Great Falls tribune., 1885-06-25
GUITEAU's POISON BOUQUET.
Some Facts About the Rosebud Mrs.
Scoyille Gave Her Brother-He
Did Not Catch On. -

The cabinet of curiosities. at the
dead letter Office, says the Chicago
News Washington correspondent,
contains among other articles of in
terest, a lock of Charles Guiteau's
hair. It 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 its way to the dead
letter office. Gen Grocher, warden
Of the jail, says Guiteau received more
letters Of coincidence than people
were aware Of. For weeks after the
assassination his mail was very heavy,
and would frequently exceed a hun
dred letters a day. Most of these
communications We're abusive in char
acter, and in many cases threatening.
Occasionally a crank like Guiteau
would write anonymously, commend
ing him for his act.
rs it true that lIrs. Scoyilie at
tempted to cheat the galIows by pro
senting her brother with a poisoned
bouquet" was asked.
"It is" replied the General, "The
| night preceding the execution Mrs.
Scoville called to see him She was
told she could not, except in my pres
ence, and that [ was at home i'll. She
carried in her hand s beautiful bou-
quet of roses. She asked permission
| to present them to her brother, which
was granted. AS she handed the flow
ers through the grating she said,
'.Notice the center flower especially.
It is white and enablematic Of your
purity and loftiness of purpose" She
then departed. I took the notion to
drive over to the jail that night. My
responsibility was rapidly drawing to
an end, and I wanted to be sure ev-
erything was in shipshape, When I
was told about the bouquet I sent for
it. It did not occur to me that there
was anything wrong about it. [ mere
ly asked for it as matter of precau-
ton. Upon being told what Mrs.
Scoyille had said about the white
flower I examined it more carefully
and discovered that it was detached
from the others and supported by a
long, slender stick. which had evi-
IDENTIFY been forced into the center of
the bouquet after it was finished. This
rather unusual arrangement aroused
my suspicious While examining it
more closely a white, powdery sub
stance fell into my hand. I sent for
one of the chemists of the Smithso-
| nian institute, who pronounced it ar
senic, in sufficient quantities to kill
half dozen men. HRS. Scoville's
idea was for Guiteau to chew the bud,
for it was really nothing more, and in
this way escape the gallows by com
mitting suicide.
"Why didn't Guiteau do this?'
"I don't think he understood the
significance of his sisters remarks. Il
he had it is not probable that he
would have taken advantage Of her
Spartan kindness. He did not aban-
don all hope of reprieve until the
| last moment. He was an arrant cow
| ard"
'.N'as there any affection between
him and his falnily?"
Every little. Guiteau himself was
as cold as fish. I shall never forget
| Mrs. Scoville's last interview with
him. She said: We'll, Charlie, sup
pose you must die. [ trust you are
prepared
"sOh yes,' grunted the assassin, Tn
all right
"sAnd you'll go to heaven, Charlie,
and you'll meet our mother there.
| You'll be glad to see her, won't you?''
'sI don't know whether [ will OF
not replied Guiteau, to whom. the
conversation was obviously unpleas-
ant. I suppose if she comes around
to see me | shall treat her decently,
but I don't care anything about her.
I never took much stock in my rela-
tons, anyhow"