Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-26
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

When Charles J. Guiteau stepped be-
hind President Garfield at the Sixth
street station. in this city, on the I'd of
July, 1881, he fired two shots, one of
Guiteau's Second RESIDENTS Presto enSsteI back aeE
Bullet Is Found. a. and e ;, inflicted II the e
eventually caused his death. The other
shot missed its mark and for q time
there was a mystery regarding its
course. In The Star Of July 10, 1881,
the question regarding this second ball
was answered:
THE whereabouts Of the missing
bullet, the first fired by the assassin
Guiteau at the President, remained a
mystery until yesterday, when Kristoph
Plockechis, Polish glazer, residing at
913 Third street northeast, appeared
at the district attorneys Office and pro-
duced 1t. It will be remembered that
after it was definitely ascertained that
this ball had gone in a southeasterly
direction, passing through one of the
doorways of the ladies' room at the
depot, thorough but unavailing search
was made for it and it was thought
that 1t might have been 1nbedded in
piece Of baggage in the baggage room
at the southeast corner Of the building
It now appears that at the time Of
the shooting Plockechis, the glazier,
was in the main room of the depot
with his kit-a box containing some
panes Of window glass, knives and
putty-waiting an opportunity to get
$40 bill changed. He had looSened
one strap Of his kit and was in the act
of looSening the other when he heard
the reports Of the pistol and three
panes of his glass were shattered in
the box. He Immediately ran away
from the building. Last Wednesday,
while cleaning his box, he found the
bullet 1mbedded in lump of putty.
and, acting under the advice of friends,
he yesterday took it to the district
attorney and gave 1t up. He thinks
that this was the first ball, but says
the shots were 50 quickly fired that he
was not certain. Plockechis speaks but
little English and made his statement
through an interpreter, Gotleib Prev.
The bullet is mate to those taken
from Guiteau's pistol. The point Is
blunted and one side is fiattened. Col
Corkhill says there is no reason to
doubt the story told by the glazier."
TTeSlQeUL CaTIlelu was uldkALlS I'LL
apparent recovery from his wound and
so satisfactory were the bulletins Of
the physicians that his complete con-
:, =. valescence was general
PRESIDENTS ly expected. Gov. Charles
cord;+;or G. Foster Of Ohio pro-
OVnuA'loA' posed the appointment
of a day of national thanksgiving for
the Presidents preservation. The Star
of July 20, 1881, thus commented upon
his condition:
1.-THE slight relapse which the Presi-
dent suffered Monday evening was only
transient and did not even check the
favorable symptoms which have SO
regularly continued Of late. The wound
is doing well, and that Is the main
thing, as it governs the case. It seems
to be decided that no experiments for
determining the locality Of the bullet
viii be permitted while the President
is steadily improving. That might do
harm without any chance for COM
pensating benefits. The surgeons are
convinced that their theory Of the track
of the ball and its present Judgement
is correct. Anything that disturbs the
President usually causes an excitement
which is followed by an increase OF
fever. This has been shown on several
occasions. The noise that was neces-
Sary to the introduction Of the cold-air
pipes annoyed him and rise of tenn
perature followed. The dressing Of his
hair and beard by barber on Monday
had O like effect, and to subject him
% electric experiments for tracing the
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