Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-01-30
THE CURSE OF GUITEAU.
PRONOUNCED BY THE assassin
UPoN THE scAFPoLD.


How tho People Who Were Promi-
nent at the Trial Prosper Under the
Legacy.
For some weeks past, says Washing
ton letter in the Chicago NeDs, a paragraph
has been floating about the country set
ting forth the fact that Guiteau's curse
which he pronounced upon the scaffold
has fallen with baneful effect upon
number of those who were connected
with his trial and execution. Last even
ing the Ners correspondent directed the
attention of General Crocker, the warden
of the Jail, to the article, and asked him
how much truth there was in the state
ment. cit is utterly without founda-
ton, and is as flimsy and unsubstantial
tigment of the imagination rs could
we'll be devised" replied the general.
"There were probably fifty persons
more or less directly connected with
Guiteau's Imprisonment. Nineteen of
these were the guards and prison attaches
were Guiteau was confined. Twelve were
members of the jury, and the remainder,
including Judge Cox, were officers of
the court, government counsel, and 9th
ers. Three of these gentlemen have died
since the hanging OF GuiteaU, but when
it is remembered that most of these peo-
pie were men of middle age or even
older, it is a matter OF surprise that SO
few should in the course of nature have
passed away. Policeman Fowler has
been mentioned as one upon whom the
curse has fallen with particular violence.
Fowler was killed few months ago by
prisoner whom he was attempting to
arrest. AS a matter of fact, he had no
more to do with the trial than any of a
| dozen newspaper men who were present
| from day to day. He was sometimes de-
tailed for duty at the court room, but
beyond that he had no connection what
ever with the proceedings. DR.. Noble
Young, the Jail physician, who died re-
Gently, is another victim. DR.. Young
died calmly in his bed at the advanced
age of eighty-two years, and the only
wonder is that he lived so long, as he
had been constant sufferer from kid
ney troubles for the past decade. The
! last of these alleged unfortuna.es is juror
Pettibone, but as you may remember,
Pettibone was sick during the course of
the trial, and a postponement occurred
several times on his account. His death,
which followed few months later, can
hardly be coupled with any curse Guiteau
might have uttered"
docs it not appear to you, general, "
interrupted the correspondent, THAT, so
far from the people who surrounded
Guiteau being cursed, the very opposite
proves to be the case?"
THAT is the very suggestion I was
going to make. Colonel Corkhill, the
United States district attorney who had
charge of the case, has fallen heir within
the past eighteen months to fortune
variously estimated at from $40, 600 to
500, 900, and is to day more prosperous
and wealthy than ever before. His
assistants, Messrs. Davidge and Porter,
are well and happy and enjoy a large
practice in this city and New York.
Sergeant Mason, who attempted to kill
Guiteau by firing into his cell and in fact
Narrowly missing the assassin, is living
in peace and retirement on his farm in
Virginia, purchased with the 81, 900 con-
tribution which was raised by voluntary
subscription during his confinement in
the Albany penitentiary. Prior to this
Mason had drawn a salary of $17 a
month as an under-sergeant in the regu-
lar army, while his wife had helped sup
port the family by taking in washing and
performing other menial services. They
are rich to-day beyond their widest
expectations. But for Guiteau they
would still be living hand to-mouth
existence. Bill Jones, the avenger, as
he was facetiously called, who, in a
drunken frolic, also attempted Gui-
teau's life, pursues his vocation as a
farmer just across the Maryland border,
and finds great comfort in the
thought that his name will be linked
with that of the assassin of Garfield
by the historian of future ages. The
eleven jurymen who survive Mr. Petit
bone are all leading contented and peace
full lives, and the same may be said of
the prison attaches. Perry Carson, the
tall, goodlooking negro who drove the
prison van from the Jail to the court
house, became figure of such import
ance during the trial that his admiring
colored friends of the district sent him
as a delegate to the Republican conven-
tion at Chicago. He is now the proprie-
tor Of flourishing liquor saloon near
the Pennsylvania avenue railway station,
and has a substantial sum to his credit in
one of the local savings banks. He
never probably earned $50 month be-
fore the shooting.
Mrs. Garfield, as you know, is worth
half million of dollars. President
Arthur has lived to finish his term as
chief magistrate. So you see there's
nothing in Guiteau's curse. The people
who fell under his displeasure seem to
have prospered, while, so far as am
able to Judge, it has injured no onc."
"What disposition of Guiteau's body
was made2n
General Crocker, who had been talking
with great glibness, began pulling his
beard nervously, and when he replied
did so with evident embarrassment. 81
can't answer that question, he replied.
why not2 Is there any mystery
connected with it9"
"There are but two other people in
the world who know the place of Quit
eaus burial There are reasons why it
should be kept a secret"
But his skeleton is said to be on
exhibition at the medical museum2"
"If people choose to believe so, that
don't prove its correctness, does it?"
mo; but why should you object to
enlighten men7"
"Men at Washington, higher and
mightier than l, desired that the secret
of his grave should die with those of us
who performed the interment. do not
think the exact place of his burial will
ever be known TO another living soul"
There was the same mystery about
John Wilkes Booths last resting place.
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