Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-01-23
auITEAu's LAST CURSE.
How the FeopleWho Figured Prom
inently atthe Assassin's Trial
Prosper Under the Legacy
Which he left Upon
the Soafold.
[chicago News.l

w WASHlNGTON, ~. ", Jah O.-FOr
some weeks past paragraph has been
floating about the country setting
forth the fact that Guiteau's curse
which he pronounced upon the scaf-
fold has fallen with baneful effect
upon number of those who were
connected with his trial and execu-
tion. Last evening the Daily News
correspondent directed the attention
of Gen. CrOcker, the warden of the
jail. to the article, and asked him how
much truth there was in the state
ment. at Is utterly without fonda
tion, and is as fliinsy and unsubstan-
tial figment Of the Imagination as
could well be DEVISED" replied the
General. "1here were probably so
persons more or less directly connect
ed with Guiteau's imprisonment.
Nineteen of these were the guards
aud prison attaches where Guiteau
was confined. Twelve were members
ofihe jury, aud the remainder, includ-
ing Judge Cox, were officers of the
cour, Government counsel and others.
Three of these gentlemen have died
since the hanging of Guiteau, but
when 1t Is remembered that most of
these people were men Of middle age
or even older. IL Is Il matter of surprise
that so few should In the course OF
nature have passed away. Police
man Fowler has been mentioned as
one upon whom the curse has fallen
with particular violence. Fowler
was killed few months ago by a
prisoner whom he was attempting TO
arrest. AS matter of fact he had
no more to do with the trial than
any one of dozen newspaper men
who were present from day TO day.
lIo was sometimes detailed for duly
at the court room. but beyond that
had no connection whatever with tho
proceedings. DIR. Noble Young, the
Jail physician, who died recently, is
another victim. DR.. Young died
calmly iu his bed at the advanced
age of eighty-two o years, and the only
wonder Is that he lived SO long, as
he lipd been a constant sufferer from
kidney trouble for the past decade.
The last of these alleged uniortunates
is Juror Pettibone, but, as you may
remember, Pettibone was sick during
the course of the trial, and post
poneinent occurred several times ON
his account. His death, which fol-
lowed few months later, can hardly
be coupled with any curse Guiteau
might have uttered.
"Col. Corkhill, the United States
District Attorney who had charge of
The case, has fallen heir within the
past eighteen months to a fortune
variously estimated at from $4,000 to
100000, and is to-day more prosper
Gus and wealthy than ever before.
His assistants, Messrs Davidge and
Porter, are well aud happy aud enjoy
large practice in this city and New
York. Sergt. Mason, who attempted
TO kill Guiteau by firing into his cell
and In fact narrowly missing the as
sassin, is living in peace and retire.
ment on his farm in Virginia, pur-
chased with the $1,000 contribution
which was raised by voluntary SUBJ
scription during his confinement inthe
Albany penitentiary. Prior 10 this
Mason had drawn salary of $l7 a
month as an undersergeant In the
regular army, while his wife had help
cd to support his family by taking
IN washing aud performing other
menial services. They are rich to-
day beyond their widest expectations.
But for Guileau they would still be
living a hand-to-lnouth existence.
Dill Jones, the aveDger, as he was
lacctiously called, who in a drunken
frolic also attempted Guiteau's life,
pursues his vocation. as farmer just
across the Maryland border, and finds
great comfort IN the thought that his
name will he linked with that of the
assassin of Garfield by the historian
of future ages. The eleven jurymen
who survive Mr.. Pettibone are all
leading contented and peaceful. lives,
and the same may be said of the
prison attaches. Perry Carson, the
tall, good-looking negro who drove
the prison van from, the jail to the
courthouse, became u figure of such
Importance during the trial that his
admiring colored friends of the dis
trict sent him as a delegate to the
Republican convention at Chicago.
lie is now the proprietor of a flour
isling liquor saloon near the Pennsyl-
vania avenue railway station, and
has q substantial sum to his credit in
one of the local savings banks. lie
never probably earned $50 month
before the shooting. Then there Is
the Rev. Mr.. Hicks, Guiteau's spirit
ual adviser. llickswas a sort of re-
ligio-politico tramp. He did some
good work for the President at the
Chicago convention, however, and
has lately been rewarded with the
appointment of Surveyor General of
I