The Washington herald., 1907-11-08
GARFIELD RELIC GONE
Tile Marking Spot Where He
Fell Is Stolen.
TAKEN FROM STATION FLOOR
Last Seen by Pennsylvania Depot
Employees Early Yesterday Morn
inE-aany Offers Are Alleged TO
Have Been Made for the Souvenir
of Great National Tragedy.


Sixth street station. which since 1890
has served TO mark the spot where
President James A Garfield was shot.
has been missing since yesterday
morning, and the inference is that the
ubiquitous relic hunter has scored
again in Washington.
Station Master W. G. Robey and his
assistants were much perturbed yes
terday over the mysterious removal Of
the tile. and no one IN the local employ
Of the company could throw any light
upon how it had been taken away
or when ii was removed. II was
last seen al 6:30 o'clock yesterday
morning by one of the employees of the
station who was cleaning the room. An
hour later it was gone. as the hole in
the tile floor still bears mute testimony
Removed by SkiIIfuI Hands.
Whoever took the tiny block OF clay
must have been an expert. as it was re-
moved without disturbing the pieces
with which it was surrounded and ap-
parently without in the least injuring
the tile itself. which was firmly bed
ded in cement. 1t is the opinion Of
Station Master Robey that the job could
not have been done without steel instru-
ments OF some kind or without cOnsim-
ing, considerable time in Ioosening the
block. He is at a loss TO explain how
it could have been accomplished with
out the operator being seen.1
The floor Of the Pennsylvania station
at Sixth and streets northwest is laid
IN tiles. so much in vogue "A quarter of
a century ago The design Is composed
OF small square blocks about two inches
cn each side. white and blue being
used. The red tile, different in color
from any other in the floor. was Of
the same size and material It took
tho place OF brass star which was
partially destroyed by a fire in the sta
tion on March I. 1900.
The Tragedy of 1881.
President Garfield was shot ON Julv .
1871, as he was passing through the door
way leading from the front room of the
station into the larger waiting room.
He was in company with James G.
Blaine. then Secretary Of State. the two
men having just been driven to the &
street entrance, the train which was 10
bear the President from the city being
In the train shed. The assassin Guiteau
nred as he rushed up behind the Presi-
dent. and the latter fell to the floor.
After the Presidents death in the fol-
lowing September the spot in the sta
ton where he fell was marked by the
brass star. which for many years was
reEpTaUrlE
visited Washington and passed through
the station. The manner In which il
was replaced by the red tile has been
described
While public interest in the tragic
event which thrilled the world in rSS1
has been partially crowded out OF mem
Org in later years, many stlI sought ont
the little red tile. and gazed thoughtful
~ upon II until day before Yesterday II
VIII be missed by the throng OF travel
ers for The short remaining time which
the Sixth street station will be used nv
the Pennsylvania Company. before re
moval To the new Union Station.
Money offered for Relic.
one reason leading to the Inference
that The tile was removed By some relic
hunter is that officials OF the company.
and even Station Master Robey, have
been frequently importuned of late for
permission 10 remove that particular file
1t is said that money has been offered
IN some cases TO gain possession OF the
relic. OF course. al such requests have
been denied. and the explanation given
for its disappearance is that some me-
mento seeker. bolder and more expert
than the rest. has taken the tile. and
safely gotten away with il.
\ suspicion. which could not be veri-
fed. is that the tile was removed at the
connivance of the officials of the com
pany in the fear that some one would
get 1t other than its rightful owners. II
was suggested yesterday that some one
In the employ OF the company may have
removed the tile, without the direct
knowledge even of the employees of the
station.
At All events. the tile is gone mvste-
riously as the prowlings OF a thief in
the night, and those in immediate charge
OF the station know as little OF the man
ner, in which ii was done or who did #
as The curious public. which gazed upon
the hole In the floor yesterday. and spec
ulated upon the cleaverneSs of the sun
posed thief in taking I'D and getting
urifb L.,