SHOOTING THE PRESIDENT.

Patea Mail, 2 August 1881, Page 4

SHOOTING THE PRESIDENT.

A CRAZY OFFICE-HUNTER,

Chicago, July 2nd.—-Charles J. Guiteau, the assassin, has been more or less known in Chicago for the past ten years. He was a disreputable lawyer, and was generally considered half insane. He went to New York seven or eight years ago, and upon his return in 1876 professed to have been converted, and delivered several lectures under the auspices of the Young Men’s Christian Association. He next appeared as the head of a scheme to buy the Chicago Inter-Ocean, and run it on the plan of the New York Herald ; but as he had neither capital nor backing, the matter was soon dropped by him. He left for Washington several months ago. There are many recollections of Charles J. Gniteau, which is his correct name, who lived here several years, and acquired an unenviable reputation. He was at one time on the point of marriage with an estimable young lady on the South Side, but his character became known just in time to prevent such a calamity to the lady and her family. Ginteau left town immediately after this for some months. One gentleman remarked : “ I remember Charles Guiteau well. He was here two or three years ago, and seemed to have no visible means of support. He preached or- lectured on religious and social subjects, upon which he was an enthusiast. He started in here as a lawyer, but failed utterly, and then tried to lift himself into notoriety by lectnring on religion one evening in eabh week. His card In. the newspapers is produced to-day, and is a literary curiosity. He bored the newspapers by trying to get his manuscript printed. He failed also as a lecturer, and then began life as a tramp of the more re-spectable-order. He was branded by the Hotelkeepers Association as a bad beat. In appearance he is an American of French extraction 35 to 40 years old, of medium height, slender build, fair complexion, brown hair, moustache and beard tinged with grey. His whole appearance was that of a dandified man of small mental calibre. He was unusually fond of notoriety, and would go almost any length to get his name in the papers. He was arrested here once for embezzlement. He got the idea in his head that he was fit for official position, and has been trying with all his power to get a Consulate at Marseilles.” The assassin made his appearance at the State Department a few weeks after Garfield was inaugurated, and made application for an appointment as United States Minister lo Austria. Afterwards he applied for the position of Consul-General at Paris, without having withdrawn his first application. He had no recommendations or ‘ endorsement whatever. He filed no paper with his application except a copy of a speech which he claimed to have made in the President’s canvass last year. He said he accompanied Grant and Conkling on their canvassing tour last fall, and was a stalwart of stalwarts. Guiteau has for the past three or four years frequently pestered the editorial rooms of the newspapers with importunities to publish silly and foolish arguments and theories, which he bad written on various subjects. His last communication was on “ The Second Coming of Christ,” a very absurd mass of nonsense, which he afterwards published in pamphlet form. A letter of which the following is a copy, was picked up in the streets shortly after Ginteau’s arrest: —General Sherman,—l 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. lam a lawyer, a theologian, and politician. I am a stalwart of the stalwarts. I was with General Grant and the rest of our men in New York during the canvass. lam going to gaol. Please order out the troops and take possession of the gaol at once. Very respectfully, Charles Guiteau.