President James Garfield

Today in History–December 31–the Library of Congress features presidential assassin Charles Julius Guiteau. On this date in 1881, Guiteau penned a New Year’s letter to his jailer while awaiting trial for the assassination of President James Garfield.  On July 2, 1881 Guiteau had shot the newly elected president who died seventy-nine days later of infections from the bullet wound. Guiteau’s trial…