How and why was James Garfield assassinated?
Garfield was shot twice by Guiteau on July 2nd. He died on Sept 19th in Long Branch NJ. He would probably have survived his wounds if not for the medical practices of the day, which included the repeated “probing” of the path of the gunshot by doctors who did not yet know of the threat of infection via their unprotected hands. Guiteau believed in the current practice of patronage or the spoils system and that by elevating Chester A. Arthur to the presidency, he would insure that system continued.
