Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-28
THE REMAINS OF GUITEAU.
Body at the Jail and Its Removal to
the Army Medical Museum - The
Bones Ready for Internationally
the skeleton Has Not Vet Been Placed
ON Exhibition.


on Exhibition.
The bones Of Charles j. Guiteau, the assassin,
are at the Army Medical Museum on 10th street,
but as yet they have not been articulated or set
up and probably Will not be for some time to
come-not until they have been formally pre-
sented to the Museum by Rev. DR.. Hicks, who Is
regarded as still having the legal possession of
them. DR.. Hicks holds them not only under the
will, but by virtue OF the oral gift OF them by
Guiteau with the consent Of his brother
and sister. There Is but little doubt
that DR.. Hicks will eventually formally
present them to the surgeon general of the army
for the museum. or course 1t would be preferable
that Dr. Hicks Should as the executor OF the paper
purporting to be the will of Guiteau, present them
In that capacity, but If Mr.. Reed should refuse TO
swear that Guiteau was ''Of sound and dlSpoSinS
mind, capable of making valid deed or 1nstFu-
ment," the paper cannot be regarded as legal
will. Having it, however, in possession he has
nine points or the law in his favor and the verbal
gift or the prisoner, with the consent OF his repre-
sentatives, will doubtless make up the other
point.
THE STORY OF THE RESURRECTION OF GUITEAU
has never yet been fully detailed, although
columns have been written on the subject, and
some very racy romancing has been INDUCED In
Before the day for the execution arrived 1t had
been pretty well arranged that the body would noG
remain many days in the grave, ana, In fac t, Rev.
DR.. Hicks, to whom Guteau had given his body,
determined In his own mind that the Army Medl-
Gil Museum would be the only safe place for It,
FIRST WORK OF THE ANAToMIsT.
DIR. Schafhirt, the anatomlst OF the museum,
being satisfied that the body would eventually
find its way TO the museum, when he went TO the
Jail on the day OF the execution, was prepared to
at least partially embalm the body, and at the au-
tOpsy prepared the feshy portions Of the head, the
abdomen and thorax SO that the remains would
not become too much decOmpoSed ere they reached
the museum. The brains having been taken out,
which had been drawn down over the face, was
drawn back to Its proper place, and the body,with
the exception OF blue spot on each tample where
the scalp was hinged, presented perfectly Hatu-
raj appearance when it was again placed in the
coffin, i'll which 1t was inferred the following day,
In basement loom Of the east wing OF the jail.
THE NIGHT VISIT TO THE JAIL.
The arrangements for the resurrection and re-
moval were quietly made On Monday, July 81,
and but few even OF the officers and guards at the
jail were aware that the body was to be removed
until after the deed had been accomplished. On
the night In question, about nine O'Clock. Or:
9th and E streets. took seats in an undertakers
wagon-a Mr.. Ball being the driver-and pro.
Geeded to the Jail, taking the usual route out
street east In the wagon was an ordinary out
Side OF pine wood, but none of the usual par
such as hooks, &C. According to the arrange
crocksr ans ana R ReT Dr. VIII Hicks on the road
cause this meeting did not take place, and the
wagon drove up to the door OF the jail shortly be-
E III "cos one o, the II party n Wsy ne R Re
and Capt Coleman coming out, and after few
minutes conference the party started to accom-
Pli,h their object: The party consisted OF Mr..
Russ, Dr5. Schafhirt and Lovejoy and Capt Cole
man, the latter leading the horse. After leaving
the roadway and wading through the rank growth
OF weeds till they had nearly reached the potter'S
field, they by clrcuitous route approached the
jail, stopping the wagon son-e di5tance-a nun
dred yards Or more-from the east wing.
WEIRD NIGHT SCENE.
The iron doorway leading to the basement being
opened, Mr.. Russ and DR.. Schafhlrt went In, Dr.
