Exposing the Heartbreaking Story Behind the Streaming Giant's Death by Lightning

Throughout history, the heirs of James Garfield spoke proudly about his extraordinary achievements but avoided talking about his violent end. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a transportation hub,” notes one of his living relatives. “We studied the story in historical accounts but, somehow, we just skimmed through it.”

Fresh Curiosity in a Historical Figure

This transformed in 2011 with the publication of a presidential biography, which revived interest in Garfield's cut-short presidency. The publication has now inspired a television production titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the commander-in-chief and his co-star as the drifter who gunned him down.

The series promises to illuminate Garfield, who came from humble beginnings to the White House during the historical period only to become a casualty to its toxic political divisions. His tenure was truncated after only several months not only by the killer's weapon but by medical malpractice – an event now frequently ignored while the killings of the Civil War president and John F Kennedy continue to captivate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was a true polymath: he was a lawyer, he was a minister, he was a agriculturalist. He was so many things which also influenced his personality and his approach and the complete story about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the White House

Garfield was the final national leader born in a log cabin in the Midwest in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his parent, Eliza, to raise five children in hard times. An insatiable reader, Garfield found employment on vessels to earn money for an education.

He studied law, was entered the clergy, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a previous schoolmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a righteous fight against human bondage and advanced to the rank of major general.

“As I studied his life, I couldn't believe it. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was very progressive for the time. He was caring. He was a moral individual and would have been a remarkable commander-in-chief had he lived.”

Public Life and Shocking Selection

Garfield was convinced by the wartime leader to leave army service when he was elected to the legislative branch, where he would work as a Republican for 17 years. He was ardent advocate of black suffrage, viewing it as a matter of justice and the realization of a military promise.

“The speech he gave on the House chamber will move you deeply. He was an impressive communicator and this issue was very important to him.”

At the political assembly in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “faction members”, led by Senator Roscoe Conkling, who supported a additional presidency for military hero, and the “Half-Breeds”, who supported another candidate. Garfield attended as a backer of his friend and fellow Ohioan John Sherman.

When the huge assembly was deadlocked between Grant and Blaine, delegates began looking for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address proposing Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly declared, “And now, gentlemen of the convention, what do we want?” to which a voice from the crowd unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the 36th ballot, a stampede of delegates made Garfield the surprise nominee. To placate the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a political ally from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the presidential race Garfield overcame the rival politician to become the unique incumbent of the House ever to be selected for the highest office.

Truncated Term and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is very unusual and maybe special for the American presidency is he didn't want the job. It's not that he had never thought about it but he was pushed toward it.”

The defining conflict of Garfield's short presidency was his confrontation with Conkling over the “political favors”. Conkling demanded control over political positions in New York, particularly the powerful and lucrative post of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield rejected, stating the issue was “concerning if the national leader becomes registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a political foe of Conkling to the post.

The dispute became a open fight but Garfield outsmarted Conkling in the Senate. Confronting a embarrassing loss, Conkling and his colleague left their positions in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was confirmed. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the party machine and for the cause of reform over “political control”.

The Gunman and His Psychological Issues

But even as Garfield battled the titans of his party, he was being followed by a mentally unstable individual who represented the problematic element of the patronage system. Charles Guiteau was a unstable individual with a background of career disappointments, mental instability and early life difficulties. He had failed as a attorney, debt recovery agent, preacher and member of a unconventional group.

“He was psychologically disturbed and his specific type of insanity was false belief. He always believed that religious calling for importance. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield succeeded and advanced, Guiteau could not accomplish anything.”

But Guiteau believed he had at last discovered a pathway to success: politics. Caught up in the drama of the political contest, he prepared and gave an unimportant address, and became persuaded internally that he was personally instrumental for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau reckoned he had earned a important role. He journeyed to DC and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, insisting to be made the foreign service officer — a position for which he had inadequate skills. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually banned from the White House.

The Shooting and Doctor Errors

On that fateful day, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his educational gathering. As he walked through the Baltimore & Potomac Railroad station, Guiteau stepped from the shadows, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield shouted: “My God, what is this?” and dropped on the station floor. When a {police officer|law