It was the summer of 1880, and Charles Guiteau didn’t have much going for him. He was unemployed. He had very little money. He had no relationships. His family members feared he was insane.

But Charles didn’t see himself that way. He thought he was destined for greatness. He’d convinced himself that he was an excellent public speaker with an eye for politics. So? He dedicated himself to James Garfield’s presidential campaign.

In less than a year, he’d assassinate the president of the United States.

Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from:
The book, “Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President,” by Candice Millard
The book, “Dark Horse: The Surprise Election and Political Murder of President James A. Garfield,” by Kenneth D. Ackerman
“Murder of a President” documentary and additional resources from PBS.org
“‘As a Matter of Fact, I Presume I Shall Live to be President’”: A Brief Biographical Sketch of Garfield’s Assassin” from the National Park Service
“The Oneida Community,” by John H. Martin for the Crooked Lake Review
“John Humphrey Noyes,” for Britannica

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91: Charles Guiteau: The Man Who Would Kill a President (Part 3)