The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-07-02
AN ACCOUNT OF THE ASSASSIN.
WASHINGTON, July 2, 1881.

remained engaged, rs is supposed, IN
an effort to secure the appointment of
United States consul to Marseilles,
France. At the Jail, to which he was
taken at half-past. 10 o'clock this fore
noon, about one. hour after the shoot
ing, he gave his name ss Charles
Guiteau, of Chicago. In appearance he
is man about thirty years of age, and
is supposed to be of French descent.
His height is about five feet five inches.
He has sandy complexion and is slight,
weighing not more than 125 pounds.
He wears mustache and slight chin
whiskers, slightly tin3ed with gray.
His sunken cheeks and widely separated
eyes give him sullen, or, as the jailer
describes it, "looney" appearance.
Colonel Burnside, the discussing of
fcer at the postoilice department, says.
he knew Guiteau when he was baby
in his mothers arms. His father, J. ".
Guiteau, was an old resident and re-
spected citizen of Freeport, ILL.,, where
he held many offices of trust. He mar
ried very beautiful woman, with
whom and the younger children he
joined the Oneida community. Heater
ward returned to Freeport, where from
1894 up to last September, the time Of
his death, he served as cashier of the
Second National bank. There were
three children. An older brother, VIII
liam Guiteau, for long time practiced
law at Davenport, Iowa, but is now
practicing his profession in Boston,
Mass, where also he is at the head of
large insurance interests. A younger
sister, Flora, was very promising girl,
having q very decided talent for music.
Charles Julius Guiteau, who to-day is
in Jail for the murder of the President,
was an odd boy. When the family left
the Oneida community Charles, then
fifteen or sixteen Years old, was left be-
hind.
He afterward went to Chicago and
studied law, being cared for and sup
piled with money by his father. After
completing his studies Guiteau went to
Europe, where he travelled several years,
imbibing socialistic and other eccentric
doctrines. A few years ago he returned
to this country and lectured on the Sec
ond advent of Christ. He published
pamphlet, in which the egotism
of the man was plainly shown. He
spoke of himself as messenger of God
to announce His coming. His lecture
here in Lincoln hall on this subject was
failure. Julius-we used to call him
Julius, but see he has dropped that
part of his name-is now about forty or
forty-two years old. From what L knew
of the boy, his education in the Oneida
community and his utterances on re-
ligion, was not at all surprised at
his committing the act this morning
understand from people employed at
| the White House that Guiteau had forced
himself upon the President before. He
was an applicant for the consulship at
Marseilles and few days ago obtained
access to the President and acted SO.
rudely that the President had him re-
moved. 1 have no donbt that, feeling
offended by this act, he determined on
| the course which eliminated in the
terrible tragedy of this morning. Gui-
teau was hanging around the Republican
headquarters, No. 241 Fifth avenue,
New York, during the campaign last
fall. He made few speeches, but his
efforts did not seem to be appreciated by
the committee. He was poor and seedy
looking, and borrowed some money
from Mr.. Jewell after the election and
q few days before the committee broke
up he asked Governor Jewell for recon-
mendation for a consulate. He espe-
ciaily urged that if he could secure a
consulate certain rich lady would
marry him.
WHAT HIS LANDLADY SAYS OF HIM
Mrs William S. Grant, who keeps a
boarding house at Nos. 922 and 924 Four
teenth street, northwest, and with whom
Guiteau boarded for the last thirty days,
took the following advertisement or
Saturday morning to be inserted in the
Post:
WANTED - CHARLES GUITEAU, Or
w Illinois, who gives the President and
| Secretary Blaine as reference, to call at 924
Fourteenth street and pay his board bill.
What is remarkable about this is that
when Mrs. Grant called to insert the
advertisement, which was about a couple
of hours after the President had been
shot, she was ignorant of the occurrence,
CHICAGO, July 2.
Guiteau's idiosyncrasies while resi-
dent of Chicago brought him into nm
enviable notorietv on more than one
occasion. He was of unwholesome ap
pearance, and was regarded as of veal
mental capacity and partially insane
His manner was queer combination ot
obsequiousness, humility and querulou'
self-assertion. He was disliked, and
nobody seemed to want him around
He was constantly trying to get him
self before the public in one form OF
another. He was insanely anxious tc
get into print without apparent object
He was expert only in one line of busi
ness, and that was beating boarding
houses. He came to Chicago ten oI
twelve years ago, and did little shystel
law work around the Justices courts
Those with whom he came in contact
speedily rated him for what he wa
worth and their estimate of him may
be summed up in the expression
that he was cracked. That there
was a screw loose in his mental
machinery seemed to admit of no ques
tion. He was voted nuisance and wa
tolerated only because he was believed
to be harmless. He was visionary ant