The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1901-09-12
SOME NOTABLE AsSAssINATIONs.
RichmOn Times.

Mckinley is the third President
of the United States to fall by the
hand Of an assassin, and, by queer
coincidence, all three were elected
by the Republican party. President
Lincoln was shot on April IA, 1865,
by Wilkes Booth, and died the day
following without ever having re-
gained consciousness. President
James A. Garfield was shot down in
railroad depot in Washington by
Charles J. Guiteau July 2, 1881,
and died Sept. 10Th, after lingering
between life and death. Neither of
these assassinations were the result
of any anarchist movement, and
President McKinly is the first Chief
Executive of the United States to
fall by an anarchists hand. Lincoln
was killed by fanatic, whose brain
had been overweight by defeat of
the COnfederacy, and who imagined
that in Staying President Lincoln he
was sacrificing himself for the sake
of his country. Really, he slew his
country's best friend.
The man who killed Garfield was
unbalanced in mind, his vanity
having been offended by the refusal
of an Office. Both of these assassins
were convicted and executed for
their crimes.
| On April IA, 1865, President
Lincoln, attended by his wife, Maj i.
RathbOne, and Miss Harris, went to
FOrd'sThreatre at the National
Capital. They went into private
box, and Lincoln was soon absorbed
in the play, which was "Our Ameri-
can cousin" At about 1880 O'Clock
the box was suddenly invaded by
John Wilkes Booth, an actor. In
an instance he put a pistol to the
back of Lincoln's head and fired,
, then leaped from the box to the
stage, crying: "Sic semper Tyrannis!
The South is avenged" and fled
through the stage door, mounted a
horse and escaped. The President
did not stir. The ball had gone
through his brain, and he had nc
further consciousness. He died the
next morning about half-past seven
On the same evening an attempt
l was made ON the life of Secretary
3 Seward, who was confintd to hi,
t house as the result of an accident.
q The assassin, Booth. was captured
and executed, and some of his con
federates shared his fate.
On July 2, 1881, President Jane
r A. Garfield was shot In a railway
/ station by Charles s. Guiteau, a maj
: whose vanity had been offended by
the refusal of an Office, and who's
unbalanced brain had been excite<
by the discussions in the Republican
9 party. The assailant was arrested
f and the wounded President wa
carried back to the White House
e where the highest surgical skill wa
Summoned to his aid. The Grim
excited the horror and excavation O
, all parties alike, and foreign nation
Joined in the universal outpourin
e Of sorrow and indignation.
For eighty days Garfield lingere
between life and death. Toward tn
end of August he was moved b
u train to Elberon, near Long Branch
d N. j. The change proved of n
d avail, and ON September 10Th
n died. His body was taken
. Washington, where it lay in stat,
10 and then to Cleveland, Ohio, where
le after being exposed to public view
re it was buried with impressive cert
IL monies on September 26th.
The assassin, Guiteau, was COZ
: victed after a protracted trial,
III which the only defense was that {
in insanity, and was hanged in the ia
" at Washington June 80, 1882.
,el In Europe assassinations of MOI
RI archs and high personages have bee
much more frequent, while attemp
y of this sort have been too numero,
OF to mention. Hardly . year h,
passed since Humbert, the King I
Italy, was shot to death by Gaetan
Bresci as he was returning from di
tributing prizes at an athletic COZ
81 test. The assassin acknowledge b
n crime, and is now serving a Ii,
tie sentence of solitary confinement.
y. In 1894 President Carnot,
be France, was assassinated ct Lyol
Ill by an italian anarchist named Cas-
es rio.
I'll Within recent years attempts ha,
Mt been made on the life of Emper,
de William, Of Germany, and man
have tried to kill the Gar of Russi