Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-04
MRS. sCovILLEs' DEVOTION.
The Bouquet Which She Constructed
for the Assassin of Garfield.

for the Assassin of Garfield.
WASHINGTON, June 3.-The cabinet of
curiosities at the Dead Letter Office con-
talns, among other articles of interest, a
lock OF Charles Guiteau's hair. 1t was
sent by the assassin to a young lady who
had written HIM a sympathizing letter,
but by some means it was never called
for, and eventually found it's way TO the
Dead Letter Office. Gen. Croker, the
warden of the Jail, says Guiteau received
more letters OF coincidence than people
were aware Of. For weeks after the as
sassnatiOn his mail was very heavy, and
would frequently exceed a hundred let
ters a day. Most of these communications
were abusive in character, and in many
cases threatening. Occasionally crank
Ike Guiteau would write anonymously,
commencing him for his act.
''Is it true that Mrs. Scovile attempted
to cheat the gallows by presenting her
brother with a poisoned bouquetY' was
asked.
at is" replied the General. "The night
preceding the execution Mrs. ScOville
called TO see him. She was told she could
not, except in my presence, and that l
was at home i'll. She carried in her hand
beautiful bouquet of roses. She asked
permission to present them to her brother,
which was granted. As she handed the
flowers through the grating she said: No
tice the centre flower especially. 1t is
white and emblematIc OF your own purity
and loftiness Of purpose She then de-
parted. / took the notion to drive over to
the Jail that night. Ny responsibility was
rapidly drawing to an end, and | wanted
TO be sure everything was in ship
shape. When | was told about the 5ou-
quet l sent for it. It did not occur to me
that there was anything wrong about it.
l merely asked for it as a matter of pre-
caution. Upon being told what Mrs. SEQ
vile had said about the white flower I
examined it more carefully and discov-
cred that it was detached from the others
ard supported by a long, slender stick,
which had evidently been forced into the
centre Ofthe bouquet after it was finished.
This rather unusual arrangement aroused
my suspicious. While examining it more
closely a white, powdery substance fell
into my hand. | sent tor one Of the chem
lists of the Smithsonian Institute, who
pronounced 1t arsenic, in sufficient guam
titles to kill adozen men. Mrs. Scoville's
idea was for Guiteau to chew the bud,
for it was really nothing more, and in
this way escape the gallows by commit
ting suicide.
''Why didn't Guiteau do this?'
81 don't think he understood the signi-
ticance of mis- sisters remarks. If he had
it Is not probable that he would have
taken advantage of her Spartan kindness.
He did not abandon all hope of reprieve
until the last moment. He was an arrant
coward"
WAS there any affection between him
and his family?'
Very little. Guiteau himself was as
cold as fish. | shall never forget Mrs.
ScOville's last interview with him. Said
she: We'll, Charlie, L suppose you must
die. | trust you are prepared"
oh yes grunted the assassin. 'Pm
all right
"'And you'll go to heaven, Charlie,
dear, and you'll meet our mother there.
You'll be glad to see her, won't you?
- don't know whether | will or nOt'
replied Guiteau, to whom the cOnversa-
ton was obviously unpleasant. Il sup
pose If she comes around to see me | shall
treat her decently, but don't care any
thing about her. l never took much stock
in my relations, anyhow"