Lovejoy stopping at the door and Capt. Coleman
outside There was no lantern used, but Mr.. Russ
lighted one match after another, and 1t was found
that colored man had dug out the earth, ex-
posing the top of the coffin around which the
carth-whicn was OF mixed sand and gravel-had
been tightly rammei, and it was found necessary
to use crOwbar and pick to loosen It, Then others
Of the party came In, and Gen. Crocker and Dr.
Hicks had arrived. One OF the new corners, a
man of superb physique, over six feet in height
and OF Herculean strength, jumped down into the
grave, about So feet deep, and by using the crow
bar as lever started the foot of the coffin, which
was lifted from its place and at once borne 20 the
| wagon and placed in the case. The party then
lett the JAIL Gen. Croker walking with DIR. Schaf-
hirt and Rev. DIR. Hicks, Capt. Coleman DR.. Love
| joy and Mr.. Russ following. After them came the
AS THE PARTIES SEPARATED,
one with the coveted corpse and the others with
faces toward the front door OF the JAIL 1T would
| have been difficult to determine who were best
satisfied with the transfer, those parting with the
body or those who had it In possession en- route to
the museum. just as the wagon disappeared
around the enclosure OF the Old Eastern burial
ground the party at the jail broke out In laugh
and one OF them is reported to have given vent to
| his feelings by dancing jig. The guards inside
all the while were in blSSful ignorance OF what
had been going on.
PISTOL SHOT,
On the return to the city DIR. Schafhirt relieved
the driver, Mr.. Ball. Of the reins, and the latter
went to the rear OF the wagon, Rev. DR.. Hicks and
DR.. Lovejoy sharing the drivers seat with DIR.
Schafhirt Driving slowly along the avenue, the
sharp report Of pistol, fired in honor of the ap-
preaching Independence day, caused the horse to
start, and for short distance it ran rapidly, and
some OF the police who saw 1t were on the eve of
attempting to overtake It, 1t was about III oclk
when The wagon stopped at the corner o. 9Th and
streets. Already had the Juvenile portion of the
Fourth OF july" ana as DR.. Hicks alighted the re-
port of firearms could be heard with the fixing OF
fireworks, some Of them casting glow OF light on
the pine case in the wagon.
THE WAGON AT THE SCENE OF BOOTHS ESCAPE.
The wagon was then driven to the mouth OF the
alley on street, between 9th and 10th, from
| whence Booth, after shooting President Lincoln,
| made hts escape In April, 1885, and DR.. Schafhirt.
giving the lines to Mr. Ball. went to the front door
| Of the museum, where he was admitted by Mr. A.
III. NtsWIcI, anu tut TWO going 1nCO the cellar
opened the iron doors in the rear and placed the
| sHids in position. The wagon by this time had
been backed up, and the outside parties placing
the coffin on the skds 1t was Sided down into the
cellar and placedin glass case.
THE BODY AT THE MUSEUM
Here the body was at once taken out OF the
cof'n denuded gifts clothing and placed in vat or
barrel OF alcohol Owing to the fact that at the time
the furnaces were being repaired, it was allowed
to remain here some four or five days Then DR..
Schafhirt used the ''rapid maceratiQn" process
the parts In glass jars having artificial heat an
piled at less than the boiling point for about 60
hours-which requires constant attention but
which prepares the bone to be taken out perfectly
clean, When nothing else IS required but to treat
them with sulphuric ether to take out
what grease may remain In them. Much OF
the WORK on them was done at night, and In 10 days
they We're ready for articulation, all the work hav-
Ing been done by DR.. Schafhirt alone, he having
declined all prOnered assistance. When the skull
had been cleaned and before 1t was really dry it
was given to M. Flynn, the custodian ana GRANT
oiogiSt OF the museum, who made the measure
ments OF angles and depressions. 1t was then
passed to Dr. Lamb who had 1t In h19 possession for
two weeks. With this exception. none OF the
bones have been out OF the custody OF DIR. Schaf-
hirt since, the resurrection. They are perfectly
white and have been prepared in the highest style
or art, and as soon as they have been formally
passed to the museum will be articulated.