Veterans Column: Charles Cook freed from jail after defending President Garfield's honor

After the Civil War, Charles A. Cook returned to Brownsville, Ohio where he was involved in the pottery business. By 1881 he was known in the area as Captain Cook, though no one now remembers where he received the rank of Captain.

On July 2, 1881, newly elected President James Garfield was shot twice at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington D.C. by Charles Guiteau. Guiteau supported Ulysses S. Grant over Garfield and wrote a speech entitled “Grant against Hancock” which he gave anywhere people would listen. When Garfield won the nomination over Grant, Guiteau renamed his speech “Garfield against Hancock”, but credited Garfield with things that Grant had done. He printed several hundred copies for distribution. When Garfield won the election Guiteau believed he was due a diplomatic post for his contributions. He went to Washington in March and sought an audience with the president. He made such a nuisance of himself that he was barred from the White House waiting room.

According to the article on the Assassination of James A. Garfield on Wikipedia.com, Guiteau’s family had judged him insane six years before this but he eluded their efforts to institutionalize him. In June Guiteau borrowed money and purchased a handgun. At the train station, he walked up behind the president and shot him. Garfield flung up his arms and cried, “My God, what is that?”, Guiteau fired again as the president collapsed to the ground. He fled the scene but ran right into a police officer who arrested him. Garfield was severely wounded and for the next several weeks was under the care of doctors.

On August 10, 1881, the Weekly Marysville Tribune reported that 25-year-old George Morrison was going around Brownsville, Ohio on July 28 saying that “he hoped to God that President Garfield would die of the wound received from Guiteau.” When people reproached him he “became furious and pulled out a pistol, declaring himself ready to defend his sentiments. Captain C.A. Cook, a genuine patriot, stood the insult as long as he could, but was finally compelled to knock the heartless scoundrel down.”

The 38-year-old Cook was arrested and brought to Newark. He was taken before the Justice of the Peace and fined $10.00. With additional court costs, Cook was presented with a bill for $32.00 which is equivalent to about $930.00 in today’s economy. Cook demanded the arrest of Morrison, however, the justice denied his request. Captain Cook then wrote a letter to Ohio Governor Charles Foster. In the letter, Cook stated what had happened and wrote, “Whereas I went to the Justice of the Peace, one John T. Gillespie, and demanded his arrest for carrying a concealed weapon and threatening to shoot, and he refused to issue the writ, although the aforesaid Morrison remained in town an hour after the occurrence. What I wish to inquire is whether there is no way to get justice and whether John T. Gillespie is a proper person for a J.P.? All of which is respectfully submitted. Yours, C.A. Cook.”

Eight citizens of Brownsville signed the letter also stating that the events were true. The incident may have been forgotten except for the fact that the Cincinnati Commercial newspaper offered penny subscriptions to its readers to help pay the court costs for Cook whom they labeled as the “Defender of the Nation.” The response astounded even the editors.

Doug Stout is the Local History Coordinator for the Licking County Library. You may contact him at 740-349-5571 or dstout@lickingcountylibrary.org. His book "Never Forgotten: The Stories of Licking County Veterans" is available for purchase at the library or online at bookbaby.com & Amazon.com

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Veterans Column: Cook freed from jail after defending Garfield