The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-07-20
A TALK WITH THE ASSASSIN.
His Crazy Reasons for Shooting tho
President.

His Crazy Reasons for Shooting th
President.
An important interview was he'll
at the Jail where the assassin Gu
teau is confined. 1t is not general
ly known in Washington, and it ha
therefore not been the subject of dis
cussion. The narrative as obtaine'
fby a Times correspondent, woul,
seem to set forever at rest the stor,
of the alleged conspiracy in the mat
ter, and it does tell for the fir
time in Guiteau's own Language
what he is pleased to call his side Q
the story and his so-called reason
for doing what he did. At the in
terview in the Jail to-day there wer'
present District Attorney Corkhilll
a stenographer, and Mr.. George SEQ
vile, of Chicago. Guiteau is th,
youngest of Mrs. Scoville's brothers
Mr.. Scoviile told without conceal
ment and unreservedly the whole
story of what happened at the Jail
and gave the account pretty mucf
in the very language which Guitear
used. In response to inquiries, Mr.
Scoville began by saying:
"From my knowledge of Guiteau
which dates back to 184S, when ht
was years old, 1 knew on first hear
ing the story that it was his work
alone. From my personal knowl
edge of him, knew him as per.
son who would not work under the
control of any one, or suffer himself
to be made tool of by anyone. He
always was an entirely Independent,
and self-reliant person. He would
never ask advice, or take it from
anyone. When l came to Wash
ington it was with full conviction,
from what / knew of Guiteau, that
what he had done was of his own
notion and without influence or ad-
vice from anyone. To satisfy N.Y.
self l desired to question him, and
/ did so at the Jail to-day. Our in
terview lasted about one hour. / saw
him in the presence of the District
Attorney and a stenographer, the
latter OF whom took down every
word of conversation which ensued.
Guiteau recognized me, of course.
He was glad to see me, and inauir-
ed after the members of my family.
l may say that he has been on as
good terms with my family as with
anybody. There were at times some
differences between us. He would
do as he had mind to, often in a
way that was not satisfactory to me.
| did not like to support him while
he would lie down in the shade un-
der a tree and read the Testament
in order to prepare useless lectures.
| did not like this, and told him so,
and directed him to leave the house;
bu. he remained on as good terms
with my family as with any others.
''In my conversation with him to-
day at the Jail, 1 asked him the di-
rect question how it happened that
he undertook this sad business. He
said I: 1T came to me first as reve.
lation from God, while / was in bed
one evening about six weeks ago.
1t came rs revelation to me that /
should kill Mr.. Garfield and end the
the difficulty existing in the Repub-
lican party. The next morning
when l got up / thought it over. /
thought OF it afterward, day after
day, and the more / thought of it
the more l became convinced it was
the will OF God that l should kill
Mr.. Garfield. l had nothing against
him personally that l should kill
him. respected him very much
and think him a very worthy man
but the welfare of the country and
the Republican party seemed to me
to require that l should put him out
of the way. The differences exist
ing in the Republican party would
cease, the ruling, and the party, in
fact, would be stronger than ever.
l became satisfied that it was the
will of the people, too
"How did you find out that it was
the will of the people ? Did you go
and ask people or speak to them
about the thing ?" asded Mr.. Sco-
vile.
Guiteau laughed at this.
'Of course" said he, "such a
thing would not do. 1t would not
do for me to tell people what | was
going to do. No human soul knew
of it ; no human being knew word
of it or had any intimation of my
il this matter"
But" persisted Mr.. Scoville,
show then did you find out what
the people thought about the
thing ?"
"Oh," replied Guiteau, Il studied
the newspapers every day and found
out from them what the people
wanted. 1 cut out slips from these
papers every day which showed that
if the Stalwarts got into power the
would be satisfied and all
would be ended. All
the slips so cut out by me were en-.
closed by me to Attorney General
MacVeagh, together with my expla-
nation or why / was going to shoot
the President and l asked him to
publish the whole in a newspaper.
He has done me great wrong in
not having done as l requested. The
people ought to have my reasons,
and they would see why did So"
Mr.. Scoville then, further address
ing Guiteau, said : Il have come all
the way here from Chicago. l have
talked with many people there and
with many on the way to this place,
and find that the people, as you
call them, are very much excited
against you, and consider your act
a very great outrage and crime"
Guiteau smiled at this, and said /:
81 guess you have not talked with
the Stalwarts they won't say So"
Mr.. Scoville thereupon asked
"Have you contemplated the pun
ishment you will receive for this 2"
To this Guiteau promptly replied:
"They can't punish me there can't
be murder without O murderous in
tent, and / have never had any in