The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1881-07-16
AN ASSASSIN
Seeking the Life OF the
President.
Tragic Scenes in the Washing
ton Depot.
President Garfield Shot Down
While Departing to Join
His Wife.
One Shot Lodges in the Arm and
the Other i'm the Back.
CHARLES j. GUITEAU, THE
ASSASSIN, ARRESTED.
"a STALWART OF THE
SJALWARI So AND A
CHRONIC OFFICE
SEEK EEk.
Story of the Horrible Deel>. a
Nations Lame nlaliOns...
Dispatches fSympa-
thy, Etc:

The nation was shocked Saturda
morning, the I'd inst, by the repor
flashed over the wires of the assas
sination of President Garfield in til
depot at Washington. The fact tina
such terrible event had not eve
been dreamed of by the President
worst wishers-his political enc
mies-gave the news the appearance
of joke although either a confirma
ton or contradiction of the calamit,
was eagerly sought in every otiartel
The report, however, vas rapidly fol
lowed by others, confirming the first
and excitement became intense.
The following is the first dispatch
''WAsHINGToN, ID. c., July 2-9:1!
A. president Garfield was shot il
the depot this morning. This is au
thentic. lie is now unconscious
Shortly after this dispatch another
was sent over the wires announcing
that the President was dead, but thi.
was shortly after contradicted. Dir
Bliss, the Presidents physician, tel
egraphed that he thought the wounC
was not mortal.
As soon after the shooting as il
was possible the President was con
veyed to the White House.
The pistol used was q California
weapon, with an extremely heavy
ealibre and known as q "bull dog
The shooting was done by slen-
Ter man, about five feet seven inches
in height. He was arrested immedi.
ately after the firing, by officers in
the depot. He was first taken to Pc
lice Headquarters and subsequently
removed to the: District Jail. The
shooting occurred in the ladies' room
of the depot, Immediately after the
President had entered, walking arm
in arm with Secretary Blaine, on
their way to the Limited Express
train, which was about to leave fol
New York, where the President ex-
pected to be joined by his wife, on q
pleasure trip up the Hudson.
The Station-Agent, Carney, arrest
ed the assassin, who said: Il did it.
and / am Stalwart, and Arthur is
now President. Take letter, / have
here, to General Sherman, and he
will tell you all about it,
Two shots were fired by the assas-
sin, one lodging in the right arm be-
low the shoulder, and the other in the
tight side Of the back, between the
hips and kidneys.
The name of the assassin, as writ
ten by himself, is Charles Guiteau.
and he says he is an attorney at law
in Chicago.
The Washington Star SAYS that
when the assassin was arrested he
said: II did it and want to be arrest
ed. l am Stalwart and Arthur is
President now"
After the President had been re-
moved to the White House, it was
almost impossible for any one to gain
access to it excepting Cabinet off
GERS, it being thoroughly guarded by
soldiers, and thus accounts of his
condition were very meagre and I'M
satisfactory TO the impatient and
sympathizing pepulace.
Two hours after the shooting the
President dictated the following tel
egram to his wife:
MRS. GENERAL GARFIELD, Elber-
non, Long Branch: The President
wishes me to say to you, from him,
that he has been seriously hurt
how seriously, he can not say. He
IS himself, and hopes You will come
to him soon. He sends his love to
you. Signed, -"
The dispatch to Mrs. Garfield
made her almost frantic, and her
physicians found it necessary to let
her see none of the dispatches, but
dictated hopeful ones to her.
Sixteen years ago-on an occasion
similar to this one-Mr Garfield
said: God reigns, and the Govern
ment at Washington still lives"
Shortly after the shooting Vice
President Arthur was interviewed at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York,
and said that if there was truth in
the report, he felt exceedingly sorry
for Mrs. Garfield, whose health was
precarious. Senator Conkling, who
had arrived in the city, on the same
boat with Arthur, and was stopping
at the Fifth Avenue, refused to he in
terviewed.
Mrs. Garfield and her daughter
Mollie, who were at the ElberoD, Long
Branch, were to have started on the
2:22 p. m. train for New York, where
they were to have joined the Presi-
dent on a trip up the Hudson to Ar
lington. At about eleven o'clock
General Swain entered the apart
ments occupied by the Presidents
wife, wearing troubled look Mrs.
Garfield looked inquiringly at him,
when he said: II have just received
a dispatch stating that the President !