Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-05-11
Mrs. SeOville Delivers q Lecture. IN
Which She Pleads for the Life OF
Her brother.

Which she HfeauH lot the Liie VI
Her Brother.
Mrs. Francis NJ. Scoville, the only sis
ter of Charles J. Guiteau, who assassina'
ted President Garfield, lectured Sunday
evening last at the Criterion Theatre,
in. New York city, her subject being
"The Guiteau Case, from sisters
Standpoint About one hundred per
sons, half of whom were ladies, consti.
tuted the audience. The World, in
speaking of the personal appearance OF
Mrs. Scoyille and her lecture, says /:
Mrs. Scoville wore a dress OF plain black
cloth. A white lace kerchief which
surrounded her neck was joined in
front by a fold Of blue ribbon and fast
ened at the waist by plain gold pin.
Her bountiful gray hair was neatly fold
ed back on either side. Her face was
full but without color, her chin broad,
her mouth firmly set, and her Keen
gray blue eyes showed much determina'
ton. In height Mrs. Scoville is about
the average, and in figure plump, with.
out being heavy or unwieldy. she
smoke in clear, pleasing alto voice and
held the undivided attention OF her
audience for almost an hour. She said ;
GAS the sister of the despised Guiteau
I stand alone. Even my husband and
children hated that man, but love for
our mother and for our country prompts
me to plead for my brothers life and to
prevent il possible blight upon our
nations record in the execution Of a
man who is partly If not wholly insane.
| plead for reason, fairness and an atom
of mercy. The case was preludged
from the first by the court, by the press
and by the public. ! am the sister ot
poor crazy man who, God commissioned
as he thought, committed a horrible
deed. What | had long feared had
happened. The half crazy hoy had
grown to a stark mad man. In his an
cestors for three generations nothing
depraved or criminal can be found, but
in every branch of the Guiteau family
since they landed in this country have
been found cases of incurable insanity
and of lesser stages OF dementia. Our
mother was true, noble, loving wo'
man. But during almost year prior
TO the birth of Gui.eau she suffered
from an almost fatal attack OF brain
fever. This man, whom Judge Cox
knew to be ins me. after a mockery oi
trial was con gicted and sentenced. II
the case for him had been ten times rs
strong as it was the result would have
been the same. As Marshal Henry told
me the people must have victim. The
pressure of the Administration upon
the Court and jury was such that any
other issue was impossible. Yet who
was responsible for Guiteau's crime
The bitter faction fight OF year ago
WAS real to him. He believed the end
would be war and hloodshed, and IN
obedience 10 what was TO him com.
n:and from God he fired that fatal shot.
Who will say that he did not save the
country from a civil war! Who can
saw what would have been the result
had opportunity been given 10 carry
out the neiaTious schemes OF crafty
Blaine the man who Cabled to Lon.
don that the act was that OF crazy
man and who on the witness stand
denied his own words. | cannot weep ;
| have not she'd tear for months. Yet
in asking for mercy for .dy brother
can but remember that every criminal
I - HuiuFbbuN bhgr NhA tt q A'hNAlg y
like this everybody. in seeking Tor the
we'll being Of the whole, in righteous.
ness and Justice must IN measure be
his brothers keeper. Let Us leave the
docmas behind, but practice the golden
rule instead of the blood Tor blood doc.
trine that appears to obtain now, aud
follow the teachings OF CHRIST. When
this j. done the world will begin to be
saved
During, the lecture. which was de.
livered IN an earnest, pleading tone,
several Indies in the theatre were In
tears. What the people really
want in this matter continued Mrs.
Scovillc. sis the truth Let the man be
confined for life" Applause.