Trivia

Shot President James A. Garfield on July 2, 1881 at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station (Washington, D.C.) as Garfield was en route to join his family in New Jersey, motivated by Garfield's rejection of his application to be Consul to Paris, an appointment he felt he deserved for his speeches supporting Garfield's candidacy. Athough he had nothing personal against Garfield, Guiteau wrote that God told him to kill Garfield so Vice-President Chester Arthur, and Arthur's patron, New York politician and power-broker Roscoe Conkling, "would save the Republic". Garfield died from massive infection and blood poisoning on September 19, 1881. As Guiteau, who plead not guilty by reason of insanity, implied at his trial, a medical inquiry determined Garfield's death was primarily the result of the incompetence of his doctors, most notably, his friend, Dr. Willard Bliss.

While being led to his execution, Guiteau smiled and waved at spectators. He danced his way up the gallows, shook hands with his executioner, then recited a poem he wrote called "I am Going to the Lordy". "I am Going to the Lordy" was used as the basis for the song "The Ballad of Guiteau" in the Stephen Sondheim musical "Assassins".

A character in Stephen Sondheim's musical "Assassins".

Has been played by Will Janowitz, Jonathan Hadary, Henry Goodman, Denis O'Hare, and Andy Nyman.

He is the only one of the four presidential assassins, not to be in their twenties at the time he did the crime.

He is widely believed to have had a serious mental illness, which is the reason why he ended up committing the infamous crime.

Apparently served as a speechwriter under President Garfield. Since the shooting, almost no person who has a mental illness can serve closely with the President.

Lived for almost exactly a year (just 2 days shy the 1st anniversary day) after he mortally shot President Garfield, which is the longest a Presidential assassin has lasted after they did the shooting.