The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-10-29

Chicago Rec o
It was shortly after the assassination
of President Garfield and while Charles
j. Guiteau was awaiting execution that
Robert G. 1ngersoll. meeting DR.. ID. q.
Rush on Pennsylvania avenue, WashA
ington. said to him: ss@
Doctor. I've got to the bottom OF this
Guiteau business. and l think the ov-
eminent has also. l am well satlsaeo
that Guiteau never intended toSXAA
Garfield, or even to wound him. He fired
at James G. Blaine and intended toxktu
Blaine. That Garfield got the bullet
was simply one Of those extraordinary
happenings wherein it seems as If the
fates overruled the will of man." -.
DR.. Rush knew Ingersoll we'll and ap-
preciated his extraordinary capacity for
research and investigation. He pressed
him for further explanation Of the rpat-
ter. The two men found a lounging
place, and the great orator beg3n his
story.
You know as we'll as I do. doctor"
he said, shat during the Garfield-Han-
cock campaign Guiteau was one of the
most favored men at national headQuar-
ters. He seemed to have more pull and
drag around the old Fifth Avenue hotel
than even senator's or congressman. His
impudence was superb. His ability to
impress those whom he met casually
with the idea that the success of the
campaign depended upon him was ex-
traOrdinary.
when he first made his appearance at
national headquarters if some one had
sympathetically but firmly taken him
by the shoulders and kicked him into
the street the tragedy of July would
probab bly, never have taken place. But
you know how things are in headQuar-
ters in the heat of the fight. Every
body counts for something until the
| votes are in. The sitting of individuals
| does not come until after the balloting.
In consequence of this Guiteau, with
! out any merit, without any particular
| knowledge of the situation. without the
control of a single vote in the country
but his own, became an object of i'm
| portance at headquarters. He could
work his way into any private room, he
could buttonhole any prominent man, he
| could secure a hearing where either Of
| us might have had to cool our heels for
| day.
1.-The result was the man, never bal
| anced of mind. gained false impression
| of his own Importance, which was to
prove his own undoing and the working
of a frightful wrong upon the people.
He began to talk loudly of what he pro-
posed to do if the republicans won the
day. He spoke mysteriously Of certain
| connections which he hoped to have
with the state department if a repub-
| lican secretary controlled it. He said
frankly that nothing but a corsulship
would satisfy him, and declared that
promises had been made him that he
should be so taken care of.
A*
IT do not doubt that such promises
| were made to him by thoughtlass per-
sons even by persons who, could have Sc
been speaking seriously, could have Sc
| cured for Guiteau what he desired
Some public men, to get rid of bores
regard 1t as justifable policy to promise
them anything. But this policy ha6
more to do with Garfield's death thar
anything else. Guiteau took every
promise made him seriously. He was
convinced that he was to be with either
the diplomatic service in London OF
Paris. and that he would be one Of the
mast important representatives of thu
state department abroad.
HE told this to a number of person!
in New York City after the election, and
they smiled and did not disillnsioniz,
him. They even thought it was a cap
, ital joke. and have no doubt some o
them. for the fun of the thing, encour
aged him in the idea. Guiteau did no
know Garfield, and never expressed par
, ticular hostility toward him until afte
, the latter was shot down. He never, il
my opinion. gave Garfield a though
! until he saw that he had shot MIN in
stead Of Blaine Then having misse
his original object. and with a cunning
common to mental perverts of his type
+ he Immediately sought to justify Gar
! fields assassination and to make it ap
pear that he Guiteau, was a savior.