The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1881-07-16
PRESIDENT GARFIELD SHOT
While Entering a Railway Depot al
Washington.
His Wounds Pronounced Serious by the
Physicians Assassin.

w ASHlNGION, July z.-In6 PRESIDENT
of the United States was shot twice this
morning in the waiting-roon of the
Pennsylvania depot by Charles j. Gui-
teau, of Illinois. One shot inflicted a
mere flesh wound-not at all dangerous
in the left arm. The second shot en-
tered the lower left side from the back.
This inflicted q serious wound. When
the president received this shot he fell
to the floor. The assassin cried out:
I" President Garfield is dead. Arthur is
President, and the stalwarts are avenged
Bring on the police. / have a letter for
General Sherman that viii explain every
thing" He was at once seized by two
officers in the depot, and almost before
the crowd could realize what had hap
pened, the assassin had been taken to
the Central Station, where he now lies
under guard.
Col. Rockwell, who was with the pres
ident's party, at once dispatched mounted
orderlies for physicians. The President
was laid upon the couch in the depot.
The doors were guarded against the
crowd that began to mass about the
depot, pale with excitement. Surgeon
General Barnes G The army, Surgeon
General Wales on HE navy, DR.. Bliss,
one of the most skiiiful of the army sur
geons, and host of local practitioners
were soon at the depot. The President
did not lose consciousness, but his pulse
ran down to fifty-fve, and after short
time he vomited. The shot in the back
was thought for time to be fatal.
Reports that death had already resulted
speedily became current. Crowds gath
cred everywhere; carriages blocked every
crossing; everyone seemed wild with ex-
element. The public departments at
once suspended business, and nearly the
whole population of Washington poured
out into the street.
AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
The President was taken to the White
House on mattress in police ambu-
lance about 10 O'Clock. Looking up as
he reached the entrance, he saw Coils.
Crook and Morton, of his personal staff,
and pluckily waved his hand to them, as
if to assure them that he was not so bad
ly injured as had been reported. AS he
was brought in upon the stout shoulders
of the policemen, he passed Mrs. Blaine
in the ante-room below, and kissed his
hand to her with reassuring air. He
was then carried up to his own bedroom,
where Mrs. Garfield was sick SO long,
and laid upon the bed. A consultation
of physicians was at once held. Mrs.
DIR. Edison was installed as nurse. Col.
Rockwell sat upon the bed, watching
the President, while Mr.. Crump, the
steward, stood at the head of the bed.
DIR. Bliss was placed in charge of the
case. All the physicians were pale and
trembling with excitement. The Presi-
dent was the coolest person in the room.
He was perfectly cheerful, and immedi-
ately ordered dispatches to be sent to
his wife and mother, to contradict rrl-
mors of his death that might have reach
ed them. The bedroom was cleared of
all but the physicians, the personal
attendants of the President, and his two
sons.
Inside the White House, after the
Presidents arrival there was contin-
ued stream of diplomatic callers and
officials. They were received in the
hall, near the Presidents private room.
Here, scattered about upon the lounges
and easy chairs of the waiting-rooms.
were grouped, at various times in the
day, all the representative men at Wash
lngtOn. The glass doors which separate
the large white hall of the White House
from the Railways of the executive offices
were closed and locked. Passing down
this to the extreme end, is another glass
door, also locked, and the private room
of Gen. Garfield was reached, 1t is a
large, spacious room. The furniture is
a light wood. The carpet is dark, over
run with small crimson roses and stray
CLING viues. The room itself was mod
erately darkened, enough light coming
III from the southern windows to light Up
the scene about the bed. There lay Gen
Garfield, with his head slightly support
ed upon low pillow. Half reclining
upon the bed near him was Col Rock
well, i'll gray tweed suit. He rested on
his right elbow, gazing attentively at the
President to anticipate every movement
of his will almost before the utterance.
The stolid and faithful house steward
two messengers were ranged about, obey
ing the orders OF the physicians.
WAsHINGToN, July 6.-The last bulle-
tin, which was issued at one o'clock,
shows pulse 100, temperature 90.7, res
piration %. This is an increase of two
beats in pulse, but the doctors do not
consider it as any bad showing. They
attribute it to the heat of the weather
and say that all the favorable symptoms
continue. The President has continued
to rest easily this morning and to stead
lily improve, and the doctors say that
every minute that he continues to get
along as he has since yesterday morning,
greatly increases his chances of final re-
covery. Some fears were expressed of
gangrene in the wound, but surgeons
do not apprehend this. They say that
there is not single symptom of gan
creme yet, and that if gangrene had set
in it would show itself by unmistakable
signs. The President still has an appe-
tite, and his stomach retains nourish-
ment To-day there is every hope of his
recovery. The city doctors who have
not seen the President, but who have kept
professionally informed of his condition,
now generally agree that his chances are
good. Even those who yesterday
thought he could not recover now admit
that the signs are in his favor. The
lowering of the pulse is pronounced the
best sign. The quarrel that the doctors
had over the case continues to excite
comment here. The local physicians
are divided in opinion in the matter.
Some approve what DIR. Bliss
did and others condemn him. The ply
sicians who voluntarily went to the
White House without being sent for
have been criticised as seeking some
notoriety in connection with the case.
They deny this and say that their mo-
tive was to be of service. They say that
last Saturday evening and that night an