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TRYINGTO REMOVETHE BULLET FROM PRESIDENT GARFIELD
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BELL, ALEXANDER GRAHAM. Two Autograph Letters Signed, to President
Garfield’s private secretary J. Stanley Brown. The first, reporting positive results from tests
and requesting example bullets of the same size as the one to be removed from the
President. The second, requesting tickets to the late President’s funeral. Each 1 page, 8vo,
the first on “Volta Laboratory” stationery, the other on mourning stationery; each with loss
to the upper edge affecting a few words in the address of second letter. (TFC)
Washington, 15 July; 22 September 1881
[3,000/4,000]
J
uly 15: “Experiments made last night with Induction Balance very promising. Please send two bul-
lets same size as that in President’s body. Keep newspaper correspondents away from my laboratory if
possible.”
September 22: “If you will kindly send me a few tickets of admission to the Rotunda for the funeral
you will oblige one of the sincerest mourners of the late President.”
After the assassination attempt on President Garfield on July 2, Bell offered to help extract the bullet
that was lodged in the President’s back by means of an electro-magnetic device. By the time the device
was ready for use, the President’s physicians refused to allow it to be employed because of their
patient’s weakness.