The Assassination of James Garfield July 2, 1881

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The Assassination of James Garfield July 2, 1881
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After 36 votes Garfield became the surprise
nominee
Garfield and Arthur
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Charles Guiteau
In 1880, Guiteau became a frequent visitor to
Republican Party headquarters in NYC
Click on Guiteau
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Timeline of the insane?

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Interest in politics?
Although Guiteau had written speeches in support
of Grant, a Stalwart, when Garfield became the
nominee, Guiteau simply scratched Grants name
from his speech and substituted Garfields.
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Guiteau wrote Garfield asking for a diplomatic
appointment
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Never bother me again about the Paris consulship
so long as you live.
Sec. State Blaine to Guiteau
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The murder weapon
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Address to the American People

• I had no ill-will against the President,
  the Presidents removal was a political
  necessity, because he proved a traitor to the men
  who made him, and thereby imperiled the life of
  the Republic . . . Ingratitude is the basest of
  crimes. It is not murder . . . It will make my
  friend Arthur President, and save the Republic .
  . . I leave my justification to God and the
  American people.

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Letter to Sherman July 1
To General Sherman I have just shot the
President. I shot him several times as I wished
him to go as easily as possible. His death was a
political necessity. I am a lawyer, a
theologian, and a politician. I was with Gen.
Grant and the rest of our men in New York during
the canvass. I am going to jail. Please order
out your troops and take possession of the jail
at once. Very respectfully, Charles Guiteau
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Baltimore and Potomac Station
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Diagram of the Train Station
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My God, what is this?
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I did it. I will go to jail for it. I am a
Stalwart and Arthur will be President.
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Wounds on garfield

1. Enters 4 inches to the right of the spine.
2. Fractures t1th and 12th ribs.
3. Chipping the first lumbar vertebra.
4. Coming to rest behind the pancreas.

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I thank you doctor but Im a dead man.
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How doctors killed Garfield video
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Alexander Graham Bells Induction Balance
Video clip on Bell
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Garfield lying in the Capitol
September 19, 1881
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Garfield Memorial in Cleveland
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Political cartoon created for the cover of Puck
Magazine on July 13, 1881. The cartoon shows
Charles J. Guiteau with a gun and a note that
reads "AN OFFICE OR YOUR LIFE!" The caption
reads "A Model Office Seeker". It is accompanied
by a quote "I am a lawyer, a theologian, and a
politician" - Charles J. Guiteau.
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Mr. Garfield by Johhny Cash Mr. Garfield been
shot down shot down shot down Mr. Garfield been
shot down low Me and my brother was down close
to the depot when I heard the report of a pistol.
My brother run out and come back in all
excitedAnd I said what was it? and he said it
was the report of a pistol and then he saidMr.
Garfield been shot down shot down shot down Mr.
Garfield been shot down low Lord I knew the
President was supposed to be at the depot that
dayAnd we just wouldn't believe that he's
shotBut we'd run over there and there was so
many folks aroundThat we couldn't see him but
some lady was standin' there cryin'And I said
ma'am what was it that happened ma'am and she
saidMr. Garfield been shot down shot down shot
down Mr. Garfield been shot down low
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Well everybody drifted off toward home
finallyAnd they looked like they felt about as
bad as I didBut in a few weeks I heard that the
President was still aliveAnd I told my brother I
said let's get on that train and go to where he's
laid up hurt Well when we got to his big house
up there I asked the fellowI said who was it
that did it who was it that shot the
President?And he said it was Charlie Guiteau
that shot Mr. Garfield and I saidCharlie Guiteau
done shot down a good man good manCharlie
Guiteau done shot down a good man low
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I heard some fellow there that had been in the
house to see the PresidentAnd I sidled up him to
listen to what he was tellin' and he saidMrs.
Lucretia Garfield was always at his sideIn the
heat of the day fannin' him when he was hotHe
said that just that day the President said to
Mrs. LucretiaHe said Crete honey (he called her
Crete)Said if somethin' worse happens to me
after awhile you get yourself a good man And
Mrs. Lucretia said James (she called him
James)She said I won't hear to that now she said
I love you too much but he saidYou'll make some
good man a good wife good wifeYou'll make some
man a good good good wife(Don't pull in single
harness all your life good galDon't pull in
single harness all your life)That's what he said
don't pull in single harness all your life
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Well a few days later I come back to where the
President was restin'And it seems everybody was
cryin'The flag was hangin' halfway up to the
flagpole in front of the houseAnd everybody
looked so sad and I asked a soldier boy thereAnd
I said is is is Mr. Garfield and he said yeah
he's gone Gonna lay him in that cold lonesome
ground down lowGonna lay him in that cold
lonesome groundWell they laid the President by
that long cold branch Mr. Garfield's been laid
down lowMr. Garfield has been shot down Mr.
Garfield's been shot(Mr. Garfield been shot down
shot down shot down Mr. Garfield been shot down
low)
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Is the belief that one has been instructed to act
by God a sign of mental imbalance?
Q You intended to kill him?  A I thought the
Deity and I had done it, sir. I want it
distinctly understood that I did not do that act
in my own personality. I unite myself with the
Deity, and I want you gentlemen to so understand
it. I never should have shot the President on my
own personal account. I want that distinctly
understood.  Q Who bought the pistol, the Deity
or you?
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Sentencing
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Significance of Garfield Assassination

• Brought the country together
• Civil Service Reform
• Question the use of insanity as a defense
• Use of sterile instruments and the spread of
  germs in the medical field.
• Ignorance is Bliss!

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Charles Guiteau by Louise Pound in American
Ballads and Songs
Come all you tender Christians, wherever you may
be, and likewise pay attention to these few
lines from me.For the murder of James A.
Garfield I am condemned to dieon the thirtieth
day of June, upon the scaffold high. CHORUS My
name is Charles Guiteau, my name I'll ne'er
deny.I leave my aged parents in sorrow for to
die.But little did they think, while in my
youthful bloom, I'd be taken to the scaffold to
meet my earthly doom. 'Twas down at the station
I tried to make my escape, But Providence being
against me, there proved to be no show.They took
me off to prison while in my youthful bloomto be
taken to the scaffold to meet my earthly doom. I
tried to play off insane but found it ne'er
would do, the people were all against me, to
escape there was no clue.Judge Cox, he read my
sentence, his clerk he wrote it down, Id be
taken to the scaffold to meet my earthly
doom. My sister came to see me, to bid a last
farewell.She threw her arm around me and wept
most bitterly.She says, "My darling brother,
this day you must cruelly diefor the murder of
James A. Garfield, upon the scaffold high."