Evening star., 1944-07-02
BY John Clagett Proctor.


Today, just 50 years ago, James
Abram Garfield, twentieth President Of
the United States, was mortally wound
ed In this city by mentally unbalanced
assassin named Guiteau who later was
tried, convicted and executed for his
dastardiy crime.
In 1865, when President Lincoln was
assassinated, the people of Washington
mourned with the rest of the Union.
He had been the Chief Executive for
four years during most trying period
of the Republic and had just entered
upon his second term. The people had
grown to know him and love him. His
death appalled, the Nation.
Garfield had served in Congress here
for II years, or from 1863, when he
retired from the Union Army with the
rank of major general, to 1880 when
he declined the election as Senator
from Ohio, to accept the greater honor
of being President, to which he was
elected November 1, 1880. During this
period he not only lived here, but he
mingled with the people of the District
of Columbia, Joined their fraternal Or
eanizations, became an active member
of the Church of the Disciples of Christ
was a regular attendant there, and
sent his children to our public schools.
Deeply Mourned Here
His inauguration had taken place
only four months before, and the story
of his rise from the obscure mule driver
on the canal to general in the Army,
thence to Congress, and finally to the
presidency was still fresh in the minds
of the people. The dastardly deed that
a few months later caused his death
enveloped the Nation in grief No one
but those then living can tell Of the
profound sorrow that overwhelmed the
entire country.
Houses in Washington were draped
In black as they had only been upon
the death of Lincoln. Prayers were
said for his recovery in all the churches,
irrespective of creed, and until the
crisis came and all was over there was
nothing that so held the public as the
bulletins that told of his condition.
Upon the day of his assassination,
The Star issued three extras that told
the story of the crime. The radio at
that time was scarcely in the mind of
the scientist, and only the newsboy
conveyed the news to the public. which
awaited his cry upon this occasion with
startling ear, as he proclaimed:
Extra Star, Extra Star-Garfleld Is
shot, Garfield is shot!'
The best of us sometimes forget de-
tails, and those who do not make errors
accomplish nothing. Indeed, it has long
since been said that the frequency of
errors caused the invention of the lead
pencil with the rubber eraser on the
end, and since this method of manu-
facture has not been discontinued it
may we'll be assumed that the unfor-
tunate practice uf such it might be
called of changing our minds is still
with U.S. However, in order to check
up as closely as possible on the details
of this horrible crime the writer got out
The Star for Saturday, July 2, 1881, and
copied the following item: '.''>@'
President Garfield was shot this
morning at $50 o'clock in the ladies
room of the Baltimore e. Potomac depot.
He had just alighted from his carriage
to take the cars for the North. Secre-
tary Hunt and Mrs. Hunt, Secretary
Window and Mrs. Window and Miss
Window, Postmaster General James and
the rest of the party had taken their
seats in the car
Col. Jameson of the Post ONCE
who was to have charge
of the transportation of the party, was
standing at the gate leading to the cars.
He heard a shot, quickly followed by
another. There was rush to the ladies'
room, whence the sounds came Presi-
dent Garfield was found lying on the
floor, having fallen to the left. Secre-
tary Blaine came out of the room, fol-
lowing man and calling: Rockwell!
Where is Rockwell?' The man was
seized by Officer Kearney and Mr.. Parks,
the depot policeman
The President was taken upstairs
DR.. Bliss arrived soon afterward. 1t
was soon discovered that both shots had
taken effect. One struck him in the
right arm below the shoulder. The
other went in at the right side of the