Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-02-23
TOUCHING APPEAL
IN BEHALF OF GUITEAU, THE
ASSASSIN.
The Wall OF HIS SorrOWing Sister,
Mrs. SeOville, Addressed to the
Widow of His Victim.


eau. to Mrs. Garfield:
"Lucretia Garfield. Cleveland. Ohio
Dear Madame: Humbly Iaddress YOU.
trusting you will not turn deaf ear even
upon despised Guiteau's sister. All these
weary months / have patiently waited
until the time should come for me to
speak, when after the verdict. which !
believed would be mot guilty by reason
OF insanity, could say, without shame.
facedness, that my heart bleeds for you
and the sainted dead. My poor brother
was not his own master when he fired
that shot. Forgive and look with COM
passion ON him and me.
IL have counted, the hours for the
time when | should boldly say to YOU,
as / have. said from the moment when
the terrible news was brought me on
that dark day in July, he was brainfickle.
deluded. crazy. Forgive him, eveu as
Christ shall forgive us all. Both our
martyred President and his family haven
shown such an example of Christia,.
fortitude and trust in the Most High as
he world may well revere, led me to
hope that the sense of wrong suffered
would, when the truth was shown, be
tempered with that merciful forgiveness
which is indeed Christlike.
''All those dreadful weeks of the Presi-
dents suffering prayed that the Father
above us all would spare his life. Day
and night my beseeching cry went up.
God save the PRESIDENT thought he
could not die. When the people of the
whole world called nightly unto Him to
interpose in his behalf, said, surely He
will show forth His glory; but, alas, the
tendereSt care of wife, family, and friends
the prayers of the people, could not move
the Ruler of the Universe to counter
mand the DEGREES of His all-wise and
mysterious providence: could not keen
his poor, despoiled body, his grandiy
beautiful soul.
despite the vigils, the tears and the
prayers of his family. of the nation, of
the world, the midnight bells were tolled,
the midnight cry was heard. The Pres.
ldent is d adj" We gaZed upon the life.
less clay. Gone! Gone! to dwell with
the glorified Saints of the Lord, and we
shed our tears without stint, and we
said, is there no God?' Truely it was a
grievous wrong The Lord and He a.
lone. can judge where lies the moral res
possibility. This people are in His hand.
They walk on holy ground; it befits them
that they see to it, putting off their feet
the unclean Shoes of their worldly walk
ing, being shod with the sandals of right
eousness, that they tread carefully, ten.
derly, to the end that justice and truth
and mercy shall prevail.
''In July, when it was reported that
the suffering President was likely to re-
cover, l wrote letter to you stating the
facts in my brothers life, and every
thing of his case, thinking that both
yourself and the President would be glad
to know that poor, crazy man had
done the deed, instead of the hardened
wretch he was painted. At the time il
was reported that the President was in
terested in nythlng regarding the terri =.
bic affair; that he even said tenderly: II
wonder what that poor fellow would
think if he knew that had forgiven
him. oh that I might know from his
own wife if that Were true! The sainted
Garfield knows from that he had to do
it, and l feel sure if he could speak he
would say: Forgive that deluded man,
even as forgive him. Safely keep him
from doing any more harm, but forgive
him.
Il never sent the letter. The report
came almost Immediately that the Presi-
dent was worse, and knew you would
not wish to be troubled with anything
from Guiteau's sister. had hoped by
waiting to come before you with bet
ter showing, vindicated so far as insanity
is an excuse for crime, but my heart
burns within me, and, notwithstanding
that unjust verdict and barberous SEN
tence, must speak. My brother is shut
away from the world in tomb-like cell,
not a ray of sunshine, not blade of
grass, not flower, not bird, not a
friend to speak kind word. Who is
there to speak in his behalf, if not his
heart-broken sister? Did not speak the
very stones would cry out. His sainted
mother, the purest and noblest of woman
that mother who gave her life for his,
who suffered torture seven long years be-
cause of his birth, until death made her
free; that father, tender and kind, but
mistaken in his direction of the boy,
would if possible, make their voices
heard from beyond the grave. even as I
verify believe would the glorified Gar.
field cry out in horror at that verdict.
What of that verdict? Was it according
to truth, justice and mercy?'
Mrs. Scoville then reviews in her own
way the evidence and incidents of the
trial, during which she says Guiteau was
mot born right, raised right nor married
right" She concludes as follows:
"Pour forth to your merciful heart the
pleadings of one who must ever feel @
sisters love for an insane, motherless
boy, even though by the whole world
condemned and despised. beg you lei
me say to you and yours what he would
say if in his right mind: Forgive, even
as Christ shall forgive us ALL With the
utmost sorrow and respect remain sin.
cerely yours. FRANCES M. SCovILLE,
''532 West Monroe street."
CLEVELAND, O., Feb. 17.-J. III. Rhodes
Secretary of the Garfield Monument
Committee and near friend of Mrs. Gar
field, was interviewed by an Associated
Press correspondent to-day. He sale
Mrs. Garfield received letter from Mrs
Scoville to- day, and that he was author
lied in her behalf to say that toward the
slayer of her husband she cherished ne
malice. He must answer only to his Goo
and the American people. For the sister
and all the members of the family she
feels only profound pity. Further than
this she asks only to be let alone with
her sorrow, and to be spared being drag
ged into useless and torturine publicity,
Mrs. Garfield will not answer the letter