Garfield not murdered

[Derek Jackson]

James A Garfield was shot in July 1881 and died a few months later.

Would it have made any difference if his assasin- Charlie Gitto I think probably spelt differently either had missed or had decided not to kill the President?

 

[Leo Caesius]

His name was Charles Guiteau (it's a French name). He was apparently acting under an order from God. Prior to committing the act, he wrote this letter 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, theologian, and politician. I am a stalwart of the Stalwarts. I was with Gen. Grant, and the rest of our men in New York during the canvass. I am going to the Jail. Please order out your troops and take possession of the Jail at once. Very respectfully, Charles Guiteau

There's a whiff of freemasonry about this letter, but I can't put my finger on it. I recall reading a crackpot conspiracy theory which claimed that all of the major presidential assassins were Roman Catholics and presumably in the hire of the Vatican.

Houdini once famously escaped from Guiteau's prison cell.