Exposing the Tragic Reality Behind the Streaming Giant's Death by Lightning

For generations, the family members of James Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but seldom discussed his tragic assassination. We were aware what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his living relatives. “We read about the story in books but, for various reasons, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Overlooked Leader

This shifted in 2011 with the issuing of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. This work has now resulted in a television production titled Death by Lightning, starring a talented performer as the commander-in-chief and Matthew Macfadyen as the unstable individual who gunned him down.

The series promises to shine a light on Garfield, who rose from poverty to the White House during the economic era only to succumb to its deep political rifts. His tenure was truncated after only half a year not only by the assassin's bullet but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to fascinate the public.

“One cannot help but admire what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a land worker. He was all of these things which also influenced his personality and his approach and everything that we know about him the relatives maintain with us.”

Starting from Nothing to the White House

Garfield was the last president born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was very young, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in challenging conditions. An dedicated student, Garfield labored on waterways to make funds for an education.

He pursued jurisprudence, was ordained as minister, became president of Hiram College in Ohio and was a political representative. In 1858 he wed a previous schoolmate, his future wife, with whom he would have a large family. An passionate nationalist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against forced servitude and rose to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I found it incredible. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was innovative for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been an outstanding leader had he remained alive.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was encouraged by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was selected to the legislative branch, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the completion of a conflict agreement.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will tear your heart out. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the 1880 Republican National Convention in Chicago the party was sharply split between the “Stalwarts”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for military hero, and the “opposing faction”, who supported James G Blaine. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, party members began looking for a compromise. Garfield's impassioned speech proposing Sherman won them over. During the speech, he reportedly exclaimed, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the extended selection process, a rush of supporters made Garfield the shocking choice. To placate the Stalwart faction, another politician, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his second in command. In the national vote Garfield defeated the Democratic nominee to become the sole representative of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“What would have made Garfield great and what is remarkably uncommon and maybe special for the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had entirely ignored the possibility but he was thrust into it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's limited administration was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling demanded control over federal patronage in New York, particularly the prestigious role of customs official. Garfield refused, stating the issue was “if the commander-in-chief should be registering clerk of the senate or the presidential authority”. He nominated a rival of Conkling to the post.

The confrontation became a public battle but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a public failure, Conkling and his associate quit Congress in protest. The next day, Garfield's nominee was confirmed. It was a historic triumph for the presidential control over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Disturbed Mind

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being stalked by a psychologically troubled person who represented the dark side of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a wanderer with a background of career disappointments, psychological problems and physical and psychological abuse. He had failed as a attorney, bill collector, preacher and member of a free-love commune.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his particular brand of madness was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for significance. He actually had more privileged beginning than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had eventually located a way to accomplishment: politics. Swept up in the excitement of the presidential race, he wrote and delivered an minor oration, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this thinking, Guiteau calculated he had deserved a high-level government job. He journeyed to DC and relentlessly pestered Garfield, Blaine and other leaders, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a annoyance that he was eventually prohibited from the White House.

The Shooting and Physician Mistakes

On the tragic date, just a short time into his presidency, Garfield was leaving Washington for his college reunion. As he moved through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau emerged from hiding, produced an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “Why is this occurring?” and dropped on the waiting area. When a {police officer|law