Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-30

IVY uOous my mot1tf uic1 Wuc0 1 WaS seven years
old know very little about m, mother. 1 IN
derstand she was a woman OF fne mind. ana
lady In every respect. I have heard her very
highly spoken Of I have a brother named John
Wilson Guiteau; he is eight years older than am
He was born at Ann Arbor, Mich. He lived al
3ort, Iowa, in 1854 and lived there some Is years
he was lawyer by profession and practiced I'm
Davenport. In 1853 he went to New York city and
entered the employ OF the United States Life In
Surance company. He was with them two years
md was one OF their principal men. He has a
great deal OF insurance brain. have
lister who is married to George scoville, esq, an
attorney at Chicago They were married in
1853 and have several children. Ny mother
NY father was widower for five years. He then
married lady at Freeport, named Maria Blood,
ter lmy half sister about 25 years Old, and son(my
half brother) about q years old, and think that
she lost one child In infancy"
Inc particulars OF Guiteau'S life have been
Cleaned from many sources, but no ac-
count has been given which is more clear and
His career furnished the field on which the prose
cution and defence met in combat at the great
trial, combat which resulted rather vigorously
ting all the
DARK CORNERS OF HIS LIFE.
| 1t Is unnecessary here, however, to trace out
more than the main features OF his life. He WIS
born at Freeport, Ill, September 8, lS4l. His
mother died when he was about seven years old.
The only recollection he had Of her was that she
was an invalid. After her death his boyhood
steps were guided BY his sister Frances who
| afterwards became the wife Of George Scoville.
AS boy he says he knew Mr. e B. Washburne
and Gen. John NJ. Schoneld, whom he remembered
as cadet at West Point year or two after
MS mothers death he removed with his father to
Uiaa, place In Wisconsin, about 20 miles north
MS rather and grandfather being Jointly in
terested In pier they had there.
EARLY LIFE IN FREEPoRr.
He then returned to Freeport with his father,
who, having failed In mercantile pursuits, was
engaged In writing In the county clerks Office.
AT that time Guiteau and his father boarded with
a lady who kept private boarding house, and he
went Tor few months to the district school
taught by Mr. Burchari, the present director OF
! the mint. His father, having become agent at
Freeport Of the Galena and Chicago railroad, was
married in September, 1885, to lady from Case
novia, N. Y. His sister Frances was married some
months before TO Mr. Scoville, and was living in
chicago Guiteau had been boarding with his
sister In Chicago and attending private school
there. When examined at the trial he said OF his
iatners second marriage: 81 remember was very
indignant to think that he should go OF and get
married as he did, without consult Ition with me-
think was so indignant about it that / got on
the cars the very night he left on the afternoon
train-and went back to Scoville's house in great
state OF wrath"
GUTTEAU's FATHER,
according to the statements OF many old residents
OF Freeport, was man OF loveabe disposition, OF
singular earneStness OF manner and conviction,
and lover OF truth. Guteau said, in his account
OF his life that his father took the Tribune and he
had great reverence for Horace Greedy and
Henry Ward Beecher, from whom he declared he
got most of his political and social views. His
father, he said was WING and a republican, OF
moderate means; in religion sort OF fanatic, who
believed in what were called the new ideas OF the
time.
Guiteau, it appears, after his mothers death.
attended school pretty regularly until he was
Twelve. Then for several years his attendance
Was not so regular During part Of that time he
was employed at writing in the Office of his father,
about sixteen he went to Chicago and attended
Bells Commercial college one winter and became
In that time, according to his own account, thor
0ughly competent to manage set OF books. Gull
teau's letters, written at that time, show that
HE WAS QUITE ILLITERATE,
compared with the average school boy OF sixteen
His spelling, grammar and chirography were all
detective Then he returned to Freeport and
worked awhile in his fathers Office when he de-
termtned to go to Ann Arbor to college His
father he said, was opposed to this or to his seek
ing education in another way. Noyes, of the
Oneida Community, he said, had made great i'm
preston on his father, who endeavored to incul-
cate the doctrines OF that peculiar establishment
on his family. 70 an illustration OF his peculiar
q ae In his ss she o ssne
man, when tle family sat down to a meal, would
say; 81 confess Christ In this food and thank the
Lord for John ii. NOyes and the Oneida Commun-
lily, and confess my union with the community. {"
Guiteau traced all his misfortunes and failures
severe on his father, to whom he attributed most
| OF his calamities and Ill success In 1853 he de-
70 TO esFe Hi mas
great thing was to save my soul" said Guiteau,
| speaking Of this matter, land the only way to
Oneida Community. He could not see any other
| way. 1t makes me mad every time think OF it,
Ihat IS the only way my ather could see to save
greatest outrage ever perpetrated on a boy, and
have never been able &c forgive him from that
Law school, and all thai sort thing, II my father
had not opposed me-"
AT ANN ARBoR.
Finally, his father permitted him to 90 to Ann
Arbor, and he went In September, 1859, when he
was eighteen years OF age. AS he was not ready
TO enter college he became pupil in one OF the
preparatory schools. He intended to remain at
college two years, but his thoughts were directed
toward the Oneida Community, and he changed his
plans "As soon as got there, said Guiteau she
this father began to pile uD letters upon me. to
write me long foolscap letters several pages twice
or three times a week, exalting Noyes and the
not be OF any use to melf did get 1t because did
not know the Saviour. / naturally of q reli-
giOus turn of mind and the first religious impress
sion had got from my father in that way-!rom
the letters at Ann Arbor and previous consulta-
lions at Freeport" HIS father kept him supplied
with the publications OF the Oneida Community,
and the result Was that in June, 1860, he left Ann
Arbor and joined the Community.
At ONEIDA,
Gulteau had some money, the remnant OF legacy
OF $1,000 left him by his maternal grandfather q
Major John Howe, who fervidly declared that he
(Guiteau 'had more brains than all the rest of the
Guiteau family" and thus he contributed to the
common fund of the Community. After Guiteaus
conversion to the Oneida Community doctrines,
his zeal and fervor In the cause must have even
gone beyond his fathers mark. The few letters
extant written by him at that time show how en-
thusiastic he was In the new cause. In writing 20
his sister Frances, he urges her with much vehe-
mence to turn her thoughts to religion. In one of
his letters to her he says-"I have confidence yet
that God Will some time draw you and George into
His heavenly kingdom on earth" Guiteau re-
manned at the Oneida Community till April, 1865
The picture Gutteau drew OF Community life was
gloomy one. Noyes he said, was harsh, cole
cruel and exacted the most degrading service. He
worked there as a common labOrer; did service in
the kitchen and on the farm. There was a pretty
good library there. and In It he spent all the time
at his disposal With the female portion OF the
society he did not get along very well They
made run OF him and wounded his self-esteem
He made up his mind in 1865 to leave, and turned
hta eyes toward New YORK