Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-06-26
GUITEAU'S POISONED BOQUET.
Some Facts About the Rosebud Mrs
kcoviIIe Gave Her Brother-He Did
Net HCateh On ;,

SOmc FacIA DOuL kne E&O8eDuO RS.
NcoviIIe Gave Her Brother-He Did
Net "Cateh On.''
The cabinet of curiosities at tthe dead
letter Office, says the Chicago News
Washington correspondent, contains,
among other articles of Interest, lock
of Charles Guiteau's hair. 1t was
sent by the assassin to a young lady
who had written him sympatRizing
letter. but by some means it was never
called for, and eventually found iIs
way to the dead letter office. Gen.
Crocker, the warden of the jail, SAYS
Guiteau received more letters OF con-
dolence than people were aware of.
For weeks after the assassination his
mail was heavy, and would frequent
Iy exceed a hundred letters day.
Most of these communications were
abusive in character, and in many
cases threatening. Occasionally q
crank like Guiteau would write anon
ymously, commencing him for his
act.
rs it true that Mrs Scoville at.
tempted to cheat the gallows by pre-
sentipg her brother with a poisoned
boquet2" was asked.
''lt is, replied the general. 1.-THE
night preceding the execution Mrs.
Scoville called to see him. She was
told she could not, except In my pres
ence, and that l was at home i'll. She
carried in her hand beautiful boquei
of roses. She asked permission to
present them to her brother. which
was granted. As she handed the
flowers through the grating she said,
Notice the center flower especially.
1t is white and emblematic of your
purity and loftiness of purpose" She
then departed. / took the notion to
drive over to the jail that night. My
responsibility was rapidly drawing to
an end. and wanted to be sure every
thing was in ship shape. When l was
told about the boquet sent for it. II
did not occur to me that there was
| anything wrong about it. merely
asked for it as matter of precaution.
Upon being told what Mrs. Scoville
had said about the white flower I ex-
amined it more carefully and discov-
cred that it was detached from the
others and supported by a long, slen.
der stick, which had evidently been
forced into the center of the boquet
after it was finished. This rather un-
usual arrangement aroused my sus-
picions. While examining it more
closely q white, powdery substance
fell into my hand. / sent for one OF
the chemists of the Smithsonian In
stitate, who pronounced it arsenic, in
sufficient quantities to kill half a
dozen 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 committing
suicide.
"Why didn't Guiteau do thi.f"
81 dent think he understood the
significance of his sisters remarks. II
he mad, it is not probable that he
would have taken advantage of her
Spartan kindness. He did not abandon
all hope of q reprieve until the last
moment he was an arraRt COW
ard
WAS there any affection between
him and his familyf''
Every little GuIteau himself was
as cold as fish. / shall never forget
Mrs. Scoville's last interview with
him. Said sne: Well, Charlie,
suppose you must die. I trust you
are prepared
oh yes" " grunted the assassin, 'T'm
all right
And you'll go to heaven, Charlie,