Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-10-20
Guiteau's Confession.

Tho Now York Herald prints long con-
fession from the assassin duiteau. Tho nar-
rativo begins with the Presidential oam paign.
Gaiteau was very anxious to be sent out as
ono Of tho campaign speakers, and hung
around the Republican headquarters in Now
New York. besieging the committee for week
after week. Ono speech. entitled Garfield
against Hancock he thought was remarka-
BILE performance. This lie had printed, but
got no opportunity to deliver 1t except to n
colorcd meeting in New York. After Gar.
fields election lie went to Washington and
cent in his application for the Austrian mis-
aion. accompanying his application with his
great epeech. lie wrote humorous notes and
letters to tho President and to Secretary
Blaine. Finding he could not get tho AUS
trian Mission ho applied for the Pnris Cons
sulship. While this application was pend-
ing he being sunguine Of tho appointment,
it suddenly occurred to him that the Presi-
dent must bo "romoved;" that it was neces-
sary for tho preservation Of tho country and
the Republican party; that if tho President
we're out of the way the party would become
united; otherwise the government would fall
into tho hands Of tho "rcbels and Demo.
orats." This impression kept growing upon
him till he felt himself impclled By divine
authority to remove tho President lie thus
describes his conception Of the decd:
My conception Of the idea of removing the
President was this; Mr.. Conkling resigned
on Monday, May lG, 1881. On the follow
ing "Wednesday was in bed. j think I re.
tired about O'Clock. l felt depressed and
porplcxcd on account of the political situation
and | retired much earlier than usual felt
wenried in mind and body, and was in my
bed about nine o'clock and WIS thinking
over tho political stuatiou, aud the idea
flashed through my brain that if the Presi>
dent was out of tho way everything would
go better. At first this was nero impress
sion. 1t startled mo with renewed force. and
l began to read tho papers with my eye on
the possibility that tho President would have
to 60; and the moro read. tho moro l saw
the complication of public affairs, tho moro
was impressed with the necessity of rcn,ov-
ing him.
This thing continued for about two weeks.
l kept reading the papers and kept being im-
pressed, and the idea kept bearing and bear>
ing and bearing d, upon mo that tho only
way to unto the two factions of tho Repubr
lican party and save the republic from going
into the hands of the rebels and Democrats
was to quietly remove tho President.
lie then proceeds to recount the attempts
to carry out his purpose.
lie went to tho Christian Church on Sun
dny and saw that tho President sat by
window. lie made up his mind to come
back the next Sunday aud shoot him there;
but he learned in n day or two that the Presi-
dent was going to Long Branch with Mrs.
Garfield.
lie went to the depot for tho purpose of
removing" tho President. IIo gives his
reason for not killing him then that Mrs
Garfield looked SO thin and clung to his urn
SO tenderly that did not have tho heart to
fire on him."
Knowing when the President would return
from Long Branch he went again to the de-
pot for the purpose Of killing him. 1t was
n hot, sultry day. Whilo waiting in tho
ladies' room he says, II thought it ull over
and made up my mind that would not 6ro
that day. did not feel like it,"
lie next followed the President while
out riding with lis son ard another
gentleman, but did not get chance to shoot.
lie next followed him as he went to Mr..
Blaine's house; lie waited in the alley for the
President to pnss by on his return, but
when he returned Mr.. Blaine was with him.
Next vas the successful attempt at tho de-
pot July 81.