President James A. Garfield was in the White House for only four months before he was shot. On July 2, 1881, he was in the railroad station in Washington, D.C. when Charles Guiteau shot him. Guiteau, a lawyer with a history of mental illness, had previously sought several high-ranking government positions and was incensed by the repeated denial of his applications. Guiteau was hanged one year later.
Garfield did not die immediately. At the time, it was believed that removal of the bullet was of paramount importance. Doctors repeatedly tried to locate and extricate the bullet. Even Alexander Graham Bell's metal detector was unable to help. Unfortunately, these efforts caused a lethal infection. Had Garfield been shot a couple of decades later, it is almost certain that he would have survived.
Garfield died on September 19, 1881. During the weeks between the attack and his passing, he was unable to govern. He had assumed office on March 4, 1881, so his tenure was among the shortest of all presidents.
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