9h 30min, jul 2, 1881 y - President Garfield is assassinated
Description:
President James A. Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station.
Guiteau's motive comes from the 1880 election. Guiteau wrote a speech supporting early Republican candidate and former president Ulysses S. Grant and condemning Winfield Scott Hancock, the Democratic nominee. However, Grant lost to Garfield, prompting Guiteau to quickly revise his speech to "Garfield against Hancock," though he accidentally left some of Grant's accomplishments credited to Garfield. His speech was published but never administered, and not many read it. However, Guiteau not only believed he was the one responsible for Garfield's narrow victory, but that he deserved an important diplomatic position as a reward. Guiteau continued harassing White House officials for his position until he was eventually banned from entering the building. Guiteau then decided he had been ordained by God to assassinate Garfield.
He purchased a revolver, then shot Garfield twice on July 2 as he was to leave the White House for a vacation. Though Garfield was not expected to last the night, he lived for several months. The wounds soon became infected, and it is now estimated that had Garfield had more competent doctors his life could have been saved. He died from an aneurysm on September 19.
Guiteau was soon arrested and brought to trial. Though he acted very strangely in the courtroom and despite the arguments made by the defense, Guiteau was not clinically insane and thus could not be acquitted. He was found guilty and sentenced to death, hanging on January 25, 1882.
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