The delusional lawyer who shot President Garfield then watched doctors slowly kill him for 11 weeks

President James A. Garfield Before His Death

Charles Guiteau fired two shots at President James Garfield on July 2, 1881, at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington DC.

One bullet grazed Garfield’s arm. The other lodged in his back. The attack happened just four months after he became president.

What killed the president wasn’t the gunshot wound but the doctors who spent 79 days probing inside him with dirty hands and unclean tools.

The station is gone today, but you can visit the exact spot where it happened at the National Gallery of Art’s grounds.

A Deranged Job Seeker With a Grudge

Charles Guiteau was born on September 8, 1841, in Illinois. He failed both as a lawyer and a preacher, showing signs of mental instability throughout his life.

During the 1880 presidential campaign, Guiteau wrote a speech supporting Garfieldwhich he believed helped Garfield win the election.

After Garfield’s victory, Guiteau expected a reward.

He wanted to be appointed as a diplomat to either Vienna or Paris, positions usually given to major campaign supporters or experienced diplomats.

Repeated Rejection of Guiteau’s Demands

Guiteau arrived in D.C. on March 5, 1881, and briefly met Garfield on March 8 with a copy of his campaign speech in hand.

For two months, Guiteau haunted government buildings, pushing for an appointment. On May 14, Secretary of State James Blaine finally snapped.

“Never speak to me again on the Paris consulship as long as you live!”

The White House had already banned Guiteau from the waiting room the day before, cutting off his access to the President.

Preparing for the Assassination

After being rejected, Guiteau borrowed $15 (worth about $500 today) from a relative to buy a .44 British Bulldog revolver.

He chose this gun believing it would make a good museum display after the assassination though the narcissist knew little about guns.

Guiteau practiced at a riverbank, almost falling over from the first recoil. He even visited the Washington jail to see where he would be held.

He fully expected to be caught, not killed, after shooting the President.

Stalking the President Around Washington

Around June 1881, Guiteau read newspapers to learn the President’s schedule and waited for the right moment.

Once, Guiteau followed Garfield to the train station where the President was seeing his wife off to New Jersey.

Guiteau didn’t shoot that day because Mrs. Garfield looked unwell from malaria, and he didn’t want to upset her.

When newspapers reported that Garfield would leave for vacation on July 2, Guiteau saw his opportunity.

The Morning of July 2, 1881

On July 2, Garfield planned to travel to Williams College, his alma mater, to give a speech before starting his vacation.

His teenage sons James and Harry came along with Secretary of State James Blaine.

They left the White House by carriage for the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station where Guiteau got his shoes shined and paced the waiting area.

When his cab driver asked if he should wait, Guiteau declined because he expected to go straight to jail after the assassination.

The Shooting at the Train Station

Around 9:20 am, Guiteau waited in the station as Garfield entered with Secretary Blaine. Guiteau approached from behind and fired twice at close range.

The first bullet grazed Garfield’s arm. “My God! What is this?” Garfield cried out.

The second bullet hit him in the back. Witnesses said Guiteau seemed strangely calm while shooting at the president though it didn’t hit any vital organs.

Modern doctors believe Garfield should have survived this wound.

The Immediate Aftermath of the Shooting

Guiteau tried to escape but was quickly caught by a police officer and a ticket agent.

When arrested, he announced, “I am a Stalwart of the Stalwarts. Arthur is President now!” This referred to Vice President Chester Arthur and his political faction.

The Miller Center explains that Guiteau felt overlooked for a political appointment, which led to his growing resentment and eventual decision.

Station workers carried Garfield to a doctor who found him conscious but badly wounded. Garfield said, “I thank you, doctor, but I am a dead man.”

The Fatal Medical Care Begins

Immediately after the shooting, twelve doctors pushed unwashed fingers and instruments into Garfield’s wound, searching for the bullet.

The first examination happened on the dirty train station floor.

Dr. Doctor Willard Bliss took control of Garfield’s care at the White House, limiting access to the President, including his physician.

In 1881, American doctors rejected the idea that germs caused infection. They didn’t use the antiseptic methods developed by Joseph Lister.

This outdated approach proved deadly for Garfield.

Alexander Graham Bell’s Attempt to Save the President

After weeks of failed attempts to find the bullet, the White House called Alexander Graham Bell, the telephone inventor.

Bell brought his new “induction balance”, an early metal detector, to locate the bullet without more probing.

Despite these tests, his attempt to help Garfield failed. Dr. Bliss only allowed Bell to search the right side of Garfield’s body.

The bullet was actually on the left. Additionally, Garfield’s metal spring mattress interfered with the detector at the time.

Garfield’s 79-Day Decline

Infections spread through Garfield’s body as his condition worsened. His weight dropped from 210 pounds to just 130 pounds.

The 3-inch wound soon turned into a 20-inch infected gash. Abscesses formed throughout his body as blood poisoning set in.

On September 6, a special train took Garfield to a seaside cottage in New Jersey. Doctors hoped sea air might help, but he continued to weaken.

On September 19, he clutched his chest, cried “This pain, this pain,” and died.

Visiting James A. Garfield National Historic Site, Ohio

Admission to the site is free.

You’ll find the James A. Garfield National Historic Site at 8095 Mentor Avenue in Mentor, Ohio, about 25 miles east of Cleveland.

The park preserves “Lawnfield,” Garfield’s estate where he conducted the first successful front porch presidential campaign in 1880.

Tours of the Garfield home run throughout the day. You can sign up at the Visitor Center or watch the 18-minute film about Garfield’s life.

Don’t miss the Memorial Library wing, added by Lucretia Garfield after her husband’s death (the first presidential library in America).

The grounds include eight acres of the original farm with period outbuildings along a paved walking path. Junior Ranger activities are available for children.

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