<Tr> <Th> Motive </Th> <Td> Retribution for perceived failure to reward campaign support </Td> </Tr> <P> The assassination of James A. Garfield, the 20th President of the United States, began when he was shot at 9: 30 am on July 2, 1881, less than four months into his term as President, and ended in his death 79 days later on September 19, 1881 . He was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C., and died in Elberon, New Jersey . Guiteau's motive was revenge against Garfield for an imagined political debt . </P> <P> Charles Guiteau turned to politics after failing in several ventures, including theology, a law practice, bill collecting, and time in the utopian Oneida Community . He wrote a speech in support of Ulysses S. Grant called "Grant vs. Hancock ." Grant was the early front runner for the Republican nomination for president in the election of 1880, but lost to Garfield . Guiteau then revised his speech to "Garfield vs. Hancock" and though he tried to sign on as a campaigner for the Republican ticket, he never delivered the speech in a public setting, instead printing and distributing several hundred copies . Guiteau's speech, even in written form, was ineffective . Among other problems, his hurried effort to replace references to Grant with references to Garfield was incomplete . But Guiteau convinced himself that this speech was largely responsible for Garfield's narrow victory over Democratic nominee Winfield S. Hancock . Guiteau believed he should be awarded a diplomatic post for his supposedly vital assistance, first asking for a consulship in Vienna, then expressing a willingness to "settle" for one in Paris . He loitered around Republican headquarters in New York City, expecting rewards for his speech, to no avail . </P> <P> Still believing he would be rewarded, Guiteau arrived in Washington on March 5, 1881, the day after Garfield's inauguration . He obtained entrance to the White House and saw the President on March 8, 1881, dropping off a copy of his speech as a reminder of the campaign work he had supposedly done on Garfield's behalf . He spent the next two months roaming around Washington, staying at rooming houses and sneaking away without paying for his meals and lodging . He spent his days loitering in hotel lobbies to read old newspapers, use hotel stationery to write letters to those he thought could help him obtain an appointment from Garfield, and watching for opportunities to engage in person with anyone he thought could assist him . In addition, he spent time shuffling back and forth between the State Department and the White House, and approaching various Cabinet members and other prominent Republicans to press his claim, all without success . Guiteau was destitute and increasingly slovenly because he was wearing the same clothes every day . On May 13, 1881, he was banned from the White House waiting room . On May 14, 1881 he encountered Secretary of State James G. Blaine, who told him to "Never speak to me again of the Paris consulship as long as you live ." </P>

Who was the second us president to be assassinated