The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-01-28
GUITEAU.

nourced last Wednesday, the American
people turned from the contemplation Of
the Guiteau case which had been consum
ing it for so long as tired man leaves his
/ daily work well done. To be sure there
was a determination left in every heart
to be in at the funeral and interest is YET
Ealiye to see that he is well hung; but it has
/ ceased to be the absorbing question thai
it was, so long as there existed the least
doubt of his receiving the punishment he
so well deserves, as evidence Of this the
communication he sent to the press yester
day and the f1atness with which it fell up
on the country is ample proof. There wa:
to awaken any, in fact the only means by
which Guiteau can raise anything more
than languid curiosity in his actions or
or positions is to appear as the central fig
ufe at a first class hanging aud the PEG
pie are promising themselves the pleasure
of that spectacle at a very early date
When it comes off GIiteau may rest assur-
reed that it shall be a high toned" affair,
exceedingly popular, with masses and no.
invitation to be present win be refused, and
the hangman will wonder at the sudden
popularity into which he has sprung; ne
will be social belle.
How much of Guiteau's reported conf
dence in an ultimate acquittal, through
reversal by d higher court, is real. is one
of those things no fellow can find out;
but, considering the fact that he has I'M
doubtedly, all through the long trial, been
imbued with the idea that he would ESCAPE,
it is noways strange that that idea should
still cling to him, now that the verdict
has been but reached and the date for car
rying it into effect is SO far distant He is
in the position of man whs has but Just
received a mortal wound from an unex4
pected source, and knows not now how
hard he is hit, but time works out the nat
ural result, and SO with him the passage of
a few brief months will bring him face to
face with the legitimate consequences of
his horrible act.
There is one thought connected with his
punishment that as he begins to realize the
certainty of it, will prove constant source
of mentaf anguish until the time comes
when Ire will know no more His entire
thought since he first killed Garfield, has
been the notoriety and consequent, what he
called fame. that it brought him: he has
fed upon dc; 1t has been a constant delight |
and pleasure to him. Judge Porter gave
his character well as expressed in a quota.
ton fronna novel of Ouida where she makes
d character say:
! "Let me be the ugliest man in Europe, |
'atl1er than remain in mediocrity among |
the medium plain faces. There is not a I
lafras breadth difference between netoriety /
md fame. 71fI could not be Alexander / |
would be Diogenes. Ii were not great
zero would be u most ingenious muir
lerer. ns5gaa saa - SAP
The whole of his ambition has been to
lave dis name in mems mouths, through
What means he cared not
During the entire trial, contemplation
If the fact that the world has been daily
aiking and reading about him has been
breath to his nostrils and hs has clutched
his dearly won notoriety to his bosom as
lis greatest earthly possession; as a miser
owes his gold, so did he this talk of men,
But he must die and leave it; and the
bought will soon be nightmare to him
1ould he only live in prison he would be
ontent, believing that his name was still
Uttered, if only with an oath outside. But
e must die and leave behind that notori-
ty SO lately gained, he will never hear his
eed commented on although with an
xecration: 1. viii not be the leaving of
n honorable and loved name behind to be
apt green in nations memory; he will
cave reputation only to be cursed and
hen soon forgotten. Let forget him, bel
aseribe1 upon his tomb.