Charles J. Guiteau Charles J. Guiteau Charles Julius Guiteau (; September 8, 1841June 30, 1882) was an American writer and lawyer who was convicted of the assassination of James A. Garfield, the 20th president of the United States. Guiteau falsely believed he had played a major role in Garfield's victory, for which he should be rewarded with a consulship. He was so offended by the Garfield administration's rejections of his applications to serve in Vienna or Paris that he decided to kill Garfield, and shot him at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C. on July 2, 1881. Garfield died two
Charles J. Guiteau convinced that his actions were divinely inspired, and that his destiny was to "preach a new Gospel" like Paul the Apostle. Guiteau then obtained a law license in Chicago; however, he was not successful as a lawyer. He argued only one case in court, the bulk of his business being in bill collecting. His former wife later detailed his dishonest dealings, describing how he would keep disproportionate amounts from his collections and rarely give the money to his clients. He next turned to theology. He published a book on the subject called "The Truth" which was almost entirely plagiarized from