Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-07-07
Gulteau, the Assassin.


MS BRoTHER's ACCOUNT OF MS LIFE.
BosTov, July 2.-Guiteau's brother, in
this city (John w. Guiteau), in giving
an account Of the assassin's early his.
tory. says: Charles julius was born in
freeport, Illinois. in Isl or 1912. He
was one Of the children of l.. w. Gui.
teau, late cashier of Second National
Bank, of Freeport, Illinois. Mr.. Gui.
teau, Sr., died recently, aged seventy
year,, and was one of the oldest aud
most esteemed citizens of the place.
AS a youth Charles Julius is reported to
have been good, trnctable boy, with
nothing to mark him as either better or
worse than the average OF his associates.
Several years before he became Of age
while preparing for college at the Uni.
versity of Michigan he conceived the
idea Of joining the Oneida Community
and did 80. He dwelt there for some
years, and subsequently left because he
could not live up TO the restrictions Of
the order. Full Of anger he threatened
10 issue publication exposing the pc
culiarities OF the Community, but was
prevented from doing that by AN article
written by John II. Moves, the recog.
[
diately afterward he entered upon the
study of law IN the Office OF Geo Scoyill,
brothcr.in law, in Chicago. lie WAS
admitted to the bar in that city about
eighteen years ago, but is said to never
have had other than small Office prac.
tice in way of bill collecting and such
like small work. 1t is reported that he
was prosecuted aud fell into bad odor
| in that city on account Of collecting
sum sof money which he failed to turn
! over TO owners. lie eventually had 10
| leave town.
The assassin has been travelling more
! or less for year or two past throughout
I New England as a lecturer, and assum.
ing the title OF reverend he advertised
I himself Rs lawyer and theologian. lie
once claimed TO be an honorable, and
| his brother telling him that he had no
ciaim to such title, having never borne
/ political honors, he replied that any
lawyer was sn honorable, and he knew
La lawyer in Chicago who had been in
THE State Prison who advertised himself
I as an honorable. This and the matter
I OF numerous unpaid board bills in Bos.
ton led to "A woTdy controversy. which
resulted IN Charles being expelled from
/ his brothers house, aud subsequcntly
violently elected from his Office, a. he
would neither take advice nor mend
I his evil ways and fraudulent practices.
I This was about fourteen months ago.
! Charles has been IN jail in New York
/ for debt. lie ,has been shown up by
I Chicago and New York papers for irreg.
/ ularittes and has sued them in return
| for libel, with no favorable result TO
himself At one time he formed a
Y scheme 10 buy the Chicago iHfsr. Orrap
aud asked the president OF the Second
/ National Bank Of Freeport, H., TO loan
him S2j,O0D with which to purchase it,,
promising the president OF the bank as
an inducement that he would secure
I his election A. Governor OF Illinois.
/ The project was not entertained. In
numerous places Charles Julius has lee.
tured to very small audiences, adveriis.
I ing himself rs Charles !. GuiteAu, the
I celebrated Chicago lawyer OF emincnce
and ability, etc, and skipping out with.
out paying his hotel aud other bills
1 The brother above quoted says that he
never knew that Charles was a drinker
or given to any ruinous species OF dissi'
patton that he has seen little Of him
| for twenty year,, but has often heard
from, or, rather, OF him; that he has
/ long considered him crazy and expect
Ell sooner or later, il he lived, that he
would bring up in a lunatic asylum or
meet a worse fate.