The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-06-02
eurrEAu,s AWFUL CURSE.
1t Has Not Particularly Anseted the sEer
Who Tried Him.

Who Tried HIm-
twas sitter dusk on the 25th day Of
January. 1852. the weather cloudy and
gloomy. that there fled into their box in
the old criminal courtroom Of Wash
ington twelve jurymen who had listen
ed for months TO the testimony and
arguments in the case Of the trial Of
Guiteau for the murder of President
Garfield. and announced their verdict,
Guilty, IS indicted" Without. q
drilling rain and snow was falling.
and the large. dingy old courtroom was
lighted by some half-dozen candles
placed on the judges desk and on the
tables Of counsel. giving but little light
and adding to the weird darkness of
the room. Judge Cox took his place on
the bench
At one table sat Judge John <. Por-
ter. Mr.. Davidge. and Dist Atty. Cork
bill. representing the government Mr..
Scoyille. the prisoners brother-in-law
and his leading counsel; the prisoners
brother, and his sister, Mrs. Scoville,
and some personal friends of Guiteau.
sat with him at an adjoining table. As
the verdict was announced the prisoner
exclaimed in loud and defiant cone;
MY blood be on the head Of that
jury. Don't you forget it. That is my
answer"
And when afterwards on Feb 4. 1882.
the court asked him if he had anything
to say why sentence should not be pass
ed upon him. he replied:
Every officer, Judicial or otherwise,
from the president down, taking in
every man on that jury and every men,
Der of this bench, will pay for it. '
And when the sentence was prOnounc-
ed he repeated vehemently:
God Almighty viii curse every man
who has had anything to do with this
case
Various statements have from time To
time during the last four wears appear-
ed IN the press of the country calling at
tention to the realization of ..CSuiteau's
curse and the fulfllment of his pro
phecy.
A correspondent called on Col. Cork
hill, the United States district attorney
at the trial. for some of the facts con-
nected with the history of those engas-
ed in it, and whom Guiteau had special
~ mathematical. Col Corkhill was
found at his law office in this city, and
he looked little if any older than he did
during the trial When his attention
was called by your correspondent to the
subject ne said:
Yes, / have seen these statements
often, and | frequently receive letters
asking me if there is any truth in the
stories that are told. There seems to be
an anxiety on the part of good many
people to seize upon anything that
borders upon the superstitious. and il
only needs the slightest coincidence of a
prophecy and a corresponding occur
renee to enable them to discover an
inscrutable mystery in connection with
it.
''As to the Guiteau trial, all the wit
nesses for the government that were
called to prove the crime before the
grand jury, and whose names were in
dorsed on the back of the indictment.
and who were examined in chief by the
government, are alive and PURSUING
their ordinary business, except Surgeon
Gen. Barnes, who died some time AGO.
| saw the foreman of the jury, John p
Hamlin, of this city, few DAYS ago.
and he informed me that all the iHry
who tried and convicted Guiteau are
alive and engaged in the business they
were before the trial, except one.
Michael Sheenan, who was sick at the
time and has since died. As to the law
yers, Judge Porter was in very bad
health during the trial. and the labor
told upon him physically very much.
Mr.. Davidge is looking as well and
working as hard as ever. Judge Cox,
who presided at the trial. is still on the
bench, vigorous and in good health.
The same is true of Chief Justice Carter.
Justices Macarthur, James and Hagner,
who decided the case, sustaining the
verdict of the jury on appeal Justice
Wylie has retired under the provisions
of the law on account of age and long
service. Mr.. Justice Bradley. who de-
MED the writ OF habeas corpus, is still
on the bench of the supreme court of the
United States, though old enough to be
entitled to retire when he desires.
Marshal Henry is raising corn, potatoes
and wheat on his farm in Ohio. with
probably more satisfaction and certain
" with more success than when. his
portly, farmer-like form was seen
shadowing the rooms of the courthouse
and he was imagining he was perform
ing the duties of United States marshal.
Assistant Surgeon Lamb, who assist
ed at the autopsy, and who triumphant
ly carried off his bones, which he care
| fully polished and articulated at govern
ment expense, is still caressing Guiteau's
grinning skeleton in the national mus
cum in this city.
The leading experts whom Guiteau
especially cursed-Dr. John 2. GRAY of
| Utica, DIR. A. Z. Mcdonald and Allen
McLane Hamilton of New York, DR.. E.
A. Kempster of Wisconsin, and numer-
Gus other physicians in charge of the
various insane asylums of the country,
whose names can not now recall-are
all alive and with one or two exceptions
in charge of the same hospitals they
were at the time of the trial. In fact, ]
think it remarkable that among the
large number of active participants in
that somewhat celebrated trial there
should be but two or three deaths in
over four years. Scoville is in Chicago
| trying to raise the $50 month alimony
for his wife, who is trying to have him
arrested because he has not succeeded.
Guiteau's brother John, who was a spec.
tator at the hanging, is wrestling with
the intricate and uncertain business Of
life insurance. as of old; Hicks. Guiteau's
ministerial adviser, has stopped preach
ing and has gone to Florida to raise
oranges. 1t may be added that the
hangman who adjusted the noos,
around his neck is anxiously waiting
for the opportunity, which he will have
in a few weeks, of performing the sans
service for two other convicted murder
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