Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-07-06
AN UNWEPT SEPULTURE
And an Unmarked Grave for the
Assassin Guiteau.

Assassin Guiteau.
WASHINGTON, July 1.-The body of
Guiteau was buried this afternoon in
the northeast corridor of the jail,
and SO far as is now known to the
contrary, the remains will lie there
undisturbed by any future sepulture.
Under the law, disposition of the
bodies of criminals VINO are executed
rests within the discretion of the
warden. In the case of Guiteau,
his sister, Mrs. Scoville, was without
means, and could not have under
taken his burial expenses even if
permitted to do so. The only other
relative who has appeared upon the
scene, his brother John W. Guiteau,
WAS unwilling to assume the risk OF
taking charge of the remains, believ
ing he would be powerless to pre-
vent body /snatchers from stealing
them; therefore General Crocker re-
solved to bury the assassins body
within the walls of the jail, where 1t
would be beyond the reach alike Of
vengeance or speculation. The north
east corridor, in which Guiteau was
buried, is upon the opposite side of
the rotunda from the one In which
he was hung, and from the window
of the cell in which he was confined
one can look down upon his grave.
The brick flooring was removed this
morning, and grave seven feet deep
was dug. At 4 o'clock this afternoon
the coffin containing the body of
Charles j. Guiteau was borne from
the chapel upon the shoulders of SIX
of the Jail prisoners, and without any
service or ceremony whatever was
lowered into the grave aud buried
from sight The only persons pres,
ent were John w. Guiteau, Or.
Hicks, Warden Crocker and son, Mr..
Wright, undertaken; Ward the en-
gineer OF the JAIL. deputy Warden
Russ, Captain Crocker, and the six
prisoners who acted as pallbearers.
The coffin was closed last evening,
and no one has since been permitted
to see the remains. Mrs. Scoville,
accompanied by Miss Chevailier, ar
rived at the Jail shortly before 4
clock, and importuned the Warden
to be allowed to see the re
mains and witness their burial
Gen. Crocker, however, remained
firm in his determination not to &C
cede to her request, and after few
minutes she returned to the city,
leaving a number of flower pieces,
which she had brought with her, and
which she expected to place upon the
grave. AS the body was being taken
down the steps leading from the
chapel to the center of the rotunda
of the building, the mourners, or
rather witnesses, stood near the door
leading to the northeast rotunda,
or steps 1eaaTngs gs"fklfJln daNn. jths .digsht hbtt
the brick floor of the corridor they
silently filed in behind the convict
pallbearers. Arrived at the grave,
the little procession halted. Warden
Crocker looked inquiringly toward
DIR. Hicks, and then at John w. Gui-
teau. "All right said the latter,
with the same imperturbable com
posure he has exhibited all through
the ordeal of the past three days,
and the coffin was at once lowered to
its place. Afther the earth had been
replaced and the top of the grave
leveled of, John W. Guiteau stepped
forward and placed at it's head
of EuhIfn ~ Hoe -
word was spoken, not tear was
shed. An outcast from human sym>
pathy when living, Guiteau had
found an unwept sepulture in an un>
marked grave.
DIR. Lamb was asked to day if it
was true that Guiteau's brain was
found in a normal condition, and re,
piled, seThat is true, as far as the
brain is concerned, but the mem
brane that envelopes it was found to
be unhealthy, and will be examined
closely"
"Was the condition of the brain a
surprise to you?"
''No, it could not have been very
well, as had no expectation in re-
gard to it. | simply examined the
brain with desire to find as near as
possible its condition"
Drs. Lamb and Powers think it
will be several days before the report
is completed. DR.. Harrigan is of
the opinion that it will be ready soon
er. He said the membranes around
the brain were apt to cause doubt
ln the minds of those who were dis
posed to favor the insanity theory,
but he had often seen the same con-
ditlon of membrane in persons never
suspected of insanity. DR.. Melons
aid, whose expert testimony during
the trial formed one of the features,
attended the autopsy yesterday, and
was to-day asked If it was true that
the brain was found in healthy con-
dition. ...---. s- a..
Eyes" was the reply, s'that was
the case. 1t could hardly have been
IN better condition. In weight it
was only half ounce below the
normal. and its appearance was nat
ural and healthy"
'Was not this an unexpected
result e.
''Not to me, at least. It was no
more than l expected, and as far as
the brain shows the mental condi,
ton, have seen no reason to
change my opinion about the de-
ceased"
"But does the brain indicate the
mental condition
"To certain extent, yes; and as
the work with the microscope be,
comes more accurate it will show it
more fully. A diseased brain is
regarded as an indication of insanity,
although sane people have been
known to have diseased brains"