The Scholar and the Madman: The Assassination of President James Garfield - Part One

PART ONE The Assassination of President James A. Garfield (Part One) The Scholar and the Madman — Chapters 1–3 In Part One of our two-episode event, we enter the final summer of the 19th century and watch the American Republic stand on the edge of transformation. President James Abram Garfield, a reluctant leader with a brilliant mind, rises from obscurity to the highest office in the nation. But as he steps into a presidency full of promise, another man —Charles Julius Guiteau, failed preacher, failed lawyer, failed everything—begins interpreting his own delusions as divine instruction. This episode explores: • Garfield’s improbable rise from canal boat laborer to scholar, general, and president • The vicious fracture inside the Republican Party between the Stalwarts and Half-Breeds • The spoils system that corrupted Washington and set the stage for tragedy • Guiteau’s descent into delusion, religious mania, and political obsession • The 36-ballot convention meltdown that accidentally created a president • Whitman and Longfellow’s poems that echo the spiritual tension of the era • The slow collision of two men whose fates were already entwined Part One ends on the morning of July 2nd, 1881 inside the Baltimore & Potomac Station—where history will soon change direction in an instant. ➡ Part Two continues with the seventy-nine-day national vigil, the medical disaster, and thetrial of the assassin who believed God had chosen him. If this story moved you, please follow, rate, and review The Ides of April. Your support brings the next historical saga into the world. Explore more shows from the Evio Creative Network — The Devil Within, Taboo Treasures, Criminal Mischief, and The Devil’s Ledger — at ⁠eviocreative.com⁠. Follow us on Instagram: @idesofaprilpod, @thedevilwithinpod, @taboo_treasures, and @eviocreative. SPONSORS: OLLIE — Human-grade dog food delivered to your door 👉 ⁠ollie.com/IDES⁠ for 60% off MONARCH MONEY — The modern way to manage your finances 👉 ⁠monarch.com/IDES⁠ for 50% off your first year Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices