Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-10-08
G. u I T E A u &.
Autobiography Of President GarfeldS Assassin.

Autobiography Of President GarfeldS Assassin
Conception and Execution of the Assassi
nation of the President.
Story Of the Tragedy at the Washington Depot
Guiteau's Absurd Defence Of His Horrible Crime
The New York Herald, Of the 9Th. has a Ions
chapter of Guiteau autobiographical matter
The assassin begins with brief chapter. which
he calls Introduction" in which he seeks t.
explain his crime. 81 have not. he says, "uset
the words assassination or assassin in thi:
work. These words crate on the mind and pro-
duee abad feeling. 1 think of Gen. Garfield:
condition as removal and not as an assassna
ton. My idea simply stated, was to remove as
easily as possible Mr.. James A. Garfield, a quiet
and good-natured citizen Of Ohio, who temporarily
occupied the position of President of the United
States. and substitute in his place Mr. Chester
A. Arthur. of New York, distinguished and
highly estimable gentleman. Mr. Garfield in
tended to quietly remove to Paradise, (Which is
great Improvement on this world) while Mr..
Arthur saved the Republic" And he adds: "Not
soul in the universe knew OF my purpose to
remove the President. If it has failed | shall
never attempt it again. My motive was purely
political and patriotic and acted under Divine
pressure. 1t was the same kind of pressure that
led Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac" These
hystercal utterances are followed by what he
calls address to the American people" i'm
which he reiterates the declaration that he alone
is responsible. 1.-The Presidents nomination. "
he says. was an act of God; his election was an
act of God: his removal is an act of God. These
three specific acts of the Deity may give the
clergy text
A CHAPTER IN GENEALoGY.
Gulteau then goes on to tell about his family.
My full name," he says. sis Charles julius
Gulteau. have dropped the Julius; prefer to
be known as Charles Guiteau Nv surname is
spelt G-u-itea-u; it is pronounced Get-o. 1t is a
French name. My fathers ancestor two hun
dred years or more back. was a physician con-
nected with the royal family of France | do
not know much about my genealogy There is
John VI. Guiteau in New York who belongs to
our family and who has its genealOgy. He is q
lawyer and a man of considerable wealth
believe. He has lived in New York about
Twenty-Five years, and formerly praetised
law at Cincinnati. Ohio. There were two
brothers named Guiteau, who came to this coun-
try. as underestimate it, from France good MANY
years agony fathers ancestor and the ances-
tors of John M. Guiteau. These are the only
two branches of the Guiteau family i'm America
central New York; John NJ. Guiteaus ancestors
went to Ohio. My paternal grandfather was
physician and very prominent one, at the be-
ginning of the century, near Utica, NY. My
father was born at WhitesborO, near Utica,
NY. in 1910. He died in August, $780, at Free
port, ILL.,. having lived there for about forty
years. He originally was merchant. He was
clerk of the circuit court of Stevenson county
one term. After that. for about twelve years
be was cashier of the Second National Bank at
IIn S0I
pious man and an intelligent man. About
thirty years ago he became interested in the
publications of John III. NOyes. who is the
founder of the Oneida Community and was
under his influence more or less during the en-
tire period. / used to hear him talk about the
Community great deal in his family and be-
came interested in it in that way in nv early
bOyhOod- My mother died when | was seven
years old. know very little about my mother
L understood she was a woman of fine mind and
a lady In every respect. have heard her very
highly spoken of.
HIS yAGABOND CAREER.
He gives long rambling account of his career
which seems to have been, for the most part.
that Of a ''yagaboIsl dead beat In 1874 he
got into trouble in New York city while operat-
ing as a collecting lawyer by holding ON TO
some money he had collected on claim. The
New York Herald made a publication of the
case under the head "A Profitable Collecting
Lawyer" Guiteau entered libel suit against
the Herald for 100000 damages, but did not
succeed in getting the money
Guiteau describes at considerable length the
sea of troubles that came upon him as the result
OF the publication.
81 was, he writes, Gin great distress. / could
not get money enough to pay my board during
me summer and l owed several parties for
board ana they were pressing me for it, and
nnalIy | got my name on the black list there as
a clearinghouse beat, and it was circulated
among the clearinghouse Keepers
tie afterwards went to Chicago and set I'D his
law Office; then he entered the field as lecturer
on the Second Coming of Christ, but he appears
to have proved as great failure as a theolorian
as he did as lawyer.
THE ASSASSIN AS A POLITICIAN
Guiteau next gives his experience as a nolti-
cian:-"1 was" he says, sin New York from
July 1, 1850, until the 9Th of March, 1881. Dur
ing this time was around the headquarters of
the national committee, on Fifth avenue and
the republican state committee at the Fifth
Avenue Hotel. | was in the habit of poino tn
those places. During this time made the per-
sonai acquaintance OF the leading men OF the re-
publican party. had my speech entitled Garfield
against Hancock, printed on August 6. at the
time the republican conference was held at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel. l gave or sent this speech
to all the leading men at that conference This
was my nrst introduction to them. Afterward
their attention to that speech. They seemed TO
be highly pleased with it, and that was the be-
ginning OF my personal acquaintance with
them. l sent it to General Arthur and
Senator COnkling, and General Logan
and Senator Cameron. and all that kind of men.
L wanted to take the stump for General Garfield
In August, and wrote Mr. Blaine Gin Maine)
about 1T, and called Governor JewelPs attention
to my wish, but there was great pressure on
MI Blaine from their quarters for speakers.
Not having national reputation he did not use
me In Maine. Governor Jewell was very kind to
me personally. The disability labored under
was this: had ideas, but / did not have a ma
tlonai reputation. The state committeeman
wanted man that would draw large crowd.
So as a matter of fact, only delivered that
speech once, and that was at q colored meetino
l think, on 18th street, one SATURDAY. EVENING"
L was the first speaker. and delivered portion
OF IL and gave it to the reporters i'm print"
After the result was known in November Guit
eau wrote to General Garfield as follows: ssWe
have cleaned them all out just as expected.
Thank GOdi
VERY respectfully, CHARLES GUIrEAu."
THE AUSTRIAN MISSION.
Immediately after the Indiana election Gui-
teau began to think it was time to look around
for something. Hewrote to the President-elect,
suggesting that he might be candidate for the
Austrian mission. Early in March he went to
WASHINGTON ha saws for fbo purpo.o 80 r-ot4:-.r.