The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-07-16
The Assassin's Married Life.

The Philadelphia Times SAYS: Miss Lydia
4. Needles, Of this city, who Is spending the
summer at Asbury PARK, \. J., is the lady whC
brought I'D Annie Bum, the first wife OF
Charles J. Guiteal. The Needless, a we'll
known Philadelphia family, took Miss Bum 10
raise when she was eleven years old and re-
tanned her until she attained her eighteenth
year, when she went 70 Chicago, where she met
and subsequently married Guiteau. In con-
versaiion with Times reporter yesterday Miss
Needles gave history Of tht marital life Of the
couple and the causes which led TO their
divorce Annie was the olde9t Of two daugh-
tiers, the mother Of whom WAS left widow
when the children were young. They were
English people, and the children both very
bright. Annie" said Miss Needles, was
taken by my father and sent to school. She
was amiable child, and early became
Inember of Nazareth Methodist church, on
Thirteenth street, above Vine. After while
she began to study teIegraphy, and became
proficient operator. When she was about
eighteen she went to Chicago and obtained
situation short distance ont of the city.
Some time later, in the year 1867, she pro-
cured the place of librarian in the Woman
Christian association rooms IN Chicago, and
while in the place formed the acquaintance of
Guiteau. who she wrote TO me was lawyer and
Christian, and not one given to small vices.
From all her accounts We got an idea that he
was model man, and just the kind suited TO
in attending church. I think they were mar
RED in 1868. At this time Guiteau was IN the
law Office of his brother-in-law, Mr.. Scoyille,
who with his wife favored the match, and
treated Annie very kindly after her marriage.
Dir. Scoville advised Guiteau to take little
cottage and 90 to housekeeping promising TO
bny cottage for them and furnish it at his
own expense. This offer Guiteau rejected,
intimati1g 10 Mr.. Scoville that he was able to
pay his own way, and went to boarding at an
expensive hotel
Before they had been married year" con-
tinued the speaker, g found from her letters
that they changed boarding places pretty often,
and afterward found it was because Guiteau
would not pay his bills. About year before
the Chicago fire Giliteau came to Philadelphia
on business. and at his wifes suggestion called
to see me. Ny opinion Of him was not favor
able. The first thing l said after seeing MIN
was: You're nothing but big lump of
pomposity' | felt all the time like saying to
him: Oh, cit down and behave YOURSELF l
did not see anything brilliant or smart about
him. / discovered Annie was living unhappily
with him. They came East with little money,
he leaving Annie at my house while he went to
New York TO open an Office. He was man of
brutal passion, and treated his wife badly. On
one occasion he pushed her into closet and
shut the door, keeping her there until she was
nearly smothered. After residing in New York
a short time he sent her on to Philadelphia 70
find a situation, if possible, and make her own
living. as soon as ne learned that he had
got rid of her he went 10 boarding in
the most fashionable hotel, expanding on him
self what would have kept them both. His
wife, being unable TO get a situation in this
city, eventually was taken back by him, but it
was not for long. He got rid OF her again by
sending her off to Saratoga with family with
whom she was acquainted, and where she sup
ported herself by doing Homework. His treat
ment of her became so bad finally that her
friends persuaded her to sue for divorce, which
she procured without trouble Over the moral
or immoral side Of Guiteau's conduct while In
New York Miss Needles draws a veil. 1t is
sufficient to state that his wife at length became
convinced of his faithlessness, which reached
its worst stage at The time WHEN he began to
send her away to make her own living. Mrs.
Guiteau is now happily remarked, and living
in Colorado.