Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-07-08
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, July 9th, 1882.

w ASUINGTON, July ON, 1907.
1t is consoling to believe that the
curtain is now drawn upon Guiteau
His earthly remains are buried in
the damp basement of one OF the
wings of the gloomy structure with
in which he passed the last year OF
his life. where no adventurous body
snatcher is likely to break through
and steal. The funeral was fit
ending to the final scene. 1t was
attended by three relatives; John
Guiteau, Mrs. Scoville and her lit
tie daughter, the Rev. Mr.. Hicks,
Miss ChevailIier, of Boston, and
two reporters. In the centre of the
prison room, on plain wooden set
tee. was the imitation rosewood cot
fin which contained the body, the
lid having been down to conceal the
features from view. All around the
room was evidences of the autopsy
held the day before. A large tin
bucket filled with bloody water was
a conspicuous object; in one corner
was pile of old ropes, ladders, pull
leys and blocks, indicating that the
room was devoted to storage pur-
poses, and on the walls were inscrib-
ed the names and regiment OF
number of the soldiers who have
been occupants of this room since
the ID of July. 1t was amid such
surroundings that the funeral OF the
dead assassin was conducted, and
the desolate appearance seemed IN
every sense appropriate to the oc-
casion.
= A short invocation by DR.. Hicks,
closing in an impressive manner
with the Lords Prayer and the ia
miliar words
"Dust thou art, to dust returneth,
Was not written Of the soul"
constituted all the ceremony. Then
five stalwart colored prisoners were
called in to act as pall-bearers, and
picking up the plain coffin as though
little mindful of the contents, bore
it quickly down the chapel steps and
placed it ON the elevator to be taken
to the basement below where a grave
had been prepared. Here there was
no ceremony, and but three witness
es besides the warden and his depu-
ties and two prisoners who had been
detailed to fill up the grave. The
coffin was covered with heavy boards
before the earth was put in, and, as
the soil was of a gravely nature
where the interment was made, the
sound of stones falling upon the cot
fin rang out with startling distinct
ness. Owing to the small size of
the elevator leading down stairs,
when the coffin was taken down it
was found necessary to stand it on
end and the body was moved out of
position a trihe The gloomy sur
roundings adjacent to the grave Of
the dead murderer viii not likely be
forgotten 10y those who witnessed
the burial It was four O'Clock
when the first spadeful OF earth rat
fled upon the coffin, and Mr.. Irving
Crocker, "A son OF the General, called
attention to the fact that 1T was the
same time that the assassn's victim
was buried at Cleveland, Ohio.
The effort to secure an adjourn
ment of Congress on the 10th has
failed and it is probable from pres
ont appearances that the goth will
he about the date. There is some
force in the argument of Senator
Rpck that 1t is one sided arrange
4 meut TO allow the House to keep the
lanpropriation bills seven months
and then expect to make the Senate
ldispose Of them in q few days; but
there is probably more in the gener-
al disincliuation of Senators to be
excluded from their full share IN the
personal profit or local influence to
be derived from a manipulation oi
the items Of National expenditure
ANYHOW. the Senators are taking
their Tune, meeting ~ cdl ,lCA az
sitting no later now than they dlc
in December. After seven months
session the record of this Congress
is not very proud one-no great
measure of legislation having beer
matured-though there is consola-
ton in the thought that it might
have been worse. 1t is probably bet
ter to do nothing than to do wrong
But besides its slOth III attack
ing questions o. real impol tance, tin
most remarkable thing undertake.
by this Congress is the passage OF