The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-01

was entering the Baltimore & Potomac
railroad station in Washington to take
train for Long Branch.
The presidential party. was to leave
Washington for extended tour or New
England. 1t was to comprise the Presl-
dent, Mrs. Garfield. who was to meet him
and James; Miss Molhe Garfield who was
with her mother in Long Branch, and a
number of the Presidents intimate friends
and the members of his Cabinet.
The President was driven. to the station
with Secretary BLAZING; Side by side the
walked across the ladies' reception room,
in which there were not at the time more
than half a dozen persons.
and wicked expression, who moved about
nsrvoqsly until the two statesmen snna had
were not more than ten feet from the door.
report as of big fire cracker chal-
lenged the attention of the policeman at
the main door, who thought it had been
fired in honor of the Presidents departure.
Instantly another report was heard, and
President Garfield lay PROSTATE upon the
floor, wounded in the right arm and in the
right side.
The shots had been fired by Charles J.
Guiteau, a half Frenchman, about thirty
years of age, who had been imploring the
President to give him a consulate TO
in the presence of his intended victim, and
he stood there, as calm and firm as
statue. an English bulldog pistol still
Secretary Blaine had been a step or two
in advance of the President He turned at
the pistol shots, EXPLAINING: My God' he
has been murdered
That was ultimately true. for the victim
of the assassin's bullets lay upon mat
tress which had been brought from one of
the sleeping apartments. and though these
were long hours of agony to him, hours OF
public hope and public sympathy, he had
indeed been murdered
carried to police headquarters to await his
trial and eXpation of his crime. The sur
geons found that the second bullet had en-
tered the Presidents back near the spinal
column. He conscious, but in great
that the doctors feared he was in extremis.
AS Dr. Smith Townshend examined the
wound the President looked up and asked
him what he thought.
81 do not think it serious" the Doctor
answered.
81 thank you, Doctor" the President said,
''but am dead man..
He was removed to the White House
little later, when he again inquired about
thence and fortitude.
Meantime the assassin was being ques-
toned by the police II did it to save the
Republican party" he said. II am stall
wart among the stalwarts. With Garfield
out of the way we can carry all the North
ern States. and with him in the way We
can't carry single ONE
He had left several letters, in which he
said that he bore the President no i'll will,
but that his death was political neces-
sity.
n. J.. in early September, and for a time
there was renewed hope of his final recov-
cry. Then, when the sympathy of the civ
prayers were unceasing, complications
| arose and the bulletins which had been
| grave became sorrowful in anticipation Of
| the end.
| Then on Sept. 49, after eighty days full
| of suffering and sorrow, came the end.
He died in the cottage by the sea half
| an hour before midnight, with his wife be-
| side him, blssfully unconscious in the few
| final moments. He had held office only two
,1,-a6 n QiCrhf n N
on a bed of suffering.
| And Guiteau, in the course of time, was
| adjudged responsible for his act and
hanged.
PRESIDENT JACKSON SHOT AT.
| A noticeable similarity marked the MUIR
| derous attempt upon the life of President
Garfield and that upon the life of President
| Jackson, in Washington, on Jan. go 1896.
Two serious public attacks were made
| upon him during the first four years Of his
| presidency-one by Lieutenant Randolph
and one by a man named Lawrence. The
latter. in character and method, might
| have been a model for Guiteau.
The President and his Cabinet werespres-
/ ent in the Capitol on JAM 80. 1885, to attend
| ceremonies in honor of a deceased member
| OF the House from South Carolina. Presi-
| dent Jackson had crossed the great rotunda
| and was about to step out on the portico,
| when a man stepped toward him from the
! crowd, drew a pistol when only eight feet
| away, aimed it point blank at the Presi-
| dent and pulled the trigger. The cartridge
| was bad one, and there was no explosion
| He drew another pistol and again at
| tempted TO fire, but the weapon played him
| false again, and, in a twinkling, President
| Jackson rushed upon his assailant and dis
| armed him.
Lawrence's explanation was like Gui-
| teau's. He had been deprived of his en-
| ployment, he said and felt incumbent upon
| him TO assassinate the President, whom he
| regarded as the cause or his own troubles
I and of the countrys political entangie-
ments. He was finally sent to an asylum.
King Alfonso. OF SPAIN was shot at in 1878.
| shortly after an attempt had been made to
kill the German Emperor. The woald-be
assassin was a revolutionist His aim vas
| bad.
King Victor Emanuel narrowly escaped