The times., 1886-06-18
GUITEAU's AWFUL CURSE.
IL Has Not Particularly Affected the Men
Who Tried Him.

| OuHutTy. 1907, tne Wcutncr CLOUDY anu
gloomy, that there filed into their box in
the old criminal courtroom of Wash
ington twelve 'jurymen who had listen
cd 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, us indicted" Without, a
drizzling 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 X. Por-
ter, Mr.. Dayidge, and Dist. Atty. Cork
hill, representing the government. Mr..
Scoville, 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 tone:
''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,
ber of this bench, will pay for it,"
And xyhan ha ntapo % xvo @ ,arn,,O,no
ed he repeated vehemently:
God Almighty will curse every man
who has had anything to do with this
case"
Various statements have from time to
time during the last four years appear
ed in the press of the country calling at
tention to the realization of "Guiteau's
curse" and the fulfllment of his pro-
phecy.
A correspondent called on Col Cork
hill, the United States district attorney
ut the trial, for some of the facts con-
nected with the history of those engag-
ed in it, and whom Guiteau had special
ly 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 he said:
Yes, l have seen these statements
often, and i 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 it
only needs the slightest coincidence of n
prophecy and q corresponding occur
renee to enable them to discover an
insc-utablc mystery in connection with
it.
'As to the Guiteau trial, all the wit
nesses for the government that we're
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, Il few days ago,
and he informed me that all the jury
who tried and convicted Guiteau arc
alive and engaged in the business they
were before the trial, except one,
Michael SEeenan, 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 rs hard us ever. Judge Cox,
who presided ut 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
Wy(ie 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 or 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
ly 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 p. Gray of
Utica, DIR. A. +. Mcdonald and Allen
McLane Hamilton of New York, Dr. +.
A. Kempster OF Wisconsin. and numer-
Gus othor physicians in charge of the
various insane asylums of the country,
whose names | can not now rccall-are
all alive and with one or two exceptions
in charge of the same hospitals they
were ut the time of the trial. In fact, L
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
o,.raota1 hacanca bo hos NOT cuooaoIad