The Assassin.--What were his Motives.--His own
Confessions.--Statement of District-Attorney
Corkhill.--Sketch of Guiteau's Early Life.
Together with the overwhelming sense of grief and consternation that had
spread throughout the country, was the eager desire to know what motives
had actuated the assassin in his terrible deed.
When questioned by the detective who took him to jail, Guiteau declared,
"I am a Stalwart of the Stalwarts; I did it to save the Republican
party."
"Is there anybody else with you in this matter?"
"Not a living soul," he replied. "I have contemplated the thing for the
last six weeks and would have shot the President when he went away with
Mrs. Garfield, but I looked at her, and she looked so sick, I changed my
mind."
After a careful investigation of the facts, District-Attorney Corkhill
published the following statement:--
"The interest felt by the public in the details of the assassination,
and the many stories published, justify me in stating that the
following is a correct and accurate statement concerning the points to
which reference is made: The assassin, Charles Guiteau, came to
Washington city on Sunday evening, March 6th, 1881, and stopped at the
Ebbitt House, remaining only one day. He then secured a room in another
part of the city, and had boarded and roomed at various places, the full
details of which I have. On Wednesday, May 18th, 1881, the assassin
determined to murder the President. He had neither money nor pistol at
the time. About the last of May he went into O'Meara's store, corner of
Fifteenth and F Streets, this city, and examined some pistols, asking
for the largest calibre. He was shown two similar in calibre, and only
different in the price. On Wednesday, June 8th, he purchased a pistol,
for which he paid $10, he having, in the mean time, borrowed $15 of a
gentleman in this city, on the plea that he wanted to pay his board
bill. On the same evening, about seven o'clock, he took the pistol and
went to the foot of Seventeenth Street, and practised firing at a board,
firing ten shots. He then returned to his boarding-place and wiped the
pistol dry, and wrapped it in his coat, and waited his opportunity. On
Sunday morning, June 15th, he was sitting in Lafayette Park, and saw the
President leave for the Christian Church on Vermont Avenue, and he at
once returned to his room, obtained his pistol, put it in his pocket,
and followed the President to church. He entered the church, but found
he could not kill him there without danger of killing some one else. He
noticed that the President sat near a window. After church he made an
examination of the window, and found he could reach it without any
trouble, and that from this point he could shoot the President through
the head without killing any one else. The following Wednesday he went
to the church, examined the location and the window, and became
satisfied he could accomplish his purpose. He determined to make the
attempt at the church the following Sunday. Learning from the papers
that the President would leave the city on Saturday, the 18th of June,
with Mrs. Garfield, for Long Branch, he therefore decided to meet him at
the depot. He left his boarding-place about 5 o'clock Saturday morning,
June 18th, and went down to the river at the foot of Seventeenth Street,
and fired five shots to practise his aim, and be certain his pistol was
in good order. He then went to the depot, and was in the ladies'
waiting-room of the depot, with his pistol ready, when the presidential
party entered. He says Mrs. Garfield looked so weak and frail that he
had not the heart to shoot the President in her presence, and, as he
knew he would have another opportunity, he left the depot. He had
previously engaged a carriage to take him to the jail. On Wednesday
evening, the President and his son, and, I think, United States Marshal
Henry, went out for a ride. The assassin took his pistol and followed
them, and watched them for some time, in hopes the carriage would stop,
but no opportunity was given. On Friday evening, July 1, he was sitting
on the seat in the park opposite the White House, when he saw the
President come out alone. He followed him down the avenue to Fifteenth
Street, and then kept on the opposite side of the street upon Fifteenth,
until the President entered the residence of Secretary Blaine. He waited
at the corner of Fifteenth and H Streets for some time, and then, as he
was afraid he would attract attention, he went into the alley in the
rear of Mr. Morton's residence, examined his pistol, and waited. The
President and Secretary Blaine came out together, and he followed over
to the gate of the White House, but could get no opportunity to use his
weapon. On the morning of Saturday, July 2d, he breakfasted at the Riggs
House about 7 o'clock. He then walked up into the park, and sat there
for an hour. He then took a horse-car and rode to Sixth Street, got out
and went into the depot and loitered around there; had his shoes
blacked; engaged a hackman for two dollars to take him to the jail; went
into a private room and took his pistol out of his pocket, unwrapped the
paper from around it, which he had put there to prevent the dampening
of the powder; examined his pistol; carefully tried the trigger, and
then returned and took a seat in the ladies' waiting-room, and, as soon
as the President entered, advanced behind him and fired two shots.
"These facts, I think, can be relied upon as accurate, and I give them
to the public to contradict certain false rumors in connection with the
most atrocious of atrocious crimes."
Can such a deliberate preparation as this be deemed an act of insanity?
A gentleman who knew Guiteau as a boy, says that he is of French
descent, and that his father, J. W. Guiteau, was "an old resident and
respected citizen of Freeport, Ill. He married a very beautiful woman,
and with her and the younger children, he joined the Oneida Community.
He afterwards returned to Freeport, where he served as cashier of the
Second National Bank until his death. At one time he became deranged on
the subject of 'Perfection,' and lectured extensively through the North
and West on that subject. There were three children. An elder brother,
Wilkes Guiteau, for a long time practised law at Davenport, Iowa. A
younger sister, Flora, was a very promising girl. When the family left
Oneida Community, Charles, then fifteen or sixteen years old, was left
behind. He afterwards went to Chicago, where he studied law, being
cared for and supplied with money by his father. After completing his
studies, he went to Europe, where he travelled several years, imbibing
Socialistic and other eccentric doctrines. A few years ago he returned
to this country, and lectured on the second advent of Christ. He
published a pamphlet on the subject, in which the egotism of the man was
plainly shown. From what I knew of the boy, his education in the Oneida
Community, and his utterances on religion, I was not at all surprised at
his committing the act. I understand from people employed at the White
House that Guiteau had forced himself upon the President several times.
He was an applicant for the consulship at Marseilles; and one day
obtained access to the President, and acted so rudely that the President
had him removed. I have no doubt that, feeling offended by this act, he
determined on the course which culminated in the terrible tragedy of
July the second."