June 30, 1882: Assassin Charles J. Guiteau Executed for the Murder of President James A. Garfield
On June 30, 1882, Charles J. Guiteau was hanged in Washington, D.C., paying the ultimate price for the assassination of U.S. President James A. Garfield. His execution brought an end to one of the most shocking political crimes in American history.
Guiteau shot President Garfield on July 2, 1881, at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington. Believing he deserved a diplomatic appointment for supporting Garfield's election campaign, Guiteau blamed the president for his personal failures. Garfield survived the initial attack but died on September 19, 1881, after weeks of suffering from infections caused by inadequate medical treatment.
During his sensational trial, Guiteau insisted he was divinely inspired and argued that God—not he—was responsible for Garfield's death. The jury rejected his claims of insanity, finding him guilty of murder. On June 30, 1882, Guiteau was executed by hanging before a crowd gathered at the District of Columbia Jail.
The assassination shocked the nation and helped spur major reforms in the federal government. Public outrage over the patronage system contributed to the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883, reducing the influence of political favoritism in government appointments.