding of the position
Of the two it is evident the ball met with great
resistance and was detected