The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-13
ATTEMPT TO INSURE Gu1rEAu.
Joke That Helped to XIII Deathbed
Insurance in Pennsylvania.

For the first time the story of the
pretended effort to insure Guiteau's
life has been made public in Reading,
Pa, says the New York Sun. The
scheme was conceived by two young
lawyers. and, although they began 1t
as joke, there were many who took
it seriously One of the results was
to help to kill "deathbed insurance, in
the Eastern part of the United States.
Garfield was shot in July, 1881, and the
trial of the assassin began in Novem-
Der, 1881, and ended with the YER
dict Of guilty on Jan. rs, 1882. AT this
time the deathbed insurance craze was
at high water mark, many Of the COM
panies taking all kinds of risks. One
evening In February, 1882, two young
Reading attorneys were talking of
Guiteau, for whom an application for
a new trial had just been made. One
Of the attorneys suggested that they
attempt to insure Guiteau'S life as
means of bringing ridicule on the
graveyard companies" They talked
Of it to resident of Reading, who at
that time held a political office in
Washington. He entered into the joke
and thought he could arrange the
Washington end Of the affair. Going
back to Washington, the Berks county
politician, told a newspaper man there
of the business Of the insurance COM
panies in Reading, and also of the
scheme of insuring Guiteau. Mean
while the attorneys made written ap-
plication for 100000 insurance on
Guiteau's life. The application nearly
got the jokers into trouble. Among
the many live insurance companies in
Reading at the time was one that did
not properly come under the deSigna-
ton of deathbed company. By acct
dent a blank of this particular COM
cd ont in q nd
forwarded to the Washington news
paper man. His part was to take it
to Guiteau and try to secure his sig
nature.
The reporter visited Guiteau and
told him that firm of insurance
agents in Reading, thinking that he
might secure a new trial and event
him a good risk, and wanted to in
sure him for 100000. The reporter
gave Guiteau to understand that
neither he nor his friends would have
to pay any of the assessments. that
would be attended to in Reading.
Guiteau was also told that the agents
would make it worth his while to sign
the application. Although no figures
were mentioned, he was left under the
impression that his heirs might ex-
pect S25, 0G0 should he be executed.
Guiteau listened to the scheme and
then smiled. He knew the newspaper
man and told him he thought the en-
tire matter joke. The reporter knew
it was, but did not say so. Guteau
declined to sign then. The following
day the Washington newspaper APP
peared with a long article saying that
a graveyard insurance company at
Reading wanted to place 100000 in
surance on Guiteau's life. The name
of the company was given. The arti-
Gle was in the form Of an exposure,
and said that large sums of money
had been offered to secure Guiteau's
signature, and that a large sum was
to go to the aSsaSsin'S heirs. The
news was. sent all over the country
subsequently.
By this time the Reading originators
of the scheme were beginning to find
that they had succeeded beyond their
expectations. The officers of the COM
pany whose name was connected with
the affair went on a still hunt for the
schemers and lawsuits were threaten
ed Then the New York and New
England papers took up the subject.
Long articles appeared, calling atten-
ton to the deathbed or graveyard in
surance companies doing business in
Eastern Pennsylvania and especially
in Reading. Next the insurance pa
pers of England took up the matter
They cited the Pennsylvania deathbed
One daily paper in San Francisco
called the attempt to insure Guiteau
a disgrace on humanity. 1t is said